Introduction
Hey all!
In our conversations last week, we spent quite a bit of time
talking through our own personal experiences with food/farming. I think this is
an extremely valuable lens through which to situate our first couple of weeks
of classes, given that we all have diverse backgrounds when it comes to this
subject. I found myself enjoying this line of conversation so much that I’ve
decided that I want to continue thinking along these lines. This week, however,
I’d like to think more specifically about how we use our personal experiences
to craft narratives and tell stories about food/farming.
When I use the term “narrative,” I am using it rather
broadly. As an English major and a writer, I typically think about narratives
as prose. When I hear the word “story,” I most likely will think about fiction
or perhaps some forms of creative nonfiction like memoir. There’s certainly nothing
wrong with defining these terms in this way. (Indeed, these are the kinds of
stories that I like to produce and tell!) However, I think that there is value
in broadening our definition to include other materials and modes as well.
Poetry can be story. So can illustrations, photographs, or even journal
articles.
The readings that I’ll ask you to look at this week each present
some kind of storytelling. They all relate to the subjects of food and farming.
What I’m interested in is thinking about the decisions that we make when it
comes to telling stories about our experiences with food/farming. How do we
decide who to tell stories to? How do we tell these stories? More importantly,
what impact do these stories have? Do they have power to inflict positive
change? How, for example, might we use stories to talk about global warming’s
impact on farms? How can we use narratives to challenge human and animal rights
violations within farming and agriculture industries? How might storytelling
become a means of educating those of us who do not necessarily have much
knowledge about farms and farming?
Amy and John have asked us to maintain a solutions-oriented approach
in looking at issues within food and farming. I know that many of us will
choose a specific issue to discuss as a class, and I’m very much looking
forward to those conversations. It is so important that we stop and think about
the specific problems and challenges we face. At the same time, however, I think
it is also worthwhile to stop and think about the ways in which we frame and
talk about these issues. While the act of telling our stories will not
eliminate problems entirely, I think it can be powerful. I want us, then, to
think about storytelling as a method of effecting change. Storytelling can be a
positive force towards education, reflection, and engagement. As we move
through class, I’d like us all to think about how we (and others) can use our
experiences to construct narratives and stories that help us work towards
addressing contemporary issues within agriculture and farming.
Rachel’s Reflection
I don’t understand science.
A correction: I don’t understand the hard sciences. I feel
comfortable within Anthropology and Sociology, and took enough high school
Psychology to at least not feel completely out of my depth. But Biology?
Chemistry? These things mean nothing to me. Talk to me about GMOs versus
heirlooms versus hybrids and my face will go blank. Draw a Punnett Square and I’ll
have horror-flashbacks to being fourteen and hopelessly confused. Try to
explain the science behind rising temperatures and levels of rainfall and soil
conditions and you’ll see me looking clueless.
I do understand words.
I could read and write almost as soon as I could talk. In
elementary school, I went to the library more than any kid I knew; I read a new
book every day. I filled notebook after notebook with stories. I knew I wanted
to be a writer before I knew how to ride a bike. Words have been central to my
development since I was a tiny child. I understand writing. I understand
storytelling.
This class is, in so many ways, outside of my element. I
have never farmed before; I have barely even gardened. I don’t know how to
plant a seed or the science behind why it grows. I don’t know how we go about
addressing major issues in food and farming, when I don’t even know what those
major issues are. I can’t take a position on GMOs when I can hardly define that
term. I know that our Earth is important, and that we need to make serious
changes if it is to remain comfortable, inhabitable, and welcoming not just to
us, but to those that we share this space with. But sometimes, I find myself
feeling trapped. Like there is no way that I can work towards solutions when I
don’t even understand the basic issues, when I don’t even understand science.
I think a lot about people like me. Or about people who know
even less than me. (I once read that a third of Americans don’t believe that
climate change is real!) We can publish scientific study after scientific
study, but for some of us, this won’t make a difference. Scientific studies are
important, and provide invaluable data and information. I don’t want to
disparage this, or the work that scientists do. We can and should continue to
do these kinds of work, even if it confuses me. At the same time, however, I
think there is a danger in only talking about food and farming in these terms.
It is imperative that we also highlight other ways of thinking about these issues.
