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A PERSONAL ESSAY
THE REGENERATIVE MINDSET Words + Photo by Matt Elan
This article is for anyone called to heal.
T
ake a moment to reflect on your current
habitat for wildlife — all of which can be related
surroundings. What is the state of
to agricultural operations needing more viable
ecosystem complexity around you? Do you see
land and the resulting increase in population
biodiversity, uniformity or absence? How are
from the surplus of food — the question then
you interacting with your environment?
becomes, are these “side-effects” worth the
A s i n d i v i du a l s a n d a c ol l e c t i ve , w e
outcome?
are uniquely positioned to influence our
There is a growing consensus the answer is
environment more than any known species on
not anymore. “Sustainable” is a trendy phrase
Earth. The daily choices we make, mundane
toted around as the answer to modern food
and monumental, directly affect our perception
cultivation. But, let’s look at what this word
and expression of reality. Are your actions life-
implies; sustaining is generally accepted as the
supporting or life-repressing?
ability to maintain action over time. The outcome
Reflecting on the current predominant
of sustainable agriculture, then, translates to
approach to food (vegetable and meat)
ensuring our contemporary food production
production reveals a realm of life-repression
functions as is for the foreseeable future, a plan
steeped in terminology that elicits negative
in the right direction. However, this is akin to
emotions, such as noxious and invasive. This
taking an injured person and stabilizing the
industrial agricultural system took hold after
crisis but not providing rehabilitation to recover
World War II and relies heavily on using
beyond the debilitated state. Our focus must be to rehabilitate and foster the regeneration of the
“Are your actions life-supporting or liferepressing? Regeneration is not siloed to the agricultural sector; it is a lens to view the world. There is no single path, and it will absolutely be difficult and trying, but for those called to heal and persevere, the ripple effect you will create is infinite.”
land, water and other natural cycles. Nice words, but what does that mean? Because our goal is to heal nature, let us look to nature for insight and inspiration. Fortunately, you do not have to take this monumental task on yourself. Many people have already started this journey of regenerating our shared world. To begin our adventure into the regenerative world, let’s start in the agricultural industry. Two champions in the regenerative agriculture movement are Nicole Masters and
70
synthetic inputs and chemical agents for
John Kempf. Masters is an internationally-
control. Now, with over 75 years of practice,
celebrated agroecologist. Her initiation into
we can evaluate the impact of this approach.
the regenerative effort came through her
With topsoil eroding into the ocean,
love of nature and a significant health crisis.
toxic levels of fertilizer polluting water
She works all over the globe assisting land
sources, variability in seasonal temperatures,
managers in transitioning their operations
precipitation extremes and loss of critical
into life-promoting, humane and profitable
