Local, Regional, Global - A Vision Unfolds

Many of us are deeply concerned about the use of unrenewable resources in our lives. I would like to post a few of my thoughts on how this appears to me.

The world and its resources were meant to be shared, used and appreciated. Humans were not supposed to live in a state of no input where we are scared that if we use anything around us it will no longer be available. Neither were we supposed to live in a state of disconnection where we kill everything that wants to share our food and our shelter(then call them pests), use objects as ways to fill up emotional and spiritual holes within ourselves, and treat other human beings inhumanely to keep prices low and profits high. We don't even have to work really hard to stop these trends. They will be eventually stopped by the laws of nature.

How do these things apply to New Earth Organic Food Coop?
The desired goal of many of us in the coop is to buy a large percentage of our goods on a local level, get some of our goods from other countries in the region, and then get a bit on a global level. This is not the case at present. But here is my vision.

I expect that within a few years that 65% of the produce that we sell will be sourced on a local level. We will have been able to mobilize coop members and small farmers to provide a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, Seeds, tubers, herbs and medicinal plants. Some of the members will be growing for their living and others will be growing as a hobby or for personal use with a little excess. There will be surprises and new items available on a regular basis. In addition, some of this produce will be dried, frozen, preserved and pickled for use at a later time.

25% of the produce will come from regional production. We will use cooler climates - like the Blue Mountains of Jamaica - to produce things that are hard to produce in our local climate - berries, asparagus, etc. We will also use regional production to (1)provide products that we do not source easily on a local level (currently carrots) and (2) keep supplies going in times of crisis - Hurricanes, earthquakes, civil unrest.

10% of our produce will come from around the world. It is more efficient to bring goods to us than to go to the goods. We will use this access to bring in some of our favourite foods that we cannot source locally, natural medicinal products that are useful to have, raw materials that would help us produce some of our processed foods, and to deliver to our bodies nutrients that are not highly available in our local produce.

Shifting to the 65% level means that a certain amount of processing of foods will have to begin to happen locally. We will need to open small plants to get dried goods, preserves, etc. There is a long way to go in this are.

Getting more regional products in the shop - there is less than 1% available at present, means changing some of the import restrictions to loosen up on regional products to match the laws that apply to global products. This process has already been started. The Caribbean islands are separated by water but we are part of one geography and it would make sense to rely on each other as much for our food as we do for our genetics, our music and our education. One Caribbean here we come!

One of my passions is for St. Francis of Assisi. What trust it took for him to reject what was in his hand and to take the risk to reach for a lifestyle that was unknown, had no guarantees, and was in line with his desires. What a man!

This Week's Newsletter - Organic Options, Generosity Rocks, Enviro Links

NEW EARTH ORGANIC FOOD COOP
formerly Sun Eaters Organics
80 Roberts St
Woodbrook
622-3643
www.suneaters.com

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I
tolerate them. If I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because
I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do." -- Robert
Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress


Dear Folks,
This newsletter now gets delivered to folks across the globe. But ultimately it is about local, Trinidadian and Tobagonian issues and about regional Caribbean issues.
I posted a bit on my blog about a recent trip I took to St. Vincent for the Caribbean Week of Agriculture. http://groundinggroundinggrounded.blogspot.com/2008/10/caribbean-travels.html

On Wednesday we will have a mixture of imported and local organic produce available, and throughout the week the local will keep coming. Please call early to book your order or to confirm your standing orders.
The coop now also has a TON of organic dry goods. Our dry goods shipment arrived and allows for all the options like organic brown rice, organic snacks, organic drinks, eco-friendly diapers and eco-cleaners. And the prices are often comparable to non-organic items in the commercial supermarkets.

The long term plan is to import the best quality organic products and ensure that they are available at the best cost. But at the same time we are planning to replace many of these products with local substitutes or with locally made goods. So time to go into business. There are many gaps in our market which can be filled by people preparing products at home and then selling them to the coop.

We are accepting new coop members again. Patronage refund - remember that at the end of the year you will receive refunds based on how much you spend at the coop. Members currently pay 10% less for the cost of the goods and get produce held for them whenever there is a shortage. And in addition you get to be part of something that determines your food security and no price gouging.


LOCAL ORGANIC PRODUCE - Lots more available than what is on this list. But with the continuously growing demand we still need more. Please call and tell me that you are ready to become an organic farmer.

GREENS
Bronze Leafed Lettuce
Patchoi
Bhaji
Dasheen Bush
Morai Greens


VEGETABLES
Cucumbers
Morai
Green Pawpaw
Ochroes
Small amounts of Broccoli
Bodi
And More

STARCHY THINGS
Green Fig

FRUIT
Bananas
Plantains


FOREIGN PRODUCE

A full order is coming on Wednesday this week to make up for the gaps in the local options. That includes.

Greens
Spring Mix - 1 pound and 5 oz
Baby Spinach
Baby Arugula
Romaine Hearts

Vegetables
Zucchini
Cauliflower
Celery Hearts
Carrots
Red Potatoes
Yellow Onions
Golden Beets
Red Beets
Grape Tomatoes
Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
Portabello Mushrooms
Garlic


Fruit
Bartlett Pears
Gala Apples
Nectarines
Fuji Apples
Red Grapes
Stawberries - Fresh and Frozen
Thompson Raisins
Medjool Dates
Dried Figs

Call in your order or confirm your standing order as soon as you can.
622-3643

SOME INTERESTING LINKS AND HAPPENINGS

Hope that some of us can make it to the Greenlight environmental concert. October 18th. Go to www.nowiswowtoo.blogspot.com for more information.

GMO is not where it is at - Here is a little video on the way that Kraft puts genetically engineered ingredients into your food http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEjoGN11AK4

An amazing project about Hillside gardening in the Phillipines that is particularly relevant for this region - http://www2.mozcom.com/~mbrlc/index.htm

Coops in the U.S. - In total, 47,000 co-ops in the United States serve 100 million people - 40 percent of the U.S. population. This electric coops, credit unions, food coops, cooperative daycare. Isn't it time for Trinidad and Tobago to add our little retail food cooperative to the mix?