Storytelling, for me, is about accessibility. Not everyone
is going to work on a farm, or have the scientific background to talk about
food and farming through this lens. That’s okay. There are other ways to make
people think about these issues. For me, this can be through personal
narratives. If I can read about someone else’s experience, that is meaningful
for me. I may not understand the science behind the issue, or know the jargon,
but if someone talks about their life, that means something. There are
innumerable narratives out there on food and farming. I know that many farmers
have chosen to share their stories with us, either through blog posts, poetry,
memoirs, or some other form. In the past, I have chosen to ignore farming and
agriculture, using the excuse that I don’t “understand” science. As I think
about storytelling, however, I know that this excuse can no longer stand. There
are so many opportunities to learn; I just need to sit down and do the work.
In preparation for
class this week, I’d like you to take a look at the following links. (I know it
looks like a lot, but I promise you that they are all actually really short and
shouldn’t take you long to look at.)
Audra Mulkern, a self-described “writer, photographer, and
farm-to-table documentarian” discusses her views on storytelling as it relates
to photography and farming. She writes about setting goals for storytelling,
developing a mission statement, and formulas for visual storytelling. (As a
side note, there are lots of really cool images on her website, if you get a
chance to look around a little.)
NPR gives a brief profile of poet Tess Taylor, who wrote Work and Days about her time working on
a farm in Massachusetts. The profile is accompanied by two of Taylor’s poems,
with additional illustrations provided by NPR. Looking at this piece made me
think about poetry and illustrations as stories/narratives, and about how we
can combine different mediums in telling our stories. (Or how we can use these
as sources to enter into conversations about farms and farming.)
Luanne Armstrong writes about her life on the farm and “the
realization of the aliveness of the non-human.” She discusses how we never
truly know what goes on “inside plants and animals,” but nevertheless makes a
great case for observation, reaching out, and caring. Using her own farm as an
example, Armstrong shows how personal experience can be used to make larger
points about existing within the world. I appreciated this narrative for making
me rethink how I understand non-human lives on the farm.
This article profiles Natasha Bowens, author of The Color of Food: Stories of Race,
Resilience, and Farming and the blog Brown Girl Farming. (Her website is
another great place to check out if you have the time.) It discusses her
process of interviewing and gathering the stories of POC farmers throughout the
United States. It provides an amazing example of how to share individual
stories and narratives. For me, this piece helped to articulate how
storytelling can be both a means of personal empowerment and a step towards
impacting greater change.
Questions to Reflect On
What are the methods of storytelling/narrative-building that
you feel comfortable with? How do you share your personal experiences? How do
you learn about other people’s experiences? (The readings I’ve asked you to
look at focus on writing, photography, and illustrations, but you might
consider dance, acting, oral storytelling, traditional journalism, academic
articles, or anything else that feels relevant.) How might we begin to tell
stories about food and farming? Why might this be important? Are there ways of
using our stories to impact change, either in terms of policy, or people’s
mindsets? Were there moments in the assigned readings where the narratives
surprised you, taught you something new, or made you consider an aspect of
food/farming in a different light? How do different types of stories impact the
way that we think about issues like climate change, racism in farming, the
debate on GMOs, or other major issues that might be of interest to our class?
In other words: How do you personally connect the ideas of
story and farming? How do you see others doing this?
(These are all just some questions to get us thinking; I in
no way expect anyone to answer all of them!)
I have a strong interest in storytelling through the method of video, film, and television (I’m receiving my Masters of Science in Television post-graduation with a focus on producing and management). I believe that media can be used as a source of entertainment and education that can create change or a way of thinking.Coming from a performing arts background, I enjoy sharing my experiences through dance, video or through writing blogs online. I typically learn about other people’s experiences through online media sources, such as through videos, blogs, and social media platforms relating to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
ReplyDeletePhotography is a universal language that does not require a certain method to fully understand an image. Stories about farming and food could be told through visual context (When I think of the words “farming” and “food,” I immediately have a visual content in my head). This could relate to photographs, video, and audio elements that allow the words to come alive and be understandable. The way one tells stories about farming and food is important for several reasons, especially when media is used. How an educational video is produced and reflected can have a huge impact on it’s audiences relating to influencing one’s perspectives on these topics. As a reflected in the article by Audra Mulkern, the use of photography is an interesting way of educate the public eye on food and farming.The use of photography has the potential to educate several people, yet it does it in an entertaining way, in order to grab and keep the attention of the viewer. I also think that the use of photography as a source of education is beneficial for a diverse range of people, such as different age groups (Ex. Children who may not be able to read).
I love photography and producing documentaries. I feel you can capture peoples stories and truths through both these mediums. Through both these tools we can shape change and impact how people think about the world they live in. In a way like film and photography farming is telling a story on how to care and produce food. The knowledge can be passed down form generation to generation.
