“I had to reply to say that I am sorry you feel there are only two paths to finding life‘s meaning and purpose. You left out a major consideration that there is a being larger than us who can help find meaning and purpose. That being can also bring comfort in those hot July times when you are at the end of yourself. Maybe He is the meaning and purpose you seek.

I find that the Holy Spirit can bring comfort and help to find God’s plan for my life. I hope and pray you find that too.”

Thanks, Chris, for your thoughtful response. Just to be clear, I don’t believe that there are only two paths to anything. I was just juxtaposing meditation vs. action.  I call on my Protestant Christian upbringing all the time, especially when times get tough. Sometimes I think that it is a question of terminology and that many folks draw on the same inner strength, and outer strength, but give it different names. What I feel I need to do is to drop judgment of others as they follow their paths to their meaning. I do believe that we are all on a journey, for sure. 

Julie

Ed. Note – Chris is a CSA shareholder

“loved this letter Julie. I read every one of your letters and your work astounds me.

Keep doing it! I find July is hardest for our farmers too!

Thank you for keeping us so informed on what is in your mind and going on each week on the farm.

In gratitude,

Linley”

Thank you, Linley, 

I appreciate that you enjoy our newsletter. Though it seems to take more time than I think I have some weeks, it serves my soul in a way. I am glad that it is useful for folks. 

July is a funny one. I ponder why it seems so hard every year, and try to prepare for it by being more organized each year. There will always be more work to accomplish than it seems possible to manage, and there will always be weeds and lost crops, it seems, when we are pumping out so much food and keeping successions running all spring, summer and fall. And I noticed this year that we were better organized and have been managing successions better than usual, with the real outcome of that meaning more work than usual with all of the mix of older, younger and baby crops all needing attention. The sun is still driving things so unrelentingly in July, so it will never be easy. Regardless, August is here now and we can all leave behind the thoughts of getting out of farming for sure next year and just enjoy the shorter days and cooler nights. 

Julie

Ed. Note – Linley is Associate Director of the Real Organic Project and farms in Durango, CO

“Hi Julie

August 27th is fine for us to partake in a MHOF supper. We appreciate the invite and look forward to seeing you and Jack and sampling your fresh organic farm fare.

I enjoy receiving your newsletter and particularly delight in your ruminations on health, nutrition, nature, community, energy, truth to power issues, one’s purpose in life and life in general with its routines, surprises, rewards, disappointments, moments of crystal clarity and love in its many configurations; seasoned with a dose of whimsy and serendipity.

Your own “life of ACTION” leaves me breathless (and out of breath!) Maybe you can’t meditate for more than 30 minutes but what you accomplish in the course of a day, through your form of “working meditation”, warrants the blessing of the Buddha and Mother Nature herself.

Frank”

Gosh, Frank, thanks, and you are in the calendar. With the newsletter and our videos that various people remark on weekly, it seems that we are farming in a fish bowl here with so many people egging us on and supporting the day in and day out interface with nature that we actualize almost every day of the year. I used to feel more lonely, especially in the summer when it seemed that all of our customers were taking restful vacations and we usually weren’t. Now it feels that we have this large cheering section that allows us to grow more high quality food every year, and have more fun with it. I know that when it is over 90 degrees out or 50 degrees and raining (or 33 degrees and snowing) on a CSA picking day that many of our readers are thinking of us. That is very powerful support. Looking forward to seeing you and Denise. 

Love, Julie

Ed. Note- Frank was the manager at the Living Earth before we started selling to them in 1985 up until they closed in 2019.