What's the deal with the imaginary farm?

(Note: This also appears under my "Pages" but I thought it would be nice as its own entry.)

In a real sense, I live in a small apartment with no yard. I dream about green pastures, laying hens and fruit trees. I am studying sustainable agriculture in college, but my everyday life is filled with modern convenience.

As for the blog, this "imaginary farm" is a place for me to share my personal experiences with food, agriculture, research and education. It is a place for me to explore the space between ideas and actions in hopes that my life will more closely mirror my ideals.

I have been interested in sustainable agriculture, "doing-it-yourself," food ethics and the like for years. Most of the people that I share my life with aren't as interested in these issues as I am. We have grown up in malls, supermarkets, in front of televisions and computers. We don't go outside as much as we used to, but I still have fond childhood memories of long summer days under the sun.

I want more than memories. I also do not want to preach or alienate those around me by chanting "SUSTAINABILITY OR DEATH!"

Go do a search on sustainable agriculture news blogs. It's doom and gloom out there. It's not my mission to inform the masses about the evils of GMO's or the perils of budget cuts to sustainable farm services. I might mention them occasionally, but there are plenty of good sources out there. The internet doesn't need me for that.

I want to focus on solutions rather than dwell on problems. Where is progress being made? What can I do to contribute? I want to feel good about doing good things, and I want to share that with others.

I am hoping that my stories can provide a small support to those who find themselves in a similar place. With each small step, we can gently re-work our lives to fit our intentions.

Perhaps someday this imaginary place will be real.