Liz Carlisle

By Janis Fox Walburn | February 26, 2019

Liz Carlisle

Real Stories of Farming, Food & Rural America

It is possible that the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community, a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living.

- THICH NHAT HANH

A few years ago I attended a trade show at the U of M and somehow found myself in a room among a panel of lecturers discussing organic farming and sustainable agriculture.

Knowing nothing about either topic, I listened to Liz Carlisle weave a fascinating tale about a small farmer on a 280-acre patch of land in the Northern Great Plains, who defied the greedy corporate agribusiness by planting a radically different crop: organic lentils.

This farmer was about to create a radical disturbance in the rural landscape of northwest Montana.

Lentil Underground

David Oien, a farmer from Conrad, led a small underground network of farmers in his conservative Montana county that investigated the wonders of lentils, demonstrating to skeptics that they enrich the soil, create their own fertilizer, and thrive with little moisture.

Oien realized he was trying to change something much bigger than his parent's 280-acre homestead. He could save his farm, but not alone. To stand up against the entrenched power of the food system's 1 percent, he would need to convince hundreds of other farmers to take the biggest risk of their lives.

Years of work resulted in Timeless Seeds, now a million dollar enterprise that sells lentils and heritage grains not only locally, but across the country.

The Lentil Underground remains one of my favorite books on my bookshelf.

Who’d have thought that a book about lentil farming could be such a page-turner?

This is Why Story Matters.

In the Foreword Section of the book, Frederick Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture wrote:

We all owe a great debt of gratitude to the innovative farmers in Montana and to the author of this book, Liz Carlisle, who engaged them to tell their stories. These stories can now serve as inspiration for all the rest of us as we anticipate the future challenges and opportunities of the food systems in our own communities.

I am inspired by Liz Carlisle and her continued passion to teach others about sustainable agriculture, land conservation, environmental communication and, of course, lentils. Her new book, Grain by Grain will be released March 2019.

What did you daydream about when you were a kid?

Dunking like Michael Jordan

What is your favorite thing about your studio or workspace?

I just set up my computer wherever I am: on the train, on the kitchen table.

I wrote most of my undergraduate thesis in the back of a van. I like being light on my feet.

What have been some of the greatest challenges in your career?

I don't let go easily, even when I'm getting clear signals that it's time to change directions.

What does success mean to you?

Self-actualization.

Living with meaning and purpose and intention.

You know you are successful when you aren't afraid to speak your truth.

How do you deal with self doubt or insecurity?

During one of the most challenging periods in my life, I had a practice of going to a cardio kickboxing class in a gym with mirrors.

I would stand in the front and visualize myself punching and kicking the you-know-what out of doubt, fear, and insecurity.

Who or What inspires you?

I have always been inspired by the wonders of the natural world.

Mountains. Snow. Wind. The ocean. Birdsong. Flowers.

What advice has been the most helpful in your life?

Different teachings have been critical in different periods of my life. Sometimes they don't resonate with me when I first encounter them, but they come to mind years later when I need them.

My parents taught me by example to make time to enjoy the outdoors and the people I love, and not always be striving for something. That example has been very helpful!

Tell me about a failure that you learned from?

My first book proposal got rejected numerous times. Agents kept telling me that it was too different. I was very disappointed at first, and then I had an aha moment:

I was TRYING to write something different!

I found a creative team (agent, editor, publisher) that also wanted to create something different, and I'm so happy with how the book turned out.

Tell Me - Why you do What you do?

I write and teach about sustainable food and agriculture.

I do it because I believe there is tremendous power in sharing stories of wise stewardship, which remind us of our interconnectedness and our potential to nourish our human and nonhuman communities.

Young people inspire me every day, and it's an honor to facilitate their journeys of learning and growth.

Do you have a favorite song, book or quote that motivates you?

I have been listening to Mavis Staples "Eyes on the Prize" a lot lately. I have always been inspired by Dr. King's words, "the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice."

Name 1 or 2 women who you admire?

My Mom. Michelle Obama. Dolores Huerta.

If you could look back and give yourself some advice as you were starting out, what would it be?

Open up to those around you and be vulnerable. It's OK to say no. Humor is the secret ingredient.

What one piece of advice would you give to young girls who are trying to navigate their future?

You are the only one of you in the world. Only you can realize your unique and beautiful potential. The more curious you are about the divine light within you, the more connected you will become to the interdependent web of life around you, and the more profoundly you will contribute.