Summer 2030

New England Aster

Summer 2030

How we envision our farms and gardens for the future

By Ann Stillman

I am in a prairie restoration in a floodplain area (formerly farmed). This land is being reclaimed for public use and enjoyment (as a response to new legislation that encourages us to create more common/public space for all of to enjoy and utilize together).  It is the summer of 2030.  I am being assisted by a crew of volunteer young people—doing community service (as we all do now—to enhance the environment and our home town). We planted this prairie a year ago and are now weeding out some noxious plants and checking for erosion problems and enjoying identifying prairie plants—observing insects and other creatures.

This is what I’ve always wanted to do, so I am happy and content working on such a project—in community with others. I like to see this as a universal human need, this type of work. All over the world, there are people participating in projects like this; it is a human need, to work together with others to sustain our lives. We all need a place to live, food to eat, companions for this journey we call “life”. What a relief that we have finally been able to overcome strife, greed and fear in order to concentrate on what is really important to all of us.

Part of a Series: How do we envision our gardens and farms for the future? What are some of the positive changes we will make to cope with these conditions and improve our land and the environment? Improve our relationship to our families and communities? Mary Swander, State of Iowa Poet Laureate and a PFI member, asked participants at the PFI annual conference workshop to envision their farms and gardens 20 years from now.