Articles in From the Fields
Note from Zach: I have wanted to publish a blog about the slaughter of an animal for a long time. It is something that, as a lifelong urbanite, I have always been curious about. That …
Of course being so far from the farm I had no idea what was really going out there so I assumed the worst. I gave my dad every possible scenario over the phone – watch for coughing, watch for goats separating themselves from the herd, etc – etc.
Last December I went totally nuts and bought a herd of 9 pregnant goats in hopes of starting a dairy farm. The babies were due in March so we had plenty of time to prepare for them. No critters had been raised on our family farm in many years which meant all the sheds and fences were either in disrepair or non-existent. We were starting with a blank slate; which we initially saw as a good, but soon found out had some serious downsides as well.
However, social media is an excellent way of interacting and meeting new costumers without having to leave the farm. Social Media has enabled farmers to reach their customers, interact with them, answer questions and provoke discussions without having to drive to the city.
On this particular visit, my friend, in her labored English, told me about her father’s role in the local forest. From her description of his duties and responsibilities, I automatically imagined him to be a Forest Ranger. As she continued to explain, I then understood he was not a Forest Ranger, but rather, a “steward of the land.” He and other villagers cared for the forest. They cull the sick and injured animals. They keep stock of the predator/prey balance and act accordingly. They put out food when natural conditions did not provide enough. They raise pheasants and other fowl on communal land and release them into the forest when they are certain of the bird’s survival.
A beautiful pastoral look at one NYC woman’s quest to save her family farm by turning it into an organic CSA farm.
Imagine the heartbreak and shame that accompanies being a member of the generation that finally loses the farm to the bank. Generations before have struggled to hold on and you’re the one who finally screws it up for everyone. I am sure that is exactly what goes through the head of the man who has to tell his wife and children that they’re moving away, next week!
