Greetings, friends!
As we enter the warmest months of the year, things are rapidly transforming on the farm. The first of our cool flowers are winding down, and our summer squash and cucumbers are beginning to fruit. We are optimistic about a summer full of nourishing food and beautiful blooms, and look forward to sharing them with you.
Over the past week, we’ve witnessed a massive movement emerge worldwide in response to the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and ongoing police brutality nationwide. It feels imperative for us to use our platform to address this. The farmers at Two Boots stand in support of the Movement for Black Lives (#M4BL), and are committed to racial and social justice. We strive, as a business and on a personal level, to fight injustice, dismantle white supremacy, and work for transformational change.
We, as farmers, must recognize that the field in which we work is dominated by white voices, and that it is well-past time to amplify BIPOC voices in agriculture and beyond. As white farmers, we occupy stolen land, and operate in an agricultural system rooted in stolen labor. White farmers have abundant access to land ownership today, meanwhile, in the past century, one million black farmers have lost their land through dispossession. White farmers benefit immensely from systemic racism that gives them increased access to land, loans, and markets. It is critical to confront the legacy of racism in our food and agriculture system. We acknowledge that we have a lot to learn (and unlearn!), and that this is a process that we must be committed to and engage with always.
If you are interested in learning more about race and the food system, here are just a few books and projects we recommend.
Farming While Black, by Leah Penniman, co-director of Soul Fire Farm. Soul Fire Farm is committed to uprooting racism and injustice in the food system, and provides training to BIPOC farmers and activists, in addition to growing and distributing food for families in Albany and Troy, NY. Find Leah’s keynote address from the 2020 Future Harvest CASA conference here.
The Cooking Gene, by culinary historian Michael Twitty
The Color of Food, by fellow Maryland flower farmer Natasha Bowens
Black Yield Institute, a Baltimore-based land and food sovereignty project which operates many efforts, including Cherry Hill Urban Garden and the Black Land & Food Sovereignty Network.
There are so many more voices to highlight, and just as we’re seeking them out, we encourage you to do so and share them widely.
We are interested in the ongoing discussion surrounding race in agriculture, and want to be in conversation about how we can support Black farmers and uproot racism in the food system.
We’ll be back at the pop-up market at Johnny’s this weekend! We’re grateful for you ongoing support and look forward to seeing you there! Come see us on Sunday, June 7th, from 8:00-11:00 am.
Just a few of the gorgeous bouquets we’ll bring to Sunday’s market!
Produce Availability 6/7 Market
head lettuce
spring mix
garlic scapes
collards
swiss chard
kale
mustard greens
snap peas
hakurei turnips
elderflower
We’ll also bring succulents to brighten up your home, peony bunches, and, of course, bouquets and other flower bunches!
In solidarity,
Two Boots Farm
