Tracks and Signs

On Wednesday we returned to the headwaters and set out to explore, off trail, lots of things we likely missed on our first pass through. Dan Gardoqui of White Pine Programs spent the morning with us. In our introductions, he said a line that sticks with me now, almost a week later. He invited us all to find our authentic passion and follow it, and realize the content and knowledge needed will come in time. This is such a simple statement but hard to truly trust, or know, as one leaves the safety net of undergraduate coursework and spends time beginning to build a career. It is not always easy to know what one's true passion is, or to see what is often right in front of us, until in time, on reflection it becomes more clear. And then, once known, it is often even more challenging to understand or have the courage to follow that path without fully knowing where it leads or how to travel onward.

But it was easy, on this gray morning, to follow Dan down the road through the forest. For more than an hour, we took us on a great adventure looking for tracks and signs that animals had been here not long ago--some only minutes ago. We saw a popular tree where woodpeckers had been feasting on ants. We saw fur and bones, evidence of a small fawn that was eaten by something larger, perhaps a coyote, we noticed browsing and moose tracks, scat and bones. We identified bird calls and far into the forest, the grandest porcupine home I have ever seen. Dan was a fantastic guide and filled us with great tales and insight into a whole layer of forest ecology otherwise unseen by the untrained eye.

In the afternoon, we feasted on tasty fresh-picked strawberries as Randy Warren shared with us tales from his farm, which borders the Tamposi Land. We were all soaked from our morning walk, and the wind skipping across the fields chilled us to the core, but even still, it was not hard to stay focused on what Randy had to say. While we were warned to take what he had to say in the context of one man's opinion, his passion for his farm, and his sense of place were palpable and respectable. What most intrigued me was his dislike of branding food as organic. Instead, it is better to buy local and support local farms. This was an interesting message to hear on the day we would read some of Barbara Kingsolver's book, and to really consider, where does the food that we eat come from? I had never paid much attention to food source in anything but seafood. I have always patronized local, or at the very least American, seafood. (It is amazing how imported seafood can so subtly be passed by and appear local.) I believe in supporting local fisheries, so of course supporting local farms is an easy to accept principle, but why is it that I never hesitate to go to a local fish market, but often don't make the extra trip to go to a local farm stand? Randy's passion was clear, and his stories offered lots of food for thought.

We have been doing a lot of thinking this first week, which is essential for laying the foundation of this education adventure and begining to conceptualize and articulate our pedagogy. I find myself circling back around on a few key themes and ideas, and values, and I embrace the chance to really go deeper and make sure what I think I believe is really on target with my actions, ideals and choices. Words that come to mind, and those that I sketched in class on a shield/coat of arms, are hopeful, heartfelt stewardship. It will be interesting to see how these ideas are refined in the days and weeks ahead.