August 31st will be my last day in the the field of agriculture. Our farm was sold on July 22nd, and my father will disperse all of his cattle and equipment before the first day of September. Three days later our family will take our first real vacation in 15 years.
Even though we have another month, I already have this incredible feeling of freedom. It’s called NO JOB!
When I was 7 years old my dad took me to the Farm Bureau on Grace Street and bought me my first pair of Carolina work shoes and I thought I had hit the big time. I’ll still be wearing the Carolinas out of respect for the generations of my family who worked like dogs to make ends meet. I’m thrilled for my dad who is completely worn out after a lifetime of sacrifice. I hope he enjoys the remaining years of his life. He’s definitely earned it.
On a side note…If production agriculture continues the road it’s on, it will soon be unaffordable to participate in. The thing that will allow this area to hold on longer will be the worship of farming by Old Order Mennonites, their “old money”, and their giving of the land to the next generation cheap. In Pennsylvania, the Amish are starting to run out of money, and we are usually about 10 years behind them. The new Chesapeake Bay restrictions, high input costs, state and federal permit requirements, and taxes is going to be the ruination of a great thing.
The Salatins are doing just fine small farming here in the Valley. You never hear them blame the Chesapeake Bay, or permits. They think outside of the conventional box…sell their products at top dollar across the region, and keep their family on the farm. Polyface Farms!
Every farm is different with a certain set of circumstances for each owner/operator. Notice I said “production agriculture”…not niche farming.
I ma glad you are retiring. Good luck with the fishing.
Salatin is a public speaker and marketing guru(with a large amount of inherited cash)- by no means a farmer, his “farming” operation contributes a very small percentage of his income- The speaking engagements, paid farm tours, etc. are what generates the income. Smart guy, but his model could never feed the world, despite what he says. It’s simple math, take the worlds arable land, and current production levels for conventional ag versus his method, and the only people who can eat are rich people who can afford to pay the premium for the “cache” of his niche food. Enjoy your expensive tough chicken if you can afford it, and tell youself your saving the world.
By the way, most “production” farms have many more sound environmental practices in place than polyface, I’ve been there, and lets just say perception vs. reality is a powerful marketing tool.
tom, you should have learned about Facts vs Bubby, they don’t matter to him and his thugs.
Congrats and thank you to your father and his father’s fathers……
Hey Tom, You mean like the ‘motivational speaker”, pumpkin rancher, “heritage farm” operator, and newly minted Virginia Commish of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Matt Lohr.
Any farmer that has a 10 man payroll, and $700,000 / year production is a real farmer Tom. He’s saving farming, one farm at a time. What you doing?
Feeding an exponential number of the people that he feeds wholesome nutritious food with no payroll on 20 acres. And no, I didnt mean or even reference Lohr, but as with most elitist liberals, your hatred speaks volumes.
Tom, If you are going to beat up on a farmer because he inherited his spread, makes a good living on the side, and hasn’t “fed the world” you should probably start with the famous Commissioner Lohr. He’s kinda the poster-boy for the elite, entitled, so-called Valley farmer. But I understand that doesn’t fit your narrative.
BTW. Raising 50,000 birds in a tin shed ain’t farming. It’s industrial manufacturing. And it won’t save farming. But enjoy the fantasy.
What kind of fishing do you like?
Me?
Fishing bores me. It’s expensive and if I want to do nothing then I’ll sit on the front porch and look at my wife. It’s free, and a whole lot more fun!
But no free food……
LOVE is the food of the soul.
and Jesus was a fisher of men….
and the lifter of spirits and the provider of life !
myron should be enjoying this discussion, God rest his soul….
(I really do think he’s dead…….)