Roots

Author's Notes:This newsletter article was originally published in late July 2021 after returning from a trip to visit family in the Midwest. Reading it again in the current context makes me think about how much of my faith is rooted in what happens during the upcoming weeks of Lent and Holy Week. A friend of mine once traveled to Europe at the end of March. He told a story about the town they were visiting and how all the businesses and attractions were…

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Game Day Smoothie

Author's notes:In their record 9th FCS National Championship victory this past weekend, NDSU Bison head football coach Matt Entz talked about the servant leadership mindset of the team that has enabled them to support each other through a long challenging season. Doing what you love can be a struggle and sustaining all at the same time. Bringing a passion to your job and using that energy to serve and build up others can be very fulfilling. A handful of people have described the…

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Eat It Up (or not)

Author's notes:In growing vegetables for paying customers, one of my biggest concerns is not having enough items to fill the biweekly boxes.  My response to this fear is that the fertility of the soil often produces an abundance that greatly exceeds expectations.  This can lead to another anxiety for CSA members as they receive a heaping box full of fresh food, not quite sure what to do with it all.  It is a very tricky thing to figure out just how much is…

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Prioritization, Hustle, and Luck

Author's notes:In addition to the love of growing vegetables, a big part of my call to work in the soil relates to having a sense of purpose, a sense of doing something that is appreciated by others, and increasingly a sense of community. Originally I didn't feel that my gardening was about community. But over the years CSA members have made many comments about how the veggies (and the farmer) are a link to their community and to each other. As I pay…

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