Encouragement from ARAC Newsletter

20 July 2011

This is an exert from the ARAC newsletter that we found encouraging.

ARAC UPDATE #10
1 July 2011

Dear Farmer,

Earlier in the month a group of farmers (not all men) attended the three day workshop that we had arranged with Foundations for Farming. It was a rewarding experience for all who participated and I would like to particularly thank Brian Oldrieve and his team for the dedicated effort they put into sharing their experience and vision. As one participant put it:

”The last few days have been a like a breath of fresh air. Hope for our nation is not always so readily available.”

“hope oozes from Foundations for Farming”

“hope for the future recovery of Zimbabwe”

The course offered a unique insight into how a number of farmers have dealt with loss and how they have acquired a fresh perspective on how to make use of long acquired farming skills in a changed environment. I believe all those present learnt a great deal from the practical demonstrations on conservation farming. Certainly many farmers were aware of the technology but adoption was slow; for many of us we left thinking, given a fresh opportunity to farm we would do things differently next time around.

One farmer presenter put things in a very relevant way: “What are you as a professional farmer doing to prepare yourself for the recovery of Zimbabwe?” For those there, the challenge, I am sure has set them thinking and turning things over in their minds ….. We were shown how various different bits of trash form the raw materials to make really top quality compost.

For many of us the parallels of trashed lives remolded into something new and productive is still hard to envisage. The processes, practices and paradigms espoused at Foundations for Farming offer much to our constituency and nation.