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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Farming


This picture (from last summer, obviously) is of the family farm I grew up on. The land is rented out now that my dad is retired but I still feel a connection to it. The corn field there was a cattle pasture when I was young and I spent many hours roaming and playing the summer hours away.
I've been watching a recent UK program called My Dream Farm (in spurts because we kept losing power with last night's freezing rain). I definitely understand the appeal to getting back to the land, being raised on a farm combined with a personality that likes to put deep roots down makes it a strong pull. Naturally, land here is much less expensive than the UK; we also don't have the uber-restrictive regulations and high taxes to contend with. On the negative side, our winters are generally much harsher, the economics of farming are dire, and the farms aren't usually so breath-takingly beautiful.
Ideally, I'd need to be independently wealthy to farm (especially on the small scale which is all I'd be interested in). In reality, I'd have to have a partner/husband who farmed while I continued working. I did wonder why the wife in the show wasn't out working because that's the only way small farmers can survive these days (here, at least, maybe not in the UK). Still, it's something fun to think about.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's a wonderful picture...In my ideal world I would have a house out in the middle of nowhere with some land to grow my own food and have a few animals. I would also like to have my own well...but this is never going to happen. Yes money is one issue bit so are all those new rules and regulations you mentioned...not to mention the licensing laws they have brought in too. I will just have to be content with my little allotment and be happy that at least I have something!!!

tpals said...

What licensing laws?

Thomas Greenwalt said...

Jeffrey and I have talked about getting a hobby farm, especially something with a well or a well could be dug on. Finding something affordable is tough though.

tpals said...

Especially if you need to stay near the city for your jobs!

Anil P said...

Such serenity in the picture of the farm.

The lure is great, as much for the tranquility as for the 'putting down roots'. Living in a city I do miss sighting farms that I do when travelling.

Out here as well, farming is a tough proposition.