ReplyDeleteWow! I really, really loved the links you shared this week, Rachel and very much appreciate the sentiment about storytelling. I remember in Roots in the Earth, Amy talked about why she added a English/Poetry major to her studies in college (along with Biology) and that having to do with the importance of communication of the science (of climate change, conservancy etc.) to the general population. That is something that has really stuck with me over the past four years. I am an English minor and have always loved reading and writing. I think writing is my best form of storytelling because I enjoy the additional time it gives me to craft a narrative and say exactly what I mean. I’m a pretty chatty person and sometimes I think I talk so much and so quickly that my point gets lost in translation.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea that there are an infinite number of ways to tell stories and communicate, both with fellow humans and other non-human lives, is beautiful. I also think that hearing specific stories about people’s lives and daily realities is what can ground the science and data and general information. It is difficult for people to grasp how scary climate change and the state of our food system are until we hear about individuals who are suffering as a result of them. Humanizing these broad issues through storytelling is imperative, regardless of the form that storytelling takes.
I am especially interested in story telling by means of photographs; as I have mentioned many times before, being from Maine has given me the opportunity to send a lot of time in nature. Now, after spending a lot of time in more urban areas for school, or extremely urban areas like Beijing for study abroad, I have come to appreciate how much of my home town I can capture in a photograph. More often then not when I am talking to someone about Maine I bring out pictures of sunsets, snow piles that reach the second level of my house, and my really fat Maine-Coon cat. I have found that this method of story telling allows me to fully communicate the beauty and true ascetic of the place I grew up.
ReplyDeleteI am very similar to you in the sense that I have no understanding of the hard sciences, and because of that I often times feel like a fish out of water when it comes to GMOs or Hybrids, etc. I really enjoyed the links that you sent us because those links-- especially the first one which focused on photography-- allowed me to rethink what I know about story telling and farms. I found that I could understand and really hear the stories being expressed in those articles, while I had previously struggled with hearing the story of agriculture through more scientific lenses. I look forward to seeing how else we will learn about farming this quarter by means of different narratives.
This post hits close to home for me. One question I've been pondering since my own college years is why, with all of our scientific knowledge about how the Earth operates (and I'm not saying that knowledge is complete, just that a lot of it exists!), this culture I'm a part of continues to behave in ways that science has shown to be destroying the life support systems of the planet. If we know that our ways of living and interacting are harmful to ourselves, each other, and all life on earth--why do we keep doing these things? Why, for example, if the majority of scientists are predicting catastrophic climatic changes if we don't curb our carbon emissions, don't we turn every available resource to alternative sources of energy?
ReplyDeleteI think the answer has something to do with the stories that underpin this culture and shape our beliefs about reality and our role in it. I'm thinking about our conversation about Darwin's writing we had in our last class. Isn't it interesting that the "story" most frequently told about Darwin's theories is one of competition for survival rather than cooperation for survival--even though his work was actually as much about cooperative systems as competitive ones? I suspect this has something to do with deeper cultural stories that we internalize about how the world works, since we tend to pick up on information that reinforces those stories and to disregard information that doesn't collude with them.
In her book, "Braiding Sweetgrass," botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer recalls being astounded when students in her General Ecology class could not imagine what a beneficial relationship between humans and other species might look like. "How can we begin to move toward ecological and cultural sustainability if we cannot even imagine what the path feels like?" she asks. We need stories to help us imagine this path. I think Luanne Armstrong's essay is a wonderful example of this type of story. I love how she weaves her personal experience with recent scientific discoveries while still acknowledging the mystery of all that we don't know. I especially like how she invites readers to enter into the relationships she describes and to explore them for themselves, beginning with the simple act of saying "hello."
In contrast, I'm thinking of all of the "stories" told to us with the goal of selling us something. The organic industry and local foods movement is guilty of this too. Ever notice that the pictures of cows out to pasture on the organic milk cartons never include poop? Cows poop a LOT. Somebody's got a job photo-shopping out the poop. And "photo-shopping" out a lot of other things too. I don't think this "sanitizing" of our stories about farming serves us in the long run--it contributes to the disconnect between people and the land/people/animals/plants that feed them.
So--I wonder if we can examine more closely the stories we're being told about food and farming and to ask the question: who is telling this story and for what purpose? I wonder what stories we can tell this quarter that might begin to heal the disconnect between ourselves and other species/parts of our ecosystems?
