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Soapbox

November 5th, 2014

Yesterday was voting day here in the US, one of those days most of us are happy to see come and go so the political signs can leave the corners and the ads can leave the internet & tv airways. There’s really nothing more annoying than the constant negativity that election season brings. While I vote each time the polls are open, I have long since come to believe that this is definitely not the most important way to encourage change and to make a difference.
vote_yes_yard_sign
i-voted-sticker
I’m a big believer I vote each and every day with the food that graces my table and the places I spend each penny I earn. My most important vote is cast with the choices I make each and every day, where my money is invested, and how I choose to spend my time.
farmers market
I cast my vote for the kind of country/community I want to live in every Friday morning at the farmers market. I cast my vote every time I choose to buy from a small business over a big corporation. I cast my vote when I invest in my community rather than in big banks. I cast my vote when I spend my time helping neighbors and building my community. Sure I often spend more money on some things and don’t make as much on my investments, but sometimes looking at the bottom line isn’t the best way to look at things. Often we need to look at the long term effects of our decisions. I want this country to be a wonderful place for my friend’s children and grandchildren and I try to make sure each and every one of my decisions works towards that goal.
lucy and the kids
The best part of these choices is that it enriches my life greatly. Every Friday morning I am happy to chat with the same farmers and help be a part of that community. Building my local food system is my favorite way to cast my vote for what I believe in and the changes I want to see!

What’s your favorite way to vote other than in the voting booth?

7 Comments to “Soapbox”
  1. PennyAshevilleNC on November 5, 2014 at 9:15 am

    I definitely believe more in my consumer $ vote than anything else. Politics is confusing to me and I have a hard time keeping up. What I CAN do is make sustainable choices.
    Good to see LucyChiots up there :)

    Reply to PennyAshevilleNC's comment

  2. Toni on November 5, 2014 at 9:54 am

    That is exactly the way I feel! We vote every election but it seems to be the same old, same old who get elected. So I vote with the farmers and local merchants Just wish our farmers market was larger. Only about two dozen at the most and they just have a card table set up for most. I do buy my honey locally!! You do the best you can in the situation in which you live.

    Reply to Toni's comment

  3. Nebraska Dave on November 5, 2014 at 10:08 am

    Susy, I’m thinking you are right about voting. I too have voted every time I could since I was 21. Today I still have hope that our elected leaders will do the right thing and strive for the right thing to bring good change back to our country but it just doesn’t seem to be happening no matter which party is in control.

    My way of changing my little speck of the world is to recycle, repurpose, reuse, and live simply. I really try to support local businesses. Most mechanical car things I still do but as age creeps up on me, I have to rely on a locally owned gas station for repairs on some of the more complicated things. I’ve built a rapport with workers there and it gives us a community connection. My snow blower is in the another local shop getting ready for the coming winter blast. It doesn’t seem like much but every decision, in my humble opinion, can made a huge difference in the future.

    Have a great snowy Maine day.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

  4. Jennifer on November 5, 2014 at 11:41 am

    I could NOT agree more!

    Reply to Jennifer's comment

  5. Ronan on November 5, 2014 at 7:48 pm

    I am not technically subscribed to your site but I really enjoy your postings and have checked in on your blog everyday for the last two years. I don’t usually leave comments but I wanted to thank you for this post– it was truly a focused light through a cloud of politics. Thanks for illuminating what is important and how each and every one of us can make a difference with our daily choices.

    Reply to Ronan's comment

  6. Lindsey @HalfDimeHomestead on November 5, 2014 at 8:26 pm

    YES! Agreed 100%.

    Reply to Lindsey @HalfDimeHomestead's comment

  7. Sara on November 6, 2014 at 7:53 am

    I totally agree, and I see no downside in putting money directly into my community. I have a harder time believing my not-shopping has much of an effect sending a message to the folks I don’t support. There’s just so much money (in Ag, in Retail) I don’t think they’ll ever notice/care that I’m voting with my dollar, but I still do it, since it makes me feel better (and puts more money towards the local guys!)

    Reply to Sara's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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