Come Walk With Me...

The "food movement" makes me happy and it makes me optimistic. It makes me feel like grassroots movements really can make a difference. It makes me think someday the big offenders in the food industry will really have to change. I often think that our government will really do something about the conditions in factory farms and eventually label GMO's...someday.
I have seen many movies and read many stories of change actually happening. I've watched several documentaries filmed in inner cities where the neighbors can't get fresh or quality food and they start their own community gardens.
I've seen the surge and growth of community gardens all around my own state. I see more and more people pulling up to the local farm stands and fresh fruit sellers along the highway. I feel hopeful...
I've noticed people aren't just talking about change anymore. They are changing! They want a better quality of life and better food and a promising future for their families. They want food that actually tastes good and nourishes their bodies. They want REAL food and they want to know where it comes from!
I decided to take my camera along on my nightly walk. I am seriously amazed at what is happening in my neck of the woods. This is recent change and ongoing change. I see it everywhere now and yes, it makes me hopeful.

Notice the simple and sweet little chicken coop just left of the storage shed. That just popped up this summer :)   (Sorry, I'm kind of far away. I wasn't sure if I should actually snoop through somebodies yard to snap a picture!)

This blue beauty is in its second season! The hens are all thriving and happy. I know because I walk past this one a lot! The chicken keeper keeps adding little extra walkways and such for his girls.

These guys really have it going on! They have a pretty extraordinary coop and I'm super jealous of their 

weather vane! (Can you see it? The awesome rooster atop the coop!)  They have a nice, tidy little garden and it's fenced off to keep the chickens from helping themselves. Ok, I also have to admit I'm really coveting something else they have...a GOAT! I like their goat and honestly, he seems to like me! When the sprouts visit we head over to see that goat and we feed him weeds and stuff through the fence. He often entertains us by jumping around all goofy. The sprouts think he's pretty cool.

Again, I want to get brave enough to just march myself on up close to these chicken coops...um...probably not going to happen, though!  This one is really big and nice, too. It's hard to see looking through the swing set!

And, it's not just the chicken coops. It's the charming little gardens as well. It's satisfying and addicting to dig in the dirt and make amazing things grow.

Love! Their own little piece of heaven. Tidy and thriving and feeding their family. I am a huge fan of container gardening and especially square foot gardening. (more on that later!)

Another home, another flourishing patch of happiness. Looks like their corn is right on target.
You know...knee high by July!

I was loving this masterpiece...I got all giddy seeing that delightful blue wheelbarrow all tucked in. I would imagine they are getting quite the nice harvest...

I didn't see these things four years ago. It wasn't just that I didn't notice. It's because they weren't there. People want good things. They want good health. They want to know what they are eating and where it comes from. I see it...

My nightly walk serves more than a physical purpose. It warms my heart and makes me feel good. It makes me hopeful...