agritopia
as a part of our weekly flow, we took our trip to the farm at agritopia. a hippie-foodie-agrarian-wannabe-naturopath's dream. agricultural utopia. yes indeedilee-doo. and this trip was worth a full-blown post.
sheep shearing, people. sheep shearing.
we may not live on a farm. we may never live on a farm. honestly, with my black-thumb track record, it may not be prudent. BUUUUT, we do want to let elinor experience some farm life. that stuff is good for ya. it gets some nature in the nostrils and bugs in your face and dirt under the fingernails. all valuable things. i always want our family to be down to earth. in every way. to cultivate an appreciation for the bounty around us. to understand how to steward the precious gifts that God has given us. to learn how to care for plants and animals. {to at least give it our darnedest. one day folks, one day i will be able to keep some herbs alive...} to know where stuff comes from. to know the effort it takes. to know about sowing and reaping. to know about seasons. to know the pleasure of a harvest.
plus, this farm is a little bit of a hipster's paradise so...that helps. it isn't exactly manure piles. it is manicured everything. our kind of farm. like, if we were to actually live on a farm, this is where we would want to live. i mean, vegetarian food trucks with raw treats? a coffee shop with a perfectly roasted pour-over? yes, please. and thank you.
by the way...their CSA program is rad and we are huge supporters of supporting local farmers. can't wait for the summer season to arrive so we can see what nature has in store...sooo looking forward to digging into new weekly produce deliveries. too fun. and by the way, a fresh seasonal crop delivery, ripe with meal possibilities, is pretty much the only thing that could get me to type the words "can't wait for the summer season to arrive".
on this particular trip, we took some extra time to observe the sheep in all their sheared glory. with their goofy eyeballs and fuzzy heads. we pet them and talked to them. and elinor mimicked their hearty baaaaaaa. it was hilarious. we talked about the role that sheep play on the farm. that our blankets and sweaters and so many things come from the backs of sheep. that the yummy cheese we love so much comes from the mama's milk. sowing seeds of understanding. beginning the conversation about our role and relationship to the world around us. that God has given us these creatures so that we can learn to care for them. and in turn, they give us their wool for warmth. we make clothes to keep us covered and warm. and we can take the coat off our back and give it to another in need. He has given us all things. in Him we live and move and have our being. we are called to be wise with our use of resources and to be generous toward others.
and elinor, she soaked it up. she was wide-eyed and also quite contemplative. she got those serious eyes going, the expression that she gets when she is exploring. her curious and quizzical brow was in full effect. she was sporting her thoughtful, pursed lips. i love that she is always so eager to see and learn. and especially with such a bounty of new things to discover. everything new and wonderful. the scent of blossoms. the feel of leaves. water and breeze. sand and grass. buzzing and baaaa-ing. she pointed every which way, nodding wildly. asking and babbling. so much to take in. places to go and things to see.
and so, we venture to the farm. we explore and learn. we respect it. we support local land and farmers. we enjoy the taste of desert honey. we savor the sweetness and bite of arizona citrus. we eat seasonal veggies. we learn how to take what the land provides each day, week, season and use it in our homes to nourish. a little sliver of the way things used to be. quaint and slow and balanced.
sowing. cultivating. reaping. this is farm life. this is our life too.
