On Humility, Adaptation, and Flourishing: Lessons from the Land
By Christina Tinglof
As a city girl who finds my own small garden to be more of a burden than a blessing, I was not expecting to be inspired to get into the dirt during our board meeting visit to Eloleh, Randy and Edith Woodley’s sustainable farm just outside of Portland, OR. But something about the way they talked about humanity’s relationship with the earth, not just as stewards, but as companions, inspired me to get home and get my hands back in the earth (once the snow melts in New England, of course). As we listened to Randy and Edith talk about their work, and as we toured the land that they were faithfully tending, we heard resonance between their work with Eloheh, shaped by indigenous principles and practices, and our values at Wild Fig.
We learned that cultivation is not dominance, but mutuality and interdependence. We rely on the land for sustenance, and in return the land relies on us to steward it well, carefully maintaining the environment so that everything flourishes. Either one running wild would wreak havoc on the other. We are not in competition with the land, we are not in charge of the land, we are in relationship with the land. We look to mimic this in Wild Fig—we rely on each other for growth and health.
There was also a commitment to adaptability and growth. I asked on the tour about dead plants that hadn’t been cut back before the winter (something I hate in my own garden). Edith said that they had done it until they learned that bugs that were good for the ground made their home in the dead, dry plants—it’s what kept them warm and fed for the next season. Once they learned that, they left the plants out until the spring. Many of us in Wild Fig came to the network having survived the abuse, intentional or not, of other denominations and faith institutions. Many of us have probably made our own mistakes and hurt others. Our desire is to build not a perfect network (impossible!) but a network that is humble enough to note when something isn’t working—and then change.
These were not the only things that resonated with me during our time at Eloheh (did you know sunflowers can leach toxins from the ground?), but if they ignite some curiosity within you, take some time to explore Randy Woodley’s substack, his books, or Eloheh. There is much to learn.
