The Evolving Cotton Story
February 8, 2025
Fillmore, CA
There is a strong and mutually reinforcing connection between our sense of self and the things that we care for. Who we are is defined in part by the things that we think are worth caring for, and whether we care for these things, in turn, shapes our sense of self.
Fibershed champions tasks such as regenerating soil health, building relationships with farmers, and balancing the carbon cycle. What that actually looks like here in So Cal is developing a fiber pool, shoring up local processing capacity, and building community. Having written that, I would add that if I were to speak more from a position of radical transparency, I'd tell you that we are really here to be an advocate for hope, awe, wonder, curiosity. What we’re here for is to find moments of delight in the universe, to be under the big blue sky, to be enlivened by standing with other people who care about the same things we care about.
A wish
We arranged a field trip to Eden Forest Collective in Fillmore. We gathered under a blissfully clear blue sky to share stories of restorative, regenerative, and relational practices and partnerships. We played with the similarities between ecological interdependences and interpersonal interdependences. We are who we are in community. We thrive with each other’s thriving. Can we develop or re-discover collaborative partnerships that bridge knowledge, methods, and approaches between growing, making, learning, and the disconnections and demands of urban life? How can we learn and work in a more place-based way, guided by the wisdom and needs of places, species, and communities?
Eden Forest harvested ~70+ pounds of lovely cotton and is looking for an artisan-partner to gin, spin, and weave-make artefacts, or organize a workshop, or some other creative activity, tbd! If you have ideas, please email us and we’ll connect you.
