Last week, I talked with Will Harris of White Oak Pastures as part of our Guest Expert Interview Series in The Healthy Rebellion. I knew it was going to be an interesting interview but wow did he impress beyond expectations.
Will is an amazingly interesting and smart individual who opened our eyes to the challenges facing farmers practicing real, sustainable agriculture.
One Healthy Rebellion community member said this after watching:
“Every time I talk to a wise farmer, I always walk away with my cup flowing over. People who manage animals, and listen to those animals when they make clear what is needed, are infinitely wise. Thanks for sharing this conversation.”
Why am I telling you this?
Well, it had such a profound impact on us that I felt the need to share.
Nicki and I buy a good deal of our meat from local farmers, but often supplement with grass fed options from Costco and other grocery stores. Hearing Will talk about how these multinational companies are purchasing beef overseas at the cheapest prices they can find and shipping it to the states, thereby destroying the local markets…well, it made me realize we can do better.
I often talk about not letting perfectionism get in the way of “good enough” but we have committed to buying as much as possible from local producers.
We have a decent sized chest freezer and we have talked to folks that are interested in going in on future purchases. This does not mean I’m going to scrutinize the hamburger I have when eating out (although I may bend the proprietors ear about local sourcing) but, frankly, I’ve been lazy on this topic. No more.
Will’s commitment to the re-enrichment of rural America and the effect his farm (and others like his) are having on local communities was an amazing eye opener on the impact we can have when we choose to only buy local meat.
Yes, it’s work.
Yes, sometimes it costs a bit more.
But if you can swing shifting even a portion of what you consume to locally produced, it WILL have an effect.
Given the power of media, the Information Monopolies, and government it can often feel like peeing into the wind to affect any change…but voting with our dollars not only matters, it matters in the most important place: our local communities.
Anyways, I hope this post inspires at least one person to change their ways and just do a little bit better as you can. It will have profound impact.
If you want to learn more about Will Harris, White Oak Farms, and sustainable, regenerative agriculture, please visit https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/ or check them out on Instagram @whiteoakpastures
If you want to see the full interview, it’s live in The Vault in The Healthy Rebellion. Click here to join us.
I really appreciate the whole content you’ve shared, very much educative.