High Summer

High summer in Iowa. It's all about the buzzing, the cicadas are in full buzz mode, and they remind me of our first August in Iowa. Coming from Maine, then Chicago, I had never heard the surround sound of cicadas and only wanted to get away from it. Now it's part of the season.

High summer is also all about the ripening food--green beans, sweet corn, tomatoes. This midwest soil is so generous. For those who grow or get gifted with vegetables this is a season of on-going celebration.

And food reminds me of Farmer Will Allen. He was recently interviewed by Culture Magazine.  In that  interview Will Allen said that his organization, Growing Power now is feeding 10,000 people on three acres of land, growing 10,000 tilapia in 10,000 gallons of water.

I am so glad Will Allen is doing what he is doing. His commitment to growing good food and teaching others to grow good food gives me hope. He is planting urban farms all over the country, all over the world.  Out there, away from the spotlight, away from the noise, people are doing good things.  It is a privilege to write about such people. And it is a treat to know that thousands of kids all over the world will soon know of Farmer Will.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Points of Light Foundation plans to break the Guinness Book of World Records listing for the number of children being read to in a 24-hour period as part of the "Read Across the Globe” initiative. And the book they selected is Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table. They hope volunteers will read the story to 300,000 children!  Nearly speechless is what I am about this.