Building food systems at the "speed of trust"
Thank you Cly of Rainier Beach Action Coalition for the words “move at the speed of trust” which has in turn inspired this title.
We gathered on a gentle, sunny day at the cusp of fall on a wetland turned farm reserve. Among carpets of wildflowers and crops of vegetables - tomatoes and beans ripening - our team and community members connected and visioned together.
There was something about the energy of early September that lent itself to resetting and dreaming of new projects (even amongst the business of the harvest). Beginning to ramp up into Filipino American History Month this October, it was so special to be among legendary Filipina Farmers Lorna and Ari, who have been incredible partners since day one.
While we tell their stories every night in the restaurant, hearing in their own words how they began cultivating culturally relevant Filipino vegetables like ginger, lemongrass, upland rice, and ampalaya in the Northwest was a treat to all who gathered. And it was a moment to bridge generations - those who’ve been in the Seattle food systems scene for decades, and those just getting started.
Ari DeLeña, LornaVelasco, and Jeff Santos greeting one another.
Individuals shared passionately about their experiences joining new teams in the food and farming world, growing specialty crops, preserving community history, and even thinking about the nuances of signage on plants. There are so many ways to tell stories, and being outside on the farm made the experience even more profound.
In our industries, we work on tight timelines with repeated motions taking toll on our bodies. Finding ways to take care of ourselves extends from the body to the respect we have for our colleagues and the land itself. We are so grateful to have hosted Hana from Iyashi Bodywork to be able to perform some community care through their bodywork craft. It was much appreciated and much needed.
Through visioning exercises and organic conversations, we all strengthened our understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and new ideas for this collective industry, only some of which are listed below.
land back for indigenous peoples
ecological connection accessible to everyone: in schools, community gardens, workplaces
government subsidies for small farms, taking financial pressure off of farmers and consumers
transforming our understanding of value, where it lives in our food system (labor, inputs, subsudies) and understanding how much an onion truly costs!
systems to support elders transition out of farm work, and support young people begin their farming journey
dignity for people accessing food distribution such as: wide spread food pantries modeled like high end grocery stores featuring local produce, culturally relevant food, and prepared food
While starting with big pictures, we also challenged ourselves to develop tangible steps to practice every day in order to move forward on these ideas, some of which are listed below:
shadowing someone within the food system
eating with intention and gratitude
stewarding positive relations with colleagues
developing systems that honor the lifecycle of produce and waste
partnering intentionally with producers early in their growing season
advocating for local policy adjustments to support small-scale farmers
pulling levers in the seats of power at larger institutions like grocery stores and suppliers
New faces and longtime friends strengthened our relationships to the land, the farm, the restaurant, and our waste after. We couldn't have asked for a better group so willing to engage.
We are reminded that there are so many ways to tell stories, and being outside on the farm observing the cycles of nature, made sharing and listening even more resonant. Moving forward, we cannot wait to do something like this again soon and are even more excited about what is yet to come.
Thanks again to the generosity of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Tilth Alliance, as well as Juan Pena Operations Manager - for facilitating this gathering at such a truly breathtaking site.
