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Kris Larson shows respect for God's creation as a farmer in the Community Supported Garden at La Vista.
"I want to be a steward of the land," he said with conviction. "I try to treat the land, the plants, and the customers with respect."
Respect for creation is an important part of the ministry at the garden. Founded by the Oblate Ecological Initiative (OEI), the garden was created for two primary reasons:
1) To promote a style of agriculture
which is sustainable, fruitful, and not harmful to the environment, and 2) To let the community interact with something beautiful and ecologically sound.
Fr. Maurice Lange, O.M.I, director, explains: "The OEI was founded to recognize creation's integrity. God's creation is holy, and we must treat it that way."
It is Kris Larson's job to ensure this message is embodied at the garden. His farming techniques reflect a spiritual connection with the earth.
"I like to do as many things as possible by hand," Kris said. "It's labor intensive, but worth the effort. I've worked on larger farms where most of my time has been spent on a tractor, and all of the
noise and racket is distracting for me. You can't see the beauty of the garden when you're doing that."
As an organic farmer, Kris also does not use pesticides, herbicides, or other synthetic products which may be harmful to the environment.
"I'm not trying to insult other farmers or their techniques. I'm not interested in debates, but organic farming does work. It works just as well and doesn't have the bad side effects. To me, there's no other
choice."
As far as debates go, Kris once enjoyed pontificating over ecological issues, but now he takes a simpler stance.
"It's hard to change anybody's mind just in a conversation, so I tell people to come to the farm and see what it's like. I tell them to taste the food and experience it. I think that sends more of a message than
any argument."
And the taste is important.
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While preparing for the season, Kris Larson converts part of the greenhouse nursery into fertile soil. He hopes to grow out-of-season greens here for the
customers.
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"Carrots are a perfect example of the difference between organic and conventional farms. Since they act like roots, they have a tendency to absorb the flavor of surrounding
things. They can absorb the chemical taste of additives in the soil. But a carrot grown on an organic farm has a sweetness a lot of people miss. You just have to taste it."
Kris continued, "You can't beat fresh fruits and vegetables when they're in season. I'm not opposed to grocery stores, but if you can have produce that hasn't traveled 2,000
miles to reach your home, why not?"
Of course, the appeal of these fresh fruits and vegetables has drawn quite a crowd. La Vista provides produce for 140 families from its 4-acre garden.
But these families are more than just customers; they take a vested interest in the garden. They volunteer to work in the fields and to harvest the ripe goodies.
"The community is my favorite part of this job," Kris said. "Farming can be lonely, isolating work. But having people come to the farm, and seeing the
people who benefit from my work, that's rewarding. I like being able to learn the names of all the customers and asking them about their lives and their children."
There's something beautiful about seeing kids run around and play in the crops. It really adds something."
To Kris, this community aspect is mutually beneficial. The farm and the community work in unison.
"They support us and we support them. The food is great, but it's more than food. Sure it enriches their meals, but it goes beyond that. I like to
think it enriches their lives overall, their home lives and work lives, everything."
Entering the fourth year of the Community Supported Garden at La Vista, Kris can't wait to get his hands dirty in the fields. He and Fr.
Maurice look forward to the arrival of their patrons for a spring harvest of greens and fruits. Together, they will greet the families as they arrive and
share the bounty of the earth, as they are truly stewards of the land.
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