Below is a testimonial from Stephen Graf, NCLCV donor and owner of Five Waters Farm in Cedar Grove, NC.

“In his book A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold shared a pivotal moment in his life as he recounted the story of leaning over that old she-wolf he had shot, watching her life ebb away. He was disturbed by the intensity he saw in her eyes, what he called the green fire. In that moment as he watched the green fire die, he understood that life is community. It is not individual. We are all part of the land. We are in this together.

The green fire Leopold saw was a reflection of the web of life. A reminder that what happens to one part of the web eventually happens to all of it.

How do we keep the green fire from dying? Leopold used his moment of clarity and deep regret to fashion a life dedicated to conservation and forming a land ethic that has inspired generations of conservationists to keep the green fire alive.

As farmers, we see the negative effects of pollution and development on the land in ways that those who live in town may not. Because we have both a front-row seat to this decline, and a mission to bring good and healthy food to our family and our customers, we are compelled to act against the harms we see.

Donating to the NC League of Conservation Voters is one powerful way we work to meet our obligation to the land and the land ethic that Leopold laid plain for us.

At Five Waters Farm, we stand up for the land we stand on. Thankfully all the hard-working folks at the NCLCV have our backs. Their work supports the land, and we support them. We invite you to join us in protecting the land, in keeping the green fire burning. We invite you to support the NCLCV.”