Vanessa and I had dinner on Friday night with some of the Newton and Searcy County hippies who moved "back to the land" during the 70s. We had a great time hearing them tell stories of their trials and tribulations while learning how to survive in the Ozarks, but, as always happens when I talk with people who were part of that movement, I was most struck by the sense of community and place that they developed together and still live on a daily basis. I'm in no position to form any absolute certainties, but it seems like there's something similar brewing now in Arkansas (and elsewhere). Ragan's raising hair sheep and British pigs on the mountain, CJ is planning to start a farm in east Arkansas after he earns his PhD, bakers in Leslie are talking about putting chickens and cows in a pasture Salatin-style, you can buy local milk from Marshall, Little Rock hipsters are picking up monthly baskets of Arkansas food. Public opinion is shifting. A community is growing.
My sincerest apologies to those of you who have been part of this real food movement since before I was born. In no way do I mean to suggest that any of this is new or that any of us newbies are on the cutting edge of something. You've kept things local throughout this age of faceless multi-nationals and led the way for those of us joining now. It just seems that recently the momentum has been growing from folks wanting (and providing!) an alternative to corn syrup-injected supermarket pseudo-food.
2 comments:
Your project sounds great. I'm the used to be baker who's starting a farming project in Leslie. I'm also affiliated with CJ's project in the delta. I'm planning to start some pastured poultry this spring and hope to expand to other livestock in the future. If your ever in Searcy County area look me up. I'd like to chat about processing and marketing methods. It's great to see the Arkansas small farmer's community growing.
hopkins.cody@gmail.com
I love wendell Berry -- I state that as a form of introduction. Someone sent me your blog because they know I'm writing a book --two parts, about a group of 70's back to land dwellers and then the group goes back. Aging in Place commune style. I knew Vanessa when she was so small -- might I say I knew Vanessa before she was born. I would love to connect to people for research and curiosity of course. The tide of opinion is shifting and should be illuminated.
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