Connection Creates Compassion

It's been a wild year so far, and Lunasa Leather has been growing, learning, witnessing and reaching in many ways. In January, I had the incredible opportunity to visit a friend's sheep farm with a small group of other farmers and students. We were led by an experienced herder through the process of dispatching, skinning and butchering our own lambs, within the intimate setting of her beautiful barn and fields. It was a process I've been wanting to experience for a long time, and as a meat eater, a gorgeous reminder of our connection and responsibility to the creatures we steward. In February, I returned to the farm to begin the process of tanning the hide from our lamb, and will be completing the process mid-March. The experience has been transformative and fills me with gratitude and honor for the beings we rely on so closely for nourishment.

If you are looking to cultivate a closer relationship to your food, now is an excellent time to connect with farmers through local farmers markets. Many farmers offer CSAs and meat shares. Or, reach out to a butcher in your area and inquire if you might purchase meat directly from their ranchers. Cultivating your own small patch, or getting your food directly from its source is empowering and helps galvanize relationships and connection to food. Finding a local co-op or crop sharing with neighbors is another way to ensure you're connected and resourced.

HONOR THE SOURCE

- Iris Asher, Owner and Lead Designer