Eating Dirt: A photo essay

I always knew I felt healthier, happier outside. Science is catching up. Microbes in the soil aid in keeping allergies at bay, asthma (which I suffer from but was fine this last week), helps fight depression and many other maladies. Dirt - a new super-food. I ate plenty of it last week...

Volunteered to help clear trail through backcountry chaparral with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, hanging out at a few schools with Common Vision that has planted orchards for some 250 schools in California, checking out a couple local farm-to-fork acreage with Patagonia... All a very good re-education into why it is good to stay connected and be a more integral part of the local landscape, to know the process of where our food comes from, to help expand the network of local opportunities to explore off the pavement. So many new experiences still to have, and in the backyard.

Next phase is getting out to volunteer on the local farms...

all images ©Bennett Barthelemy