In October I had the opportunity to attend a beginning farmer ’s conference in Frankfort , Ky. The coming together began too soon on a Saturday morning , and when I get in shortly after sunrise , the parking lot was already filled to the brim with vehicle of eager to - be farmers ready to learn and long - metre veteran farmers uncoerced to partake in from their years of experience on the farm .
Although the backcloth was a serene university research farm in the middle of Central Kentucky , the day was full of indoor sessions devoted to the business enterprise side of farming with issue such as right disk keeping , ground - access issues and available chapiter opportunities for new Fannie Merritt Farmer . Community farmers were on hand to discuss the benefit and drawback of selling crops via retail versus wholesale or what it actually be to raise grassfed livestock these days . purchaser were also there to internet and associate with those whose goal are to deal produce or meat one day to community of interests markets and restaurants .
As the sessions continue through the morning , interspersed with a home - grown meal and networking , I kept thinking what a corking opportunity this was for beginning Farmer to find out about husbandry from those who have done it and eff it , and perhaps most importantly , love it . After all , the average age of Farmer is 57 years old , as one speaker pointed out , and over the next decade half of the farming population will retire to be replaced by beginners .
That means there is a with child need for noesis share-out in the farming biotic community now more than ever , particularly for those who did n’t grow up on a farm like their parent or grandparents did , and for those who woolgather to turn their hobby into a self - supporting farm operation , but do n’t feel equipped yet with the correct amount of know - how to make it happen . Experienced farmers have a huge role to play in sustaining land for tomorrow and I was happy to see them take on this challenge . What I learned most from the conference verbaliser is that farming is not about know everything there is to know before you start — it really is a game of trial and error — but as long as you ’re seeking to read and have a design , then you ’re off to a good start .
The good news is that you do n’t have to look for a league to harvest knowledge from your community of interests farmers or , on the other bridge player , await to be invite to speak at a formal meeting to share your ideas and hard - ascertain experiences with fledgling . There are mickle of informal opportunities all around us , from chatting up the vendor at our local farmers ’ market to stopping on the path home to babble out to the granger who sells tomato plant at the end of his driveway . I ’ve always learned that multitude who are passionate about what they do are always eager to share their peak and advice and maybe even a secret or two .
As the writer and politician Jean - Nicolas Bouilly pen , “ Whatever we possess becomes of double note value when we have the chance to share it with others , ” and this does n’t just mean intellectual nourishment , shelter or textile possessions , but our time and noesis , as well .
opine about the manner you ’ve learned about farming over the age . Was it from a kinsfolk phallus , from magazines or in your 4 - H club ? Now , call back of how you partake your farming knowledge on a daily groundwork . Have you shown your children the right manner tomilk a cow , or has your bent for math allowed you to teach a family fellow member the more mundane chore of keeping farm records in order ? No while of advice or instruction is too little — it will live on from one generation to another .
When I think back to the beginning husbandman ’s conference , I was impressed by the knowledge - thirsty young multitude with eager hired man raised to ask the next question from the speaker , and equally impressed by the more experienced farmers who were ready and willing to severalise things like they are — that part out wo n’t be easy , that flunk will sure happen , but that achiever does follow with persistence . And beyond than that — apportion advice on how we can avoid the fault they made so we do n’t have to read the punishing way every undivided time .
Today countenance ’s retrieve of what we have to share with others or what we need to learn to maintain farming for future generation .
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