From the recording Music Medicine
An acoustic folk song celebrating land stewards and their work supporting a healthy planet for healthy people through regenerative agriculture.
Accessible and specific lyrics layer with spoken word samples to add context that I hope sparks curiosity about the connections between food systems, the environment, and how soil health relates to human health.
This song was inspired by working with and learning from the folks at The Mile High Farmers and Frontline Farming in Colorado.
This is also the first single where I've been my own sound engineer, recording guitar stems from a friend and working on vocal tracking independently at The Music District in Fort Collin to steward my recording fund resources.
(c) 2021
Written, and engineered by Darcy Nelson
Guitar by Graham Whitely
Mixed and mastered by Hahn Studios
Track #6 of the Music Medicine Album
Lyrics
Healthy soil, healthy food
Healthy people, healthy mood
Not just a farmer, not just a grower
Not just a weeder, or a mere seed sewer
I keep the land and her secrets in hand
She’s cut and she’s tired of toxins and fires
She’s bruised but unbroken
And the signs they’re a smokin’
Top soil is degrading at an alarming rate across the globe mmm mm mm
Thanks to tilling and pesticides
If things continue, we have about 50 harvests left on the planet mm mm
Regeneration heals the land, putting food in your hand
Harness the wisdom of nature to align with not replace her
The word “farmer” doesn’t properly honor the work our land stewards do
Not just a farmer, not just a grower
Not just a weeder, or a seed sewer
I keep the land and her secrets in hand
She’s cut and tired of toxins and fires
She’s bruised but unbroken
And the signs they’re a smokin’
Human health and soil health are inextricably connected
Regenerative agriculture borrows ancient wisdom stewarding the land
to ensure the health of future generations
I humbly tend this ground
Planting seeds of change and peace with every dirt crested mound
Regenerative agriculture creates a resource loop
Where the land sustains the people as people heal the land mm mmm
Not just a farmer, not just a grower
Not just a weeder, or a seed sewer
I keep the land and her secrets in hand
She’s cut and tired of toxins and fires
She’s bruised but unbroken
And the signs they’re a smokin’
Thank a farmer for growing food that
Supports your life force and mental health while conserving
Our planet’s precious resource: DIRT
I keep the land hmm mm
I keep the land mm mm
Healthy soil, health food
Healthy people, healthy mood
Mmm mm mm mmm mm mmm