I recently presented at a conference in Oklahoma put on by the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD). It wasn’t until I found myself in the bustling ballroom, not yet acquainted with a single person, that I realized it was my first time attending an in-person soil health conference outside of my home state of Texas!
Since launching my business in 2021, it’s been important to me to integrate locally, but meeting folks just one state over was eye-opening in ways I could not have anticipated. Today, I want to share some of my reflections from my time attending the Annual State Meeting for OACD.
Stepping out of my subculture made me very aware… of my subculture
I don’t come from a rural or agricultural upbringing and despite working in agriculture, in one way or another, most of my adult life, I’ve not found myself among many groups of rural farmers - that’s kind of crazy, right? It seems to me there are those who come to agriculture by way of family history and those by way of their interests in science or human health, and rarely do the two socialize.
Side note: One reason I did not end up pursuing a higher degree or career in research is because I saw firsthand how isolated researchers are from actual producers. While discoveries are important, most experiments take place in a vacuum and I personally haven’t felt motivated when I can’t share that work meaningfully in an applied way, in community with growers.
Since starting Rhizos, I’ve had some opportunities to meet with folks with very different backgrounds than me and that has been rewarding - their perspectives truly inform how I approach my work. Nonetheless, I still mostly find myself among groups of scientists, urban farmers, and first generation producers who, like me, are generally focused on the climate crisis, human health and motivated by the movement of “regenerative agriculture” - this is my subculture.
Attending this conference was like an immersion into a culture that embodies the hard working American families that have been responsible for managing our cropland, likely for generations, in what I imagine is a pretty unforgiving and thankless career. Meanwhile I arrived from the “weird” city of Austin, bright-eyed and bushy tailed with my microscope slides. And there we both were at the intersection of our shared interests: conservation, climate resilience, the right to a healthy and prosperous life…to name a few.
Not knowing a single person and wanting to get a feel for how things were landing before presenting on day 2, I started asking people questions, “what’d you think of that presentation?” a few replies started in, “you want my honest opinion?” to which I responded enthusiastically, “Yes! Nothing short of it”.
I learned all sorts of things.
Many of which seemed to agree with the topics shared in Dr. Elizabeth Heilman’s presentation, “Why Isn’t Everyone Doing This?” which focused on the psychological, emotional, and cultural barriers to regenerative agriculture. This speaker seemed the right person for this discussion as she herself has ties to rural farming life with her husband, accomplished agroecologist Dale Strickler, as well as experience in academia and research in the social sciences.
Dr. Heilman pointed out some basic, but critical differences between urban and rural culture. For instance, in new interactions urban folks tend to lead with “What do you do?” compared to “Where are you from?” - a question I was asked frequently throughout the conference and, until hearing this presentation, had found a bit curious, “How does everyone here seem to know I’m from somewhere else?” ha! My self-consciousness obscured the true meaning of the question.
Naturally, land stewards have a strong connection to a particular place; it makes sense a rural farmer would be interested to know about a new acquaintance’s whereabouts. Whereas I, as a sub/urban person, have historically felt more attached to what I do than where I live. Isn’t that interesting?
Anyway, I began leading with a question of place after leaving this enlightening session, with a follow-up question, “what’s it like there?” to which most folks would describe the climate, terrain, and / or beauty of the place they call home. ❤️
I was so encouraged by what the OK Conservation Districts have been able to accomplish. They’ve had a record-breaking couple of years in appropriation of funds from their state as well as a remarkable federal grant that stems from the recent Farm Bill and Inflation Reduction Act’s focus on “climate-smart agriculture”.
At lunch one day, I joined a table of OACD conservationists, some of whom had been working for their districts for decades. I asked them, “what’s your take on how your organization has become so successful at procuring funds?”
I was told that a few of the earliest conservationists were very committed to providing great programming and educational support with very little funding; because of this, producers saw the value of the conservation districts, and together they were able to provide strong representation and forge meaningful relationships with legislators, which has unlocked new resources that truly impact farming operations and Oklahoma’s natural resources. Sounds like a positive feedback loop to me!
Something I found noteworthy: In OACD, conservationists are also producers themselves which seems to foster a unique dynamic compared to other conservation efforts. Reflecting on Dr. Heilman’s presentation, it seems the shared culture among members is likely what facilitates the establishment of good working relationships, which in turn forms the cornerstone of cooperative efforts within the organization.
As she educated us, with a great deal of awareness and empathy it is possible to achieve this kind of cooperation cross-culturally. And I can say, nothing has cultivated my awareness quite like being immersed into another culture and returning to mine with a fresh perspective, nor has my empathy been more enhanced than when listening deeply to others’ experiences.
We all find comfort in our subcultures and tend to converse with like-minded peers, but may we seek out opportunities to engage with those who hold a different set of experiences / perspectives and return to our norm a little wiser and kinder.
Have you had an eye-opening experience with a different subculture?
Tread lightly and with love,
Andie
References:
OACD Website: https://www.okconservation.org/
Dr. Elizabeth Heilman, Regenerative Wisdom: https://www.regenerativewisdom.com/
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Briefly had a suburban/rural interface discussion with two women over the weekend during a volunteer workday at a preserve we all have a shared interest in. I didn't dig too deep because I could tell there were going to be some biases I couldn't overcome in a short duration with people I barely knew but it certainly reflected back at me that maybe I don't know the ins and outs of the challenges of rural issues with regard to conservation and how to target that audience. Next time I'll know to ask more questions and pry them open so I can listen more.
Aimpoint Research puts words and context to key themes from these subcultures in their Farmer of the Future 2.0 whitepaper. Check out the executive summary.