Coming to a Belly Near You

I live in a restored historic barn on an idyllic farm in North Carolina. A recent life change of separating from my husband has put me in a position where I seriously have to think about income. My solution took shape when I began giving away extra organic produce and lamb, which then morphed into a small business delivering organic produce to a local tiny town. I have not advertised, except using Facebook, and now have more customers than I can provide for. I was surprised that there would be such a demand in a small local farm community for organic food. Why?
 
Then I had a dream. In my dream, I left my idyllic home to check on my rental property. In traveling, I came to a modern bridge that was broken, destroyed and impassable. Leaving my vehicle and walking on foot, I navigated the bridge and made it to my destination.

The house was in a state of disrepair and filth. There were probably 10 dirty and lethargic people living in the house with their piles of belongings in corners and on the staircase. In talking to the people, I was not upset that they had trashed my house but what was disturbing was the lack of food. No one seemed to be worried about this dilemma. Wanting to know what they were going to do about this problem, I inquired deeper. The response was “The Farm People are Coming.” 
 
No one could tell me who the Farm People were or what they were going to do except provide them food. In my dream, I then had a vision of the Farm People. They were small in stature, had large round bellies, wore pith hats, and held a pitchfork similar to the one in American Gothic by Grant Wood. The most unusual characteristics of the people were the honey bee-wings attached to their backs. In the dream, I made a commitment to these downtrodden people to return with my organic food. 
 
Perhaps this dream is not as crazy as it first appears. Are we eating what we think is food but is not? Are we eating nutritious food? GMOs, drug-drenched animals forced to take antibiotics and eat garbage, herbicides and insecticides applied and absorbed systemically in fruits and vegetables, nutrients being taken out of foods so that it will have a longer shelf life and the list goes on….Not only are these practices poisoning our land, but what is it doing to our bodies? Are we like the lethargic squatters because many of us are eating very little real food? Are we sick and tired of being sick and tired? I have hope that one day we will all have really good food again. Farmers will regain their senses and plant in such a way that builds up the land and our bodies without destroying the soil, water and our ecosystem. 
 
So why is there such a demand in my small community for local, organically produced food? The shift from not knowing where your food comes from to knowing where that food sprouted out of the ground is “growing.” People want a connection to the land. We have always come from the land and our bodies will eventually return to the earth. Even if we have moved away from our origins, as the pendulum swings, it will be necessary to go back. 
 
The Farm People are Coming. There are pioneer Farm People who have come before me — like Joel Salatin from the farm Polyface, Inc., and others. In reflecting back on my dream, I might not have the bee-wings and a pitchfork, but maybe I have a part to play in rebuilding the bridge from an idyllic farm to the modern world. I am a Farm Person. I am coming.