RECIPE SPOT

A recipe for chickpeas crepe from the Global Gourmet www.globalgourmet.com

Recipe for chickpeas crepe - sokka in France Breadtime, by Susan Jane Cheney: Mix together 2/3 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup water; then stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, and fresh cracked pepper. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Pour into a greased pizza pan or low-sided baking pan; the batter should be very thin, about 1/8 thick. Bake at 450 degrees F until the top browns slightly, about 5 minutes, and the whole thing looks like a giant crepe. Brush lightly with olive oil and bake another minute or so, but don't let it burn. Cut into wedges and serve hot.



GENEROSITY ROCKS

I am often amazed by things that others feel are in short supply and decide that the are going to hold to themselves. Smiles, good support, a kind word, positive feedback. These things are not only free but they enrich our lives whenever we share them. In a time when we are watching the result of scarcity consciousness it can be tempting sometimes to hold back. Don't do it. As we move forward into our interesting times ahead it seems clear to me that lots of the things that we took for granted will not be available anymore. A disaster? Not in my thinking. But definitely a time in which different skills will be needed. In times of plenty it is tempting to dehumanize others and believe that we can survive and thrive without cooperation or without treating other humans with complete respect. Statements such as 'self-made man' and 'I did it without help' are part of the illusion that we hold about how independent we are. No one does anything without help.
When I watch my son play his online games like 'Pirates of the Caribbean online' and 'World of Warcraft' I am reminded of how important it is for others to join in when we have a quest to achieve. On both of those games it would be impossible to advance without involving others in one's play. Players are forced to negotiate online with other players - usually strangers - to form a group in order to fulfill a quest. And these are the most popular games in the world. World of Warcraft has over 9 million players. Higher level players demonstrate their generosity by using their time to help lower level players to advance and then the favour is eventually returned when the lower level player has become more experienced.
How many of us include this level of mentoring and patronage in our daily lives? Parents, teachers and other people who work with young ones are asked again and again to reach out generously. And sometimes we do so but other times we act as though it is pulling teeth and the little ones are irritating and annoying because they are diverting us from important work. We can never payback children for the generosity that they extend in our directions every day.
So how does this apply to the coop? You know who you are. Those of you who give many words of encouragement, who lend money interest free, who stop by just to see whether a hand is needed, who make financial donations to the coop instead of the Wall Street, who talk about the shop and the cafe with your friends to get them roped in. Thank You.
Thank you to those who understand that a scarcity of time feel very very real but is only an illusion and who become magicians and conjure more up, who give more positive feedback than negative, who stop and notice that some things are priceless and should be prioritized as such.
So as a quick way to access the generosity you have inside, take a few moments in a time of quiet, close your eyes and notice where you hold fear in your body. Is it in your throat? Your lungs? Your solar plexus? Don't judge it, just notice it. And then think of this phrase from Abraham - You are loved, all is well. Reflect on this phrase for a few moments and let yourself really breathe in the generosity of our Source. When you are ready to shift gears take a moment before opening your eyes to hear and feel the energy of life around you. You are alive! And you got that gift without any expectation of payment for it. Open your eyes and rejoin the world of the senses.
Then anytime during the day that the fear creeps back and you begin to feel that a resource is scarce (time, money, attention, love) you can just get a moment with the same phrase - you are loved, all is well.
See how it works.

AND HAVE A THRILLING WEEK! Hope to see you in the shop when you come to browse our new offerings and our new look.
Warmly
Gillian

Caribbean Travels

Organic farmers are definitely alive and well in the Caribbean! I spent the week in St. Vincent and the Grenadines during the Caribbean Week of Agriculture and got to rub noses with several other people who are either planting organically or who are supporting regional organic farmers/gardeners.

One of the best connections was with Clive Bishop - the head of the St. Vincent Association of Organic Farmers. Not only has he helped to organize a wonderful group, but his grasp of agriculture in general means that he has a broad understanding of the issues and yet he has the clarity that natural farming methods bring to the picture.

I met farmers everywhere. Driving mini-vans, on the beach, in the shops, everywhere. Whoever is not planting at present used to plant. The soil is indescribable. To a Trini accustomed to the pathetic top soil that we have allowed to become more pathetic, the black heavy soil just looks good enough to eat. Why bother to plant anything (smile).

But there are some agricultural problems in St. Vincent. Many agricultural problems. Most of them would not exist if a permaculture approach were taken in the country but then how would people make big big bucks? And some people in St. Vincent agriculture do. With these big big bucks and the monoculture approach that allowed the big bucks to be made you can imagine the accompanying problems - overdependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, serious disease (first it was the fruit fly and now it is moko), and who knows what else. Do St. Vincent banana farmers have the cancer and infertility that has been detected in such communities in Martinique? I don't know but why shouldn't they?

The good news is that
1) Moko (a disease mainly found in St. Vincent) does not respond to chemical measures (just as the fruit fly didn't) and so obviously a biological control will have to be found - thus paving the way for reduced pesticide use. I found a good article on Moko treatment using EM (Effective Microorganisms - an amazing cocktail) Here's the link - http://www.agribusinessweek.com/controlling-moko-disease-in-bananas-with-em-application/
2) With the demise of the large scale banana industry there is a search for a different way to do things. Hopefully monoculture and heavy pesticide use will be seen for the rubbish that they really are.
3) Through the extensive cultivation of cannibis in St. Vincent young people have had some exposure to planting and to a version of agri-business. No, people don't talk about marijuana in agricultural conferences but when I spread the word on Facebook that I was going to St. Vincent even I - a hardcore non-supporter of anything but medicinal cannabis use - got lots of recommendations about the high-level 'grade' available all over the country. The fact is that it is one of the most important agricultural crops in St. Vincent (and in some other islands). Maybe one day we will be free to talk about this truth in agricultural circles.
4) Trinidad and Tobago has the ability to import a fair variety of produce from St. Vincent - unlike the crazy restrictions on produce from almost every other Caribbean nation. So that means that we should expect by mid-2009 there will be regular freighters from St. Vincent bringing high-quality organic produce to Trinidad and Tobago! What do you think?

