Farms may be dwindling, but a closer look shows a determined few defying the trend.
"We're at the cusp of something great."
Ben and Taryn Marcus work on a small farm in Maine.
They farm a piece of land that had long been neglected but is protected by an agricultural easement, meaning it can't be sold off to developers.
It's taken them years (not to mention endless blood, sweat, and tears), but they've managed to revitalize the land into a "thriving community food hub."
The two have faced challenges, for sure, but what they've managed to do for the land and the community is very impressive.
"Growing Local," a Seedlight Pictures film directed by Bridget Besaw, tells their story — and two others about folks who have committed to local farming despite (or even because of) its challenges.
"We're at the cusp of something great."
Ben Slayton is the focus of another of the "Growing Local" stories. He's a butcher and an entrepreneur determined to give consumers direct access to healthy, sustainably raised meat.
"We're at the cusp of something great," explains Slayton. "The local food movement is taking off, and we are part of building that infrastructure and support to sustain it."
"The local food movement is taking off, and we are part of building that infrastructure and support to sustain it."
Slayton is pursuing his model at great risk because his success depends almost entirely on regular ol' consumers like you and me. He says, "It comes down to consumers believing that what they eat is a statement. It's more important than just filling their bellies."
Take a look at the numbers — you'll see just how important these stories are.
Hearing from folks like Slayton and the Marcuses kind of makes working on a small farm seem pretty glamorous, doesn't it? Well, farm life can be tough — and the statistics show just that.
The number of farms in the U.S. has been in a steady decline since it peaked 80 years ago. Just between 2007 and 2012, the farm count fell by 4.3%. At the same time, the average farmer is getting older, and new, younger farmers are having a hard time taking over.
Not to mention, in 2012, 75% of farms had sales of less than $50,000.
That's why people who are committed to local growing are so crucial to the changing agriculture landscape. These stories of folks defying the larger trends are the most important of all.
They're not the only ones taking a chance — and a stand.
Slayton and the Marcus couple are brave and determined. They've worked hard to create the change they want to see.
And despite what the agricultural census says, they're not the only ones committed to creating a local-based, sustainable food system. Stories of farmers like these can be found all over the country. "Growing Local" is the beautiful film that highlights three such stories — check out the trailer below.
The farming landscape is shifting. It's up to us to shift it in the right direction.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."