Accidental Farmers

I'm almost done reading Accidental Farmers by Tim Young. I must say it's not what I expected. I've read the others: Pollan, Salatin, Logsdon, Belanger, and Howard (and a few others), but this is the first one that actually told (in grisly detail) about the dark, ugly side of farming. I must say though, I think the big reason they had such problems was the fact that they are actually trying to run a farm. Not a homestead or smallholding where they take care of their own needs, but a farm, where they are trying to turn a profit. That's the problem, in my opinion. People aren't trying to just sustain themselves, they are trying to feed the world, which is what got us into this industrial food mess to begin with. I'll give them the points because part of their goals incorporates creating a local food shed, but that's not our goal. We don't want to feed the world. We want to feed us.

I'll take care of me and mine, you and yours is your own problem. Maybe that sounds harsh to you. Maybe you're thinking why not try and feed the world. I'll tell you my honest, brutal opinion...there are too many of us as there is. In 1999 an anime came out called Blue Gender. It wasn't the greatest, but to this day it remains a favorite. Why? Because it told the story of where I really think the human race is headed. Basically, humanity has screwed up the Earth so bad that Mother Nature says 'screw it' and treats us like an infectious virus that needs to be exterminated. Humanity becomes the hunted. The timeline for this fictitious revolution? 2030. Eighteen years in our future. That's not so implausible considering what we've done the last 200 years to the planet. I'm not a hippy, I'm a pragmatist and I am of the firm belief that if we do not attempt to fix things now, we won't have a later. Kind of like the church-goer who thinks, if they're wrong I've wasted an hour every Sunday, but if they're right....

Anyways, it reminded me that I need to really look at our economic choices surrounding food. The other stuff, entertainment and such, I'm less concerned with, because I know we are working with a limited timeline where we are purchasing as much as we are right now. I'm spending more now, because I don't want to spend it on those items later. Regarding food, clothes, and chemicals I do need to be mindful of, especially food. I think food is the single most impactful way you can express yourself. Think about it this way, you can spend $8 on a fast food value meal that ultimately destroys a piece of land, an animal, and potentially a species, or you can spend $20 and help preserve a piece of land, species, family, and community.

I'm okay with spending a bit more. I'm going to spend it anyways, so I might as well spend it wisely. That being said, I'm going to stop by a new butcher tonight and see if their advertised local, sustainable, organic, pasture-raised meat is all it says it is. We're doing our part by switching off beef and chicken and moving to goat, lamb, and pork, but we can do better, and I'm willing to do a little bit more to achieve better health for me and mine. What are you willing to do?

Summary:

When Tim and Liz Young decided to leave their comfortable suburban life and become first-time farmers in rural Georgia, they embarked on a journey that would change their lives. The Accidental Farmers reveals how the couple learned that hamburgers, bacon, and eggs don't come from the supermarket but from real animals that forge emotional bonds with their human caretakers. Seeking a middle path between a meatless lifestyle and the barbarism of factory food, Tim and Liz created Nature's Harmony Farm, a sustainable oasis where rare breed animals and humans live together searching for something nearly lost by both humans and the animals...how to live naturally off the land. Rather than a how-to guide, this book is a personal memoir of the Young's journey to farming and is sure to delight those interested in moving to the country or simply learning more about the struggles of sustainable farming.