I would love to go back again and visit the windward side properly. This is where much of the agriculture takes place and it is also the area from which most of my maternal ancestors came. Let me know what your experiences have been in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Sweet Potato Leaves - Yuummm!

It's amazing how many things are edible when we do a little research. This morning, I was at my friend Johnny's house helping him with some gardening and found out that you can eat sweet potato leaves. It just so happened that there were sweet potato vines choking the tomato plants. So I gathered a bucket, took it home looked up some recipes online, and here we are.



There was a little slime in it - kind of like poi can be - but the younger leaves were less that way.
Look for it in the coop this week.

Cuba, the Green Revolution

Several coop members watching the film ' Cuba, the Green Revolution'.

If there is a film to let us see what can be done to help solve the potential crisis in food, it is this one. Cuba, the Green Revolution, closely follows the necessary implementation, in Havana, of a plan for the city dwellers to feed themselves. With the end of the Eastern Bloc and the continuation of the US-led Embargo, the Cubans had to make a decision that it was innovate or starve. They chose to innovate.

We had a great, though short, discussion after the screening about what it would take for us, as a nation or as individuals, to move in the direction of food self-sufficiency. Most of us were not totally optimistic that there was a collective will to do this, but at least we had had an opportunity to see what it would take.
Would you like to see this film but couldn't make it? Please email us at suneaters.com to let us know of your interest. You can also tell us what other activities you would like to see happen within the coop. Are their topics in which you are really interested which would enhance the coop community? Post a comment below.

Synopsis of Coop Meeting 23.8.8

A quick update on our last meeting. We discussed:

Tasks that had been undertaken - shipment order, formation of committees including steering committee, decisions about interior decor, progress on increasing stock, research on organics
Upcoming activities - film on Cuba's Green Revolution, Reusable Bags fundraiser, Dining on the Farm fundraiser. Help is needed for the fundraisers. Volunteer your time and resources.
Commitment - much of the meeting centered around the issue of commitment. How is it possible to build commitment to a coop when our society may already have a problem with commitment, accountability and loyalty? What would help to build this commitment? How does commitment already manifest in the shop?
There was a fair amount of serious discussion on this and also some good laughs. Email us your thoughts or comment below.

This week, Robert Goderre, the future owner of the shop and coop member, will be engaging with the decor in a big way. Come offer your help! Or moral support!

Finances
Dues, contributions, draw down amounts are due now. Come by the shop and make sure to take your receipt with you.

Upcoming events
Film on Cuba's Green Revolution will be shown on Tuesday August 26th at 6:30 PM on Sydenham Ave in St. Anns. Email us at info@suneaters.com for directions.
Next coop meeting will be Saturday August 30th from 4 - 6 PM. Please RSVP if you can.

That's it for now.

Group Challenges

The 'human behaviour' challenges are starting to show up in the development of the coop and we need to get talking about these. The main challenge to the success of groups is not financial, administrative, etc but human emotions. If we have a solid group then we will figure out the financial, administrative, time, human power challenges. But if we have lots of money, good administration, lots of time and lots of human resource, but don't have a good solid group then we have nowhere to go. Let's continue to talk about how we can best collaborate despite the ways in which past experiences lead us to rigid, repetitive behaviours.

Do you remember how I asked, at the second meeting, who had previously belonged to groups? And few of you were able to say yes? This was not a theoretical question, but one to give me information on how optimistic and pessimistic you are about working together with other humans. And how effective you are at sticking in there when the human imperfections - which are inevitable - begin to surface. When progress within a group does not get made to our satisfaction, how easily do we give up? How irritable do we get when others seem not to be 'getting it'? How easy is it to work with diverse skills, perspectives, abilities to communicate, and so on? How good are we at supporting leadership? How easily are you 'disappointed' and how long do you sit with your feelings of disappointment? Your answers will not reveal much about 'the truth' but will say more about what your life experiences have been and whether you have been emotionally hurt and gotten a chance to work on this hurt.

Before I became a parent, and before I started Sun Eaters Organics, I worked for several years as a behavioral change consultant. And during this time, and since, I was able to listen to the stories of hundreds of people and support them to examine and resolve how their old experiences had become serious limitations to their lives. ALL children who have not been emotionally hurt from a very early age are able to function within human groups. They may have their differences with others but they figure them out and continue to interact. As children get older and they deal with rejection, being treated as better than or worse than, having disappointing experiences, etc then they develop rigid, inflexible ways of dealing with others. Soon these ways get so entrenched that they start to be considered as part of the 'personality' of the child. And then the child, and later on the adult, learn to say - I am the type of person who .....
Is that really true? That those are your traits and you have no choice in the matter? That you could have evolved as a species with gross inflexibility as an inherent characteristic of the group of homo sapiens? Evolution is about the ability to change to better function within the larger world, or to survive changes that are happening in the world around us. And emotional flexiblity may end up being the difference between who can adapt to this crazy and rapidly unfolding environment, and those who can't.

The coop is only one very small step in our needed ability to heal the world around us and to ensure our future survival. Many of us are environmentalists and I think that it is fair to say that without being able to work within a group you will be able to do almost nothing, yes that is right I said almost nothing, as an environmentalist. No matter how much money you have, in the long run the money cannot pay to ensure you will be able to have an impact on the environment. But your ability to function within a group, to inspire the group, to be a good leader or to support good leaders, will do much more to ensure our environmental survival than how much you know about solar panels, or how savvy you are about organic methods, or how much money you have to pay others to work for you. Look at which human communities have survived for hundreds of years and see if you find any that promote individualism, the nuclear family, lone wolves. None. All the human communities that have endured put the needs of the community of life - including the needs of other humans - before their individual desires enough of the time for the group to thrive. They understood/understand the ephemeral nature of human desire and preferences, and in general choose instead to emphasize connection to others and to other forms of life over these individual preferences.

