Course: Bahá’í Perspectives on Agriculture and Food (2022)
Lead Faculty: Paul Hanley
Editor’s Note: This learner has chosen to remain anonymous, but we are very glad they have given permission to share the emerging connections they are making in the wider community.
“I am profoundly grateful for the impetus and encouragement to take action that came through the course Bahá’í Perspectives on Agriculture and Food. Although I still need to internalize concepts from the course, the role of agriculture and its connection with the Wilmette Institute in particular gave me the reassurance to take action. Knowing that an organization such as Wilmette, working closely with the Institutions of the Faith, was encouraging this action, was very affirming.”
“Through my involvement with the course, I’ve been enabled to take a few simple steps of social action, which have felt confirmed. I contacted local allotment sites, asking if there were sites available to grow food for community food banks or kitchens. This led to reconnecting with old friends in a Transition Town Community Garden who offered me some space to grow in their garden.”
Some resources to learn about Transition towns
Wikipedia page on Transition towns
TransitionNetwork.org document with details and examples of the characteristics of Transition towns
A perspective piece: How Transition Towns Are Changing the World
“Although there have been challenges in setting up the site, some of the first harvests have now gone through to a local organization offering food to people in financial need. Suddenly, I’m connected to a network of local growers, and it feels like friendships and conversations are evolving. There is also another local organization setting up new sites to grow food, and I have the opportunity to assist with this work also.”
“I am very grateful for all of the encouragement, and I hope to gradually involve some of the friends from the Bahá’í community as friendships with other growers evolve.”
