I am not so brazen as to say "Let it snow", but I do confess to a
secret love of "Sugar Snows". I grew up in Vermont. By this point in
March there usually was still snow on the ground, but it was looking
pretty tired. Then along would come a "sugar snow", named for the maple
"sugaring season". The world would be freshly white and beautiful,
sometimes with deep snow. The horses that pulled the huge sled along
with the holding tank for the sap along the side of our road had an
easier time with less ice and patches of bare ground. It often warmed
quickly over the next few days, making playing in the snow a much more
fun thing than in January. It was often a wet snow, great for snowmen
and building things. Sugaring was finished off with a "sugar on snow"
party (sap boiled till very thick, then drizzled on the snow where it
hardened into candy for a delicious treat). And then the snow was gone,
brooks roared, wood frogs croaked - and it was time to plant peas.
Food
- locally grown. Seasonal. What does it mean to talk about food
security in these times of climate change and increased urbanization?
How has the corporate food industry changed what we eat and what food
costs? And who has access to what food? How can we change those
patterns? Who gets to make those decisions? What does a sustainable
food shed look like? (And what is a food shed?)
Food. We
all need it. It can be a source of pleasure and satisfaction. It is a
topic one can approach as a casual gardener, with environmental
concerns, with justice concerns, or with just a delight in the pleasure
of food.
There are a lot of reasons why AFSC-SENE (along with
other AFSC offices) is looking more closely at how we can build
sustainable food networks accessible to all people. Please join us the evening of April 25th at Providence Friends Meeting House to
learn more about how food is produced in our area, who has access to
that food, and how we can work together to build a just and sustainable
network that will help all of us be food secure. Watch for more
details, but save the date. We know it will include brief talks about
amazing work taking place in the area. We will have locally baked
desserts. Bring baby plants and seeds to swap during the dessert time.
And celebrate Earth Day and Spring with us! Watch for details and
registration information.
TAKE ACTION:
Raise the Minimum Wage in MA: Press conference and lobby day Wednesday, March 26th. Click here for more info.
National Day of Action to stop deportations.
President Obama will soon have deported over 2 million people, the most
of any president. Over 1000 are deported every day, many for the
simple offense of driving without a license (which is part of why both
MA and RI have legislation to expand access to drivers licenses). The Providence event
is April 4th at 4pm at the state house and will focus on the call for
Governor Chafee to stop honoring ICE holds (which are not mandatory).
In Worcester the event is from 1-3pm on April 5th at the Federal Court House. Can't make an event? Visit the National Day Laborers Network website and take action there.
There are a lot of important events coming up - check out the listing on the right of this message.
And Happy Sugar Snow - and Happy Spring to you!
In Peace, Martha Yager, AFSC-SENE program coordinator
P.S. Your work every day for a more just and peaceful world is essential. Your donations to AFSC-Sene help us help you stay connected to ways you can work for change. Please give what you can - and THANKS!
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