by Karen Hanrahan
Karen was awarded an Artist in Residency position at the Milkweed Mercantile at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage four times, in four seasons, in 2013-4. She captured many amazing images of our community
If you had asked me as a suburban child where our food comes from I would have said… from the store. My relatedness to farm was none. I trusted that the store would provide, and it did so in its own manipulative way.
My questioning of food as an industry began when I was a new mom. As my skepticism grew I found myself advocating choice. I became a zealous scratch cook, an advocate of the alternative food movement, especially organics.
Even then, with all my ideals, I was very naive. In recent years I have had the opportunity to befriend many a farmer through my community farmers’ market.
My understanding of where my food comes from has evolved. My utilization of locally sourced food, and eating within the availability of the season, has been enthusiastically implemented. I feel tremendous regard for the organic and small farm movement.In 2013 I was awarded an artist residency at the Milkweed Mercantile, located at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, an intentional community.
At the off grid village, 70 residents strong, the relationship to where their food comes from is vibrant and intimate. While there I witnessed an expanded expression of food processing from folks raising their own meat, and was able to watch and photograph the harvesting of chickens and ducks.
My being at the right place at the right time was synchronistic, and I didn’t have a whole lot of time to decide how I felt about watching animals being butchered, it was happening and I was capturing it.
I eat meat, and do not have any issues doing so. Yet, I feared for a small moment that the process might freak or gross me out. Instead I found it amazingly beautiful.
One of the villagers commented on the reverence they have for their animals. The word reverence really struck me. They had raised their animals humanely, fed them well, let them roam and peck at the dirt for bugs. They let them be ducks and chickens. They raised them with the intent of eating them.I photographed four seasons at this village. I saw the tail end of an autumn harvest, the bleak severity of winter, the tremendous potential of spring, and was just stunned by the abundance of summer. I thought what a disconnect the average grocery store is in comparison to this beautiful relationship these folks have to what they eat.
I wish that there was more of this experience for all.
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Karen Hanrahan is a self-taught photographer. Utilizing a simple point-and-shoot camera, she captures organic, up close, authentic images. See more of her work on her website.