This month, we broke ground on a significant new addition to The Ecology Center. As the designated home of our agricultural research and development, the field is separated into four plots, each dedicated to a specific regenerative practice: seed saving, soil building, innovation/experimentation, and finally, an education space for our children’s programs. This farm laboratory is a place for our field team to study the intricacies of how the elements in our regenerative organic model work together, with the goal of improving our ability to nourish both people and planet. As Farmer Brandon tells us, ending our culture’s reliance on industrial agriculture starts with breaking the cycle of relying on big seed companies: “We need to shift into the mindset of food as culture and seeds as currency.” As we contemplate the ongoing instability from climate change, economy, and disease that hangs over our future, we take heart in knowing that a localized food system builds resiliency in our bioregion.