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Oil on Linen • James P. Morse • 2023
The United States registers the most hits for this Whole Field newsletter when considering countries—no surprise. And the runner-up?
Sweden!
We’ll pander to our Scandinavian readership with a guest writing, shared with permission, from Sweden’s Gunnar Rundgren. Find an excerpt below, with a brief intro to Gunnar and his work under that.
____________
a small bit of—
How To Save Europe's Farmers?
by Gunnar Rundgren
“Most have probably noticed that there have been massive protests by European farmers the last month. It started in Germany, linked to the budget crisis there, and later included farmers from France, Belgium, Portugal, Poland and several other countries. Of course, this is not the first and certainly not the last time that farmers will protest. Since 2019, there have been many protests in the Netherlands, something I covered in a recent article.
The protests have many different triggers. In the case of the Netherlands, nitrogen emission limitations has been the main issue, in Germany a diesel tax exemption that is threatened. In Eastern Europe the influx of grain, poultry and eggs from war-torn Ukraine is a major issue of contention. In France, unfair competition with other countries as well as stricter pesticide rules seem to be in focus. In Portugal farmers block border crossings to Spain, but I have not been able to clarify if that is a protest against imports from Spain or just a good place to stage a protest.
Political analysts link the farmer protests to a rise in right wing populism (see more below). The EU reacted rapidly with a number of measures to placate farmers. The mandatory 4% of the arable land that has to be allocated to biodiversity measures are suspended (again - it was the same last year for some other reason), there will be some restrictions on the imports from Ukraine, the plans to include agriculture in greenhouse gas emissions reduction plans is postponed and the plan to cut pesticide use in half has also been shelved.
The farm sector in Europe has been under a lot of pressure for a long time. The number of farmers are constantly shrinking. It is often discussed that farmers quit because it is not profitable to farm. But it would be too simplistic to say that the number of farmers are shrinking because it is not profitable to farm. By and large, the number of farmers are shrinking because the productivity per labor unit has increased tremendously and farms have grown bigger and bigger and bigger, so there has simply been no need for all those farmers. If some farmer will get more land and a bigger tractor, or manage more cows, on a system level it inevitably means that some other farmer will go out of business...
…I think the only way out of this predicament is to place farming and food production at the center and heart of the debate about the future of society – few people can dispute that food is the most essential production there is. It should be a starting point together with an acknowledgement of the need to protect other parts of nature and limit human dominance. In this vision, the role of agriculture is no longer to produce commodities for a competitive food market, but to manage agro-ecosystems in a sustainable (I really don’t like that word, but I guess you can understand what I mean) way to produce healthy food for the population. One could talk about a new social contract for farming. Exactly how that would pan out I can’t say* but I can see some directions it should take:
Relocalizing the food system, meaning that the majority (there will always be a need or desire for a certain trade from other areas) of the food consumed in any location would be locally sourced. This also means relocalizing diets as local conditions will result in a re-establishment of local diets instead of the increasingly globalized diets.
Get many more people engaged in farming and food processing and preparation. In most rich countries there are more people engaged in serving coffee in cafés than in farming. Instead of 1 percent of the population engaged in farming, it could be 10 percent (Greece) or perhaps 20 percent (Romania).
Re-distribute land to more people and give local communities more power over the management of the landscape from which they get most of their food. This could take many forms. There is a certain tension between those advocating a household based peasantry oriented to self-sufficiency (e.g. Chris Smaje) and those advocating a more commons based approach (I am leaning more towards this). I believe they could be complementary and not necessarily in any apparent conflict. Household units seem to be very persistent and resilient through human history or at least through the history of farming and why should you abandon something that works quite well?*.
Nevertheless, those units have mostly been linked with many other units by the use of common resources (pastures, water, game, forest products etc.) and close cooperation etc. In the end, this might take different forms depending on the circumstances where also the agro-ecological conditions come into play and to what extent you share resources or not. Ultimately, I believe that the relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world is a question for all people and that all people in one way or the other should be involved in and have a say in how we interact with nature – and farming is clearly one of the main ways humanity is interacting with nature.
