Big Mama

As hard as it was to be there, I felt like a big mama at the “Save the Prison Farms” protest today (Aug.9th). Our government, in all its failed wisdom, and in complete disregard for the peoples’ voice and democracy in general, is closing our prison farms one by one. Farms on which low security inmates work developing employment and life skills (including a big dose of empathy and teamwork). The farms are intricately connected with other local farms, each helping the other stay healthy by sharing suppliers and equipment. The farmers were deeply insulted by the government saying the farms were useless. An incredible group of all ages, abilities and types of people worked over 18 months with them to prevent this horrible day from happening, the cattle trucks driving away with the prize heritage herd as we watched our friends, teens and elders being forcibly arrested, removed, detained and charged. Even a donkey got arrested! For more info on these issues and the demonstrations, please see: this site.

I am looking for the positives, since they are always there. Maybe we can yet save the land there at least, perhaps for agriculture. The farm staff refused to help them load the cows, which is heartening! We all helped each other, sharing water, blankets on the rainy first day of the blockade, sunscreen on the hot day today. I was scared to attend this morning since yesterday was pretty intense, but I found my niche comforting the weeping young people, offering folks “rescue remedy” and plums, scanning the crowd for those in need. I heard recently that some of our people bought a few of the cows, which will hopefully help preserve their wonderful heritage. My friend Andrew said something very profound about the cows at the beginning of the blockade: the inmates were looking after mothers, helping them deliver their calves, their big, round eyes expressing love and gratitude for their daily milkings. So many of the men had troubled lives, and they were being healed bit by bit by mothers. Much of the mystery in each our hearts begins and ends with mothers. Each day I feel a little more like the alchemical process of becoming a mother is really happening, and that it will be fine. May our government take better care of me that it's non-voting bovines and former criminals.

E