Last week I had the 🍀 opportunity to deliver two very different presentations to very different audiences, and both were profound in unique ways. The first was to about 300 middle-schoolers, parents and coaches at the Climb The Mountain (😀) debate championship at Seattle University. Yes, the subject was about climbing mountains, but it was more tilted to these very high-achieving young people who have the rest of their lives ahead (and their parents looking after them). I loved the energy and the atmosphere in the auditorium was electric (as right after me they announced the winners! 🏆😊).

Three days later, I was going through multiple security checkpoints at the Stafford Creek Correctional Center in Aberdeen. I was ‘volunteered’ by the Community Farm Land Trust as one of four sessions to incarcerated men there on agriculture and opportunities. The organization Sustainability in Prisons project in partnership with the Evergreen State College is the main sponsor including a long list of other programs, and their full-time folks are a force of nature for good. 🙏🏆

My topic was “The Business of Farming” (don’t laugh!) 🤭, and I spent a bunch of time reimagining a new presentation to first-time farmers no matter their background and it turned out to be one of the most memorable and meaningful speaking experiences I’ve had. The audience of 150 were so knowledgeable and engaged and the 90 minutes including about 30 for Q&A went by so quickly and I was both drained and energized afterwards. Of course, later that evening as we were getting into our warm beds I couldn’t help think of the men there who wouldn’t but hopefully soon and they find new careers in ag. 🙏 #nofarmsnofood