When the soil makes music

“We know more about
the movement of celestial bodies
than about the soil underfoot.”
                                               ― Leonardo DaVinci

I think DaVinci had it right.  We understand little about the soil of the earth, the essential substance on which we all depend.  Or at best, we take the earth beneath our feet for granted.  Nothing will underscore this more than viewing the newly-released documentary, Symphony of the Soil. 

This compelling and positive film was featured as part of the Docs on Bay film series in Thunder Bay earlier this month.  The film's maker, Deborah Koons Garcia, attended and discussed the film's message of stewardship .  As a gardener committed to composting and organic methods, I couldn't help but find Garcia's perspective engaging.

If you have not seen the film, find a way to do so; you will be moved and encouraged.  The DVD (available online) is a worthwhile purchase.  Take a moment to view the trailer...

“Unfolding with gentle joy and an unexpected beauty, this ode to the miracle of the Earth’s topmost layer gives us a newfound respect for the ground beneath our feet.”
― New York Times Critics Pick

At the Thunder Bay screening, Garcia explained pieces of video not included in the final cut were too valuable to lose.  She in sharing them online  as 'Grace Notes'  and 'Sonatas of the Soil' (to continue the musical metaphor).

One of my favorite 'Grace Notes" is the piece with Dr. Vandana Shiva, a physicist-turned-activist in India.  Her wisdom about fertility gives us something important to ponder as we step towards another growing season.

If you are reading this post as an email message, you're missing the video clips.  Come to The Blog Bouquet to view them.