Martin Ping: Transforming Society Begins With Transforming Yourself

All actions originate with a picture in your mind. In this reflective talk, Hawthorne Valley director Martin Ping—a pioneer of the sustainable farming movement—speaks about the crucial role of imagination in achieving our goals. As Ping puts it, “Having an authentic inner vision of what you want to achieve is essential to bringing it forth.”

Martin Ping, Executive Director, Hawthorne Valley Farm

Martin Ping is the Executive Director of Hawthorne Valley Association, a nonprofit promoting social and cultural renewal through the integration of education, agriculture, and the arts. Located in NY’s Hudson Valley, the Hawthorne Valley Association includes Hawthorne Valley Farm, a 400-acre biodynamic farm. A holistic approach to sustainable living, biodynamic farming develops the earth, plants, and animals to create a self-nourishing system.

Martin balances his time between developing the working relationships amongst the Association’s diverse enterprises—a dairy herd, CSA and market garden, GreenMarket stands, organic bakery and grocery store, visiting students programs, farm ecology program, day school, and more—and cultivating collaborative relationships between Hawthorne Valley and other organizations in the Upper Hudson/Berkshire region.

Comments (8)

Yoshiki

Awesome talk. Insightful reflection is definitely a necessary prescription for a world that’s speeding up the rhythm of life seemingly ad infinitum. Never heard of Hawthorne valley or Mr.Ping before, and it seems like his life is suitably busy given his position, but I hope he gets the time to spread his message to everyone that needs it. Sooner or later, maybe we’ll all be allowed to have a moment of reggae between our sessions of heavy metal “productivity”; at least I intend to from now on.
Excellent as usual, 99%.
Kim

This video isn’t appearing on this page anymore. I’d like to watch it but it seems like there’s an error on the page. I’m using a Macbook, not sure if that has anything to do with it.
jkglei

I think it was just a momentary Vimeo glitch, Kim. Should be working now. All you need is Flash.
Kim

Thanks, Jocelyn!
Alex Ciobica

> Having an authentic inner vision of what you want to achieve is essential to bringing it forth.

I think this is a little difficult if one lacks experience.
Luiz Martins

The title of video sounds like a cliché, but the content is great and it is a must to watch it and to put these ideas into practice. Congratulations Mr. Ping!
Jenn Morgan

Love this: being human = the ability to design and reflect… I also really like the ending where he says that changing the world starts by changing our inner picture….
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I really enjoyed this post, especially the “examples in this post” portion which made it really easy for me to SEE what you were talking about without even having to leave the article. Thanks
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Sailesh Rao

Mr. Ping, does the meditating cow want its milk taken and turned into yoghurt for the consumption of adult humans? Please change that picture…
J.M.Dave

Listening to Martin Ping I felt I was listening to the sage and seer of ancient India especially his views on the most lovable and mother like animal,cow. J.M.Dave