Four of Coca

Today I got to visit a farm, and I was so excited to be there. I wanted to see how they planted their crops, how they cared for the animals, and what it actually takes to farm at this elevation in the Andes. I expected to learn about farming. I didn't expect to spend so much of the day thinking about stewardship.

There was so much knowledge involved. They had to understand what grew well here and when to plant it, how the seasons and weather affected the land, how much could be planted without asking too much of the soil, and how the animals fit into everything happening around them. Nothing existed separately. The plants, animals, soil, rain, temperature, and people were all part of the same system.

What stayed with me most was hearing how much their decisions could change from one year to another. A good growing season might provide plenty, while another year could bring too little rain, too much rain, or temperatures that affected the harvest. When less was available, they had to adjust. Resources couldn't be treated as though they would always exist in the same abundance.

I think that is what stewardship means to me. It isn't simply protecting what you have or refusing to use it. It is knowing what you have well enough to care for it. Knowing when there is plenty and when there is less. Knowing what can be used, what needs time, and what must be preserved so that the land, animals, and people who depend upon them can continue to thrive.

Today reminded me that caring for something requires paying attention to what it is actually telling you.