The organic lifestyle is really about understanding these dynamics of community. If we want to eat everything ourselves, and to hell with other forms of life, then let's spray spray spray. But if we truly believe that we are intimately connected in the web of life then now is a good time to find ways to live in harmony with the fungi, the insects, and other humans. And instead of going against natural systems - which promote collaboration, integration and minimizing work by ensuring that other forms of life participate - let's look for ways to cooperate with common ventures and spend lots and lots of time reading about how to improve the ability of humans to work together.

Gratitude List V

I spent the entire day in the shop - except for a couple of hours in the middle of the afternoon. Today is an excellent day to notice all the things for which I am grateful. And these include:

All the amazing people who come into the shop. Today made me really realize that even after the shop goes coop that I will probably be hanging out there on a Saturday, meeting friends and having deep activist discussions.

Getting to balance the books. I LOVE balancing the books, working on the figures, etc. When I was in school I LOVED mathematics and don't get much of an opportunity to do it in my regular life. But at least in the shop I can do it every day and solve all the imbalances that others are struggling with.

Wearing what I want when at Sun Eaters. It's great to have control over such an important thing. I adore being able to wear what I want. And being able to let others wear what they want.

And finally, I love gluten free muffins. I may not be eating these for much longer but while I am, I love the bread pudding like texture that they have.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Gratitude List III & IV

It really is weird how this continues to be the hardest blog to keep a running list. Do I have little gratitude for all the many blessings and unfoldings that have happened at Sun Eaters and in my sustainable life? No way. But I think that it is partially because I wish that I was the therapist for my staff instead of their employer. It would make it so much easier for me to stay clear about who they are as humans.

But still I do appreciate many things despite not always being able to notice them. I am superbly grateful for:

The great food. Every day I know that I am going to get a delicious meal that I can handle well. Not many people in the world can say that.

The trust of the staff. Despite feeling like I am sometimes being asked to parent others, I appreciate how much I am trusted to treat the staff well and to think about them with some clarity.

The flexible nature of the business. I work in clothes that sometimes seem more suited for the beach. And I have never had to make any excuses for them. How wonderful!

My relationship with the people who shop in the shop. I think that people feel looked out for if I am around. When I have not been on Roberts St for a few days I truly miss the interaction with people who come to use the shop - for whatever reason. This is such a blessing!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Gratitude List II

It's been quite interesting trying to keep up with all 3 of my blogs at the same time. Usually it is a bit of a yo-yo with one up two down. So here goes.

I am grateful for:
Finding a wonderful sustainable group online that is organizing an intentional community in Washington DC

Learning so much by having to deal with issues of staff. In many ways we are pushed by being employers to come up with respectful ways of treating people despite feeling financial and social pressures. It reminds me a bit of parenting where the temptation is to drop the principles of 'complete respect for every other human being' and slip into old and tired ways of interacting. Yesterday was no exception and in the end I learned so much.

Chinese Wax Apples. I'm really enjoying these little zingy things.

Seeing bees feeding on the banana flowers in the front garden of Sun Eaters.

Gratitude List I

I am engaging in a fun exercise for the next 10 days. Every day, on all of my blogs - and I have 3 - I am adding in a list of things for which I am grateful in addition to my other posts.

For Tuesday August 12th I am grateful for:

Supportive Staff. Today in particular Petra in the kitchen figured out some good things, and was responsive to my requests to bake a couple of extra things.

A feeling of lightness. Now that there is so much help from others in the evolving cooperative, I do not feel as weighted down with solo responsibility.

Sailing Camp. My son is thrilled with his experience and I get some clear hours to buckle down. Mutual satisfaction

A good broker. My broker - Glenroy Andrews - called me to see if I had a shipment coming in. He is a very funny man and has really really gone out of his way for me. He deserves a big mention.

Delicious Chinese Wax Apples - One of my friends said that they taste like packaged water! Amazing how nature has found some fruit and vegetables that are just like bottled water but without the plastic poisons.

Yaay!

Shop Volunteers Needed

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to report that we are continuing to make huge positive strides towards the establishment of the Co-op and the ordering of the container which would enable us to offer a much wider variety of goods to our customers. However, there is still much to do (we want to place the container order within the next week or so) and we need to concentrate even further on this effort without too much distraction so I am asking for volunteer assistance in the shop for this week and perhaps the week after.

The volunteer services would be to answer the phone, deal with customers and generally anything that requires to be done around the shop. The shop is open from Tuesday to Saturday and each day comprises 3 3-hour shifts (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.). The minimum volunteer time is 1 shift but you could take more – for which you would have my undying gratitude!!! The work is not too strenuous and I would give you a 5-10 minute training session when you arrive at the shop to begin your shift. I will also be there throughout the day and available to answer your questions but I will be focused on the other matters and not on the everyday running of the shop.

Given that it's the summer hols, perhaps some of you have older kids (who are responsible) who would like to grab this opportunity to get a small taste of what the world of business is like (and maybe through this, even to get involved in a deeper way with the larger initiative itself). We all know that we can't underestimate our kids and the wonderful things that they are capable of doing. Although it's volunteer work, they would be earning a life experience and that's a lot. I have no objection to you coming along with them to help as well. Look at it as a bonding experience for you and them.

Please, please volunteer. We need your help!

So Lucky!

I have been very lucky many times in my life. Even with the kind of luck that makes me win things. I have won:
1 bottle of Scotch the first time I played Bingo - at 12 years old
A camera
A set of stereo speakers
Small amounts of lottery money
Many bets
And who knows what else since I always forget to check my lottery tickets.

But this time I got a great jackpot. The opportunity to talk to some of the most interesting people in the Caribbean about the most interesting topic - sustainable planting and gardening. And it is a paid job. How I love to make the phone calls and hear the passion in the voice on the other end.
Today I got to speak to 'Bounce', an urban gardener in La Horquetta. I can't wait to see his little space - he said that most of it is on the pavement. The amount of different plants he has in his lot will make your mind boggle.

