Editor,

Life at the Organic Farm School runs at a breakneck pace, but every once in a while, we lift our heads to acknowledge just what a special place Whidbey Island is. This week, we had one of those moments, as a wild diversity of folks gathered at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, or WICA, to watch a series of four documentary films created by Peter Byck, “Roots So Deep.”

Ostensibly about how to use a practice called “adaptive multi-paddock grazing” with cattle to improve ecosystem health and address climate change, it was really about so much more … to include the role of microbes, insects, birds and people in better stewarding our natural systems.

No one was demonized for their farming practices, diet or thoughts on climate change. The series was about the power of observation, science and connection, and as a result you could feel curiosity growing in the room. How could we do this on Whidbey? Is there a way to achieve similar outcomes with vegetable farms? Do you have to have livestock to achieve these impacts? Could it be that it’s the way we’ve managed livestock that’s problematic instead of the animals themselves?

This, at WICA! We just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the vision of WICA Board Chair Peter Erlichman, and Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. They stuck their neck out to bring “Roots So Deep” to us, timed to broaden conversations begun with the latest Thriving Communities series on three regenerative farms (to include the OFS!), and ramped up by the Trudy Sundberg Lecture Series presentation from Lyla June. Many thanks to them for using the stage to educate and inspire in this meaningful and timely way.

Let’s keep the conversations and curiosity growing.

Judy Feldman

Executive Director

Organic Farm School