Category: Social Justice

#GivingTuesday, Autumn, Communication, Community, Creation, Donations, Down On the Farm, Emotional Health, Faith, Fall, Family, Food Insecurity, Food Justice, Generations, Gifts, Giving, Gratitude, Hope, Kentucky, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Pandemics, Peace, Prayer, Relationships, Service Organizations, Service to Others, Simplicity, Social Justice, Spirituality, Thanksgiving, Thoughts From the Porch, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming, Volunteers, What Can I Do

Happy Early Thanksgiving!

gregoryjoel

Margaret and I will be leaving in the morning for Kentucky to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Wow! I never dreamed I’d be writing that one. (If you’ve followed my family journey at www.gregoryjoel.com you know why I say that…) Momma told me last night that she hoped Margaret won’t be overwhelmed by the crowd descending on Momma’s house for the holiday (I have a BIG family – never thought I’d say that one either!). Rest assured Momma – Margaret’s ready! I can’t even begin to put into words the joy I’m feeling.

We’ve spent the last couple of weeks getting Opal’s Farm ready for Thanksgiving and my vacation – and I mean “vacation” – haven’t said that one in ten years…). I’ll be unplugging from phones and computers for the next nine days. Stacey Harwood, our Volunteer Coordinator, will be handling everything at the farm. She may be in desperate need of volunteers if we get a freeze warning next week. We have a ton of tomatoes on the vine that we’ll need to pick quickly. Stacey can be reached at opalsvolunteers@gmail.com. Also, please remember that #GivingTuesday, a day of global giving, coming up after the holiday!

We’ll also be taking a break from Cowtown Farmers Market for the next two Saturdays. We’ll be back in force throughout the remainder of the holiday season so come get your fresh, local produce for Christmas!

I won’t be able to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving next week, so I’ll say it today. I hope our friends and family have a great Thanksgiving. I hope this holiday season brings joy and gratitude for the blessings we have received. Sometimes those blessings are disguised by the obstacles that we find along the way. The pandemic and the losses that have accompanied it have been brutal, but like Opal’s Farm, we’re getting past those to find the joy and peace that come from God’s awesome creation.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Love each other a little better and be thankful. Take care!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
Activism, Choices, Community, Creation, Emotional Health, Environment, Fighting Poverty, Food Justice, Hope, Neighbors, Opal's Farm, Quotes, Responsibility, Service to Others, Simplicity, Social Justice, Spirituality, Thoughts From the Porch, Unity Unlimited, Inc., What Can I Do

“It is impossible to know in the moment, how a small act of goodness will reverberate through time. The notion is empowering and it is frightening—because it means that we’re all capable of changing the world, and responsible for finding those opportunities to protect, feed, grow, and guide love.” – Bishop Michael Curry

gregoryjoel
Photo by mododeolhar on Pexels.com
Beatitudes, Belief, Christianity, Community, Faith, Fighting Poverty, Food Insecurity, Food Justice, Marginalized, Neighbors, Opal's Farm, Quotes, Social Justice, Spirituality, Thoughts From the Porch, Unity Unlimited, Inc.

“We are afraid of religion because it interprets rather than just observes. Religion does not confirm that there are hungry people in the world; it interprets the hungry to be our brethren whom we allow to starve.” – Dorothee Sölle, translated by David L. Scheidt, The Inward Road and the Way Back

gregoryjoel
Communication, Community, Conservation, Creation, Down On the Farm, Education, Environment, Events, Fall, Food Justice, Hope, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Regeneration, Service Organizations, Social Justice, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming

New Beginnings at the Farm

gregoryjoel

The Fall crops are in and doing well. The greens are abundant, the tomatoes ripening quickly, and the peppers have been supercharged by the cool night air. We’re taking more and more to market and more coming in the next two weeks. Come and see us at Cowtown Farmers Market and prepare for the holidays!

