26 Comments

John, thank you for sharing with all of us this heartbreaking and important information. We see the patterns, we see the eruptions of hate and desire for oppression. And we see the people coming together over and over to resist and repair. I can't imagine how exhausted many people in your island community are. Sending them all a lot of love and all the solidarity.

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Thank you, Nia.

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God, I just finished reading Parable of the Sower this weekend and wow, the parallels. I have been following Black Seed with interest. Crap. What a terrible act of cruelty.

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I just read Julie Gabrielli's piece on Parable of the Sower, and I see what you mean. Earthseed, Black Seed.

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Yes, the name and also, just started Parable of the Talents, and a farm is burned at the very beginning, just of pure malice.

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Ugh. Another one to read, then.

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What a total loss for the community! Disheartening to see hate running so rampant even in sphere of farming.

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Thank you, Swarna

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Oh, John, this is terrible! Good for the island and Ms Turner for rebounding swiftly, but what a waste. I was so encouraged to learn from you about this farm in February. May the common cause bring Black Seed an even larger, tighter knit group of passionate supporters.

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Thank you, Tara

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That's terrible. Thanks for being kind and doing your part John!

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Oh, this is just awful! So disheartening. But your Island community seems to be coming together to support these hard-working, highly deserving folks in trying to do a great thing for the community. It is so hard to understand why anyone would be against such a positive thing. Thanks for writing and posting about this. (I live on nearby Orcas Island, and I know there is hate here too. Frightening, and, indeed, sobering.) I hope Black Seed comes back even stronger.

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Thanks, Erika.

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Horrifying act. So dismayed. Thanks for writing. I shared their fundraiser.

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Thank you, Erin

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This is absolutely awful

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Thank you, Laura

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This is disheartening news from fellow Washington islanders. We ARE better than this! I am happy to hear the determination to forge onwards and to see that volunteers are already stepping up.

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Thank you, Desserae

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What a tragedy.

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Thank you, Kim

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This is so infuriating to hear of but I am so heartened by all that they are working towards and the community rallying to support. Sharing with others in the area—Whidbey Island sounds more and more like a true gem of a place with all that you’ve shared with us here, despite the cruel efforts of someone trying to stop such a community. 💜

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Thanks Freya, it is indeed a special place. Many refugees from the Alaska cold retire here!

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can’t say we’re not thinking about that! 😉

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I lived on the Rez near LaConner and taught in Oak Harbor for several years. Now I live on the Olympic Peninsula. Racism seems to reside just under the surface, exploding to destroy a dream. I'm grateful the community is rallying round to restore the magic. I hope there's a way to protect the farm once it's recovered. Thank you for writing about this.

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Thanks, Kirie. Here in our South Whidbey bubble, we think it doesn’t happen here, but it always has. The Robert Jay Matthews shootout, Three Percenters trying to take over the Grange, Black Lives Matter banner torn down. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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