Parallel to this, we need to restore and further develop ecological literacy of farmers, foresters and others acting as landscape managers. Instead of being awarded for the highest yield of wheat or the cow that produce 20,000 liters of milk per year, farmers should be acknowledged and awarded for having a diverse and rich production system in something like harmony with nature (In reality there is no “harmony” or “balance” in nature as nature is dynamic, but I think you understand what I mean). This should also include an upgrade of farming as a profession…”
* There is a delicate balance between formulating visions for the future that are concrete enough to give direction and inspiration and plans that are prescribing details. In my view human societies will and should develop in an evolutionary way, with diversity, trial and error, compromises and trade-offs. Central planning and homogenous systems are bound to fail on many accounts.
* Of course there have been many not so flattering tendencies in households/families, in particular patriarchy. But there have also been many not so flattering tendencies in collective management units. I believe the jury is still out regarding the question of an ideal economic/organizational unit for humans. Perhaps there isn’t one? Most likely it varies according to the circumstances.
About the Author:
Gunnar lives and works on the farm Sunnansjö, deep into the forest between Uppsala and Sala in Sweden, along with his wife and partner Ann-Helen. There they grow vegetables, fruits and nuts and have a small herd of five cows with off-spring as well as some forest, wetlands and part of a lake. When he doesn’t keep himself dirty and grounded on the farm he does consultancies, gives lectures and writes articles and books.
He has worked with most parts of the organic farmer sector – from farming to policy – since 1977. For many years he worked as a consultant for several United Nations agencies and development cooperation organizations including Sida and the World Bank. He became a World Board member of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements 1998 and was the president 2000-2005. He has published several books (translated to five languages) about the major social and environmental challenges of our world, food and farming. Rundgren was awarded an honorary doctorate in science at the Uganda Martyrs University 2009, and was 2010 appointed member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.
The Warp — Ideas and Inspiration
|| 1 || I came across Gunnar’s essay through a recommendation from Dougald Hine. Dougald also referenced the writing a few days earlier in this Great Humbling podcast. Still, his golden admission about the appearance of proficiency as a leader stuck out to me most from the written recap. The context—parting words while handing over the Dark Mountain Project to a new lead:
”If there are things that you’ve seen me do that I look good at doing, most of them I started off really bad at doing, and you’ve just benefitted from the mistakes I made earlier.”
Here’s a lesson I have to relearn over and over—if I’m unwilling to admit that I don’t know how to do something, it’s easy to end up looking a bit silly. Case in point: You Need To Read This 100% Real Coffee Shop Story That Definitely Happened, a take from (of all places) the intersection of specialty coffee culture and the Farm & Ranch Guide.
|| 2 || On a recent drive, I saw a billboard for an upcoming RV show. I remember squeaking up the folding sets of hundreds of recreational vehicle stairs at one of these gatherings nearly two decades ago. I had zero business considering ownership of any of those motorhomes—the cost of gas to get us to Grand Rapids was a more pertinent concern. Still, my Dad drove me there and accompanied me from caravan to caravan. I was interested in all forms of living on the road, so he made the outing happen. Ambling about, I reminisced on those I’ve known to offer time and effort to help others dream.
|| 3 || Continuing my commute, I caught a golden dusk, with dusted and dappled greenery, landscapes ochre and shadowed in the evening light, and it hit me—there was a James Morse quality to the sight, just outside the window. I’ve noticed similar occurrences since that night. James’ work achieves a lofty aim, at least in my case. It awakens me to where I already am.
His painting Those Who Love The Land didn’t make it into this newsletter. At first glance, it’s a romantic agrarian vista. Looking closer, there are folks working on hedge-laying, a time-consuming process that results in a living, breathing fence. Above that, people work on a drystone wall—another time-consuming process with earthen materials and a lasting legacy on the land. And below is a depiction of someone harvesting from a pollarded tree—more on that in “Coppice Agroforestry: An Evening with Dave Jacke & Crosshatch.” Suppose the significance of these traditional skills isn’t clear. In that case, this write-up from James’ recent show in London draws the connection between the labors and “balance, stewardship, and the potential for a more sustainable future.”
|| 4 || Alas, upon the sending of the next Whole Field, the Spring equinox will have arrived. Here’s a lovely springtime visit with Bear Lake’s Bernie and Sandee Ware in the form of a video tour. Thanks again to Josh and the Grow Benzie crew for partnering on this one.
