Opening the Land, Growing Together

A few weeks ago, members of the UFI community gathered to celebrate the arrival of spring and the beginning of this year’s growing season. It was a time to reflect on our relationship to the land, to give gratitude for all that the land gives us (consensually or not), and to honor the people who care for and steward her.

Sharing time and presence with one another around this intention felt like a breath of fresh air. With so much uncertainty and change taking place around us, both near and far, our Land Opening Celebration offered a moment to ground ourselves in what sustains us—our connection to the land, to food, and to each other. We shared food, stories of remembrance, and music that reminds us of Earth’s heartbeat.

At the Urban Farming Institute, moments like this are part of what guide our work. As we enter a new growing season, we are not only tending to the land, but also to one another. Gathering in this way reminds us that growing food is also about growing connection, sharing knowledge, and making space for people to come together, season after season.

As we welcome in this new season of growth, we carry that sense of connection forward. As a community, what might we be ready to release? And what do we want to carry with us into this season?