P L E N T Y SUMMER 2019 Plenty Summer 2019-joomag copy | Page 9

the name of sustenance. As for our
clothing, almost everything avail-
able today has been produced at a
terrible cost to not only the envi-
ronment and our health, but also
to the overworked and underpaid
hands that put them together, all
so that we can indulge our throw-
away habits that might barely
make a dent in our pocketbooks.
they intersect with quality of life
and perpetuate an unsustainable
paradigm.
The slow living choice to
feed and clothe ourselves closer
to the source doesn’t necessarily
take less time or work or money.
In some instances it might take
more. Those who have made the
conscious decision to eat more
The slow living choice to feed and clothe ourselves closer to
the source doesn’t necessarily take less time or work
or money. In some instances it might take more.
The Lady Farmer Guide to
In recent decades, time and
money have become the two
things consumers want to save
over anything else. This gives rise
to the attraction of convenience,
the almighty bargain, fast food and
fast fashion. How and when these
perceived shortages became such
a driving force in our society is
probably beyond the scope of this
discussion, but recognizing these
cultural shifts is essential to under-
standing their impact. The truth is
that we have the same amount of
time as did our ancestors and our
grandparents. The difference is in
how we choose to spend it.
Choosing Slow Living
Our own understanding of slow
living has to do, quite simply, with
making conscious choices about
how we live our lives. It’s about
paying attention to how we spend
our time, money and resources,
and taking a step back from the
industrialized systems that have
come to provide our daily needs.
It’s also about observing our own
consumer habits, where and how
locally know this. It takes effort
and organization to seek out local
sources and very often requires
paying more. Supermarkets might
offer organic produce but it often
isn’t local or fresh, and very few
offer meat options that are not
from concentrated animal feeding
operation sources. Growing your
own is a wonderful option, but
is a commitment as well. During
growing season when we’re plant-
ing and weeding the garden plot,
trying to keep it all going through
drought, and at the end of the
summer when our cup runneth
over with wonderful things from
the garden that need to be har-
vested, prepared and preserved—
life is not “slow,” as in “leisurely.”
There is a huge amount of effort
and energy involved. Yet, this is
the choice we make over driving
to the megamarket and buying
packaged and processed food that
could be on the table and ready to
eat in no time.
Likewise, the slow living
choice for clothing that has not
been produced at the expense
of the land, our water, another
Slow Living (coming soon) is a
handbook for those seeking a life
of beauty, simplicity, and sustain-
ability. Mary Kingsley—author,
homesteader and co-founder
of Lady Farmer, a sustainable
apparel and lifestyle brand, with
daughter Emma Kingsley—dis-
cusses humanity’s relationship
with the natural world, how that
relationship has shifted, and how
the concept of slow living can
return health to ourselves and
our planet. This guide not only
explores the damage done by
our fast-food, fast-fashion, fast-
everything culture, but also offers
simple ways each of us can help
to heal that damage. Whether
you live in the city or suburb, its
stories, tips, recipes, resources,
ideas, and questions will get you
thinking about your own relation-
ship to the planet: what you eat,
what you wear, where you live,
and how you live. Subscribe to
the Lady Farmer Newsletter to be
the first to know when the book
will launch! Visit: https://www.
lady-farmer.com/subscribe/