MidAmerica Farm Publications


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573-547-2244 • FAX 573-547-5663 The MidAmerica


Farmer Grower


(ISSN 1040-1423) is published weekly by MidAmerica Farm Publications, Inc., 19 N. Main, Perryville, MO 63775. Periodical postage is paid at Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.


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Ways To Plant The Seed Of Hope On The Farm M


GALEN DODY CLINTON, MO.


ore than half of fam- ily farmers have a second job. It costs


more to farm now, and profit margins are thinner. Corporations own their own land, cows, hogs – and they own the pack- ing plant, making competition diffi- cult. The price of farmland has sky- rocketed. Farming is hard work, and it's hard to make a living at it. Some- times it's hard to plant that seed of hope on the farm. Why would any-


one want to devote their life to farming? Yet there are good reasons to hold on, and there are trends that suggest family farms are the future more than corpo- rate agriculture. Here are just a few trends to con- sider: 1. The world needs the


food that farmers provide now more than ever. By 2050, experts predict the population on the planet will reach 9 billion. Who will


feed these people?


Family farmers have the ex- pertise needed to provide that food. 2. Corporate agriculture


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MidAmerica Farmer Grower P.O. Box 323


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isn't sustainable. Big Ag is implicated in environmen- tal degradation with its role in deforestation and tearing up ecosystems for row after row of monoculture plant- ing, its enormous water and resource consumption, its pesticides and GMOs, and because it takes from local communities when it ships all its products out, lining its own pockets. Many are researching and experimenting to find a bet- ter path, and it all leads back to family farms, local- ism and traditional meth- ods. 3. Consumer demand is changing what


farmers


grow and how they grow it. A growing number of con- sumers are unhappy with what they're getting from Big Ag. When asked, the cite health and environ- mental concerns. People like to know their farmers, know where their food comes from, and they are shopping locally as much


as possible. So how can you benefit


from these trends on your family farm, keeping it "in the family?" Start with your kids when they're young. Encourage their curiosity


future. 2) Learn about Lean


Farming, getting the maxi- mum income from the min- imum product and energy expenditure. 3) Read these brothers'


5) Precision farming. Now


here's a place you might even be able to partner with Big Ag to grow more effi- ciently. Big Ag's money al- lowed them to develop technology, and some of that technology is available to you through subscrip- tion plans. Imagine if you could know exactly


which


fields, even which plants, need atten- tion – water or fer- tilizer. Imagine if you knew exactly the amount


quired, no waste. How much would that save for you? Family


farmers like running their


and desire to learn. En- courage their open-minded- ness and flexibility, their willingness to see how dif- ferent approaches


can


achieve the same result. Maybe today's best practice isn't tomorrow's. Most of all, respect their thoughts and input. They'll be your think tank when they get older! Consider these stories of


change, and view life on your farm through different lenses. If you're locked into an expensive cycle with Big Seed and pesticides, consider what others have done. Think of what you can save through waste re- duction. Consider no-till


farming


methods that are not only good for the


environment


but for labor time. Think about spe- cializing or growing up or growing in the winter in a northern area, things you can do with your farm to meet consumer needs that aren't being met. Consider becoming a leader in some aspect of sustainable farm- ing for the future, becoming eligible for grants: 1) Read Letters to a Young


Farmer from Stone Barns Center for Food and Agri- culture, a book which com- piles insight from some of the most influential farm- ers, writers, and leaders in the food system in an an- thology of essays and let- ters. Start thinking for the


story about changing over their farming system to agroforestry – “When Crazy Pays Off.” Then enjoy these additional articles about agroforestry, a sustainable method of farming, har- nessing the ecological bene- fits that trees provide: • “A Quiet Push to Grow


Crops Under Cover of Trees” • “Carbon Farming: Good


for the Climate, Farmers and Biodiversity” • “The Farm for Trees”


own business. They like growing things, having their hands in the soil. They like the feeling of fam- ily sharing across genera- tions, sharing work, values and the ground they live on and work. They like work- ing with their animals and living with nature. They like providing that most impor- tant and basic product for our survival on this planet, food. It's getting harder to hold


to that life, but there's a lot going on in the world of sustain- able


these days. There's never


a


agriculture been


greater need for the time-honored tech- niques of tional


tradi- family


farmers. A twenty- first century tune- up based on years of scientific re- search can make family farms the backbone of our country


once • “Cool Insights for a Hot


World: Trees and Forests Recycle Water” • “What We Need Are


Farms That Support Farm- ers, Consumers & the Envi- ronment” 4) How about growing for


a local market during the winter? People who want to shop locally would love to do it year-'round. That's hard in northern areas! Consider ways to specialize or reach more markets. Winter farming is one way. Or experiment on a smaller scale.


again. And younger farmers are urgently needed! So keep the hope, feel the


excitement, think local and sustainable, lean and effi- cient, open to new/old ideas, look toward the fu- ture with confidence that you're more important than ever, and nurture that seed of hope. For more ideas about


family farming, please con- tact us.


∆ GALEN DODY: AgriLegacy


“Keeping the Farm in the Family www.agrilegacy.com


re-


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor are requested and encouraged. Please include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters should be sent to: Editor, MidAmerica Farmer Grower, P.O. Box 323, Perryville, MO 63775; faxed to 573-547-5663 or e-mailed to editor@mafg.net. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.


4• MidAmerica Farmer Grower www.mafg.net / July 17, 2020


ARTICLE REPRINTS For reprints of an article, copies of past issues or to obtain permission to reproduce material from MidAmerica Farmer Grower, call 573-547-2244 or email publisher@mafg.net


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