Reconnecting Community with Land, Food, and Each Other

The Miami County Locally Grown online farmers market is going five years strong now, and we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Jennifer and Lee Ruff and family who have steered this ship with skill and (sacrificial!) devotion since its inception in 2016. And give yourselves, dear loyal customers, some due accolades as the other half of what has become a successful community of people dedicated to local food and crafts; in short, we together have kept a great deal of wealth circulating in our hometowns and out of the larger corporations that send most of those dollars elsewhere.
And we heartily welcome Erin Harris as our new market manager! May we continue to participate in MCLG and support her work to keep our community strong.
One way (and there are many ways) of looking at what we’re accomplishing through the MCLG community is that of bridging an important gap between urban and rural ways of life. For people who have spent their lives in either location, it is sometimes difficult to truly understand what life is like for people who live in areas different from our own.
Personally, as a farmer, it is often hard to imagine what it’s like to not have livestock to care for, fields and gardens to maintain and cultivate and plan for, and the ongoing upkeep of buildings and equipment that perpetually occupy my mind and time. Especially during this pandemic—my lifestyle hasn’t really changed that much. Probably not so for folks living in urban areas: social organizations and activities are much more central and therefore much more disrupted in these difficult times.
But, what can we learn from each other? Perhaps that both urban and rural lifestyles are important in and of themselves: we farmers need community and social connection, you urban residents need a connection to the land, nature, and the ultimate source of our food. It’s a win-win in my book! Let’s hope we will continue to forge our mutually beneficial bond through the Miami County Locally Grown farmers market.
-Caroline McColloch
Chez Nous Farm