Kimmerer writes: "Language is our gift and responsibility. I've come to think of writing as an act of reciprocity with the living land." Photos, video, too.
Can't wait to talk more about this in class!
I think this is a fantastic topic. Storytelling in my opinion is the best way to grasp a new concept meaningfully. Stories can make complex ideas more accessible and relatable thus broadening the range of people engaging in conversations about important issues such as global warming, food justice, and racism in farming. Stories also tend to stick with someone better. While an idea heard in passing or presented lecture style may elicit momentary contemplation, stories can sometimes engage the mind in a more memorable way.
ReplyDeleteWhile I greatly admire the written fictional and nonfictional work of others, the form of storytelling that I am most comfortable with presenting myself is more visual. I often feel that my greatest contributions to larger narratives are through art, specifically painting and drawing. I feel that a visual representation can convey certain emotions or aspects of a situation in a way that is unique from written storytelling and thus has the power to engage people who may relate better visually than textually.
I often forget to think about how I learn things because I think so much about what I am learning. Even though I find myself a bit more comfortable with the “hard” science-y part of agriculture, most of my inspiration came from reading books. Berry, Jackson, Soule and Piper, Pollan, etc all gave me weird sense of hope, excitement, and purpose. Those books and stories within them still give me inspiration to learn more about agriculture.
ReplyDeleteOn science and communication – this is an issue that a lot of my peers think about. Scientific papers are ridiculously difficult to unpack even for those who know a bunch about the topic. Most findings in the papers are very nuanced, often contains multiple caveats, and paint very small protion of the bigger picture. Because of this, many scientists shy away from making their research more approachable, in fear that in doing so they may misrepresent their actual findings.
In ag field, most research institution also have outreach aspect to overcome this disconnect. While they are not particularly looking to promote their findings to the public, they do very good job communicating their findings to the farmers.
What cool topic and an interesting way to couch the rest of our class discussions. Thanks for this Rachel!
ReplyDeleteSomething I was immediately struck by when reading the first article were the ways in which social media has become a form of storytelling and how almost counter intuitive that feels. People's social media presences are a way to tell their story and perform themselves very publicly, and I really liked how generously Audra's article acknowledged that. It seems as though in a lot of settings social media is cast as vapid and vain, we even saw a nod to this way of thinking in the NPR article, and I'm of the belief that this isn't a fair assumption. I thought that the first article challenged that belief and obviously brought up a lot of thoughts for me, which I really enjoyed.
Another thing I was thinking about in relation to these articles and the way they were set up in this blog post was points of entry. I think that our own narratives and the way we conceive of them often sets up how we conceptualize our place within a movement or our entry point into an issue; they set up how we relate to our world. In my case, food, food systems and farming have never been things that I've understood as my entry point into issues of the environment, sustainability, social justice etc. However, taking this class and confronting food and farming more directly than I'm used to has been bringing up ways in which my personal narrative might relate more than I have thought and how these personal points of relation that I am drawing might provide a meaningful way to reconsider these larger issues and provide a broader understanding of my place within environmentalism. I’m interested in how personal narratives can change in this way and I’m excited to continue to explore this!
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ReplyDeleteI like the idea of storytelling by showing photos. Firstly, compare with other written media and video documentary, photos do not have any narratives. Reader will not be given any ideas provided by the writer, instead, they need to use their instinct to obverse the photos. By trying to understand the meaning of photos, readers should have a better memory once they got any thought (which is given by photographer in an indirect way). Secondly, different people will have (slightly) different ways to view the photo. Thus, it would be easier and more interesting to discuss and exchange their thoughts. Thirdly, it is said that 80% of human sense is related to visual sense. So, photo could be a more direct way to present any ideas. And also, the last reason I can think about is that, I am poor at writing.However, I personally think, compared with words, sit is more challanging to express ideas through photos, especially when the idea is related to farming.
ReplyDeleteThese articles were amazing to read, thank you so much for picking them out!
ReplyDeleteCommunication is the key to survival. This is true of all living things on this planet. Telling stories is how key facets of life and lifestyle are passed down generation to generation, even within the same generation. It is how change happens. The act of story telling has evolved with the improvements in technology.
All forms of story-telling are important as they all have different functions. For example, not every person has the privilege to be literate and most kids are not able to read the same level of text that adults do, so therefore story-telling through sounds and pictures can be useful and effective. Moreover, even people who are literate may prefer this method. To each their own, there is no right or wrong way to tell stories. What is important is that they are told. Especially today when it seems like the world is almost on the brink of collapse with climate change and population growth and agriculture. The only way to prevent future crises is to tell stories of past ones or to tell stories about how to protect the environment.
