While many of the essays in this series have had confrontational elements, or have used allegory as a way into the bustling hive of angry murder hornets that is our 2020 election cycle, Burkhart has stepped back into a calmer reflection, a look at the simple life of a small farm, where food is sustenance to both life and livelihood.

Her thesis that we have been walking away from ideals that create not only a healthier body, but a healthier soul on a societal level is a splash of cool water on the face of ideologies coming at us in a furious assault on reason. Step back, reflect, what is important, what makes us great?

Grow some vegies, share them with your neighbors—especially those you disagree with—and bring the temperature down.

-Billy Howard

I’m sure I am not alone in reminiscing wistfully about life prior to the 2016 U.S. election. Back when recognition of climate change was almost universally accepted and even children were writing school papers about what they could do to address it. When school lunches were almost destined to become healthier, to the benefit of all school children. When we felt free to drink the water coming from our taps. When we celebrated the opening of even more preserved areas of natural beauty. When ‘farm to table’ options were increasingly available for our home kitchens and in restaurants in more and more cities and towns. When the White House planted an organic vegetable garden and countless people were inspired to create their own gardens and eat fresher, healthier food.

Upon reflection (there’s a lot of that going on since the Great Lockdown), I couldn’t help looking at my series “A Biodynamic Love Story”, and wonder if it was all simply a fairy tale, a picture story of some romantic bygone era.

Please join me and all the heroes of small farms, home gardeners, and conscious consumers in visualizing making those times great again…to the benefit of all of us, especially the school children.

-Maureen Ruddy Burkhart

BIO:

Maureen is a lifelong visual artist, specializing in fine art and documentary photography. She has lived and traveled worldwide, often photographing for stock and non-profits and hoping to ‘change the world one image at a time’. She is dedicated to equal rights, especially for women and children. She is passionate about the natural world, finding solace and inspiration from it and hopes other humans will also.

www.maureenruddyburkhart.com