What Are Farms For?
Well, its been slow coming but spring is here. The rains have kept us out of the garden until this week. We got some spinach, beets, onions and peas in. We need to get more of all those in soon, but it is a start.
I’ve been in deep thought the last few months about a lot of different things. Thats one reason the blog posts have been scarce. One thing I’ve come to realize is that farms should be first and foremost, places to raise a family and feed and cloth them. The emphasis of the money crop, whatever it is, should be the last consern of the farmer. If we put our full efforts into raising and making the basic needs of life and only selling enough money crop to pay those things we must buy off the farm, our lives would be all the richer. The death of the family farm was sealed when farmers started buying food at the grocery store and clothes at department stores. It is amazing how many farmers today don’t have a garden or laying hens. A semen salesman once remarked that we were the only dairy farm he stopped at that had animals other than dairy cows. When animal and plant husbandry were replaced with “agribusiness and agriscience”, and when the independent farmer started listening to the specialists, he started down the path to slavery. The key to saving the family farm, I believe, is returning to our garden plots and henhouses. Keeping a homestead hog or two. Our wives must return to the sewing machines and looms, the soap kettles and canners. Even the smallest homesteader, if he put his mind to it, could get by with a part time job if he could provide the basics from his 10 acre holding. We continue to rethink and refine our plans here as we continue our journey away from the modernist mess. We will have this year even a stronger resolve to stock the cupboards and provide the basics first.
May 2nd, 2007 at 6:53 am
Good comments, Scott. I’m reminded of something I read by Lynn Miller of The Small Farmer’s Journal, “A farmer should not concentrate on profitability. He should concentrate on making his land productive, (or fertile). If his farm is fertile, the profitability will take care of itself.” (Loosely quoted.) I’ve always liked the idea of being a steward over the land God has given one and working with Him to husband the land into fertility. I mention how I came across Lynn on my Text blog.
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:25 am
If you live poor you can live so much freer.
That ‘poverty’ in the eyes of the world means you have passed through the eye of the needle.
May 3rd, 2007 at 7:38 am
We are cash poor, but we eat like kings. Lots of fresh healthy food that we raised or grew ourselves. We wouldn’t trade it for all the money in the world.
May 5th, 2007 at 6:58 am
Excellent post Scott….a good reminder to all of us!
Cheri
May 5th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Great thoughts, Scott. You are a wise man.
When you said, “…farms should be first and foremost, places to raise a family and feed and clothe them,” I decided I should be thinking how I can translate this to living in the suburbs. It’s a different kind of struggle than getting up early to milk, or to tend to the crops, but something to sink my teeth into, nonetheless. There’s a folksy saying that goes, “Bloom where you are planted.” I suppose it sort of applies to me in our current situation.
Blessings to you and your family. I pray that the boys are all healthy and that you and your wife are strengthened for your journey.
Deb