Detachment: The Key to Responding to Providence’s Call

I just encountered a dung beetle while walking through the tall grasses of our pastures. This might appear to be a peculiar and mundane event, but it filled me with indescribable joy. I ran to share the discovery immediately with my kids. Dung beetles are becoming increasingly rare as soil richness declines due to unsustainable farming practices. Their return is a harbinger of a healthy pasture.

Guided by figures such as Joel Salatin and Sean and Beth Dougherty, we have undertaken a sustained effort to restore our land through regenerative farming. Although the process has been challenging because of the poor condition of our pastures, encountering this distinctive insect signified progress and marked the completion of an important chapter in our family’s journey as we prepare to move.

There is a certain irrationality inherent in moving, and an even greater one in relocating a farm. In the past, we have declared two places to be our permanent home. Yet, once again, we feel called to uproot and begin anew. Although our zip code will remain unchanged, the journey ahead is distinctly different.

I had an extended conversation with my eldest child about the concept of home the other day. He understands that my husband and I deeply desire to establish a home place, yet this aspiration eludes us. More accurately, we are repeatedly called to set aside this desire in pursuit of a greater good. While talking this over, I explained that I have learned that, while a home is the physical space where one resides, it encompasses much more. The essence of our home is not defined by the surrounding pastures or its physical structure and possessions, but by the life and relationships it contains.

Since relocating from Pennsylvania to Mississippi in 2020, I have learned a great deal, particularly during the four years of owning this property. This period has provided an education in stewardship and the importance of closing ecological and personal loops.