Several years ago, around 1996 I think, I enjoyed the pleasure of hearing Wendell Berry speak at The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens near Santa Barbara, CA. Wikipedia’s first line about Mr. Berry reads: “Wendell Berry (born August 5, 1934) is an American, novelist, essayist, poet, teacher, cultural critic and farmer.” My experience of him that day was soothing and inspiring.

Unlike many speakers trapped in “We need to do this… We need to do that…” delivery, he was calmly aware of the abuse we commit daily on the earth and each other, and yet sure that a good, virtuous, sustainable life was available for any truly desiring it. He had the patience of a man at peace with the natural forces that can just as easily grow delicious crops as ruin them.

He had a deceptively simple energy about him. I say deceptive because a snap judgement might proclaim him a simple rural farmer doing his thing. To that I respond, take a look at the books, poems, and essays he has written and you’ll find an incredibly well-read, well-rounded scholar with a global perspective.