By Aaron de Leon
LatinaLista
Welcome to The Urban Farmist!
Here you will find a collection of all things Urban Gardening, Sustainability, Innovative Products, How-To’s, Community Gardens, Chicken Cooping, Bee Hiving, Worm Farming, Aquaponics and the like. Most importantly we will learn about the people behind the movement who are dedicated to making a difference in our culture, our people and our world.
Before we get to the action, allow me to clarify one little thing: I realize “Farmist” isn’t really a word. Well, until now anyway. Having been tasked with naming this new column, I struggled to find an existing word that would capture the heart of this movement.
As I scrolled through word after word in my thesaurus and dictionary, I found that nothing really gripped the central idea around the movement. That’s when the word “Farmist” flew across my brain space and landed on my lips. As I spoke the word, the concept behind it started to come together.
This word, like the movement, is a collaboration of forces. “Farmer” on one side. “Activist” on the other. Two ancient forces working together to make something new.
For thousands of years, Farmers have been the heart of sustainability. Since the Neolithic Era, Farmers have given their blood, sweat and green thumbs to preserve the earth while bringing life to the fruits, grains and vegetables that provide life-giving nutrients and sustenance to generation after generation of earths inhabitants.
Likewise, the activist has been raising the fist to rebel against the system of normal to bring positive change to the earth for the greater good of mankind. Unafraid to be the voice for change. The heart and the fist. The two have come together many times over the course of history to bring change to the way food is brought from the Earth to the table. And here, in this space, the “Farmist” is the hero.
Lastly, allow me to introduce myself. I am Aaron de Leon. I am a rebel, an artist, a musician, a writer and most importantly, a Dad.
I was born in San Antonio, Texas and have had the opportunity to travel the United States. I have lived all across the great state of Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Delaware and New York. I currently reside in Dallas, Texas with my 9-year-old daughter Norah and my 6-year-old son Dax. They are the backbone of everything I do and inspire me daily to press beyond what is considered normal to find ways to live the best life we possibly can.
Whether that be making healthier food choices, recycling or protecting and caring for all of creation. We have a responsibility to ensure our fellow-man has access to quality foods and resources as well as ensure the earth will be here to provide for its inhabitants for generations to come.
My hope in writing this column, is to shine a giant light on the “Farmist” movement and in doing so, inspire you to go out and make your own impact in the world.
(Featured Photo: Aaron “The Urban Farmist” de Leon with the two “apples of his eye,” daughter Norah and son Dax.)
Aaron de Leon thinks so much about the “Farmist” movement that not all of it can fit in just one space. Read more from Aaron at his blog The Urban Farmist.