I personally like to tell stories through pictures, writing, and through voice. In-person dialogue is where I am able to use my hands and facial expressions to convey more meaning to the story I am telling, giving more power to the story. For this reason, I prefer watching the news or Ted Talks instead of reading a newspaper.
This topic of storytelling, narrative, and accessibility really hits home for me as someone who is going through a midlife crisis regarding my chosen major. Originally, my passion for science and knowledge came from my love for nature; understanding science meant I understood what was happening. What I didn’t realize was that science is just one of the many lens that exist in this world, one of the many forms of narrative.
ReplyDeleteScience is a believe system, as much as this pains me to say that. It s a belief system that credits the scientific process (observation -> formulation of a hypothesis -> testing of the hypothesis -> rinse and repeat if the hypothesis does not hold up, or come up with a new question and then rinse repeat) above all others. Now, I am discredit work done within the logical and experimental realm, but rather I’m questioning the “objectivity” of these experiments. Just like you said in the blog post, storytelling is about accessibility, very similar to science. Who gets to do science? Who can publish science? What is considered to be science? Why are traditional farming techniques passed down for thousands of years ignored and avoided in favor of chemical pesticide? As great as the vegan movement is, are we avoiding the slave labor that’s taking place in other countries? What does science say about that? And a really weird thought is - we are the smartest (supposedly) organisms on this planet, and people use various evidences to support this such as technology and scientific advancements. Yet, here we are, the only species to be actively destroying earth, warming the ocean waters, tearing the land apart, precisely through the advancements we boast of.
BUT to not bog ourselves down with self-doubt, distrust, and general pessimism (not like we need anymore of it), let’s focus on solutions. What I said during previous class, “When diversity is truly, truly celebrated only then we’ll find a solution”. I whole hearted believe that. Through diversity we get various narrative structure, be it a poem, a prose, art work, or who knows what. It’s a change in perspective, change of language, and change in thought.
For the storytelling method, I personally feel comfortable with the any format of writing. It can be journalism, academic writing or creative writing. Because I am a reader more than a listener. It is easier for me to understand the whole narrative through reading. Photography is a good way to narrative a story. But for me, I probably just appreciate as an art works.
ReplyDeleteI prefer share my personal experience through speaking but I think writing is a better way in general. When you do writing, you will think a lot before you start. However, when you start to speak, you may not think as much as writing.
For the food and farming stories, I think the background guide at the beginning is important. Your audience may not familiar enough with your topic. For the food and farming stories, photography works effectively as a narrative style. Photography conveys a strong message to people visually. Pictures are very impressive to every audience. Even though I personally like reading a story, but I think photography works efficient in the farming relate topics.
I believe that my preferred method of storytelling is that of photography and just a good old person-to-person conversation. I find that a photo is a power way of communication as it captures a single moment that can say many things. I also enjoy the ability of interpretation that, in a way, causes the viewer to reflect on their own life and bring to the surface of their consciousness something related to the photo. I find that I thoroughly enjoy just having a normal conversation with people. Especially when it turns into storytelling of one’s life/experiences. For one, I appreciate the multiple languages (facial expressions, tone, body language, etc.) that are being exchanged in this type of storytelling. I genuinely believe that movements are started/maintained/succeed with the help of storytelling. Personal stories are much more powerful than hypothetical/factual conversations. They speak to someone’s experiences and give light to varying perspectives that might not have been part of the listeners’/readers’ lens. We as human beings, have our own lens in which to look at the world that is unique to us. Storytelling allows for the bridging of two lenses to consider different perspectives that may have been totally missed. For example, when I would walk around campus, I would do so to get from point A to point B. It wasn’t until Amy had a conversation/lecture on trees and how we often think of trees as all the same but they all have distinct phenotypes. Ever since that lecture, I dedicate a portion of my walks to being conscious of the differences between the trees. I can relate to Luanne Armstrong when she talks about grass and how we don’t often pay attention to it or recognize it as being “alive”.
ReplyDeleteBefore this class, I didn't have much experience with gathering or picking my own food. I do remember, however, the story of a patch of rhubarb plants that was in the yard of our first house. My father had planted it beneath a tree in our yard and would frequently take me out to harvest the stalks. I remember thinking that the plant tasted disgusting but the taste of rhubarb still gives me fond memories.
ReplyDelete