CarbonSink+2.jpg — Carbon Sink Convergence 2019

By Julie Diaz, Belinda Ramírez, Nathan Lou, & Colin H. Richard

The Carbon Sink Farming Convergence, held in San Diego County’s Pauma Valley in early November, was in many ways a series of bridges. It bridged thought leadership represented by a multitude of voices from across disciplines and landscapes, communities and continents, and traditions and cultures near and far, carrying critical knowledge and accumulated experience to the November event.

It served to facilitate dialogues that bridged demographic divides, amplifying voices with infinitely more wisdom and capacity than they have devoted to them in the typical public sphere, including most events devoted to “sustainable agriculture”.

Looking ahead, the event will serve as a bridge forward into the future and outward into the global community with a much needed message: that farming’s effect on the world, instead of filling the atmosphere with carbon and draining realms from the soil to society - especially traditional indigenous societies - of cherished ecological and cultural resources, can support and restore them instead.

Agriculture can not only sink carbon back into the soil through composting and reducing tillage, but it can replenish cultural heritage and rural communities with the richness its been drained of by colonialism, patriarchy and over consumption.

Several statements from the event organizers at Solidarity Farm:“We believe we can evolve our food system through

Re-integrating indigenous foodways;
Supporting farmer-led demonstration projects; and
Engaging technical assistance providers, consumers, policy makers, scientists and advocates.”

A number of Slow Food URBAN San Diego Board Members and friends had the opportunity to attend the Carbon Sink Farming Convergence, and several took the opportunity to share a few words:

Julie Diaz

I did not know what to expect at the Carbon Sink Farming Convergence at Solidarity Farm. I am not a farmer, or a policy maker, or a person with indigenous roots. I am a person who loves good, clean, and fair food and wants to connect everyone to it. From the moment I walked onto the grounds of Solidarity Farm that Tuesday morning I felt the connection.

The circles of hay bales around fire pits was a natural gathering spot for people to commune with each other. And when the food was served for breakfast, soup with fresh vegetables and chicken from the farm, and a salad with beautiful persimmons and pomegranate arils topped with chia seeds I felt a connection to the land. Throughout the day we gathered in circles to share our stories and hear others’ stories and form relationships with each other. And connection to the land and the people who have stewarded this land for centuries. This was more than I could ever expect to receive from this day, this convergence on sacred ground.

Belinda Ramírez

As someone with local farming experience with Wild Willow Farm, Project New Village’s Mt. Hope Community Garden, and W.D. Dickinson Farm, I had been looking forward to the Carbon Sink Farming Convergence since the inaugural “Fight Climate Change with Your Fork” event. Held earlier that year in March and hosted by Solidarity Farm, this event was positioned as the beginning of a carbon farming movement in San Diego, with the Convergence as the follow-up act. When the Convergence finally came, it was absolutely wonderful to see so many familiar faces from the San Diego urban agriculture and farming worlds; indeed, to me it felt like family coming together. And of course I very much enjoyed getting to meet new players and think strategically together on how to build a more resilient food system. I was especially grateful for the strong centering of indigenous voices during the event, with perspectives and strategies shared by folks from local tribes, such as the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, as well as from the faraway Blackfeet Nation. In what could be considered the third act, the challenge now is keeping up the momentum that was built during the Convergence and turning our sights to actionable, tangible goals that we can collaboratively accomplish in our effort to make real an inclusive and justice-oriented regenerative agricultural system in San Diego County.

Nathan Lou

The Carbon Sink Farming Convergence at Solidarity Farm was an event that brought together diverse community and representation from across the agriculture industry. I enjoy participating in experiences that spark inspiration and catalyze growth. This gathering facilitated nourishment, networking, and opportunity. There were many moments that acknowledged the current mechanisms by which we manage agriculture and food systems, and how they are failing. Yet, an essence of hopefulness remained, as cultural traditions showed the capacity of regenerative models. As cap-and-trade funds continue to feed the carbon farming (Healthy Soils) program, it is critical that successful, scalable models emerge and carbon can be measurably sequestered. Additionally, more support for regenerative farming practices, such as cover crops and perennial hedgerows, will reduced dependency on chemical inputs and increase biodiversity. This seems like a clear opportunity for the redistribution of wealth in an industry that has been dominated by greed and destruction under the guise of social necessity. It is time to restore balance and harmony.

Colin H. Richard

I knew in general that I was going to appreciate the Convergence, but also knew well enough to not go into it predicting how. I can’t really identify as a “farmer”, so I valued the way the planners created categories like “Knowledge To Share” and “Movement Builders” (the category I felt I fit best in) for breakout sessions. The richness of camaraderie I felt in seeing so many familiar faces from the San Diego food system community, as well as in learning from so many voices of highly deserving, under-acknowledged demographics, was paramount. My enduring gratitude for the work of Solidarity Farm and those programs they support, like that of the Luiseño First Nation and MESA - Multinational Exchange of Sustainable Agriculture - tied it all together. Getting to connect with their MESA students, including Cecilia Njoroge, a Kenyan of Kikuyu descent, tied it all together. Her time at Solidarity will support her community based NGO in Kenya that seeks to empower smallholder farmers, including those of Maasai descent, who are working to preserve and revive their endangered traditional foods.

Unlike many events with a body of attendance far less enriched by the diversity gathered Carbon Sink Farm Convergence, the deep philosophy cultivated by Solidarity Farm that drives all they do is well worth echoing here. These agreements were set forth for the Convergence by Solidarity’s staff and the international Stewards from MESA that they host:

“We commit to honoring the knowledge that all participants bring to the table, understanding that lived experience is as valid as knowledge gained through formal training.”

“We believe that historical trauma and the current state of our world are heavy burdens, and understand that reparations and healing are essential to movement building. As such, we commit to lifting up solutions that acknowledge historical inequity and build trust.”

“We understand that privilege affects group dynamics and commit to reflecting this understanding through our behavior. As individuals, we will accept and integrate feedback on how our participation is experienced by others.”

“We commit to respecting each other and those who lead us. Respect involves listening when others are talking, providing evidence to back our statements, being on time, being open to possibility and to new experiences, and respecting views different to our own. In this space, we commit to being united in our differences and open to other perspectives.”“Finally, we commit to respecting ourselves. We will do this through active engagement in learning and positive dialogue so that we may constantly strive to be the best versions of ourselves. Together.”

Though these intentions may not seem requisite to a farming conference, those seeking awareness of the power of agriculture to reverse climate change, mend relationships fractured by racism, classism and nationalism, and restore biodiversity to landscapes and our diets will see much wisdom and insight in them. And if achieving - or even pursuing - them seems like a daunting charge, attendees were reminded by event speaker and renowned grain farmer Mai Nguyen through a group proclamation that “We are the tools. We are the future. We are enough … MORE than enough!”