Sustainable futures
Local Farming Weaves Healthy Communities Together
By Wib Middleton
Creating a culture of peace in any community is a lot like weaving a tapestry of distinct yet interdependent threads . One of those critical threads is the food we eat , which has the potential to help lead people to a greater state of harmony with the environment and connectedness to each other . Unfortunately most people today do not have the time , space or inclination to plant and care for a vegetable garden , and convenience habituates us to selecting less than healthy pre-packaged items available in the supermarket . There is , however , a way to take us back to a time when our parents and grandparents had a direct connection to the food they purchased . It ’ s the everpopular farmers market , and if we are fortunate enough to have access to one we can develop a whole new relationship with the food we eat , the growers we buy from , and with each other .
According to Katrin Themlitz , founder and director of the Sedona Community Farmers Market , buying produce from local growers satisfies many internal drives in us . We want to take more responsibility for knowing where our food comes from , how it is grown , ensuring its health value , and supporting local growers as a personal economic choice . Katrin , who has been heroically helping local growers bring their product to market and educating consumers on the benefits of locally grown produce has been a tireless advocate and activist for over seven years . Katrin ’ s passion for nutritious food actually has roots that go back three centuries . Her family was connected to a large farming operation of about 1,000 acres located in Prussia where they raised crops and prize-winning cattle . They could trace their ties to the land back more than 300 years ago . “ My grandfather was a Professor of Agriculture and a practitioner of sustainable holistic farming methods . He was outspoken and saw into the future when he warned the government against the harmful effects of long-term use of inorganic fertilizers in soil . I feel the Sedona Farmer ’ s Market has brought me full circle as I remember the wisdom and love of my ancestors ,” Katrin reflects .
According to the Farmers Market Coalition , by the beginning of 2016 , there were more than 8,500 farmers markets in the U . S .— that is 50 percent more than just five years ago . As these markets become more established , they offer more services and benefits to their communities . ( Source : farmersmarketcoalition . org / news )
In the greater Sedona and Verde Valley area , the largest farm is only 25 acres , and many are just a few acres . They supply farmers markets in the area , local restaurants and flourishing community sponsored agriculture programs where members buy a share for the growing season and receive produce from that farmer on a weekly
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