Posted on 12/31/2016 12:13:42 PM PST by T-Bird45
Eighteen years ago, on New Year's Eve, David Fisher visited an old farm in western Massachusetts, near the small town of Conway. No one was farming there at the time, and that's what had drawn Fisher to the place. He was scouting for farmland.
"I remember walking out [to the fallow fields] at some point," Fisher recalls. "And in the moonlight – it was all snowy – it was like a blank canvas."
On that blank canvas, Fisher's mind painted a picture of what could be there alongside the South River. He could see horses tilling the land – no tractors, no big machinery – and vegetable fields, and children running around.
This is David Fisher's American Dream. It may not be the conventional American Dream of upward economic mobility. But dreams like his have a long tradition in this country. Think of the Puritans and the Shakers and the Amish. These American dreams are the uncompromising pursuit of a difficult ideal.
The scene that David Fisher imagined, on the New Year's Eve almost two decades ago, has turned into reality. It's called Natural Roots Farm.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
He’ll be “AGW’d” out of that before too long with the Atlantic rising about 1,000 feet or so when Iceland melts. ;-)
He went from Jefferson's America back to Hamilton's America.
I wish him and his family well!
“The industriousness of the American farmer....” —Oliver Wendell Douglas
He was so right.
Where does that music come from?
I’ve dreamed of doing this for a long, long time. I’ve never had the skills or knowledge and now I’m old. So, for me, it was always just a pipe-dream. My hat is off to this guy for really doing it.
I note in the photos that there are no fat people in his family — they are all lean from hard work. Just like in 19th century farming pictures. It’s a rough life, but it’s got to be better than modern cubicle life. I believe our society took a wrong turn and I believe that our country would be better off if “government charity” were almost completely replaced by signs that said “The empty farm land is over here”.
It’s his life. He and his family rejoice every day. How many of us can say the same?
Western Massachusetts by & large, especially in the rural areas, is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Amazing small towns like Stockbridge & Lenox.
That’s what the Soviets would do as well.
Problem is there isnt much empty farm land anymore. Especially in warmer areas
You’re competing over good land with factory farms and developers nowadays
I was not being sarcastic. I am glad that someone has found happiness. The world would not be as screwed up as it is if more people were like him and his family.
Read this a long time ago.
https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Acres-Enough-Classic-Independent/dp/048643737X
Great read.
This guy is living that life but it’s very difficult to do anymore.
We don’t have any information on how many acres Fischer has to farm but the story seems just that; a story. Farming with horses is an expensive operation; it was back in the day and still is. We don’t know how many children Fischer has but there was a reason for old time farm families having 6-10 or more children; farm hands. Without some other income source or growing marijuana, Fischer can’t earn a living on his small farm. Dreams are fine but they have to have a fabric of reality to hold them together.
True; and maybe I'm not smart enough on the economics, but I don't see the Farming Life as something that needs to be part of the competitive marketplace in all cases.
Rather than mail checks to poor people, I think the government should consider purchasing or using, or deregulating some of our vast land resources.
I think poor people should be told: If you like Baltimore, you can stay in Baltimore: but the checks have stopped coming.
If people want to move from Baltimore to Nebraska and farm, they will receive some initial help.
Subsistence level farming -- why not? They don't have to produce sufficient alfalfa to compete with Archer Daniels Midland. All they need to do is to produce enough food and fuel to keep themselves alive. Perhaps government cheese, milk and beans can supplement what they grow in their garden.
Work or Starve -- I'm all for it.
It's not about expanding our national agricultural output -- it's about decreasing the drain on society which is created by a parasitic class of poor people.
And -- hell YES -- a lot of people would really relish the opportunity to live this sort of life. Many decent hipsters would love to farm and produce craft beer, hard cider, artisan cheeses, or whatever. The government could change laws and make this a life which is viable for a lot of people. Nothing wrong with it.
I agree. And making a living selling produce, or apples, or milk, or goat cheese, or whatever, and squeaking by, is not a big thing at all. Farmers’ markets are all over the place.
A tractor can do ten times what those horses do for less cost. Extremely inefficient way to farm. NPR is just loves hippies.
Happy Trump Year
Neat story of a hard-working man and his family building up a business that neighbors visit frequently.
I am very familiar with that area, regularly riding the motorcycle through the town of Conway and often up the road his farm is on, which BTW isn’t far from Cosby’s place. It’s nice country with generally good people and great for riding/touring. If you’re ever in Conway, stop in at Bakers Store and say hi to Helen.
****I note in the photos that there are no fat people in his family — they are all lean from hard work. Just like in 19th century farming pictures.***
Farm laborers on mother’s side. Farm owners on father’s. Farming never leaves your heart. Mother’s siblings all lived into their 90’s - probably due to good physical activity and natural food.
When my father died, my mother left the farm but was compelled to keep some livestock in her backyard - rabbits, small chickens (pullets) and crops -tended a large vegetable garden - it was in her blood.
Fine. Let them go to Amish country, and learn the ropes there. I’m sure they’d find them good neighbors.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.