Earth Care V: Tree planting weekend

I learned of an awesome way to use old newspapers and such this past week when 550 tree seedlings arrived at my house to plant. In the box were a mix of seven varieties of conifers and a packing slip describing how the trees were bundled inside. In order to keep the roots moist and the trees alive until they are in the ground, the nursery first dipped the roots in a mixture called ‘super gel’ which is mostly water. Then the tree roots were wrapped with moistened, shredded newspapers. Not only were these the most healthy looking tree seedlings I have seen in recent years, the roots were also in much better shape than other ways in which they are packaged.

Another aspect of our new recycling life was an easy step. Though we had planned to only plant one field this year, we ended up with extra seedlings—over 100 extra. So, we decided to add another row to an area along a fence line that we had planted previously. However, there have been issues with a farmer running over the seedlings and damaging or killing them. This year, I decided to reuse some of the many leftover fence posts that scatter my mother’s land to the south of my home. These were used many years ago for cattle grazing the swamp. I was able to pull enough of them out so that I could mark off this area of new tree planting and will soon put up some sort of safe fencing between the posts (not barbed wire—my dogs get cut up) and let nature run its course.

It is fun to be thrifty, creative, and more conscientious about the land that we care for and the impact we have on our neighbors throughout this world. And to tell you the truth, it is more appealing to the eye when we take the time to do things right.

Reaction to International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee Social Statement

I enjoyed the simplicity of this statement very much. First, the point about population increase is very well put. As I look around my home area of Wisconsin and see the family farms being split into tiny subdivisions in the country, I am saddened. What are we doing to these wonderful natural areas of farmland, woodland, marshes, and swamps? What is happening to the streams and lakes in the area? At the same time, the chemicals being put into the ground to care for farmland, lawn care, and pest control is wreaking havoc on drinking water for humans and animals. This does not even take into account all of the medications that go through our systems and eventually into the wild in many places. This pertains to the other main point that I claim from this document. That we are entrusted, not to destroy creation, but to care for it so that future generations may live off of it. This is important for me personally as well. As a father of three children and caretaker of beautiful land in Wisconsin, I am very mindful of how I am called and how I wish to improve and care for this land. I am called to protect the soil, water, trees, grasses, and animal populations that live on this farm. It is my duty as a human to study what is best for the land, animals, and humans to live on this land. It is my duty to enhance the living situation for all of these creations as well. And it is my duty to seek advice from professionals on wildlife and search out my own faith as a means to care for what has been entrusted to my family. This document says that as a part of God’s creation, caring for it is a way of life. We are called to teach others how to do this, but to work together to find the best ways to practice earth care. What a fantastic and simple document.

Reaction to social statement #1

In Genesis 2, we are called to name the animals and love the earth as God loves us. This is a call to not only live fully in this world, but also to actively participate. This is a key point in this social statement from the ELCA regarding earth care. Each era brings new challenges to our way of life and way of caring for this earth. Over the last decade, battle lines have grown deeper over issues such as global warming. Unfortunately, human brokenness on both sides often outweighs any of the good. Yet, our faith journey and tradition offers us guidance and promise. Even Martin Luther, when asked how he would respond if told the world would end tomorrow, offered a response filled with hope and promise. He said, “I would plant an apple tree today.” God does not ask that we hide in the face of crisis, but that we live in hope and forge ahead given the gifts that we have been given. We are called to action in the face of despair.
As leaders of the church, we have the opportunity to find new ways to be active in this world via faith and participation. Why run from the challenges? That would be too easy. Instead, let us look to the examples of the famers of the prairies of southwestern Minnesota. There are folks there seeking alternative ways to support their families while be conscientious about the world around them and how what they do impacts others.
My wife and I recently had a discussion about how what we say to one another impacts so many others. If we argue and leave an issue unresolved, how does the next person we encounter become a casualty of our issue?
It is the same in how we live in creation, in church, in all of our homes. Everything we do, say, mow, flush, or destroy does impact someone or something. If we take this simplistic approach to our environment, we will make a difference in this great world that God has made.

“Earth Care: Hunting style”

Okay, so this is a slight deviation from ‘recycling’ but I think it is very much a part of my philosophy of earth care and absolutely is part of my theology.
In many minds, I am a controversial person because I am a hunter. However, I believe it would be a mistake if I did not discuss this part of my life in a course on Creation and earth care. This is part of who I am as a future pastor, father, husband, neighbor, and brother in Christ.
I have struggled occasionally with this seemingly large conflict between two of my passions. That was until I read an article titled on hunting by a pastor a few years ago. This pastor archery hunts for whitetail deer. His article encompassed a conversation with his mother after she questioned how he, as a pastor, could hunt. What I remember from his list of reasons:

- Hunting affords time alone
- Hunting allows time outdoors.
- Hunting affords challenging adventures.
- Hunting allows time for recreation with family and friends.
- Hunting makes one a better steward of the land.
- Hunting provides healthy food.

