Huh? You’re a farmer?
That’s the question that I get asked at least once a week by people that I meet, by colleges at work and vendors or suppliers, and even by my family. It’s something that leads to good conversation and a chance to explain some of the things that are broken with the large-scale conventional food system.
I think that most people are shocked by the fact that I’m a farmer because I’m not the type of person that people imagine when they paint their mental picture of a farmer; I’m college educated and I have a tech job where I manage software developers.
“Farming is hard. That’s what those old guys do, those rednecks. Besides, there’s no money in farming.” So why farm?
Like most complex questions, the answer is often quite simple. I wanted my girls to have a different life than most of the people live. I wanted them to be responsible for themselves and for others, and to know how to do things for themselves. I wanted them to be able to run and play outside without worrying if they’re playing too close to the busy street. I wanted them to have animals, and to know where their food comes from. I wanted them to have “real” food.
That’s why I farm. But it’s not just me that farms, it’s my whole family and I couldn’t do it without the help of my wife and kids. More accurately, I wouldn’t want to do it without them.