Why regenerative

"Of the many epic challenges that climate change is bringing to humankind, one of the most significant is surely the need to reinvent agriculture.

Can the world’s farmers find a way to shift from large-scale, carbon-intensive industrial farming that is destroying soil and ecosystems to smaller-scale bioregional systems that not only respect nature but regenerate it? 

Can we invent systems that grow enough nutritious food, distribute it fairly to all, and remake agriculture as a decentralized, place-respecting enterprise?

At this point in the unfolding climate catastrophe, these ambitions are not simply a nice fantasy to ponder. They are existential necessities. If humankind is going to avoid fatal disruptions to the planet’s ecosystems and civilization itself, agriculture must find ways to pursue some radical shifts.

In the short term, the top imperative must be new strategies for adapting to climate change: new cultivation practices, new crop choices, holistic commitments. Over the longer term, the art of farming must reintegrate itself with local ecosystems and the biosphere. Agriculture must do more than “sustain” an already degraded landscape. It must understand and improve the generativity of life itself.

Regeneration is not simply a set of techniques. It is a mindset and worldview. It is a deep priority and commitment. Regenerative agriculture is not only about improving crop yields and reducing harmful ecological impacts. It is about bringing new vigor to biogeoecological systems while enlivening us as humans.

The focus is not on beggar-thy-neighbor competition and market success that tends toward economic consolidation; it is about cooperative stewardship of dispersed, autonomous systems on a holistic scale. Everyone can flourish together."

Celebrating Sconnie: Instilling an inclusive love of place

Although I've studied Spanish (on and off, ahem) since high school, only this year did I learn the powerful word, querencia. From the word querer, which means 'to want' or 'to love', querencia translates as 'fondness'. However, it's also a deeper concept, one with no English translation; a concept of belonging, a love of home, … Continue reading Celebrating Sconnie: Instilling an inclusive love of place

August is National Water Quality Month. How to celebrate? Embrace the wetland.

Despite residing in Green Lake for nearly 3 years, I'd never been to the Norwegian Bay Wetlands on Big Green Lake. So this year, when Water Quality Month rolled around, I decided enough is enough. Tuesday at 1:14pm is as good a time as any. I packed the kids, the snacks, and a water bottle … Continue reading August is National Water Quality Month. How to celebrate? Embrace the wetland.

Agricultural Stewards Scholarship

Green Lake Association, a community partner of ours, recognizes the importance of working with local agriculture to improve its effects on our surface water, like Big Green Lake. That's why they offer a yearly scholarship to folks in our community who'd like to attend an agriculture conference and learn about quality land stewardship. Deadline for … Continue reading Agricultural Stewards Scholarship