"a blessing to be shared"

I was encouraged to see these thoughts in an e-mail from one of the farm managers at Plow Creek, reflecting on his experiences over the past few years:

Might some adjustment to the business model help us actually rejoice over crops as a blessing to be shared, and not primarily as marketable income potential to be realized? If we are relieved from the vice of accumulated riches, shouldn’t we also be free from the vice of seeking after them? If this farm is really a ministry, how can that be reflected in the produce we give out and the money we take in? Part of the solution, I believe, lies in the CSA model which we have already come to appreciate (currently 15% of farm income). Another piece, also a natural fit for Plow Creek and its friends, is to make the charitable giving of fresh produce a central part of the farm’s plan and purpose.

It reminded me of something I wrote last spring while working on the farm: "I hope everyone here can enjoy the richness, even luxury, of these good things, and not get overwhelmed by the increasing demands of the farm work. Or distracted by the desire to turn the harvest into income."

He also offered the example of the Food Bank Farm, in Massachusetts, which gives a large percentage of its produce to the food bank there. I'd love to see Plow Creek move in this direction.