This is our favorite time of year at Opal’s Farm. The mornings have a slight chill in the air. The summer heat is left behind. The high temperatures hover around seventy to eighty degrees – perfect weather for working. There’s time to clean old beds and prepare new ones for Spring.

The pace seems more relaxed and laid-back. It’s also the perfect time to reflect on our mission, our vision, and our values and focus on the truly important things Opal’s Farm is about. Are we staying the course? How can we do things better? It’s a time to refocus, make sure we’re following the best path toward our goals, and look forward to the coming year (yes, friends, it’s only two months away…).

Our Mission Statement

Building vibrant local communities through regenerative urban farming, faithful gathering, and lasting fellowship

Our Vision

We imagine a world where diversity is evident, opportunities are plentiful, and divisions are crossed, all in pursuit of lasting unity. Opal’s Farm creates community empowerment through food. Through our work we hope to generate a replicable model of community building, engagement, and empowerment.

In keeping with our Mission Opal’s Farm is proud to be part of the Farm Manager Apprenticeship program starting on Wednesday, November 3rd. Grow SE, with a grant from the United Way, is beginning a nine-month Apprenticeship Program for three new farmers from Southeast Fort Worth.

They will be working side by side Grow SE farmers to learn how to plan, build, and grow their own crops using regenerative, organic means of building healthy soil and healthy plants. They’ll each build their own fifth of an acre plot, from planting to harvest, and then market their crops. They will take the knowledge and experienced they gain to their respective communities in Southeast Fort Worth – joining the urban agriculture movement to bring healthy fresh produce to neighborhoods that need it most.

We’ll be introducing you to the inspiring young men in coming posts and keep you updated on our progress.

We’d love to have you come out (weather permitting) on Wednesday, November 3rd at 10:00 AM and celebrate the beginning of the Farm Manager Apprenticeship Program with us. Come meet our new farmers and be a part of the Opal’s community.

Christianity, Creation, Emotional Health, Faith, Family, Gifts, Grace, Gratitude, Meditation, Peace, Prayer, Relationships, Revival, Simplicity, Social Justice, Thoughts From the Porch

Pondering

gregoryjoel

I like to ponder. That’s how the idea for “Thoughts From the Porch” came about. I have a daily routine in which pondering plays a big role. I have my coffee on the porch most mornings. I even sat out there during the famous Texas ice storm of 2021. It was warmer out there than it was my house with no power. It may be the first time I’ve left my insulated overalls on all day since I moved back to Texas…

I enjoy the quiet time, the birds singing, watching the dawn break over my neighbor’s roof, and pondering.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ponder as:

                “Transitive verb

                1: to weigh in the mind: APPRAISE

                // pondered their chance of success

                2: to think about: to reflect on

                // pondered the events of the day

                Intransitive verb

                To think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply”

Sometimes I ponder the squirrels running about our front yard, nervously watching for our cat as they hide their nuts for the coming winter. Other times I ponder how much I wish I had my pellet rifle for the one that keeps finding new ways into my attic…

Pondering and meditation are similar, but different – to me at least. Religion and recovery stress the value of meditation, but quite frankly, I suck at it. Meditation seems like too much work. Pondering flows more naturally. One of my favorite verses is found in the Gospel of Luke. He has recounted the birth of Jesus and says in 2:19, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered about them in her heart” (emphasis mine).

I get it. Hold what I treasure close. Pondering is a natural consequence. It just is…

Sometimes I ponder the important things in life – my wife, my family, my faith. Other times it’s often the inane. Both are beautiful. Both are necessary.

I am thankful for my friends who allow me to ponder and write about those things here. I don’t always stop to tell you how much I appreciate you all. It’s not that I have anything terribly important to say. It’s that you allow me to share what is – “quietly, soberly, and deeply” – even when it may only make sense to me. You provide me the space to toss into the world my thoughts and do so without judgement. Sometimes I just need to see things in black and white, but mostly I need to hear myself say them. Thank you for that opportunity.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash