The Most Noble Employment
“A farmer…is “a dispenser of the ‘Mysteries of God.’”
― Wendell Berry, Bringing it to the Table: Writings on Farming and Food
It’s impossible to overestimate the positive contribution to our urban school gardens of some of our favorite people ― local, organic farmers Adam Maciel, Tom Page and Brijette Peña, who, along with their families, produce and donate high quality plants and seeds to Barrio Botany.
Wendell Berry, the writer, poet, activist and prominent defender of agrarian values, said it best: “Why do farmers farm, given their economic adversities on top of the many frustrations and difficulties normal to farming? And always the answer is: ‘Love. They must do it for love.’”
That love is evident in each donation, whether it’s a flat of vegetable starts, a collection of special seeds or the dispensation of timely professional advice. With each contribution, our grower friends are sowing a bright future for vulnerable urban children. It is truly an honor to pass on their legacy of nourishment and stewardship.
