Change is inevitable, isn’t it? But inevitability doesn’t mean change is bad, just different. Still, change is certainly easier to deal with when faced with others.
Spring is the epitome of change and new beginnings. As I write this letter, it’s still January, and my area recently had a severe (for us) winter storm. But my mind turns to thoughts of spring planning: which flowers I’ll plant in my fairy gardens, reimagining my greenhouses, strategizing enclosure improvements, and envisioning how I can help my neighbors – maybe I’ll finally have the time to start a neighborhood garden in our front yard so the roaming neighborhood children have an opportunity to play in the dirt or grab a snack on their way to the creek.
The season brings so much to look forward to, to work for, to learn, and the more my neighbors and I share with one another and embrace changes, the more we flourish in our endeavors. It’s odd that so many people resist change and stay in stagnant water rather than flow along the river of life. We don’t learn or grow from constant sameness. We can embrace moving through seasons, the same way Earth does. As the days warm and we move into spring, change beckons – time to go fishing again, chicks will be hatching (no keets for me yet, unfortunately), gardens will be growing. And that’s what life is about: continuously growing together, whether we’re trying new (to us) ways of working the earth (“No Till Gardening Methods,”), new plants to grow (“How to Sell Flowers at a Farmers Market,”), new methods for training our livestock to make farm life a bit easier (“Clicker Training Farm Basics,”), or a new twist on an old favorite recipe (“Gravy-Stuffed Biscuits Recipe,”). And as you face changes and try new things, don’t be afraid to ask your neighbors for help – or a cup of flour for those biscuits.
Here’s to a joyous spring, and every opportunity to learn something new.
Karmin
