Where I lay out some thoughts I’ve had about farming and what I want to learn more about.
First, let’s preface that all of this is very complex and beyond my current understanding.
Second, I’m trying to figure this stuff out to help me make decisions in my own life.
Thoughts on Small Family Farms
My dad and my grandfather both grew up on family farms and were expected to work on the farm. Both of them left when they reached adulthood. Neither of them went back to farming. My dad did own farm land with a friend. My grandpa, as I understand, gardened.
My dad has seven siblings and none of them returned to farming. The farmer I’ve been working with shared that of all 10 boys in his confirmation class, none are farming except him.
On farm that my dad grew up, as I understand it, they did a little bit of everything, but it seemed to be more out of necessity than joy, based on the stories I’ve heard.
I’ve heard other people talk about the farms that they grew up on, people who did not take up farming, and the feeling I get is that they saw their parents work themselves to the bone. Never took vacations. Never had extra money. Working from dawn to dusk. And their relationship to that farm or to farming wasn’t an overall positive one.
There are a lot of reasons why there are less small family farms than there used to be. I recognize that this is a complex problem. But I think these commonalities between former farming families is important.
I would love to learn more from more people about what their and their family’s story is, so please share!
My Takeaways: I will not obligate or expect my children to do farm work. I will only do the farming that I want to do. If I ever get tired of some of it or all of it, I can quit some or all of it. I will quit if it takes more from my life than it gives.
Thoughts on starting our farm
I don’t actually want to be a farmer.
I want to be a steward of the land. I want to unschool my kids. I want to live a life close to nature. I want to integrate work and life, not just balance it. I want to be more self-reliant. I want movement to be an integral part of my life. I want to be further away from artificial light. I want to live closer to the earth and its cycles and seasons. I want to create community around these values. I want to have a place where others can come as a refuge.
In my estimation, farming is a way to answer to all of those desires. Hence, I will be a farmer.
Organic or not organic?
For the past few weeks, I’ve been thwacking a lot of thistle, but nothing compared to the amount that has been stalk chopped and mowed on this farm. So the question is, do I still want to be an organic farmer, knowing that I can’t simply spray the thistle problem away?
My answer: Yes, I still want to be an organic farmer. I just need to start on a plot of land small enough to manage with man power and hand tools. I need to continue to learn a lot more about managing a farm organically.
I think my underlying philosophy on how I want to farm is to work with nature, not against it. To try to manage the life cycles under my purview rather than control them. And I’m probably going to be pretty terrible at it at first. But that’s where I’m aiming.
EDIT: I just started a course on permaculture, so who knows where that will lead.
Where will we go?
For the next two years, our house is going to be in Linwood, MN. We aren’t going to have a large yard, but probably big enough to do some small herbs or something. I’m more interested in getting a small greenhouse or something to start seeds at our place.
Right now, our plan is to get a small plot of land (1-5 acres) close enough for us to visit for a few hours 2-3 times per week. A place where we can practice our farming skills. A place that we own and can create into our own as long as we want to own it.
What will we do?
I’ve worked on a farm from February to July, September, and October. Assuming that August isn’t too different from its surrounding months, I think I have a feel for what this farming thing is like. I’ve worked on organic vegetable operations and now I have some experience with an orchard and livestock. I’ve worked at farmers markets, participated in CSA prepping, and have helped run a farm store. I want to learn more about canning, freezing, and other value added processing.
Things I’ve considered in starting our own farming operation:
- My first goal is to provide food for my family consistently. We’ll see where we want to grow from there.
- I like orchards and would like to start one.
- I want to learn more about permaculture and designing on a given landscape.
- Only plant things I like, want to eat, and want to learn how to do added value processing with.
- Starting with as little monetary investment as possible – hand tools and work. Which also means trying to start only what we can finish with the labor and time that we have.
Thoughts on the future of farming in America
According to most everyone we are at the precipice of a number of crises – food, economic, health, environment, and the list goes on.
I think bringing people back to the land and bringing the land back to the people is a part of how to address these problems.
Or rather, I think that there are many more people like me who would find greater health, happiness, satisfaction, and purpose back on the land.
In my mind, our food, our economies, our health, our environment, our social relationships, would all improve if there were once again thousands upon thousands of small family farms and homesteads covering the landscape. Places where families farm and grow and raise what they want, what they enjoy, and what their communities need. Where there are more stewards of the land to provide for those who are called to other steads. (That sounded fancy, didn’t it?) Where individuals take responsibility for the land, water, and food, that we all depend on.
I think this comes down to the individual. Each individual stepping up to the plate. For me, this journey started because I got tired of telling people how regenerative agriculture was a solution to the problem of climate change and food production and health, but not being able to truly show them. My calling seems to be to participate in this solution, not just share it.
As I continue to share this journey I’m on with my family, I hope I can some day inspire others to take their own journey back to the land.
Speaking of land…
This is going to be clumsy, so forgive me if I miss the mark. I’m learning.
Homesteading was not always a peaceful process. The people who have done the work weren’t always willing volunteers. As people have left the land, by hook or by crook, by hardship or cruelty, a wake of trauma has been left behind. If we are to truly change our path and move forward in peace, healing needs to occur.
I don’t know my role in the healing process, but here are some thoughts:
- I need to take careful assessment of how I move forwards to make sure, to the best of my ability, that my actions are not perpetuating the same trauma.
- There is old knowledge that is disappearing rapidly, but maybe I can find a way to connect with the knowledge of people who came before me and help to preserve it and pass it on to future generations.
- To simply learn about ancient wisdom that came from the peoples of this land. I recognize the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tibetan Medicine, and Ayurveda. It’s time to recognize the wisdom of the people who are from here.
- In my farming practices, I can seek to honor those who came before me and do my best to help heal the land for the benefit of all.