We sat down with farmers, food shelf directors, and local food advocates to talk about equity and access in food and agriculture. We were joined by musician / poet, Brian Laidlaw, who as an active artist observer synthesized what he heard into song.

 

if I could stockpile masks and money
if I could stockpile my seed
I would do it for my family,
give ‘em all the things they need,
and if there’s one thing I know
I’d have plenty in my silo

I don’t want my problems
to travel with my name
but the way I hear ‘em whisper
it’s shot me full of shame
and I’m just a little shy, so
I stay here in my silo

the first thing that I learned here
was not to speak my mind
but never being mean
is not the same as being kind
it doesn’t hurt to try, though
instead of staying in your silo

from the meadow to the mightiest of skies
there’s a recipe and a surplus of supplies
don’t let it rot where it lay,
what I got, I just got
to give away

some folks only show up
when it’s time to rage and rant
they won’t tend a garden,
or plot the tender plant,
they just want to watch it die slow
and then hunker in their silo

both you and your neighbor
picked a wild place to dwell
half the year it’s heaven,
half the year it’s hell,
all hot sun and high snow,
so won’t you share what’s in your silo

fruit and seed and water,
as I understand,
are meant to cycle through our bodies
and cycle through the land

as the corn and the rye go
out to the world from the silo

from the meadow to the mightiest of skies
there’s a recipe and a surplus of supplies
don’t let it rot where it lay,
what you got, you just got
to give away