Hungry For Change

Dear mindful eaters, 

Now that the wrapping paper's in the trash, I've been chewing on something: my own holiday spending. Where did it actually go? Did my money match my values?

Some call that kind of thinking conscious consumerism. A farmer I know just calls it giving a damn.

Either way, it's not about perfection. It's about figuring out what matters and acting on it. Even when it's uncomfortable.

European farmers know something about that. From France to Germany to Italy, tens of thousands have been flooding the streets with tractors, choking off border crossings, and piling manure in front of McDonald's. A few years back, some released live pigs straight into a supermarket meat aisle. Just let them wander past the cheap imports. All of it saying the same thing: we're fed up with governments siding with corporate giants while farmers can barely survive.

I have a ton of respect for that kind of nerve. But here's what strikes me most: those farmers didn't do the easy thing. They did the thing that matched their values, even when it was messy and uncertain.

That's been on my mind a lot lately. Andrea and I have been talking about what's ahead for our family. Some of it feels big. Maybe even a little scary. But we want whatever comes next to be rooted in purpose, not just comfort. To do the thing that matches our values, even when it's hard.

I'm guessing you know that tension, too. The pull between what's easy and what feels right. 

The good news? Acting on your values doesn't require piling manure in front of a McDonald's or letting pigs loose in aisle five next to the cheap imports. It can be quiet. Supporting a company you believe in. Fewer but better choices. A little more intention behind where your dollar goes. Like tossing a pebble into a pond. These ripples go further than you'd think.

Your support of Grass Roots travels further than any receipt will show. Every order is a vote for independent farmers over corporate giants. For families staying on land instead of selling out. For rural communities that get to keep going.

Thank you for giving a damn.

Here's to a more intentional year ahead.

Your farmer,
Cody