Have you ever dreamed of “living off the land”? Owning a farm and producing your own food? Without dreams and visions, we cannot move forward; however, there is a point where dreams can interfere with what farming is really like. There’s a growing trend to increase one’s “sustainability”---but what is the reality of that term? There are countless notions that owning some land and raising some cattle or chickens, etc., is the answer to all problems and is simple and pure; however, anyone who has endeavored to raise their own food can tell you, there’s nothing romantic about this process. It’s a lot of hard, messy work and there are often disappointments with which one must deal. The weather and soil can be formidable foes at times. Animals may get sick or injured and die, despite our best efforts to manage them and keep them healthy. You must also take the lives of animals you’ve raised, if you want meat for your family. Crops can fail, pests sometimes prevail, and then there’s the mud and ice and the summer’s grueling sun. You cannot take a day off from farm chores; no sick days, no vacation---unless you’re blessed enough to have family or friends who will come feed your goats, turn the chickens out for the day, or milk your cows twice daily. So...why even bother?
The answer is we bother because of the alternative. One only needs to access the Internet to be able to discover the horrendous conditions most animals live in their entire lives before ending up on our plates. Not to mention the amount of pesticides, GMOs, and antibiotics they are exposed to during their miserable lives on the commercial farms, all of which will end up in our bodies after we consume the meat/eggs of those poor animals. And some of the vegetables we eat directly are contaminated with genetic engineering: canola, corn, papaya, soy, sugar beets, zucchini and yellow summer squash¹. Every time you dine in a restaurant, every time you buy a package of hamburger from the grocery chain, you’re contributing to this nightmare. We’re a society of “I want it all, right now, conveniently available whenever I desire (and I don’t want to pay much for it)”. We are so far removed from where our food actually comes from that it’s terrifying. Raising your own food is the only way you can be sure of what’s in it and how the animal/crop was treated. No pesticides on your tomatoes, no GMO corn, animals that are allowed to graze on pasture rather than those that are confined in tiny cages or pens until they’re processed. Eggs that are hours instead of months old. Milk that is hormone free and contains all the enzymes and health benefits God intended it to have because it hasn’t been processed to death. Sounding romantic again?
Strive to be as self-sufficient as your current means will allow, but keep in mind the reality of farming. Expect complications, setbacks, and sacrifice. Determine to stick with it even when you feel like throwing in the towel. It may take changing the way you view your food supply; it may take more effort than you initially realized. But the rewards far outweigh your contributions into it. For what you cannot produce on your own, consider bartering with or purchasing from other local farmers who are also raising their animals and crops in traditional/noncommercial ways. Whatever degree of sustainability you’re able or willing to achieve, remember the importance of local community and seek to support your fellow farmers whenever possible. And don’t hesitate to seek advice from those who have been farming for a while; they have many tips that will get you started on the right foot.
That old adage “You are what you eat” is of vital importance today. Just keep in mind there is a reality to producing what your family eats, and proceed accordingly.
¹http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/
The answer is we bother because of the alternative. One only needs to access the Internet to be able to discover the horrendous conditions most animals live in their entire lives before ending up on our plates. Not to mention the amount of pesticides, GMOs, and antibiotics they are exposed to during their miserable lives on the commercial farms, all of which will end up in our bodies after we consume the meat/eggs of those poor animals. And some of the vegetables we eat directly are contaminated with genetic engineering: canola, corn, papaya, soy, sugar beets, zucchini and yellow summer squash¹. Every time you dine in a restaurant, every time you buy a package of hamburger from the grocery chain, you’re contributing to this nightmare. We’re a society of “I want it all, right now, conveniently available whenever I desire (and I don’t want to pay much for it)”. We are so far removed from where our food actually comes from that it’s terrifying. Raising your own food is the only way you can be sure of what’s in it and how the animal/crop was treated. No pesticides on your tomatoes, no GMO corn, animals that are allowed to graze on pasture rather than those that are confined in tiny cages or pens until they’re processed. Eggs that are hours instead of months old. Milk that is hormone free and contains all the enzymes and health benefits God intended it to have because it hasn’t been processed to death. Sounding romantic again?
Strive to be as self-sufficient as your current means will allow, but keep in mind the reality of farming. Expect complications, setbacks, and sacrifice. Determine to stick with it even when you feel like throwing in the towel. It may take changing the way you view your food supply; it may take more effort than you initially realized. But the rewards far outweigh your contributions into it. For what you cannot produce on your own, consider bartering with or purchasing from other local farmers who are also raising their animals and crops in traditional/noncommercial ways. Whatever degree of sustainability you’re able or willing to achieve, remember the importance of local community and seek to support your fellow farmers whenever possible. And don’t hesitate to seek advice from those who have been farming for a while; they have many tips that will get you started on the right foot.
That old adage “You are what you eat” is of vital importance today. Just keep in mind there is a reality to producing what your family eats, and proceed accordingly.
¹http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/