Thoughts Along the Furrow
April 27th, 2006 by Northern FarmerPlowing the soil is about as old as creation, the methods have changed here and there, but the end result is the same as in the beginning, to turn over the soil in preparation for a crop to help feed man. There’s just something about that job that can make a person reflect on a whole variety of subjects while working. The job itself is rather simple to one that has experience, but can be daunting to someone giving it a first try. After a person is settled in doing the job, watching the sod continually turning over, exposing a fragrant black humus teaming with a life of it’s own, the body takes over doing the required adjustments and the mind can float off in a different direction.
Some look at farmers and farming as a job for simpletons, dimwits, people who can’t function in what’s called normal society. But, in fact, it’s apparently the other way around when studying world history. All great civilizations were growing and at their greatest when those society’s farmers were looked at as critically important to the very existence of their way of life. And at one point or another, these same great societies brushed the farmers out the backdoor, put urban ways before agriculture and declined, eventually collapsing. As I’m plowing it’s plain to see parallels between what happened many times before and what is happening now. Until a few decades ago farmers and rural life were the unquestionable backbone of America. Now we’re just something in the way of mans quest for self fulfillment, taking up space on land that could better be used by developers or recreation. We’re looked at as the enemy of corporations wanting to import cheap food and charging the consumers inflated prices making huge profits at the expense of average families. We’re looked at by the government as an easy target in the war on terrorism for them. The not so secret plan of destroying family farmers has finally come out of the closet with Animal Identification, which is the prelude to marking all citizens.
Sometimes I have to wonder, good old bumpkin farmer me, why is it that we can never learn from history. Man has been plowing since the beginning, all civilization came from the plow, and the civilization then turns away from the plow, distaining it, the civilization collapses. Simple. Short and sweet. Not much room for debate. And when the high and mighty fall, the same ones that they distained pick up the plow and start over. Today, as I was plowing I was thinking along that line.All I can say is, God help us.
April 27th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
Human lives are kind of like the seed you plant. At first the seed only needs a little to survive. Some warmth, water and nice soil. The bigger the plant grows the more it needs to survive. More food, water, and sun. Humans unfortunatly are the same. They start with the simple things, not needing much, just enough to keep going. The next you know that’s not enough they need more and want more. Even though they only need a little to live on. That’s why people or so in debt, and why the world is in trouble.I enjoy talking to old people finding out how they lived. It gives me reality on how wonderful I have it. Do I have a lot? No. I don’t need a lot either. I need enough for my family to survive. I figure I’ll have more than enough when I get to heaven. Thanks for the great article. PJ
April 27th, 2006 at 9:45 pm
Hi Tom!
“God help us” indeed!!!
One of my greatest joys in this life is what I fondly call ‘playing in the dirt’—-weeding, tilling, spreading compost, planting and watching the ongoing miracles of God’s Creation.
Yes, the history of every civilization on this planet has weakened and then vanished when it damaged and then destroyed the very resources that allowed it to live in the first place.
I see so many dark clouds on the horizon but we are choosing not to be part of that doomed existance. God is guiding so many thousands away from the evils of this world.
With God as our Leader we have nothing to fear from the Leaders of this present civilization.
May the Lord bless the work of your hands…………..
April 28th, 2006 at 6:47 am
In graduate school, I specialized in the study and implementation of “social policy”. One day in class at the beginning of a semester, we were all supposed to name various areas of social policy, i.e. education, health care, housing and so on. In the middle of all of this, I contributed “soil and land use”. There was silence for moment and then the class moved on as if policies about the use of our soil were unthinkable or unimportant. The professor was a famous social policy guy too… Such foolish shortsightedness. But it is more than that. It is hubris and a lack of gratitude to our Creator and Maintainer.
April 28th, 2006 at 9:27 am
I really enjoy your blog, so much of it parallels my thoughts as I too plow our fields this spring. By the way, any farms for sale in you area?
April 28th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
PJ,
I totally agree with your outlook. Thanks!
Steven,
“With God as our Leader we have nothing to fear from the Leaders of this present civilization.” Amen to that!
Larkascending,
Thanks for your input and insight! And you know, I totally believe you about the reaction in graduate school. The old head in the sand trick. They don’t even want to acknowledge the problem.
Anon,
I hope your plowing went good your way. About farms for sale, not that I know of in the immediate area. But I’ll let you in on a little tip, they had a land sale last weekend a mile from our farm, the price crashed DOWN!! I might write about that in the near future. Remember, you heard it here.
Tom
April 28th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
Hello Northern Farmer,
I stumbled upon your blog when I was searching for “Minnesota Christian Farmers” through Google. I am not a farmer myself, but think I would enjoy it, but I am interested in sustainability and conscious living that includes thinking about what I eat and where it comes from, and living as a Christian that supports the earth without worshipping it. Anyway, you mentioned in your last post that you are your number one customer and that you do sell to others, I am wondering if you happen to operate as a CSA or if you sell to people outside your community at all? I enjoy reading your insights and have visited a few of your friends blogs as well. For those of us still in the city and hoping to see change in the midst of overdevelopment, Chloe.
P.S. And I am totally with you on the bastardizing of the word “organic,” that is why my husband and I buy local and buy from a co-op. Keep challenging the world to think.
April 28th, 2006 at 2:38 pm
Chloe,
From one Minnesotan to another, welcome to my blog! And thank you for telling a little about yourselves, I like the way you think. Now here’s a secret, everybody else close your eyes, OK? Now, for a sneak preview that’ll tell you a little about our farm and what we do go here http://northernfarmer.shaneck.com/
This is a temporary internet address, with the new one coming any day now. Feel free to contact me about anything. Thanks,
Tom
OK, the rest of you can open your eyes now