Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Climate

Let’s Talk with Local Farmers

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The Anti-Racism Committee of Moorestown Friends Meeting seeks to identify political and legislative priorities to support anti-racism. Given the Meeting’s roots in NJ farming, one obvious area of interest is agriculture. The committee acknowledges the systemic racism that permeates agriculture and farming in the United States. US Senator Cory Booker has taken note of the relative paucity of Black-owned farmland not just in NJ but throughout our nation. The direct connection between discriminatory practices of the USDA and the status of Black farmers was first documented by government-sponsored reports in 1997. The discrimination primarily took the shape of denying Black farmers timely access to government loans which caused Black farmers to lose their farms. The 2002 Farm Bill and the 2018 Farm Bill signaled progressive efforts to address this discrimination. While some progress has been made, e.g., an increase in the number of Black farmers and the acreage of Black farms, more is needed as the average farm income of Black-operated farms in 2017 was 40% of that of white-operated farms. To address this gap, the Justice for Black Farmers Act, co-sponsored by Senator Booker in late 2020, seeks to provide land grants to Black farmers.

On the recommendation of Member Pete Small, several committee members met for a tour of Free Haven Farm in early November 2020. We fell in love with the owners, the kale, and the fire sauce. Established in 2017, Free Haven Farms is a Black-owned farm in Lawnside, NJ. Its owners are Cynthia (Moorestown Friends School, 1997) and Micaiah Hall. The Halls are passionate about their mission of sustainability and attainability. To that end, Free Haven Farm produces much more than produce – farm tours, ag workshops, soil testing, garden consultation, a science camp for kids, and yoga and capoeira angola (Brazilian martial art) classes. Mr. Hall is the former Farm Director of Mill Creek Farm in Philadelphia. Dr. Cynthia Hall is an environmental geochemist and Associate Professor at West Chester University. Their farm reflects their interest in building bridges into the community through healthy food and food education for those with limited access to both.

Please join the Moorestown Meeting’s Anti-Racism Committee on Thursday, February 25 at 7:30 pm by Zoom for a conversation with Cynthia and Micaiah Hall. Click here or phone 646-558-8656 and use meeting #873 3565 8140.

Why the Crises We Face Make Financial Reform Essential

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To register to receive a Zoom link prior to the event: Click Here

How can we possibly pay for all the social and physical infrastructure that will be needed to deal with the multitude of social and ecological crises we face, and to create an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economy and society?

Three reform bills were introduced in the out-going Congress that would go a long way toward financing the kind of transformation that’s needed. We think it’s really important for Friends know about them to anticipate a time when these kinds of reforms can be achieved with our support.

Our guests will be Ellen Brown, founder and current chair of the Public Banking Institute, and Walt McRee, her long-time colleague and the Institute’s Chair Emeritus. They will explain and answer questions about how these bills would help finance public investments that are needed and describe another essential reform for creating an economy in which we can survive and thrive on Planet Earth.

Quakers & the 09/2019 Global Climate Strike

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Today I was on campus at the Quaker Senior Community called the Hickman (West Chester, PA). This note is to share how uplifting & motivating it was to see the children from W.C. Friends School (our neighbor), leading our staff and residents into intergenerational Witness for Climate on the street today. I’d love to see photos of other Friends participating in this Global Movement today and in the coming week!