By John Soukup
Development Officer Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
For Nolan Lemna of Lincoln, caring for God’s creation and caring for people in need are not separate callings. They are two ways of living out the same responsibility: to be good stewards of God’s gifts and to share those gifts with our neighbors.
That belief is at the heart of a three-year project the 25-year-old is leading, connecting Nebraska farmers who practice conservation-minded and regenerative agriculture with families experiencing food insecurity.
Lemna, a former seminarian in Minnesota who now works as a Nebraska legislative aide, received a $200,000 Nebraska Environmental Trust grant to purchase food from Nebraska farmers and distribute it through Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) in Lincoln and Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska in Kearney.
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Since June, more than 1,200 pounds of vegetables, 350 cartons of eggs, 100 pounds of pork, 2,000 pounds of organic flour and approximately 5,000 pounds of beef have reached families through the two organizations.
“About twice a month, I’m heading out to Kearney to bring food,” Lemna said. Demand there increased following the closure of the Tyson processing plant in nearby Lexington earlier this year. He also delivers food to the CSS Food Market twice a week.
But the project is about more than putting food on the table. It is also about recognizing the earth as a gift from God and accepting our responsibility to care for it.
“I personally think of it as a giving-back mindset,” Lemna said. “We’re not always concerned about what we’re taking from the land or how much we’re producing, but we’re looking at how we can give back to the water, the soil, and the wildlife that depend on the natural world.”
Although Lemna grew up in the city, both of his parents came from farming families. His appreciation for agriculture developed through 4-H and later through working with Nebraska farmers. He was especially impressed by farmers he encountered at a local farmers market who were focused not simply on production, but on what they could give back to the earth and their communities.
That philosophy resonated with his Catholic faith.
“If you just let natural processes do what God truly designed them to do, we don’t have to get in the way,” Lemna said. “We can just let His system work and reap the rewards of that.”
The project has also revealed the generosity of Nebraska farmers. Some have sold their products for less than wholesale prices, while others have added extra meat or produce to their deliveries.
“I’ve just been surprised by the generosity of many farmers,” Lemna said. “A lot of them are like, ‘I love what you’re doing. We want these grant dollars to last.’”
For Lemna, that generosity reflects a fundamental belief that healthy, locally produced food should be available to everyone. “We all benefit from the natural world,” he said. “I really do think local food, healthy food is not a privilege, but a right for everyone.”
The work has also deepened Lemna’s own faith. Inspired by the farmers he has met, he now grows produce himself, helps a rancher north of Lincoln and sells produce at a farmers market. There, in the quiet work of planting, weeding and harvesting, he has discovered another way to encounter God.
“I always find the Lord speaks in the silence,” Lemna said. “Being out there pulling weeds for three hours. I mean, He definitely does speak quite a bit.”
In many ways, Lemna’s project brings together several elements of Catholic teaching: care for creation, respect for human dignity, concern for those who are vulnerable and a willingness to share what God has entrusted to us.
For CSS, it is another example of the Works of Mercy in action. The food begins with God’s creation, is nurtured by Nebraska farmers and ultimately reaches a family in need. From the soil to the table, it is a reminder that God’s gifts are meant not only to be received, but shared.
Hear more from Nolan Lemna about faith, farming and caring for our neighbors in Episode 74: “Where Faith Takes Root” of the Hope in the Good Life Podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast platform or at csshope.org/podcast.
