Interfering for Good

As the winter holidays approach and wreath season starts to wind down, I have the chance to reflect on the year, take stock, and see where I’m headed with the Magic Bean Farm. With another season under my belt I keep coming back to community care and connection as the driving force to do this work. This year, I was more focused on getting flowers out into the world through the Flowers for the People project. Yes, I had wholesale accounts, and CSA members - they are the bread and butter that sustains this farm - but Flowers for the People has my heart. This project helps me bring skills, connection and locally grown flowers to my community, and it has introduced me to the most amazing people.

This past weekend, my oldest son was in a wonderful adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” produced by our dear friends at The Civic Standard. Their ambitious production was unlike any version of A Christmas Carol that I had ever seen. Prior to the show, spectators were welcomed to a great feast in the lobby, where they could mingle with the well-to-do characters, while the less fortunate children were left out in the snow, pressing their noses to the glass, begging for food. The children were shooed away by an officer, only to scramble back, begging for treats. The immersive element was an incredible opening for a show that went on to paint a clear picture of inequality and the role we all play in creating community.

As the poster from the show states “We seek to interfere, for good, in human matters.” The quote is borrowed from a line from Jacob Marley’s ghost, who laments his wasted time on earth. Marley says that all spirits who did not walk amongst their communities in life are “condemned to do so after death.” Marley is soon summoned by the other lost souls - and as he leaves he says:

Good night, Ebenezer. I must join the others, they have come for me. Hear them? Our misery is this: we wish to interfere, for good, in human matters, but have lost the power forever . . .

I love the use of the word “interfere” in this line, as the definition is “to take part or intervene in an activity without invitation or necessity.” The way to create positive change is through action - to interfere is to offer people help where you can, rather than waiting for an invitation. In our current social and political climate, the “top 1% make 139 times as much as the bottom 20%.” Lower and middle income families continue to struggle as the rich get richer. It seems our top earners may benefit from a visit from Jacob Marley, so that they too may learn to “interfere, for good, in human matters,” rather than exploiting communities and perpetuating inequality.

Recently, I received an email from Stephanie, requesting a wreath for her friend who has been struggling with a debilitating illness. Stephanie started her email with “I don’t know if this is possible…” and went on to nominate her friend, Betsy, for a wreath through Flowers for the People. She spoke about all the ways that Betsy had benefited her community, saying “[Betsy] managed to do so much work to fight illiteracy, hunger, animal welfare, homelessness, domestic violence, trauma, and suicide prevention in our communities.” Betsy had been “interfering, for good” on the behalf of her community, and it was time for her community to do some good on her behalf.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks later, when I finally was able to have my partner drop off her wreath. I received a heartfelt email saying Betsy was moved to tears when she received her surprise wreath. Stephanie wrote, “It’s difficult to explain how much it matters to her to feel remembered still in some way to a community she loved and served for so long.”

This idea of “interfering, for good” was the impetus for The Magic Bean Farm’s Flowers for the People Project. I wanted to create a way to bring flowers to more people - even when they weren’t specifically asking me for anything. My thought was “I will offer this, I will bring this to my community and see what people need.” Flowers for the People is such a delight to me precisely because it is designed to adapt to the needs of community.

And let’s just take a minute to appreciate Stephanie, the friend who nominated Betsy for a Flowers for the People wreath. She went on to set up a monthly donation to Flowers for the People - helping us spread this gift even further. She said, she set up the donation in Betsy’s name “with a small, but hopefully meaningful monthly donation.” It is incredibly meaningful, and I deeply appreciate the support.

Last year Flowers for the People was able to make 7 donations, valued at around $500 worth of flowers. This year, with so much community support, we have been able to host events and donate 15 times, and we’re planning to squeeze in another wreath donation this afternoon! Donations from sustaining members, organizations, and one time donors reached a record high and we were able to donate over $2000 worth of flowers, wreaths, and workshops for free or reduced prices to our friends and neighbors at these organizations:

• Westview Meadows

• Montpelier Senior Activity Center

• Cabot Community Theater

• The Civic Standard

• Heaton Woods

• Jaquith Public Library

• Twinfield Union School

• Fox Market and Bar

• East Montpelier Elementary School

My hope is that you are moved to interfere for good in your own community. Maybe that looks like volunteering at your library, maybe that means checking in on your neighbor who lives alone, maybe that means baking cookies for your booster club, or maybe that means donating to Flowers for the People so we can keep getting wreaths and blooms to folks like Betsy. Whatever you choose, I wish you very Happy Holidays.

Your Magic Bean Farmer,

Sarah

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