Martin Luther said the gospel is preached to all creatures. When I think of preaching I do not limit it to speaking or writing. Instead, ‘what we do’ can be the best preaching, such as being a good steward of the land– providing sound wildlife management and improving the quality of natural resources. That is a major part of the reason that hunting is part of my life. We know what can happen with overpopulation of a species. We also know what happens if we have no controls over the harvest levels. But land stewardship goes well beyond hunting. Our time afield caring for God’s creation can come in the form of planting trees, maintaining grasslands, or restoring wetlands.
This pastor’s feelings about hunting are complex, much like mine. While we thoroughly enjoy the preparation, practice, and study of our hobby, we both feel a tinge of sadness when we take an animal’s life.
. The more I learn about nature and all of God’s creatures, the more I feel I understand about creation and my part in this world. If we truly believe that we are called to serve the Lord, then I feel comfortable saying that I also believe that I am called to serve within the bounds of my hobbies as well. Hopefully I can someday share the land that I care for with many others in my ministry.

Earth Care III

Recycling has taken us in another direction as we prepared to plant 700 tree seedlings this spring. We were presented with a challenge we had not really thought of—what to do with all of the corn stalks that were left after this past harvest season? You see, the field that we are planting into a variety of conifers still has shin-high corn stalks after the corn was picked. A friend did offer to plow the field for us, but this did not solve our problem.
So, while not sure this will work, I have made the effort to measure out and clear out the rows for the tree plantings. The remaining corn stalks will be mowed and I am going to attempt to use them as mulch around the trees in order to combat weeds and grasses. While it may not be a long term solution, this will eliminate some cost in the early portion of our small plantation.
I think that my grandparent’s generation was much better as using the old to help the new. I don’t remember either of my grandfathers ever buying much for new equipment or materials. I believe Pr. Mark at Shalom Hill told about the home on the property being covered with nails on the inside walls. He was told that the person who built the home would dry cobs full of corn to use for the next season’s field planting. How cool is that? There was no concern for decorations on the walls, just making sure there was enough seed to plant and survive.
It seems something is lost today in how we live. I see this with my kids already learning at school that it is okay if something breaks, just buy something new instead. I don’t like that attitude. I never have been one that enjoyed spending money on frivolous things. Recycle what you have: seeds, corn stalks, waste food, clothes too.

Earth Care part II

Reflecting now on our first couple of months with a new focus on recycling…many wonderful things have happened. The first is that we are saving money. Not only are we using less trash bags (thus causing less trash in the dumpster), we are also putting more effort into what we buy. Some items that we have less or no longer purchase: pop (cans), paper towel, etc.
This new focus has also helped our family with our health. We are drinking more water and buying less pre packaged food that will cause excess garbage. Much of our waste food is fed to the cats that hang around our farm.
Another aspect that has changed is dish washing. While we use our dishwasher quite often, we are trying to hand wash more often in order to lessen the energy and water used by the dishwasher.
This has been a fabulous experience that we are just happy that we have finally directed our attention to. Is it easier to do things the old way? Perhaps, but once in a routine our new sense of doing things a better way has become second nature in some ways.
I just wish we had started this earlier as we have worked diligently to improve our farm so that we may share it with others in future ministries. Yet, we had not done everything we could have been doing to improve not only the land and water on our farm, but everywhere our garbage is sent.
I continue to dwell on an idea that was shared by a colleague at Shalom Hill— that not only do we leave a carbon imprint, but a Christian imprint as well. It seems that earth care falls under both categories.
Peace!

Living Downstream—thoughts and reflections

“From a distance, harvesting beans looks peaceful. Delicate spinning sickle bars sweep pods, stems, and leaves into the hidden chambers of the combine…”

This is from page 158 of Sandra Steingraber’s work…and coupled with our class weekend at Shalom Hill Farm and my own reflections on my little corner of the world in Wisconsin, I have thought a lot about impact of the family farm over the years Currently, we live on a farm that neighbors a portion of what was once my family’s 360 acre dairy farm. While less than ½ of this is still in the family, the evidence of what was done is still very noticeable if you get your boots on the ground and start hiking the country side.

Next to my current home, a small stream flows northward toward the Buffalo River. When I was a child, this steam was filled with brown trout. I remember hearing stories of all the people who fished it over the years. The stream itself was fed by springs and runoff from the bluffs. However, it always seemed as though the stream actually started on the southwest corner of my family farm.

