There is something incredibly wonderful and important about knowing not only where your food is grown, but also the magical transformation of seeds, sunshine and water into food and flowers for people and animals. I was thinking about all this as I celebrated a community supported non-profit farm where local businesses stop by for planting, yoga takes place with piglets, and children learn food does not grow at Shop Rite. The magic of working the soil and harvesting its fruits is only possible for most of us thanks to these few and far between
farms supported by local communities.
Farms and farmers are not only impacted by unpredictable weather (
droughts, floods, storms), but also socio-political forces (
tariffs, immigration, funding) and even changing dietary practices (
eggs, beef, kale). It's a hard life when there are so many factors impacting your destiny.
I am pretty sure that is why, many years ago, my grandmother sold the family farm within weeks of my grandfather's passing, heading to the big city where at least in theory, life was a bit easier.
I'm proud to have one of my own family carrying the farming torch for a
non-profit farm in spite of the unpredictable weather and socio-political forces that challenge farm life in the 21st Century. If you have small farm nearby, consider supporting the future by preserving the past.
6 comments:
I live in the Garden State and am surrounded by small farms. Thank you for writing about them. It is such an important American treasure.
My husband and I have always lived the city life. As we approach retirement, we joke about selling everything and buying a farm, to us a simplier lifestyle. Your slice describes both the ups and downs of this life. Thanks for sharing.
We live in a rural area and one of the highlights of the summer season is the farmer's markets that take place during this time. There is nothing like fresh grown produce, especially corn on the cob. arjeha
Anita, As I think you know, I live in a huge agricultural area where potatoes are the primary crop. We visit Swore Farm for corn and onions and Wada Farms (big but ethical) for potatoes. We do garden a little in our back flowerbeds: zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers. My husband spent his career in agriculture and often laments people thinking food magically appears on the grocery shelf. I’ve been watching the news about soybean farms and the lost markets. I don’t need to tell you who gets the blame for that. You know my mind well. Anyway, didn’t mean to post a Ted Talk. I agree w/ all you’ve written. This weekend we’re visiting an orchard. I’m ready for apples.
I'm so thankful for all the farms that surround me in my neck of the woods. I'm a devoted farmer's market attendee, and I'm already mourning the soon-to-be-closed-for-winter farm stand down the road. Maintaining open land is another often unappreciated benefit of farms.
Just last week we rode to a farmer’s market I hadn’t been to yet (on the motorcycle, actually). Greg took an amazing picture of one of the stands, with the vibrant colors of the veggies. (I wish I had room for a garden!) Just another reason why winter can be depressing - no farmer’s markets…
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