And I also get to read online about all these amazing people doing amazing things. Saving the culture of Shamans in Suriname, figuring out how to prevent erosion on steep mountains in St. Vincent, figuring out aquaculture in impoverished communities in Haiti. For all the yucky stuff about Homo Sapiens, there are 10 wonderful things. And I get to read about the wonderful ones all day!

Organic Planting Class

Today was the last session of the four weeks of the Organic Gardening Class. What a wonderful experience it was to find a largish group of like minded individuals willing to sit on a Sunday morning and learn a lot! We covered most of the fundamentals of Organic Gardening and threw in some permaculture for good measure.




But people are hungry! They want more. They want the communing, the sharing of perspectives, the expanding of consciousness. This is not only about how to get rid of aphids, or how to make a compost heap. This is about how do we live our lives.

Today, Ivan Laughlin came to talk to us about his experience of living in an intentional community in Las Lomas - close to the airport. He practiced organic farming in his plot and really got a chance to continue his relationship with the land that had been started while he was still a boy. He told us about Royer - a Dominican man who deeply understood the land and how to communicate and cooperate with it. Everyone wanted more.

So we will continue to do a few more sessions. One to look at some permaculture and organic gardening DVDs, one to visit a Carib 'shaman' who practices forest gardening, and a couple more to meet with people who have expertise in different areas - banana farming and ground provisions.

I am blessed.

My First Home Grown Salad

Finally, two bowls of something that I have grown!
When I lived in California, I used to grow all kinds of things organically in my garden. When I was hungry I could step outside and picks scores of types of lettuce, fresh eggplant, onions, chive and garlic, tomatoes and zucchini. And within a half an hour I had a steaming bowl of ratatouille surrounded by a fresh salad of mixed greens. It was amazing!
So it was a joy today to step outside armed with a nail scissors and pick a large bowl of arugula and a couple of types of baby lettuce. It always tastes better when you grew it yourself.

The First Meeting of the Cooperative

I just realised that I forgot to take pictures yesterday - Awwww!
When I looked around the room with all these beautiful people there to make a world affirming choice I had to hold back my feelings of joy. The gene pool was astounding! There were people from all the corners of the globe and Trinis with all ways of life. It will be interesting to see an organization with this level of diversity.

The meeting ran from 4 to 6PM and I had to run out to another meeting. But I heard that they had to sweep people out! That's what happens when the chemistry just clicks.

Several things became clear; that we have to prioritize our mission statement, and that there is a strong desire to continue the shop. So now the work begins.

On Monday a few of us will meet to examine the business feasibility and to come up with a business plan. Others will focus on the legal end of things. And yet others will focus on fundraising. There's quite a bit to be done so if you have any free time please volunteer for something - even if it is a one time thing for a few hours.

Making a Mountain

I am really really drawn to mountains these days. Perhaps it is the stillness, the silence and the soberness of these large folds on the surface of the earth that makes me want to be cradled by them. But just as important are the energetic mountains that we create. The accomplishments that pile shovel upon shovel, bucket after bucket with the occasional earthquake thrown in for good measure.

And Sun Eaters Organics now has a mountain that it has created. Sometimes I hear doubts that this is a 'serious' business and not some plaything that I - the socialite wife of a banker (are my laughs loud enough) - have created to while away my many hours of free time! Wishful thinking.

Anyhow here is some of what you, me and the crew at Sun Eaters Organics have done over the past two years.

• Stimulated local organic production to the point where we have at least 10 active growers from whom we can get thoughtfully grown food - from one consistent supplier 2 years ago.
  
• Learned organic certification procedures and started getting several farms ready for certification.
  
• Served almost 10,000 organic vegan meals with mainly local content.
  
• Saved 10.000 containers from entering the landfill by using reusable glass bowls for lunches.
  
• Always, yes always, paid staff on time and above average salaries.
  
• Taken no loans from banks, lending agencies or government bodies.
  
• Grown an entire front yard forest after breaking up a concrete Woodbrook front yard
  
• Familiarized plant quarantine, customs, Caribbean Airlines with organic produce and how to treat it.
  
• Motivated several other freestanding businesses to begin carrying organic goods in their shops
  
• Taught multiple people organic gardening techniques
  
• Exposed Trinidad to its first in-depth look at Rudolph Steiner's work - especially the Waldorf approach to teaching
  
• Created a Port of Spain recycling depot
  
• Conducted the first Organic Raw Food Workshop in Trinidad and Tobago - and getting ready to organize some more
  
• Conducted on site lectures on the environment and organic farming for High School and Primary School students
  
• Presented to the American Women's Club and the UK Women's Club on issues of sustainability
  
• Attended a trainer of trainers workshop on Organic Farming techniques
  
• Created an environment where groundbreakers can feel at home
  
• Sent out 5000 plus newsletters exposing the national population to issues of sustainability and the environment in a locally relevant fashion
  
• Conducted 3 camps for children
  
• Hosted a Christmas show for sustainable products
  
• Built hundreds (or maybe thousands) of pounds of good, healthy organic soil by composting ALL of our kitchen and shop waste
  
• Deeply involved in training a Fulbright Scholar researching organic agriculture in Trinidad and Tobago
  
• Saved tens of thousands of shopping bags by never ever buying a new bag for selling our produce
  
• Saved tons of toxins from going into our water supply by only using natural mopping and other cleaning products with the exception of dishwashing liquid when we run out.
  
• Started a local Soap Nuts venture
  
• Provided extensive support for many conscious activities by advertising on newsletter and in the shop and by suggesting attendance to shoppers
  
• Saved reams of paper by minimal printing of marketing material and extensive online presence
  
• In the process of transforming the agricultural sector and consumer behaviour by converting to the first Cooperative Shop that is in the open retail sector and ensuring that the shop is deeply organic and also does not sell animals that have not lived out their natural life span
  

Not bad for two years, almost non-existent funding and almost 100 percent local input - produce and human resources. Maybe we should get a little cocky.

Of course there are many things that could be or could have been done better. But I am deeply hopeful that as the Cooperative develops and there are 20 plus people who, like me, have a deep and abiding commitment to the environment and putting people before profit, that many of these snags will be worked out.