Further back in the valley where my grandparents house stood, my grandfather and great uncle dug a trench down the middle of the valley all the way to the steam on the west end of the property. This ‘unnamed man made creek’ served an important purpose at the time. It drained the swamp/marsh land making it possible to plant corn over acres and acres of land.

Forgive us for what we do not know. Now, I am not blaming my grandfather for not having the foresight of what was going to happen. Yet, it is easy to see what the years of farm runoff have done. Countless chemicals and animal waste have fed through that trench to the stream. The steam is now very shallow, muddy, and there are no fish.

It is really sad.

If there is a positive side, all of the land that was once corn around those streams and trenches is now habitat for deer, pheasants, ducks, and numerous other creatures. Yet, I can’t help but wonder what may be in the soil still that could cause long term health issues for animals, plants, and eventually humans.

Living Downstream has helped to discern some of what Shalom Hill and this course have made me think about. Earth care is so central to my ever evolving faith and theology.

Enjoying a book…

I really, really enjoy “Earth in Mind” by David W. Orr. There are portions of this book where I could not tell if I was reading a book or having my own thoughts laid out before my eyes. Though planning to be an ordained minister, my other passion in life is caring for the land that my family has. I plant trees, lots of them. But I also have been working on keeping young forests on our land for the animals that require such habitat. This requires removing some old forest, but on a rotational (and often only a portion of the old forest) basis. This keeps both the beauty and importance of hold forest and offers the new growth essential to some creatures…such as ruffed grouse.
I really find the land practices I partake in, as well as hunting and fishing, as an important part of myself as a child of God. So, when I read Aldo Leopold’s name the first time in the book, I was extremely excited!
I am also very bothered regarding the loss of wild habitat for the sake of making money… such as universities selling woodland. This reminded me of a conversation a few years ago with a former co-worker. This young man was very vocal in his opinion of habitat management. His opinion: get rid of it all and concrete most of the earth. He could not stand green space, trees, grass, or anything else wild. He has no time for animals either. Needless to say, we had some weird conversations. He could not understand why I would plant a tree… and I could not understand why he wanted a company nearby to get destroy the wonderful wetland habitat that surrounded the business in order to have a huge parking lot.
So, the more I read books like this, I am more inspired to combine my passions of ministry and conservation in the future. I think Leopold’s words are spot on:
“The cultural value of wilderness boils down in the last analysis, to a question of intellectual humility. The shallow minded modern who has lost his rootage in the land assumes that he has already discovered what is important; it is such who prate of empires, political or economic, that will last a thousand years.”
Awesome words from Leopold. As for me, I will put my faith in God who created the beauty of this world and offers us life eternal. I will invest my time in people and care of the earth as it was intended.

A little rambling regarding “Simpler Living, Compassionate Life” by Schut:

I’ve been reflecting on the section “Spending money as if life really mattered.” There are many parts of my life that have evolved and grown because of faith, age, and being a parent. How I view spending is but one aspect. I agree with the book that we have to spend money on necessities and such in life. Yet, I have witnessed first hand how people have put money first in their lives. In my career before seminary, I watched people go from living a simple and loving life to doing anything they could to make another dollar no matter who it hurt. These lives were soon consumed with buying houses, cars, boats, and the like. I am not against these things, for I have a home, land, and nice vehicles under my care at this point in my life as well. But these things are not what make my life complete. Instead, my relationship with God, my faith in the promise, my wife, my kids and people I love are ultimately what makes me happy…even though I struggle with all of the other material things as well—— but it is this shift in focus that has given me a negative feeling toward the secular business world.
I don’t necessarily think that my view of that world is healthy either, but thinking about a simpler life does change how I view big business. I grew up in a rural, dairy farm area. Both of my grandfathers were family farmers. My parents did not farm full time, but I was around it still the same. While I was in high school I watched as both of those farms were sold and family identities suddenly were left to find a new direction, a new title. Many times I have wondered if I am behind the times, for I yearn for the days of my grandparents and small family farms that helped sustain small town America. I know that we will not turn back to this as a nation, but I can’t help but wonder and hope that we can refocus. Perhaps this focus is not so much on our chosen occupations, but rather as we read on page 63 of the book: “The only place for me to turn—the only source left of comfort, solace and meaning for my life—was God.”

Earth Care

Through the combination of the Education II course and my the goals of my family, we have decided to put forth a genuine effort to recycle. Over the last 5 years, my wife and I have had three children and our garbage (both amount and expense) is unbelievable. We started looking at all of the milk jugs, plastic juice cans, and all the tin cans from fruit and veggies and see how much waste we produce. Additionally, we are planning to start composting this spring. The last piece to the recycling equation is that we will be taking all pop cans to cash in on the aluminum. With that money, we will purchase trees to plant on our land as part of our small tree farm business that we have started. All of this seems to fit really well together for us now and for our future goals.