By Harry Moran, CFP® AIF®

Slow Money is an international movement which is working to bring money back down to earth and to explore the critical connection between money, food and local living economies. Practitioners are working to build local and national networks to support the emerging restorative economy. This economic model seeks to foster investment in local food systems, connect investors to their local economies and build the infrastructure of the nurture capital industry.

Slow Money’s Second National Gathering will take place at Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, VT on June 9-11th.  Known as “ISM” (“Inspired by Slow Money”), this event will bring together an impressive roster of speakers from the social investing, philanthropy and natural foods fields. Bill McKibben (author of Deep Economy and founder of 350.org) will kick things off on Thursday morning. Some of the other presenters include Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, made famous by Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and the film, Food, Inc., Alisa Gravitz, Executive Director of Green America, Gary Hirschberg, CEO, Stonyfield Farm, Michelle Long, Executive Director of BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) and Robert Zevin, the “father” of the socially responsible investing movement. Woody Tasch, author and founder of Slow Money and a pioneer in merging investing and philanthropy, will again speak and host the gathering.

As quoted in the Slow Money Principles, Paul Newman once said “I just think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer who puts back into the soil what he takes out”. “Recognizing the wisdom of these words, let’s work together to rebuild the economy from the ground up, asking:
-What would the world be like if we invested 50% of our assets within 50 miles of where we live?
-What if there was a new generation of companies that gave way 50% of their profits?
-What if there was 50% more organic matter in our soil 50 years from now?

As a practicing financial advisor for the last 24 years, I’ve been witness to the destructive impact of a financial system which has become increasingly detached from the needs and realities of our individual lives and the communities in which we live in and believe these are exactly the right questions to be asking. While the 20th century saw an incredible accumulation of wealth by a select few who practiced a “wealth now/philanthropy later” approach, our vision for the 21st century is for an era of “nurture capital, built around the principles of carrying capacity, care of the commons, sense of place and non-violence”. At its essence, Slow Money is about reconnecting investors with their local communities, and creating new sources of capital for small food enterprises so they can survive and even thrive in a world currently dominated by deep-pocketed “agribusiness” competitors.

With the coming of spring, the first “Farm to Fork” Guide in this Sowing edition and Slow Money’s Second National Gathering (held in Santa Fe, New Mexico last year) happening almost in our back yards, the stage is set for an exciting and memorable event. Hope to see you there!


Harry Moran helps socially conscious investors define and achieve their highest goals by
aligning their money with their values. A 24-year veteran of the financial services
profession, Mr. Moran has held the Certified Financial Planner® designation since
1991. He is a network member of First Affirmative Financial Network, a national
professional organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the socially conscious
investing community. Mr. Moran can be reached directly at Cornerstone Financial
Advisors at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 518-877-8800.

Mention of specific securities, funds, or companies should not be considered an offer or a
recommendation to buy or sell the security, fund, or company. To determine the
suitability of any particular investment, please consult with your investment adviser.
Remember, past performance is no guarantee of future results and no investment strategy
can assure success. The opinions expressed are those of the author and may change
without notice. Harry Moran is a registered representative offering securities through
Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., member FINRA SIPC. Cadaret, Grant is not affiliated with
Cornerstone or First Affirmative.