"We might do well to remember Thomas Jefferson's quote, 'Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to it’s liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.' And if we actually contemplated this quote, and applied it to today's agricultural issues, we might not only mourn the passing of the small, diversified farmers in our communities, but also that of our status as citizens, for as surely as we have assumed the role of global CONSUMERS, we have lost everything."
I had not read these thoughts by Thomas Jefferson before, but I could not agree more with this comment! Another concept that enlarged my thinking and understanding several years ago was a comment made on a web site petition supporting changes to the last Farm Bill that would be more favorable to small farmers, which said (paraphrasing) "Small farmers who actually grow the food we eat in our local communities, not commodity crops, are our nation's best front-line national security."
I'll leave you to read the full interview with Michael Pollan and ponder these thoughts while I go back to packing and heading over to the farm to actually put up some curtain rods this afternoon! Wo-hoo!
BTW, I did take photos this morning of my cookbooks on their bookshelves at the farm, so as soon as I download them to my computer, I'll post them up so you can have a peek. The oldest one I have is from 1971. :-)
"Cultivate your life - you are what you grow - inch by inch, row by row"
Diana Dyer, MS, RD
No comments:
Post a Comment