publisher ’ s message
There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about .
– margaret j . wheatley , author and change agent
Through all the pain and loss , isolation , zooming and Netflixing , the pandemic gave us the rare opportunity to contemplate and rediscover what we care about . And the one thing that is clear is that in order to survive and thrive we must truly care for each other , the Earth and all that lives upon it .
In this summer issue of PLENTY we trust you will find some inspiration about how we managed to come together to help each other in this crazy time , and a good deal of that caring centered around food . Getting healthy food to people hurting . Finding quick solutions to food distribution challenges . Asking farmers to do even more than they already do . They are the masters of handling change and loss , deploying impossible optimism in the face of calamity . “ Get to Know Your Local Farmer ” and “ Buy Local ” should be emblazoned somewhere in our hearts and minds .
So now as restrictions relax , we can head out into nature , hopefully with grace , awe and a deeper appreciation of our beautiful surroundings and the things we have come to value even more . Spend some time with the trees and come to know their innate intelligence . Together let ’ s not slide backwards when it comes to caring for each other , the waters , the forests , and farmlands and all the critters that inhabit them . Let ’ s all become stewards in our own way and continue to discover the unfolding potential of our community .
Wib Middleton & Jane Perini