Community, community, community. Community is the foundation that anchors us and sustains our resilience. Our shared ecosystems—land, soil, water, animals—connect us all, and we are committed to supporting and standing/walking/riding alongside those working to build and nurture a healthier world for everyone.
We understand that this is a challenging time for many. We encourage you to reach out, to be in community, engage in meaningful conversations when and where it feels possible for you, and take care of yourself and each other.
Speaking of meaningful conversations, this week, WIR Executive Director Amber Smith begins her journey to Baku, Azerbaijan, to attend the UN Climate Change Conference. Amber will share her perspective as a rancher and participate in sessions and panels promoting animal agriculture as part of the climate change solution. We want to give a big thank you to the Meat Institute for making this possible!
“We need ranchers’ voices on the BIG stage as part of the global conversation around food, climate, rural communities, and the land that we all call home. It is an honor and privilege to carry a boots-on-the-ground perspective into places where decisions are being made without us. I hope this is just a start to how we are going to see women’s leadership grow on the land.”- Amber Smith
WIR Team
FRUITFUL ART
In 1887, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Division of Pomology began commissioning artists to create detailed illustrations of fruit varieties for lithographic reproduction in USDA reports, articles, and bulletins. The use of color lithography was essential to help farmers better visualize and understand the content of these publications. This collection, now a historic botanical resource, documents new fruit and nut varieties, as well as specimens brought back by USDA plant explorers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The USDA's leading artists—Deborah Griscom Passmore, Amanda Almira Newton, and Mary Daisy Arnold—each painted over 1,000 watercolors, together accounting for more than half of the collection.
El Día de Muertos es una de las festividades más emblemáticas de la cultura mexicana, que destaca por su carácter dinámico y evolutivo. Según el último artículo del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), esta celebración no tiene un origen prehispánico, aunque es una creencia común. En realidad, el Día de Muertos representa una mezcla y evolución de tradiciones ancestrales vinculadas al cambio de estación y al
culto a los muertos.
Reflections on Sacred Lands Sacred Work
By Erin Thomas
As the October sun set over the high desert landscape of Shash Dine’ Eco Retreat, women from across the Navajo Nation gathered around a crackling fire, almost strangers, but bound by a shared responsibility. Sacred Land, Sacred Work was more than a retreat, it was a homecoming, a reminder of the strength that runs through our veins and the wisdom held in our DNA as Navajo women. From the steady presence of those who came to share their wisdom and prayers to the vision and determination of those inspired to shape the future, every moment of the retreat reminded us why we are here: to support each other, share our journeys, and care for the land that cares for us.
Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program pairs beginning agrarians with experienced mentors for an 8-month, full-time apprenticeship in regenerative agriculture. Applications are open November 1- December 15th.
Tune in to hear Cate Havstad-Casad discuss the mission and vision of Range Revolution on How I Built This with Guy Raz. Available on Wondery or wherever you get your podcasts.