So Congrats to all the Crew at Sun Eaters Organics - past and present crew and customers.

If I can do it .........

Well, today took the cake. I can only say thank god that I am vegetarian and that the global food crisis has not yet arrived. My first two chickens ran away - only to reappear briefly 3 months later. The next two were killed by the cat next door. And then finally today I got a rooster and a hen to add to my collection.
All I can say is that I never saw anything run so furiously as that rooster did on accidentally falling out of a hole in the bag. I was transporting him and his sister from Petit Valley. So there we were on Sydenham ave, him with his legs spread as widely as they could be, making the new world record look slow. And if there was anyone around to laugh, I would be hearing the cackling a mile away as I stood dumbfounded, the other chicken still in the sack in my hand, my computer in a bag on my back, my handbag lolling at my side and a skirt almost touching the ground trying to decide how to catch this crazy creature.
And so picture me tucking the skirt in my hip and the two of us running each other around for 15 minutes. And then me with a few towels in hand trying to now catch the hen who had run out of another hole and now herself was squawking and flying and running and flapping wings and hiding in a canal until finally she stopped, still hiding her head as though I could not see her. So I dropped the towels on her and put her in a bucket - wrapped up in towel - and deposited her in the cage.
If I had to consider the energy efficiency of this transaction: there is no way that eating those scrawny chickens could give me back what I expended trying to catch them. No way!

So I know that I need time to master this 'grow your own food' thing. I hope that the food crisis can wait for me to get good at these parts. I need those chicken eggs when times get touch.

In Tune With Spirit

You may wonder what an organic store has to do with spirit. Is there anything that is not to do with spirit? For me, spirit is the inside energy that keeps our world in order, that inspires us to act as more than material beings, and that reconnects us with everything else that is. And what better way is there to be in tune with spirit than by getting your fingers deep in soil, seeing plants grow with just a bit of water and loving care, and by listening to chickens cluck. The backyard (or front porch or window box) is one of the best places for us to have a weekly worship and thanksgiving ceremony.

For me the moments when I can enjoy that deeper connection include:

Listening to anything by Deva Premal especially her song ' Yemaya Assessu' www.devapremalmiten.com
Lying in bed with my sleeping children at my side and seeing them at rest after long engrossed days
Holding a freshly picked Red Leafed Lettuce (I am not kidding - ask the crew at Sun Eaters about the odes that I sometimes sing to them)
Listening to dry season breezes just before sunset

And how much I sometimes need these connected moments. Especially when I become engrossed in the tasking mode. Or become worried about the outcome of some event. Or hear messages from my body that don't seem like what I want to hear. At times like this it is so useful to hear/see/feel something that reassures me that I am not alone in my experience. And so this musing sends a thank you to all the sprites out there who keep me company, the spiritual backs on which I can lean, and the reconnection cheerleaders who give me encouragement when it seems that I cannot take one more challenge.
Eternal Gratitude.

Community Store Conversion

The time had to come. I have wanted to change Sun Eaters Organics to a Community Store/Coop since late last year and while I began putting some things in place, I also allowed sundry diversions to derail me. Well, the time has come to move ahead and we are doing so. All of us at Sun Eaters are trying to play our part in getting this to happen as swiftly and as seamlessly as possible.

Why a Community Store/Coop?

1) To share the work. Over the past two years I have worked more than I imagined possible to get this project up and running. I am finally at a point where others can come in and share what needs to be done while accruing numerous benefits. My body, my family and the other projects in which I am interested need me.

2) To have a rational financial basis in the organic sector. I have witnessed, with distress, the development of a mindset here in Trinidad and Tobago that organic is akin to 'gourmet'. It is not. I have probably contributed to this perspective by having to have higher than desired prices for the imported goods. As our size of shipment increases it becomes more and more possible to bring in our goods in a more environmentally friendly, inexpensive way. The Community Store/Coop will help to keep prices lower than we even dreamed possible for everyone. And for Member/Owners the goods will be further reduced in price. I envisage a time when for Member/Owners it will not cost much more to buy organic than to buy chemically-treated, non-sustainable produce.

3) To have a super active outreach and community education program. The place where we shop should be the place that is supporting the community in which it is located. As an individual owner I have done tons to support the community, but with a collaboration with other member/owners I will be able to do much much more. I cannot wait till we have our own newspaper columns, our own billboards with progressive information, our own Green Pages, and lots more!

4) To develop our region. The Community Store/Coop will have much more ability to work with others in the region than I will have on my own. My vision of this is expansive and I will share it in upcoming writings. What's your vision?

5) We are ready! Over the last few weeks it has become increasingly clear that the population is now at the perfect moment for this initiative. I have sent out many e-mails discussing development of the business, challenges to the business and the ongoing challenge of encroachment by confused profiteers. Your e-mail/telephone/in person response has been overwhelming and incredibly supportive. Sun Eaters has become a part of life for many of you and you seem willing to do something to ensure that the vision we espouse here grows and develops.

Thank you.

Two For The Price of One

I DID go to Jamaica for a definitive purpose; to get hooked up with a regional organic network and to get trained to train organic farmers. But I got much more than that. I met many wonderful people and am now linked to organic energy in almost all of the Commonwealth Caribbean territories.
AND in addition
I had a little side workshop. Chi Gong, Deva Premal, Forest Sprites and Imps were all present and helping direct things down the perfect path.

WORKSHOP ONE

The Organic Workshop

The Knowing and Growing Network has been functioning in the Caribbean for about 4 years. This has been a concerted effort to support gender equity in the organic farming sector. Most of the workshops to date have involved exclusively women. This workshop in Jamaica was the first one that had men included – mainly male organic farmers – and also included a few Information and Communication Tech types.

I learned a ton, got to share my experiences, and dissolved a lot of misinformation that I had regarding what is possible. But best of all I made connections across race, class and gender that left me dying for more.