The Weft — News and Events
We’re heartened by a wide-range of expressions of resilient communities and gatherings. Here’s a smattering of regional events and happenings that reflect that diversity, collected for your consideration. Choose your own adventure!
|| 1 || As of March 8th, Alluvion Arts @ 414 presents Botanic, an exhibition that takes a collective look at our intimate relationship to the plant kingdom. Plants create and regulate the air we breathe, they provide us with food, medicine, textiles and building materials. Through thought provoking conceptual work, installations, botanical paintings and prints, sculptures, wood work and a freshly installed seed library, Botanic attempts to examine and honor the gifts of our botanical friends. Free and open to the public. Find more information here.
|| 2 || One Evening, Two Co-op Events, Wednesday, March 13th. Cooperatives 101: A Presentation on How Cooperatives Work & Development Basics, In-Person OR on Zoom, 5:30-6:30pm. Register and find information, including the in-person location here. Afterwards (optionally) head to the Boardman Review/MI Farm Co-op Video screening and Q&A, 6-8pm at Loco Boys Brewing, Traverse City.
|| 3 || The Crooked Tree Arts Center in Traverse City’s call for artists for the upcoming show “Agricultura” is now open. Find more details on submitting pieces for the agriculture-themed exhibition here. The deadline is March 21st.
|| 4 ||Around the Table: Community Conversation about Farming in Northern Michigan. March 14th, 5-8pm at the Carnegie Building in Petoskey. Please join the Local Food Alliance and Crosshatch Center for our spring community conference and a locally sourced and prepared meal. Whether you’re a food producer, gardener, or an eater, please join us for initial findings from in-depth interviews with over twenty local farmers and to discuss the future of local food and farming in this region. Find more information and register here.
|| 5 || Happenings at The Alluvion Between Now and the Next Whole Field include: Big Fun, Improvisation to Sketch Teen Class, The Jeff Haas Trio featuring Marion Haydon, Anthony Stanco, Tariq Gardner and the NMC Jazz Big Band with Lisa Flahive, Fernando Silverio Solis y el Sueño, Kid Shoeshine, Full Cord, Caley Conway, Cathedral Becomes Tomb, Funky Uncle, Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico, Here:Say Storytelling, The Jeff Haas Trio featuring Matt McCalpin, Brandon Everest, and Lisa Flahive, The Bayberry String Quartet, and Peter Madcat Ruth's C.A.R.Ma. Quartet.
Find more information at www.thealluvion.org.
|| 6 || Combining Solar with Agriculture Series. Two sessions are left in this series focusing on agrivoltaics, or the combination of solar arrays and active agricultural sites, concluding on Saturday, June 15th. Presented by North Central Michigan College’s Lifelong Learning Club, Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology, USDA-RMA and the Local Food Alliance of Northern Michigan. Find more information and register here.
|| 7 || National Writers Series: Workshops and Classes for Students in Northern Michigan and beyond. Find information and register here for offerings like Poetry with David Hornibrook (5th-8th grade, Elk Rapids and online), and Literary Short Story with Karin Killian (9th-12th grade, at Commongrounds and online.) Classes are free, while space is limited.
|| 8 || MSU Extension’s Sustainability Speakers Series Spring 2024. Bicycle trailer food scrap collection, household food waste, effective recycling practices, and more. Find information on the upcoming virtual “lunch and learns” February through May here.
sponsored by:
Desmond Liggett Wealth Advisors is a mission-driven, fee-only wealth management company with a simple purpose: to generate exceptional value for the individuals, families, small business owners, and non-profit organizations they serve. Desmond Liggett Wealth Advisors believe in and adhere to triple-bottom-line analysis for portfolio investments, ensuring that they review how a company’s environmental and social values impact its long-term resilience and, consequently, value.
Many thanks to the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for their support of this work.
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