Peace with Justice: Tierra Nueva, Sustainable Agriculture + Healthy Lifestyles

Peace with Justice:
Tierra Nueva
Sustainable Agriculture + Healthy Lifestyles
By Ann Eachus

In 2012, New Earth Farm received a PNW Peace With Justice Grant. New Earth Farm or Tierra Nueva is a small organic farm seeking to cultivate God’s Kingdom in Skagit Valley through growing organic produce for local sale, providing advocacy and support for marginalized families, and promoting sustainable agriculture and healthy lifestyles.

The project went great this summer. The grant money was definitely a help with our demonstration kitchen, and the ability to serve samples and have cooking classes has been a lot of fun. To be honest, it’s been one of the highlights of this season. We have a woman from Tierra Nueva’s recovery house that has volunteered each Monday to cook up samples from the week’s harvest. It’s been a delight, not only being able to taste the fruit of our labor, but also because of the care and attention she invests in her culinary craft.

Around July when we received the grant, we were just finishing the renovation on the kitchen. We had several people who were passionate about cooking with local food and fresh ingredients, but everyone was too busy to come and cook with us. Right around that time Alice* had relocated to the Skagit Valley to live at the Faith House, Tierra Nueva’s recovery house for women. As it turns out she was the perfect fit: not only did she have over eleven years experience as an assistant chef in Seattle, she really enjoyed finding fun and easy recipes for the weekly share and serving up samples of her delectable delights. Her presence each Monday with us has brought so much joy and light to our weekly harvest. She is beginning to offer cooking classes for folks who want the full Farm to Table experience: an hour of harvesting in the field with the farmers, and two hours cooking in the kitchen with Alice. We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for our little Cooking Shack.

Funds from the annual Peace With Justice Offering are split between the PNW Conference which provided this grant and the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS). Local congregations and United Methodist related organizations may apply. Go to bit.ly/umc-grants for information about their grant program.

Renewal (D2021) There is a growing religious environmental movement in our world today that is moving beyond specific issues such as pollution, recycling, or environmental awareness to advocate and practice instead a holistic care for creation as a basic aspect of faith. This movement is diverse in faith beliefs but united in action. We need to change our fundamental views of how we as humans relate to the earth and each other if we hope to survive and lead sustainable lives. Our impact on earth has the potential to be destructive or constructive depending on how we choose to live. This documentary comprised of many stories is engaging, powerful, inspirational, and instructive. To reserve this video now, e-mail The Regional Media Center.

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