Category: Social Justice

Activism, Choices, Community, Connection, Equal Rights, Faith, Food Justice, Gratitude, Heroes, Hope, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Politics, Quotes, Role Models, Service to Others, Social Justice, Spirituality, Thoughts From the Porch, Unity Unlimited, Inc., What Can I Do

Freedom Every Day for Everybody…

gregoryjoel

I was sitting here this morning drinking coffee, reading a great book (Martyrs to the Unspeakable – The Assassinations of JFK, Malcom, Martin, and RFK by James W. Douglass), and thinking about the last year (although the last decade has been a debacle for democracy in general). I’ve been a bit nostalgic lately, grieving the loss of civility and the deep divisions between the communities around me.

My friend, Dione Sims, (who happens to be my boss and the Executive Director for Unity Unlimited, Inc. – the parent non-profit for Opal’s Farm), is running for Congress in Texas Congressional District Twenty-five. I don’t have the opportunity to volunteer with her campaign as I would like. Spring at Opal’s Farm usually requires more work hours than there are hours in the day. During our recent phone check-in, I asked her about her campaigning, and she told me something that gives me hope once again for a return to the civility and unity I long for.

Hood County, southwest of Fort Worth, is dealing with the issue of huge data centers being built next to there communities. I won’t bore you with all the arguments for and against, but many community members oppose the data centers and the noise, energy, and water pollution that accompany such behemoths in their neighborhoods. At a recent campaign appearance in Hood County, a community member asked Dione about her stance on data centers. Her response was telling about what she will bring to Congress – real representation of the people in her district: something we all wish would happen no matter which side of the political spectrum we find ourselves on.

She answered that the issue needed to be decided by the people, and that as their representative in Congress it was her job to reach across the divided and bring the community together and draw a consensus on whatever he issue was. She was there to represent them – to speak their concerns to power. Moreover, that what many of the new candidates, especially Democrats (of which I am not a part and a proud Independent) have the same goals.

I found a degree of hope in this for a return to what the democracy I was taught about growing up. Political Science might have been my college major but politics is no longer my forte. As I’ve grown older it’s no longer about Republican or Democrat, right or left, but about right and wrong, representative democracy over authoritarianism, the will of the people, all people, versus the will of a small few.

I certainly don’t have the answers to all the challenges we face as a nation, a state, or a community, but I believe that we do. Maybe it’s time to put aside our differences and elect real representatives of what we want from our government, people that will listen to us and not the voices of their corporate donors and lobbyists. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll start waking up to the fact that democracy isn’t guaranteed and requires our participation in making this a good place for all of us, no matter what color, race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation we are. This is what Dione has been doing at Unity Unlimited, Inc. for over twenty-five years as the Executive Director of Unity and will do. as your representative in Congress.

“Hard work should pay off, and nobody should have to live one emergency away from losing everything.” -Dione Sims

The things that are important to most of us – the ability of afford a home, to have healthy food and clean water, to thrive in our communities, and to be free to live in peace has been ignored long enough. It’s time to ask our elected officials to really listen to us and act accordingly. I’m hopeful that people like Dione Sims and so many candidates like her will be doing those same things in the 120th Congress of the United States.

“I’m running to make freedom livable.” -Dione Sims

And remember, f you didn’t vote in early voting, please to vote on Primary Election Day, March 3rd!

“No one is free until everyone is free, and freedom has to show up in real life.” -Dione Sims

Activism, Belief, Choices, Courage, Faith, Grief, Hate Crimes, Hope, Quotes, Simplicity, Social Justice, Spirituality, Thoughts From the Porch, What Can I Do

“Live right”

gregoryjoel

The arctic front has made its way east and we’re slowly rebounding from last weekend’s ice storm. I still can’t get much done at the farm, so I’ve been working from home the last few days. I’ve been blessed to have quiet meditation time in the morning, unhurried by the usual morning rituals that precede a workday at the farm.

Given the atrocities happening in Minnesota and the constant cruelty and hate coming from our nation’s capital, I’ve found myself reading the Book of Isaiah this morning. The prophets remind me that religious nationalism, authoritarian regimes, corruption, and abusive power have always plagued societies long before us. History and the prophets tell me we’ve been through this before. They also remind me that there’s a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel – that evil doesn’t prevail. I must hang on to that. Otherwise, hopelessness rears its ugly head.

This morning, I found a gem in Isaiah 33.15 (in The Message Bible) that offers me hope for today.

“The answer’s simple:

                Live right,

                Speak the truth,

                despise exploitation,

                refuse bribes,

                reject violence,

                avoid evil amusements.

I also find hope in the people of Minneapolis who have braved sub-zero weather to “speak the truth, despise exploitation”, and look out for their neighbors in the face of terrible atrocities carried out by ICE and the current administration. They’ve refused bribes (“we’ll leave if you give us your voter rolls” -another ploy to fix the next election). They’ve rejected violence, answering violence with peaceful protest. Unlike the ICE agents who celebrated the lynching of Alex Pretti (watch the video) or the constant laughing at another’s pain, they’ve rejected such evil amusements.

I needed the reminder today that no matter how I feel (does “really pissed off”, hurt and grieving resonate with you?), I can heed Isaiah’s words. There is hope. Jesus even made clearer by reminding me that loving God and loving others takes care of everything else. It enables me to “speak the truth, despise exploitation, refuse bribes, reject violence, avoid evil amusements” too…

Belief, Choices, Down On the Farm, Faith, Food Justice, Hope, Music, Neighbors, Opal's Farm, Quotes, Responsibility, Serenity, Service Organizations, Social Justice, Songs, Spirituality, Texas Music, Thoughts From the Porch, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming, What Can I Do

I Used to Worry…

gregoryjoel

My first year at Opal’s Farm was interesting to say the least. I’d never farmed. I’d had lots of experience with community gardens, but I had never farmed. I only had a few hand tools and a BCS two-wheeled tractor, a wide-open space to use it, and I was the only laborer to do so.  There was no money in the farm account and even what little seed we had was donated. That also meant I didn’t get paid unless some grant money came through or we had a huge harvest – neither of which appeared to be happening soon.

