Today, October 12th, is National Farmers Day. I realize that for most, as holidays go, it probably falls somewhere between Groundhog Day and National Pancake day, but if we are serious for a moment, it is wise and good to recognize farmers and the endeavors required to feed our nation and the world. Such is my goal today and over the coming days (maybe more?).
It is often observed that never before in human history has such a large percentage of a nation’s populace been so utterly disconnected from the land that feeds them. And yet, there is something that connects many of us…I see a fascination with growing things and the desire to provide for oneself, even in a small way. While probably not a universal sentiment, I’m continually surprised at how many people, even in the suburbs of Washington D.C., yearn to grow their own tomatoes, lettuce, beans, squash, arugula, or even chickens and eggs. For years the neighborhood rooster that crowed every morning at 6:00 AM gave away the surreptitious chickens pecking away somewhere in our midst.
In the coming posts, we’ll consider High Plains farming, big farms, corporate farms, little farms, suburban farms, backyard farms, indoor farms. I recognize that debates about agriculture can become heated, so we will strive to consider many perspectives on past, present, and future ways of feeding ourselves. I appreciate feedback along the way. By way of beginning, we will consider Joel Salatin, the self-described Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer: Blog — The Lunatic Farmer. We visited Polyface farms here in Virginia a few years ago, where we snapped the above chicken, free as a bird, as they say (which is actually a rarity in the poultry world).
For now, I leave you with a benediction to accompany you throughout the day. As he did at a homeschool conference we attended in 2016, Joel Salatin frequently ends his talks with the following (or slight variation thereof):
May all of your carrots grow long and straight
May your radishes be large but not pithy
May tomato blossom end rot affect your Monsanto neighbor tomatoes
May the foxes be struck blind at your pastured chickens
May all of your culinary experiments be delectably palatable
May the rain fall gently on your fields
May the wind be always at your back
May your children rise and call you blessed
And may we all make our nest a better place than what we inherited
God bless you.
Yes, I’ll say it again–Please consider reading Dryland Lament or giving it to friends or family (Christmas is coming). The link to purchase directly from the publisher is above. (Save six or seven dollars versus Amazon). And while I certainly can’t thank everyone in-person, I sincerely appreciate my readers; if you will, please share this blog with others.
Related Posts
