November

We barely made our planting window. Finally got the grain drill working. Because of that delay, and not wishing to risk capital I did not have on hand, I did not plant more acreage. For now we stick to the small farm business model until / unless FDA puts us out of business. That would be a sad day indeed. I have never in my 52 years on this earth, heard of any foodborne illness being caused by small farmers selling their crops in local markets or roadside stands. I have heard of plenty from large industrial farms and on the other side of our southern border. Much of it has occurred during transport from those distant locations. My advice, buy local while you can, Once we small farmers are out, then you will have no choice but to raise it yourself or buy the stuff from the supermarket.

Many people think, and say that there is no difference in quality between supermarket produce and locally grown. I disagree. Locally grown, you know the farmer. You know his agricultural practices. He / she knows you. You become like family. You know how the produce is handled. You know that it is fresh. You never have those assurances buying off a supermarket shelf.

I worry new FDA rules could destroy the CSA model. I do not prefer this model myself, as I have adequate capital of my own and do not need help from others to tend my crops. It is used extensively throughout the country, however, and supplies many people with safe, healthy locally grown food.

I see no choice but to make our farm larger. Milling grain into flour and meal for sale locally is a novelty thing. It is a survivalist thing as well. A family of four can survive ten years on the bread produced off one acre of wheat. Grain can be preserved and used over long periods and wheat can easily be produced from saved seeds, especially heirloom varieties. If the local sales avenue is closed, we will have no choice but to produce and sell into the world wide food distribution system.

On the flip side, there are volumes that have been written about why we should avoid grains, all grains, period. There is archeological evidence that the introduction of the agrarian diet about 10,000 years ago caused a huge increase in tooth decay, diabetes, and a plethora of other health problems. Celiac disease is just the tip of the iceberg.

The cultivation and milling of grains, however, enabled the expansion of our population, indeed enabled the rise of the specialist society, once the pursuit of food was no longer and issue. Agriculture gave rise to civilization.

This much I know. Our physical bodies will eventually die of something. That is a fact. We love and consume most all the land can produce. Whatever we were before the rise of agriculture, is long past. Whatever we will become because of it, is yet to be.

We do live in a wonderful but challenging time. Whatever diet you wish to follow, you can. Our food production system will provide it aplenty. Long or short, what you do with the life span agriculture has given you, is more important than the duration.

November sees our winter grains in the ground and growing. We will hunt hogs and deer off of it, there are plenty of them, and we will  make sausage from their flesh. In the summer we will harvest those crops and plant new ones. We will pause this month and offer thanks for what the land has provided.

Fall colors are everywhere. Geese are flying south. The days grow short. There is no better place to be, in my opinion, than on the farm.