Fortunately, I had a great mentor come into my life, Charlie Blaylock, who owned Shines Farmstand, guided me through the process of becoming a farmer. A month into the project I received help from our first volunteer, Brendan, who stayed with me every day through that first growing season. He put that BCS tractor to work. Although our first growing season met with some moderate success it was nowhere near enough to get paid so I went without a paycheck for the first year.

I believed in the farm. My wife and I had a very small savings account to draw on, and although it wasn’t near enough to pay all the bills, I went to work each day. The money finally ran out in October, and I was so worried and stressed out to the point that I came home and told Margaret that I was going to have to go work elsewhere. My wife, who is one of the most spiritual and faithful people I know, looked at me and said, “Greg, we prayed for a long time about this, and I know this is where God wants you to be. Give it another month before you decide what to do”.

I exclaimed, “Baby, we’ll lose the house if we can’t make the mortgage payment!”

She smiled and simply said, “We had a roof over our heads when we moved in didn’t we?” Needless to say, I’m still there seven years later and the farm is thriving.

You see, I received a call from our Executive Director at eight o’clock the following morning. She told me we’d received a grant from Visit Fort Worth, and she’d have a check for me later that day. I called my wife and told her the great news and stopped to have a little conversation with God. “God, I’m stubborn and thickheaded. I know you told me not to worry about things like that. You have my back. It’s all yours from now on. I’m just going to do the work you gave me each day and you take care of the rest.”

I’ve told this story many times over the last seven years. I’ve even had to remind myself several times this year when funding cuts led to staff layoffs and irregular paychecks. Texas Health Community Hope and the Conservation and Environment Fund at North Texas Community Foundation stepped up to help us in enormous ways to continue the great work at Opal’s Farm.

I’d like to say that my life is free of worry, but that would be a lie. I just worry less about myself and more about others. It seems there’s a lot to worry about these days with all the chaos, hatred, and harm being directed at folks, but doing what I can to ease another’s burden, especially in food justice and serving the marginalized communities around us, there’s less worry and more action.

I don’t worry (well, most of the time anyway…) about results and just do the work. I also remember I spent way too much of life worrying about things that just didn’t matter. I have “enough” and life’s pretty damn good.

From another patron saint of Texas music and one of Fort Worth’s favorite sons – Delbert McClinton along with the great Francine Reed.

“There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” – G. K. Chesterton

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seed you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

“The world says, the more you take, the more you have. Christ says, the more you give, the more you are.” — Frederick Buechner

Communication, Community, Down On the Farm, Events, Faith, Farmers Markets, Food Justice, Gratitude, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Quotes, Regeneration, Service to Others, Social Justice, Songs, Songwriters, Spirituality, The Holidays, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming, Volunteers

Life’s Just a Circle…

gregoryjoel

It’s hard to believe that December is already here. This year has flown by! It seems like only yesterday I was planting early Spring crops and now I’m getting beds ready for them again. I keep hearing the old Harry Chapin song over and over in my head as I pull out the old summer crops and prepare for the coming year. “All my life’s a circle, sunrise and sundown. Moon rolls through the nighttime, ‘til the daybreak comes around. All my life’s a circle, but I can’t tell you why. Seasons spinning round again, the years keep rolling by…” I keep thinking that things will slow down at Opal’s Farm, but the circle keeps rolling on.

Opal’s Farm Stand went on the road yesterday with all the greens and root vegetables that’re coming in this time of year. We were at the monthly Funkytown Mindful Market on Wesleyan Street. Attendance was strong despite the chilly overcast December day, and a good time was had by all. I got to spend the morning with our stand next to my friend Steven from Tabor Farms and catch up with one another. He and all the Tabor crew have done an amazing job building the farm up and growing some fantastic winter produce. Please go by and visit Tabor sometime for a real treat. Even better than that – volunteer with them!

My friends at CoAct, Jesse Herrera and Ashley Munoz, saw to it that Market Bucks went to every market visitor and any produce left over was sent to the Funkytown Fridge. Everyone’s so busy this time of years that it’s easy to forget that many of our neighbors go hungry during this hectic holiday season. CoAct, Funkytown Mindful Market, Tabor Farms, and Opal’s Farm hope to make the holidays a bit easier for those going without. Food, and good healthy food, is a basic human right and we want to do what we can to ensure that everyone has access.

Please remember too, that Opal’s has Fresh Bucks available through the end of December to help those who were affected by the government shutdown. The Sustainable Food Center has graciously shared a grant to make sure those affected can purchase up to $30.00 per day on fresh food with the Fresh Bucks available until they’re all gone or the end of December, whichever comes first.

Fall saw above normal temperatures and December’s moved in the opposite direction. It’s the coldest start to December in sixteen years so we’ve been covering crops to make we have plenty of winter produce available. The good Lord willing, we will be open throughout the year both Cowtown Farmers Market and Opal’s Farm Stand.

There are some changes coming to Opal’s Farm Stand in 2026 so we can serve more of our neighbors. We’re finalizing those plans now and we’ll be making an announcement about those changes soon. Meanwhile, the circle keeps rolling on. Happy Holidays everyone!