WORKSHOP TWO

The Unseen

So much about Xaymaca left me in awe. And I am sure that the Mama Tierra energy of the place made it inevitable to tap into the earth source. And I did. I greeted the earth energy, the fire energy and the air energy. But water energy was a bit more tricky until I was walking through the Botanic Gardens and saw a stream right in the middle of the lawn! Kingston does not have swimmable water. Oh, and I stood for quite a while as a cloud swirled around me on the Blue Mountains - an elegant presentation of air and water. The Avatar arose in me.

The world around was responsive to my calls, and I felt a deep and lasting connection with this amazing life source. To think that it took going to Xaymaca to make me feel to run away!

Sustainability the Trini Way

Okay, let's call a spade a spade. This is not World Environment Day that we are commemorating but World Human Race Survival Day. The world, the planet, the natural systems will figure it out. Once the human impact is reduced - either by reduced populations by environmental force or by reduced impact by choice - then the other species will find their way back into balance. Sure it's going to take a long long time after we are gone but in the natural non-human time scale a few thousand years is no more than a second.

So what much of this - Go Green/Save the Planet/Environment Day thing - is really about is attempting to ensure the survival of the human race. The natural world is making a big heave to get back into balance and that can ONLY happen by reducing the impact of humans. The natural world NEVER allows any one species to predominate for too long and endanger the bio-diversity that natural systems strive for.

So how can we reduce our impact right here in Trinidad and Tobago? And this is where things like World Environment Day come in - but still don't be confused that the end goal is about anything but human survival.

1) Eat vegan. This doesn't mean eat vegan every meal or even every day. But really increase your commitment to eating low impact food - which animal products are not. Introduce vegan food into your diet a few times a week to start. And (shameless advertising here), don't forget that you can get locally planted, organic vegan meals at Sun Eaters Organics delivered to your doorstep every weekday.

2) Set limits to your driving. For those of you who live far from work then ensure that the car contains other people going in the same direction Maybe you can share a ride 2 days a week?

3) Eat organic. Organic uses less water, less energy, sequesters carbon in soil, and lots more. See shameless plug above.

4) Start planting. Johnny Stollmeyer and Earle Rahaman-Norohna conduct permaculture planting classes. Johnny and I start a 4 session organic planting class next week Sunday for 2 hours a session (only $25 to come). Plant anything, anywhere to start building your relationship with the natural world.

5) Start recycling. Drop off your stuff at Sun Eaters or if you live in the East go directly to Indo Caribe for newspaper drop off, Carib Glass works with glass, and in El Soccorro you can take plastics.

6) Read any of the Ishmael books - Ishmael, My Ishmael or the final one (I'm writing this on a plane so don't have research access to the internet). You will never be the same.

My Experience in Xaymaca

My first trip to Jamaica. I found the island:
Indescribable (although you know me, I will try to describe it).
Stereotype dissolving - I can't believe that I swallowed those things I was hearing about Jamaica and Jamaicans all those years.
And completely and utterly awe inspiring. Humans seem like an intrusion here - the land has better things to do. As I travelled from Kingston's airport and drove under the Man Crab monstrosity of the cement plant (shame on a Trinidadian company for sweeping their dust under Jamaica's bed), I felt puny in a yukky way. But when I leaned my head backwards a few minutes later to look up and up to the top of the Blue Mountains the puniness seemed just right and I remembered which of the two - cement plant/Blue Mountains - will endure. Uncontested.

I remember flying out of Quito airport in Ecuador about 15 years ago. And as we were flying along peacefully with me peering out of the window, suddenly the bottom fell out! We had come to the end of the plateau on which Quito is located and the earth was now thousands of feet lower than it had been a moment ago. I will never forget the free-fall-stomach wonder of that moment.

In Jamaica I had the same experience of awe for Mama Earth. The richness and power of the forests and the mountains, the solidity and generosity of the soil, the largeness and silent regard of the limestone cliffs was not what I had anticipated. This spirit also found its way in the relaxed confidence of the writer Kei Millerl's voice as he read from his new book. In the intensity of the energy beaming out from the soil. In the studied regard of the little green lizard one early morning. I was taken aback! And none of this planetary authority was negated by the mask-like bleached faces of many Kingstonians, the drive-by shooting that held up traffic for hours, the insistence of the addicts asking with the ubiquitous stretched arm and Anancy stories. It wasn't even negated by last week's pathetic stance of the PM who doesn't even understand how homophobia has a massive impact on his own liberty as a man. Humans can NEVER touch the strength and inherent truthfulness of something that predates us and will outlive us. And in Jamaica, I was blessed to see and experience this clearly.

PROGRESS!!

Some things do get better. And one of them that I have to report on is the recycling situation. Can you believe that one year ago most of you had nowhere to recycle anything? And now you can easily drop off in Woodbrook if you live or work in the North West.

The recycling has gone so well that the bin has now been moved from Sun Eaters compound. We were filling the bin so quickly that Piranha - the recycling company - has put a much larger bin on Murray Street in the park. It is shaped like a large bottle and is made of wire. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll give better directions.

When I first decided to put the recycling bins in place I got lots of negative feedback - and I myself had my doubts. It would make it hard to keep the place clean (somewhat true), it would take really long to fill the large bin and the bottles would attract flies (not true - it filled every week and Piranha did a great job emptying once they got the rhythm down), and it would take lots of effort on my part (true but now I have at least one volunteer and others are coming). And now it has gone so well that I won't even have to deal with these problems.

Last week when the Piranha guys came by I felt like a parent saying goodbye as their child moves out. Tears came to my eyes as they dragged that red bin away and put it into the truck (sad music plays). And when I walked outside to simply toss a plastic bottle in I did feel a moment of regret when I realized that I would have to walk around the corner. But my heart sings to see how - when it is made easy - we are willing and able to adjust our behaviors in the right direction.

I have your back

I remember one year when I was in France there was a campaign called 'Touche Pas Mon Pote' a phrase which I think approximated to - Don't Touch My Buddy. There had been a surge in racism and racist attacks in France and so this campaign was in response. Several of my friends there were involved and I can definitely say that it made life seem a lot more comfortable.

