personal musings

  From Contributing

Editor

Famine, war, disease, poverty, terrorism, and environmental destruction (to name just a few) … all these horrible realities flash with jarring bleakness on our national news each night. Well, what can you do? I watch these things from the comfort of a sofa and foolishly ask myself that very question.  But then I think, “If only I were rich, I could REALLY help the poor and the hungry. If only I had the influence, I would try and bring world peace. If only I could convince governments, I'd save the environment...”

If only…  how many times have those two words stood in our way and distracted us?  For a long while, we told ourselves: “If only we had more land, we would try to become more self-sufficient and live simply.” Well, guess what… we don’t have that land. 

What we had overlooked was that opportunity lying right outside our door in the 1/5 of an acre we called our yard. At first glance, it was passed off as being much too small to do anything with.  And then… we took a closer look.

The Path Project was formed from that second glance. I remember our frustrations over the GMO foods that were being put on the supermarket shelves and the way we felt… along with the If Onlys everyone in the family voiced at one time or another. My father took those If Onlys and turned them into Let’s Dos.

There was so much we didn’t know but we channeled our commitment to this project and worked hard to make it happen. We had to fight thru the frustrations but finally, we grasped the realization that we CAN strive to become self-sufficient in an urban setting! Maybe not all the way… but we will be reaching as far as we can.

Almost a year ago, we designed and produced a  PTF brochure for people to take home when they visited. Just recently, we’ve done a major revision to it and it is better than ever. My father wrote a slogan for the opening statement. It reads:

“The Path to Change the World Begins Right at Your Door.”

Interesting, huh? I have to admit, I never thought of it that way before. Doing the “little things” outside your door, can make a difference in your life, your future children’s, or someone else’s life, for the better.  Take a real good look at where you are now! Plant a garden, buy local, buy organic; all this and more could make a statement that you won’t be intimidated by Monsanto and the like!

Little differences do add up to something bigger; one match struck lights an entire forest on fire and spreads. Action sure as heck beats being bogged down in the maddening soup of those If Onlys. Do what you can, with what you have, no matter how small!

So the next time the news reports all the bad stuff, I’ll keep an eye for the one small step that I can take outside my backdoor.  Because walking that path will change this world of mine.

Post Script: If you're asking, "What happened to Jules?"  Well, he is too busy to write these days, so for now his daughter will be filling this space with her musings. 

In this issue...

Saving Money On Clothing - Stay Healthy This Winter - Amazing Grains - Make Your Own Fertilize - Stitch In Time

DIY Organic Weather Indicator

  Interested in doing things yourself instead of relying on outside sources for basic necessities? We are personally not as self-sufficient as we would like to be, but we believe that many are on same the path, some farther along than others. 

  We hope this newsletter will be a source of inspiration and information to those who want to break free from the modern environment and culture we are subject to. 

 See you along the path...

Words of Wisdom

And Finally...

We are really looking forward to this year with all the new edibles in the garden and new off-the-grid projects we have in mind.  We hope, God willing, that we will be able to continue to break free and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

We were really pumped coming home from the Eco-Conference...so much enthusiasm and positive vibes! It's making us want to accomplish even more.  It's truly a wonderful experience to meet fellow 'kindred spirits' and know that we are not alone in our journey. There are many of you out there that are trying to make a difference, however small, in this crazy world. Way to go!   With all the turmoil going on in the world and being bombarded with bad news, we are constantly reminded that this world is on the 'Eve of Destruction' in a sense and we can't help being frustrated.  It's time to take a look at our own lives, how we can effect our today and our children's tomorrow.  In our continuing journey, as we share our failures and accomplishments, we hope that you find encouragement and inspiration to make small steps in your life. Do what you can, where you are, no matter the circumstances.   Plant the seed of change in your heart, nurture it and watch it grow and share the power with others around you . Remember, the path to change the world begins right at your door! Editor of PTF

ramblings...

Tues 1/28

This issue of the news-letter is

a bit rushed, regretfully.  After coming back from the Eco-Farm conference just the other day, we find our selves playing "catch up" and are a bit exhausted.

   At the conference there was a lot of emphasis on "buy locally."  We need to ask the question of where does our food come from and remember that our diet is our destiny.  Food is the basis of culture and what we consume determines our makeup.

 One of the highlights of the conference was Dr. Vandana Shiva. She spoke about  creative resistance and against Globalization and GMO food.  She stated some horrifying facts, one of which was that for every $1 in Agriculture business, $10 worth of environment is destroyed.  She stressed that we focus on the earth by feeding ourselves and protecting food diversity, while fighting against the mono-culture that is taking over all regions of the globe.  Bio-diversity will reclaim our humanity and restore culture and is our only defense against climate change.  She also believed that the deepest lesson to be learned now is from is the simple SEED, how something so small can become something very powerful and beautiful.  That we have to start being custodians and caretakers. We can't restore until we give back to our mother earth.

  She also strongly spoke out against the Ag giant Monsanto --how it is trying to get its dirty fingerprints on  every living thing -- developing and patenting until farmers can no longer support and grow food that they have grown for centuries. Monsanto is destroying farms, families and communities in its unrelenting march for more control.   They try and cover over their destruction by fake promises that GMO crops will feed the starving by producing more. Producing more of what is the question!  There is a war going on, actually two -- one for oil and the other for the control over our food and water system.

    Dr. Shiva's talk was a very sobering one, very powerful too. At one point she recalled an instance in India where women were barricading a mining area. She received word that the women were being beaten.  Upon rushing to the scene, she figured she'd find the women all dispersing to their homes to nurse their wounds. But contrary to her presumption, the ladies were right back on their feet and reforming the barricade.  One lady in the group, Dr. Shiva recalled, was in her late 70's-- a frail, woman she thought to herself.  Dr. Shiva asked the older woman, "Why are you doing this?  Why not just go home?"  The woman replied, "See that green grass growing on the side of the road? Well, it continually gets trampled and beaten down, but does it give up? No!  It keeps on coming back."

   How true, how very simple!  Don't ever give up!

Editor of PTF

« Read JANUARY entries»