Reflect

REFLECT
Over the past week several events happened that gave me reasons to reflect.  I had my birthday; a friend from long ago stopped by to visit our farmstead; and we experienced the turn of the season with the fall equinox. 

My birthday was not an especially significant number, but was still an annual time for me to consider how my year has been and where I see myself heading in the next.  A good annual chance for reflection.

The visit from a long-lost friend was a surprise, and since there was much catching up to do it meant discussing why we have ended up here in Manitoba establishing this small farmstead.  Another time for reflection.

And finally, the fall equinox.  The turn of the season, the balance between equal length of day and night.  A symbolic reminder to re-find our own balance after a busy summer season, and prepare ourselves to head toward the colder months and slower season of reflecting and dreaming that lies ahead.

Much of this reflecting related to practical questions like how to improve our gardens, how to create efficiency in certain tasks, what varieties we want to continue to grow, how to organize our fresh vegetable box program next year, online store improvements, and farmers markets we might want to attend next year. 

However, I also find myself reflecting on a more philosophical level of WHY we are creating this farmstead.  I recently started to watch a documentary series that looks at cultures around the world that are living long healthy lives (with whole communities consistently aging gracefully past 90 and 100).  The key factors that researchers found which contributed to a long healthy life in these cultures included:

• moving the body frequently
  
• having meaningful relationships
  
• having a sense of purpose
• eating a plant-based locally grown whole foods diet
  

This documentary is allowing me to reflect on some of the key reasons why we are establishing this farmstead and growing healthy food with organic methods for the local community.   Promoting physical health, building community, creating resilience, finding ecological balance, establishing emotional well-being, working at meaningful daily tasks as a family, sharing this sense of purpose with others.  And of course finding great joy in growing loads and loads of beautiful colourful vegetables and herbs so that our food can be our medicine.

What are you reflecting on at this turn of the season?