A wall of dust rose over the heartland of Illinois, claiming lives and reminding us: When we abuse the soil, our safety and security suffer. Regenerative Organic Agriculture is the path forward.
Great letter. Everyone who doesn’t know of, or hasn’t read “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer: I urge you to run and get a copy and start reading. You can do just a chapter at a time, digesting the message. It is beautifully written about Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. The author, of indigenous heritage is a botanist, teacher and writer. It is overflowing with wisdom about the interaction of animal and plant life. It is about restoring our human specie’s humanity and the balance with our natural environment. It is restorative for anyone willing to learn what has been lost in our greed for all that which does not nourish us, but depletes our souls as we deplete the earth. If you open your mind to wisdom gained over the ages you will feel differently about the environment we have created, and how to fix it. It reunites us with that which should be seen as sacred: the gifts of nature.
There's also a book called "The Worst Hard Time" that covers the agricultural and policy events that helped lead up to the dust bowl years, what the families who lived through it faced, and the government policies initiated afterwards. It was a period of time I knew nothing about and it was fascinating.
Steinbeck knew, from the grapes of wrath. It's a book I reread every 5 or 10 years. "The rain crust broke and the dust lifted up out of the fields and drove gray plumes into the air like sluggish smoke. The corn threshed the wind and made a dry, rushing sound. The finest dust did not settle back to earth now, but disappeared into the darkening sky. The wind grew stronger, whisked under stones, carried up straws and old leaves, and even little clods, marking its course as it sailed across the fields. The air and the sky darkened and through them the sun shone redly, and there was a raw sting in the air. During a night the wind raced faster over the land, dug cunningly among the rootlets of the corn, and the corn fought the wind with its weakened leaves until the roots were freed by the prying wind and then each stalk settled wearily sideways toward the earth and pointed the direction of the wind. The dawn came, but no day. In the gray sky a red sun appeared, a dim red circle that gave a little light, like dusk; and as that day advanced, the dusk slipped back toward darkness, and the wind cried and whimpered over the fallen corn. Men and women huddled in their houses, and they tied handkerchiefs over their noses when they went out, and wore goggles to protect their eyes. When the night came again it was black night, for the stars could not pierce the dust to get down, and the window lights could not even spread beyond their own yards. Now the dust was evenly mixed with the air, an emulsion of dust and air. Houses were shut tight, and cloth wedged around doors and windows, but the dust came in so thinly that it could not be seen in the air, and it settled like pollen on the chairs and tables, on the dishes. The people brushed it from their shoulders. Little lines of dust lay at the door sills. In the middle of that night the wind"
Great letter. Everyone who doesn’t know of, or hasn’t read “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer: I urge you to run and get a copy and start reading. You can do just a chapter at a time, digesting the message. It is beautifully written about Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. The author, of indigenous heritage is a botanist, teacher and writer. It is overflowing with wisdom about the interaction of animal and plant life. It is about restoring our human specie’s humanity and the balance with our natural environment. It is restorative for anyone willing to learn what has been lost in our greed for all that which does not nourish us, but depletes our souls as we deplete the earth. If you open your mind to wisdom gained over the ages you will feel differently about the environment we have created, and how to fix it. It reunites us with that which should be seen as sacred: the gifts of nature.
Well said, Ms Koppel. "Braiding Sweetgrass" was a lifechanger for me.
Yes thanks. The kind of book that can be life-changing. I am in the process:)
There's also a book called "The Worst Hard Time" that covers the agricultural and policy events that helped lead up to the dust bowl years, what the families who lived through it faced, and the government policies initiated afterwards. It was a period of time I knew nothing about and it was fascinating.
Thank you, Ms Kucinich, beautiful essay.
Steinbeck knew, from the grapes of wrath. It's a book I reread every 5 or 10 years. "The rain crust broke and the dust lifted up out of the fields and drove gray plumes into the air like sluggish smoke. The corn threshed the wind and made a dry, rushing sound. The finest dust did not settle back to earth now, but disappeared into the darkening sky. The wind grew stronger, whisked under stones, carried up straws and old leaves, and even little clods, marking its course as it sailed across the fields. The air and the sky darkened and through them the sun shone redly, and there was a raw sting in the air. During a night the wind raced faster over the land, dug cunningly among the rootlets of the corn, and the corn fought the wind with its weakened leaves until the roots were freed by the prying wind and then each stalk settled wearily sideways toward the earth and pointed the direction of the wind. The dawn came, but no day. In the gray sky a red sun appeared, a dim red circle that gave a little light, like dusk; and as that day advanced, the dusk slipped back toward darkness, and the wind cried and whimpered over the fallen corn. Men and women huddled in their houses, and they tied handkerchiefs over their noses when they went out, and wore goggles to protect their eyes. When the night came again it was black night, for the stars could not pierce the dust to get down, and the window lights could not even spread beyond their own yards. Now the dust was evenly mixed with the air, an emulsion of dust and air. Houses were shut tight, and cloth wedged around doors and windows, but the dust came in so thinly that it could not be seen in the air, and it settled like pollen on the chairs and tables, on the dishes. The people brushed it from their shoulders. Little lines of dust lay at the door sills. In the middle of that night the wind"