Angela Lindvall on Sustainable Farming
Before at Cropsey Farm.
I am so happy to be home! As Dorothy once said, “There’s no place like home.” Which reminds me, one of the greatest children’s authors is Frank. L. Baum. I’m sure many of you don’t know, as I didn’t, that he wrote the 13 books of OZ. I was auditioning for the new James Franco film, “Oz the Great And Powerful,” and learned about this amazing series. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the part of Glinda, though it would have been the best part ever to play, but I’ve been reading them to my children ever since. True archetypical fairy tales. One of my favorite aspects of being a mother is reading to my children. It’s rare in these technological days, yet so rewarding. And they always fall asleep so well!
After I arrived home, it took me a few days to feel “back in my skin,” though I soon found myself back in this truly inspiring environment. My neighbor has been studying bee keeping since I’ve been away, so that we can bring bees onto the land. My other neighbor brought me a jar of honey harvested from their land. Funny that I should write about this, because I actually got stung this weekend… Maybeeeeee the bees are trying to tell me something! In the mean time, “The Queen Of The Sun” is a beautiful documentary about the vanishing bees, which is a real sign and threat to our food chain, us, and the larger cycle of life.
Our symbiotic relationship with nature is crucial. Our connection to the food we eat is a big topic. Between the pesticides we consume, and that pollute our environments, we also have GMOs—or “genetically modified organisms”—which is a real issue that hasn’t yet come to a nasty head, but which we must have attention for. We are so disconnected to our food, what we put in our bodies and how it ends up on our plate. Farming, the way we are able to cultivate food, is at its worst. And the food we cultivate can not be cultivated without the human assistance. Nor can we survive without this basic need. Though we still somehow are so removed from it.
This is exactly the mission of the Rockland Farm Alliance. To create a local, sustainable food system, beyond just a CSA, but an alliance of farmers, and an organization that holds the space to get community farms established. We have done a great job of using the local system to make change. The local municipalities have actually given us land to farm on, and Cropsey Farm has proven to be a successful CSA. Wouldn’t it make sense if we had access to a system of local agriculture? Doesn’t it seem more healthy and cost effective—and less polluting? We are shipping a large portion of food from one end of the country to another, sometimes even further. With the current ecological crisis, and the price of oil, that doesn’t make sense, or any “cents” at all! The model of the farm alliance is to create a structure that can be implemented into any community and provide the tools and inspiration to do so.
After at Cropsey Farm, with John Mc Dowell, Founder of The Rockland Farm Alliance.
It’s not easy creating something that doesn’t exist, but over the last few years we have come this far. The results are astonishing. Yet like any initiative it takes time , especially being a non-profit 501C3. There are some hard workers and some capital investment—and investment of belief. There are many working to the bone on this with no pay, for the cause. Yet, we need some help to pull us through the year. Anything you can DONATE will add up to bring us to the next level, even if it’s $5. I would never ask if this wasn’t something I feel very passionate about. We are well onto some good things, as well as plans to create a documentary to educate and inspire the potentials that exist. Your help will go far.
Sending all my best. Catch ya next week!
Love & Light,
Angela Lindvall has been a cover girl for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and the face of brands from Valentino to DKNY, but for the past 10 years this supermodel’s mission has been to bring a personal interest in sustainability to her professional career. Angela founded the non-profit Collage Foundation to bring national awareness to environmental issues, co-hosted “Alter Eco” with Adrian Grenier, and is on the founding board of Natural Resources Defense Council’s Clean by Design Initiative.
