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market-farming - Re: Making a living

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: William Dellinger <hunger AT hunger.org>
  • To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Making a living
  • Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 11:59:04 -0600


Hello all:

The varieties of perspectives on the subject is indeed interesting, and it is
good to
know there are few who are really making a living from small and/or market
farming. But
for most, a few bad years, health problems, children with college ambitions,
old age,

etc. can disclose a vulnerability. Retirement also may disclose the danger of
depending
on farming alone for a living.

I also am one however, who after seeing that there was no money in farming,
decided to
farm for no money. My farming goals are therefore to pay off the land, get a
good set of
buildings established, and give away as much food as possible while building
soil
fertility for the future. I may decide to work for free, on principle, but
I'll not have
the market force me to work for free. I also object to the market's
allocation of good
clean food to the wealthy, (organic?) customer only.

The farmer's calling, as some have observed, is more a calling than a living,
and for
that we are blessed by your efforts. Hold onto your land. In a generation it
may be
worthwhile economically, even if now it is not.

Bill







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