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On March 20, at 12:30 am EDT, Spring 2016 officially arrived here in Vermont. Known as the Spring Equinox, this seasonal event illustrates through its equal hours of day and night the importance of balance in our lives. This seasonal change also reminds us to look for signs of our Inner Spring, those moments of delight when we discover, despite the debris of previous seasons, the green shoots of new growth in our ever evolving lives.
Getting Back to the Garden
I was reminded of the importance of wooing my inner spring on a shopping trip a couple of days before the Equinox. Visitors to Onion River Food Coop/City Market in Burlington, Vermont, cannot miss the evidence of change in the perennial garden just outside its doors. Throughout the fall, perennials in this garden are left in place to prevent soil erosion as they wither into the husks that signal the coming dormancy of winter. Snow hides whatever stalks withstand the bluster and cold that blows from Lake Champlain, and then, miraculously, temperatures rise to reveal intrepid crocus blossoms and the hardy leaves of tulips destined to entice with their colour and scent the earliest pollinators making all vegetables and fruits possible.
Some people miss out on the markers of seasonal change, choosing instead to text, email, and game their way through the magic of Spring’s growing light and warmth. Happily, more and more North Americans are becoming involved in the local food movements that stand up to the corporate commodification of all species for gain. One joyful event scheduled for the 2016 Spring season is The March Against Monsanto, billed to be “happening everywhere.”
Many have heard of the five west-coast cities joining forces in the legal fight against chemical giant Monsanto, just as many have abandoned using its toxic products in our efforts to protect human and animal health and our beloved Earth’s water, soil, and air. If you are curious about legal challenges in your specific area, search the web for information on your region at .org, .edu, and .gov sites. The groundswell in favour of organic, local food economies grows constantly, and as it does, our communities strengthen in resolve and social vibrancy. If you don’t find evidence of change in your area, be the one to howl to your pack by initiating an event.
The Energies of Spring
As our most revitalizing season, Spring energizes us to participate in growing organic local food movements everywhere. Solidarity with our organic gardeners and farmers is perhaps the most important commitment we make to the future of our communities and our planet. Happily, this commitment supports our personal health and the health of our loved ones, friends, and food producers, as well as the diverse ecosystems supporting all species.
Involvement in organic local food economies through CSAs, Farmers’ Markets, and Farm Gates has profound effects on our sense of well being and the health of our shared natural environment. For an in-depth look at relationships between vibrant local culture – including all manner of food production – and human happiness and well being, visit the remarkable website http://www.localfutures.org/ and see the DVD The Economics of Happiness, a visual study of the disintegration of a culture when local economies are replaced with global systems. Better still, as part of your Spring courtship, host a showing of the DVD to bring your community together around the common cause of happiness and well being..
Until next time, may you delight in all Spring’s manifestations, inner and outer.
Jane
Jane Buchan, MA, AAMET Advanced Practitioner, jane@winterblooms.net, 802-533-9277
Jane is a Learning Coach specializing in neutralizing cultural age, gender, and race constructs to support learners of every age. To engage her coaching services, please contact Jane by phone (802) 533-9277 or email, jane@winterblooms.net. Be sure to put Coaching Query in the subject line.