As I was outside last night, checking over the animals, filling water buckets, hay nets and feeders I had a hard time remembering why I was doing all of this. My mind was to busy wondering if I would get that good job I had applied for. One that would end up taking me off the Homestead and would land me smack dab back in the middle of Southern Ontario. A job that would be enough to pay the mortgage to keep my land. It would take me off the land but at least I might have a chance to keep the land. Then to Plan B, what other jobs could I find around Hainesville that would make me enough money to keep the animals fed and roof over my head.
That endless struggle between the economic reality of farming and the sustainable ability to feed our selves and community's. As I tried to forget all of that and focus on enjoying my animals and how truly blessed I am, the people that love me, the things I have done, and the good work yet to be done. Two comments from people that know far more about farming and the reality of life for large and small farmers kept nagging at me.
One from a farmer who has been on the land since he was born and his family for generations before that. What he said sent shivers down my spine and should scare the crap out of anyone that is smart enough to eat and think. Farming is dying all over and its dead in this Province. The other came second hand from a friend just back from the local Feed Mill, the guy that custom mixes grain for us put it very simple "There are no farmers left"
Its no wonder there are no farmers left and farming as career are seen as a dead end job. When most farmers I know have to work off farm just to keep their animals fed and to pay for seed to grow your food.
We would never ask or expect Doctors, Firefighters or Paramedics to work second and third jobs so they could continue to provide their essential services for us.
Why should Farmers be treated so differently? Why isn't Farming an "Essential Service"
Think about that next you enjoying the "Fruits of our labour"
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It's really shocking that so much is at risk. As an employment counselor I've never had someone come in and say "I want to be a farmer, how do I get started?"
ReplyDeleteI've always assumed that farmers do well if the weather conditions are good, and they struggle if the weather is bad. I've never given it more thought, and certainly I can't imagine that the general population has any knowledge of the issues farmers face.
So what is being done to encourage more people to farming? People would be crazy to get into this field, unless they were independently wealthy and didn't care if they were able to break even, let alone profit.
Does our provincial or federal government offer subsidies to farmers? And is it enough money for the farmers so that they can support themselves?
It seems to me that our government should be offering incentives to get new people into this essential service and to provide training when needed. More support needs to be given to encourage a new generation of farmers and for the farmers we have to keep them working to keep food on everyone's table.
This sounds so much like a documentary I watched a couple of weeks ago called "The Real Dirt on Farmer John". He was an eccentric farmer that struggled to keep his land. He ended up selling most of it and finally in the end he built up a prosperous CSA off of what was remaining of his land, with his mother's encouragement.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that farmers can't keep their head above water.