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<strong>Siouxland</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | EXPLORE /52<br />
Appreciation of beauty is one of our greatest strengths as gardeners. Stop and smell the tomatoes! There is nothing more<br />
beautiful than a cool summer morning and buckets of ripe, red fruit.<br />
Strength in Numbers<br />
By Lisa Cox<br />
“By soliciting modest contributions from the<br />
many, we have produced a store of collective<br />
know-how with far greater power than any<br />
individual could have achieved.” In 2008, Atul<br />
Gawande published Better. It is a collection of medical<br />
essays. However, it is not the type of writing that one<br />
would expect from a surgeon at the top of his game. It<br />
is an introspective examination of details and, as others<br />
have said, compassion and humility. Why look back at the<br />
small things when outcomes are positives and numbers<br />
are up? Why pursue character strengths for the greater<br />
good? And what use to the world would these gifts be<br />
once discovered? Up from the Earth (UFTE) took a step<br />
back to dissect these questions for itself and saw great<br />
potential for growth in the Spring of 2021 and <strong>Siouxland</strong><br />
volunteers.<br />
Since 2014, UFTE has been serving <strong>Siouxland</strong> with its<br />
creativity by harnessing the power of local gardeners<br />
to increase food security. During these six years,<br />
approximately 130,000 pounds of fresh fruits and<br />
vegetables have been harvested. This is a lot of food<br />
for families. Breaking it down, about 390,000 servings<br />
of fresh, seasonal, complex carbohydrates hit the<br />
tables of <strong>Siouxland</strong>. That is a big deal. This helps lower<br />
cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and reduces the the<br />
risk of stroke. We are also helping parents teach healthy<br />
lifestyle choices. Why does this not seem like enough?<br />
Honestly, according to the Foodbank of <strong>Siouxland</strong>, “Not<br />
only those who were food insecure before we heard<br />
the term COVID-19 or coronavirus but now countless<br />
individuals and families who are no longer certain of their<br />
paychecks are likely to need our help as well.” This means<br />
more families are in need now. Gardeners are starting<br />
to look ahead to bump up produce production for the<br />
summer. Even though our numbers are strong, and the<br />
collection sites and pantries are working together, we<br />
also need to assess our strength as a UFTE team. When<br />
we examine the details and inspect our actions, we can<br />
see how we can make them better.<br />
Sometimes the act of checking out the details reminds<br />
us of Bill Murray’s character in What About Bob? as he is<br />
about to go sailing, “but if your friend is a good sailor, and<br />
the craft is seaworthy.” Often, we rely on our judgment<br />
or the abilities of others. We seek people out who have<br />
certain skills or talents to help or assist. In the case of Up<br />
from the Earth, those with more computer proficiencies<br />
tackle the website, ISU Extension Master Gardeners seek<br />
out the gardens, and former teachers assist with public<br />
education. We see it as planting a garden with fertile soil.<br />
The interesting part is that these resources have a fluidity<br />
because they are connected to character strengths. We<br />
are strong not because we are gardeners, teachers, or<br />
other professionals. We are strong because we possess<br />
many of the VIA Institute on Character’s 24 Strengths of<br />
Character.
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