Service to Others – Page 43

Bad Weather, Business, Community, Donations, Environment, Faith, Food Deserts, Food Insecurity, Gardening, God's Economics, Gratitude, Hope, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Nutrition, Opal's Farm, Preparation, Regeneration, Service Organizations, Service to Others, Spirituality, Thoughts From the Porch, Urban Farming, What Can I Do, Writing

Make Our Wish Come True!

January 18, 2019 gregoryjoel

Thoughts From the Porch

Today is the proverbial “calm before the storm” here in Fort Worth. The high forecasted today is seventy degrees. A blast from our Canadian neighbors comes through tonight and tomorrow the wind chill will be in the teens. Just another Friday here in North Texas…

But… there’s good news even with the dismal forecast! Heavy rain is not predicted. This means drier soil and as such, we’re on a faster track for preparation for our first Spring planting at Opal’s Farm!

We’re excited. A ribbon cutting is for the Farm is being planned. Disking, tilling, and preparations are moving forward. However, we’re still short on our initial costs. That’s where you come in…

I’ve put together a “Wish List” for Opal’s Farm. If you can help us make our wishes come true, please let us know. Your contributions are appreciated more than you know.

Opal’s Farm Wish List

Extension Cords (outdoors – 100’) 10 gauge max 15 amp

Water Coolers – 5 gal.

Rope (300 ft.)

String Line

Bundles of 2’ Construction Stakes

Levels (4 ft.)

4×4 Treated Lumber

2×4 Treated Lumber

Landscape Cloth (300’x4’)

Chairs

Pruning Shears

Potting Soil – 1.5 cu. ft. bags

Soil Amendments (Chalk, Gypsum) – .5 cu. ft. bags

Bees and Ladybugs

Compost

Sand

Sandy Loam

Pea Gravel

5 gal. Buckets

Plastic Storage Containers

Boxes for Produce

Work Gloves

Eye Protection

Back Support / Back belts

Please click on contact us if you can help with any of these items or feel free to contact me, Greg Joel, Farm Manager for Opal’s Farm at 817-333-8367.

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Sustainable? Not Really…

January 7, 2019 gregoryjoel

My friend Jim used to remind me that “when you point the finger at someone else, there’s always three pointing back at you”. I know exactly what he meant. I tend to be judgmental when it comes to the use of words. Take” irregardless” for instance. It gets used all the time and it drives me nuts. It’s one of my pet peeves…

That being said, I have a confession to make. I’ve been misusing the word “sustainable” for the last few months. When I began telling everyone about Unity Unlimited, Inc. and Opal’s Farm last year I kept talking about being “sustainable”. I’m sorry, but that’s not completely accurate. Opal’s Farm is not simply sustainable, it’s regenerative. I beg your forgiveness because the difference is huge.

“Sustainable” has become a popular adjective, the new buzzword, especially in marketing. Everyone wants to be “sustainable”. I jumped on the bandwagon, too. Perhaps I heard it so much that I used it over and over when writing about Opal’s Farm. I’ll be the first to admit that I was wrong.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of sustainable is:

“Sustainable – adjective

1: capable of being sustained

2a: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged

//sustainable techniques

//sustainable agriculture

b: of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods

//sustainable society”

Merriam-Webster goes on to define “regeneration” as:

“Regeneration – noun

1: an act or the process of regenerating : the state of being regenerated

2: spiritual renewal or revival

3: renewal or restoration of a body, bodily part, or biological system (such as a forest) after injury or as a normal process…”

Sustainability implies that we maintain the status quo. That’s not good enough. The soil needs to be regenerated: restored to the vitality nature intended. Commercial and residential development as well as traditional agriculture has failed to address the issue of soil health. Chemical fertilizers and land overuse destroy the soil. It doesn’t need to be sustained. It needs to be regenerated. That’s what Opal’s Farm does.

Regeneration goes far beyond maintenance. It’s the process of revitalizing and rebuilding the soil, making it better and healthier than before.

Healthy soil, built through organic methods, produces healthier plants. In turn, healthy plants produce a better harvest, both in quantity and quality. That goes on to affect the health and vitality of the neighborhoods we serve.

If I make any resolutions this year, I resolve not to use the word “sustainable”, at least when talking about the farm. What we say – whether about ourselves, our society, or even an urban farm – matters. Words matter. This year I prefer to be regenerative: to renew and revive – both personally and for Opal’s Farm. You can learn more about the farm at http://www.unityunlimited.org/opals-farm.html.

As always, we invite you to become a “farmer” and join in the work at Opal’s Farm!

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Be the Candle

January 4, 2019January 4, 2019 gregoryjoel

“We either add to the darkness of indifference … or we light a candle to see by.” — Madeleine L’Engle

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What’s For Breakfast?

December 10, 2018December 13, 2018 gregoryjoel

Thoughts from the Porch: I don’t get to see the sun breaking above the horizon due to the way the houses sit around our little cul-de-sac. Light slowly comes over the roof of our next door neighbor’s house and the porchgrows brighter. It’s much faster now that the trees have shed their leaves forthe winter. Something about watching dawn break makes me feel more alive, more awed by the God of creation. What a way to start the day…

I used to dread seeing the sunrise, especially on Mondaymornings. The weekend was over. It was back to work. ‘Work’ was a four-letter word. It’s not that way anymore, though.

Things have changed over the last ten or fifteen years. I lookforward to Mondays. I know you may find that hard to believe, but I really do. In fact, I like most mornings.

Dawn dispels the night and reawakens the world for anotherday. I’m reminded that I “woke up on the right side of the roots”, as my friend Charlie says. I’m here for another day, another opportunity…

That wise old sage, Winnie the Pooh, was having a discussion with his friend, Piglet, about the first thought they had in the morning. Piglet told himself, “I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?”

Pooh, being the practical bear that he is, said he asked himself, “what’sfor breakfast?” I like that…

“What’s for breakfast?” has become a mantra of sorts. Itreminds me to take care of what’s immediately before me, to “do the next rightthing”, whatever that may be. Most of the time, it’s routine – crawl out of bed, the morning toilette, and make a pot of coffee. By the time I get to the porch, I have an idea what needs to be done today. I also know God often hasother plans.

I’ve heard the phrase “do the next right thing” for years. If I’m honest, I don’t always know what the “next right thing” is. It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘to-do’ list, head off in another direction, and miss the ‘next right thing’ there in front of me.

I think that’s why my ‘porch time’ has become so important. My friend Edgar likes to remind me that when I take care of the spiritual man, the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of being tends to take care of themselves. Funny how that echoes Jesus’ admonition, “Love God and love others. Do that and everything else will take care of itself”.

The porch gets me ready for the day. Conversing with God keeps me centered and gives me clarity of vision. It’s much easier to see the “next right thing” when it appears. Sometimes that means altering my plans in order to follows God’s…

I hope I become more like Pooh Bear as I grow older. I hope I always ask the right question, “What’s for breakfast?” When I focus on that I don’t have to wonder what exciting things are going to happen. They just happen: a natural consequence of taking care of breakfast first.

So, what’s for breakfast today?