Locally grown food is more sustainable, fresher, and grown by small farmers. Locally grown food cuts down on food waste and reduces transportation emissions. Plus, is there anything more delicious than a freshly picked piece of fruit? During the pandemic, these farms and organizations have kept food on our tables and helped support some of our communities’ most vulnerable. Let’s show our gratitude!

Thankful Thursdays prompt #6: Write a letter of gratitude to local farmers, food banks, CSA’s and community gardens.

You can send this to your favorite local farmer, a food bank you’re involved with, or even your neighbor who gives you the extra zucchinis and persimmons they grow. Possible sentiments to mention are how important their labor and efforts are, your favorite fresh foods they grow, and how it feels to support local providers to help feed the community.

This is the sixth installation of our Thankful Thursdays series, a collaboration with Lost Art of Love Letters and Santa Barbara Response Network. Each Thursday, we will share a gratitude prompt from Lost Art of Love Letters to help you dive deeper into who and what you are grateful for.

Lost Art of Love Letters, started by artist Sondra Weiss, encourages everyone to practice creative letter writing on a wide variety of topics from mental wellness, social justice, and environmental protection to gratitude and self-love. Love letters from her project have made their way to museums, galleries, aquariums, and even the Climate Action Summit at the United Nations where environmental letters written by global youth were read to world leaders. 

Share pictures of your love letters with us on social media @optimistdaily, @sbrn, and @lostartofloveletters with #ignitecaring