In the last few weeks in Trinidad there has been such an increase in incidents amongst people that I know - one attempted rape, one kidnapping, one murder, a few buglaries. We need a 'Touche Pas Mon Pote' campaign everywhere in this country. EVERY neighbourhood needs to be sending a strong message that it will not tolerate bullying, victimisation, or a compromise of the personal safety of its residents.

And this is not only needed in the large chaotic communities. Why should a small village in Tobago like Black Rock have 13 - yes 13 - break-ins during the past couple of weeks. And unfortunately one of these happened to a friend of mine. A nightmarish experience. The locals need to make it clear to any confused individuals that they will not get away with their intimidating behaviour. In this scenario, the tourist becomes the 'Pote'.

What would it really be like for us to have a similar campaign here in T & T? What would it be like for uprisings of support to happen whenever they were necessary and in the early stages of problems brewing- not after serious incidents happen but when the development of the scenario for these incidents was taking place?

Yesterday in St. Anns my neighbourhood had a meeting for us to meet each other. It was great! About time that people recognize each other, wave, look around as children pass by, etc. I am looking forward to more of these.

Of course deeper issues need to be addressed in order to remove the culture of violence. I found Amy Chua's book 'World on Fire' to be a superb insight into why some countries - such as T& T - are facing a spiralling in violent crime and some others, despite poverty - are not. Her solutions, however, are incomplete and unhelpful. The book is still worth reading but just don't look for it to provide the answer. But even while these deeper issues are being addressed it is critical for us to make it clear that endangering personal safety is not acceptable for anyone - Woman, Man or Child.

Leaving Room for Milk

My days are often full of moments of hesitation. I can feel when my intuition/inner voice has something to say. And either I choose to listen and heed or not. Many times these days what happens is that I start to overdo things and suddenly I get to realise that it doesn't all have to be perfect. The little voice says - leave the dishes on the counter until tomorrow and just sit down. Or - the clothes can wait till later. Go and read a book to the little ones, or read a book to myself, or look at a movie. What revolutionary thoughts!

And in the midst of my checks being doodled on and torn out of my checkbook, a bottle of pineapple juice being spilled on the car floor, a glass of water being poured into my cereal, and lots more, it is still amazing to notice how perfect my son and daughter are. And so there must be some time remaining in my life to enjoy the simple pleasures with them. The raucous laughter at a simple sentence, the enthusiastic description of a Pokemon card, and the rapid gobbling of a favorite cereal. And of course today it is about 1 hour of Efua singing the same line to her petite dolly.

Always leave room for the milk on top ... just in case

Mother/Children's Day

After several long discussions with my son today about what it is REALLY like to be a child, I felt much more compelled to have a great day and to bring my children along. Yes, he is right. I do not remember what it feels like to be small. I do not remember how it was to have someone else setting the limits all the time.
Of course with radical unschooling I try to do things differently. But it will take a lot for me to get all the way, to live in a rule-less house. So for now it is enough to eat some chocolate with them, get silly on the tricycle, learn to understand Pirates of the Caribbean and hold my tongue when I feel the constant urge to say 'But...'

Heartbreak and Hippies

So the heartbreak is coming hot and heavy these days. Crickcrack. When things around me unfold in ways that are deeply challenging I don't start to lash out at others or whine and criticize. Instead I feel the little cracks in my heart getting larger.

This week I dealt with a common problem of small, young and successful businesses - the aggressive approach of someone intending to start a business like mine. With a frontal attack from an entrepreneur - Crickcrack - accompanied by a full explanation as to why they would be more successful at this business than I (of which one of the given reasons was that they would make the place look more welcoming to the elite of the country) I could feel the internal tears building and the fissures expanding. How could it be that this is what someone who wants to operate an organic shop thinks - that it is just a business and the focus of all businesses is profitability? Time to get some Paul Hawken - one of the most successful entrepreneurs worldwide - on the shelves of this country. Even the title of his most recent book - Blessed Unrest - is a breath of fresh air. http://www.blessedunrest.com/video.html. I am not alone.

Our maturation regarding issues of commerce and sustainability is long overdue and its time to stop indulging with our wallets or our respect (including awards like Entrepreneur of the Year) businesses who insist on remaining in infancy around these ideas. We no longer have time for this type of behaviour. Environmental healing and social justice are two of the largest markers of a truly successful business. The ability of a successful business to achieve its financial goals is a given assumption and does not have to become the mantra of any project. I think most of us tested the edible qualities of money as children and found it sorely lacking.

There was a time when all the people involved in organics (which ultimately is within the business of sustainability) were committed to what they were doing despite the lack of governmental support, the marginalisation that they experienced and the financial lack of support of environmentally and ethically sound businesses. But then organics began to get wider consumer support, and soon you saw the eyes of many outside of the field turn to dollar bills. Even in Trinidad the feeding frenzy has begun.... And to think that this is happening at the 11th Hour for us globally, a time when we could excitedly be making the major changes that make our lives, the lives of our communities, and the lives of other life forms and the planet, stand a chance! (Crickcracks become deafening).

I am committed to sustainability - of which organics is one aspect. But in my understanding of sustainability, the end does not justify the means. And developing anything - a business, a relationship - anything, from a position of greed does not give one the slowly unfolding moments that are supportive of sustainability. Hard cold meetings with banks, vendors, clients, and with products which one sees as pure commodities is part of what has gotten us in the mess that we are in now. Inescapable in coming to clarity are many moments spent enjoying the hairy caterpillars, engaging in uncomfortable conversations about race, class and gender, developing respect for pioneers, and ruthlessly participating in a self-examination of whatever cockiness we may still be feeding in our own spirits.

So where entrepreneurs should be congregating right now is not over bottles of imported wine, but in breezy front porches at BYOB functions fleshing out what it will take for ALL of us to survive and for our children to thrive in tomorrow's world. Please join Sun Eaters Organics over the next few months as we intensify the pace of these conversations, but help organize the practical sessions to help us engage with the environment around us. Express your interest. Drop by the shop to leave a note that says - I hear you. Let me know what hidden talents you have and /or how your commitment to sustainability is slowly building and changing your life. Unleash the hippie inside of you.