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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Hurting in the heartland

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Dan Conine" <dconine@bertramwireless.com>
  • To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Hurting in the heartland
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:15:27 -0500

It might help if farmers were actually farmers, not tractor drivers and factory managers with cows for robots.

Children on the average farm don't do anything involved with the actual growing of food. They are 'raised' just like kids in suburbs and cities: tested through the system until they leave the local community for college and beyond.
There are few 'farm kids' any more. I raise vegetables and chickens on a small farm, and my kids have little time for the farm, even though we have avoided most of the 'soccer society' and we don't watch television.

It's damn hard to come up with a way to get the next generations involved in farming when it is so complex and the consumptive life is so much easier. I know some farmers who manage to do it and have very helpful kids, but they are few and far between.

Bread and circuses, but mostly circuses.

That's what the bailout is trying to maintain.

Dan C.
Belgium,WI

>>>>>>>
"I've been broke all my life," said the 70-year old farmer, who said he can't afford to retire.

Vought doesn't see his profession as an option for laid-off factory workers, because of the enormous overhead costs in agriculture.

"Your average factory worker is not going to come out and start farming," Vought said. "It's too big an investment. I'm talking about investment in the millions."





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