About a decade ago, I was visiting a particularly beautiful part of Kentucky to help a community grow its farmers market. Dinner involved farm-fresh items on a comfortably rustic ranch, and thoughtful dinner discussion was led by original and influential author Wendell Berry. The thrust of his talk was the future. With New Year’s Eve approaching, I’ve been thinking about Berry’s comments. He described how he keeps hearing that future will be about technology or information or some other shiny concept. He argued that this was rubbish. The future, instead, will be shaped by the very things that shape all eras: stable access to food, shelter and happiness beneath the roofs of those shelters. I think he’s right. For me, I find happiness at farmers markets, right next to the food. Happy New Year!