Notes From the Field

I watched 1 New Ager vs. 20 Christians and afterward asked a question on Threads: Did you feel like the Christians in the conversation accurately represented Christianity? The answers were all over the place. Some said yes, and not in a good way. Citing the conversation as proof of the politics in the church and why they decided to find God on their own. Most said absolutely not—not the Christianity they felt, practiced, or understood. Some felt the conversation came across a

I learned a very expensive lesson trying to farm without a deer fence. This spring, I planted everything I had been waiting all winter to grow: watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers. These were the crops that made the farm finally feel like a farm to me. After months of preparing, starting seeds, learning the land, amending the land and planning what the season could produce, things were finally in the ground and growing. At the time, that was m

So, the really cool thing about being around a lot of other farmers, is that you get to be around of a lot of other farmers-- with different techniques, and farming styles. I'm surrounded by people who know what they're doing-- in a capacity I haven't tapped into. I'm almost 29... Some of my farm mates have been growing as long as I have been alive. They know what they're doing, the setup is clean and I watched how they moved through their plot. I decided I would move that wa

Understanding the Difference Between Dirt and Soil Most people use the terms "dirt" and "soil" interchangeably. I did too, before I started growing seriously. But they are not the same thing. Soil is alive. It's a full ecosystem—microorganisms, fungi, worms, decomposed organic matter—all working together to create an environment where growth is possible. It holds water without drowning roots. It drains without drying out. It feeds slowly and consistently. A soil test is alway

It’s not my first time living in Richmond, but it is my first time living in the Bottom. Staying there, I quickly realized just how much we’ve built on top of nature, rather than beside it, or with it. Concrete sprawls endlessly, the sun bakes the streets in summer and winter freezes stick to the bare soil first. Green spaces exist, but mostly as decorative patches reserved for the people who can afford it. Everyone else gets “tan spaces” that look tidy but do nothing. Speaki