Where do I begin?
Where do I begin to heal the damages I’ve done, to the natural resources I must have to live? It starts between the ears. A decision to do things differently. Finding a mentor who is doing it differently. And learn. Old traditions and habits really do die hard, and when one has been in a generations-old agrarian family, the fight often involves heated discussions with older members of that family. One really does have to prove that use-and-care of the soil, water and air, are even more vital than making a dollar.
If what I’m hearing around me is true, then profitability on a conventional farm is very difficult right now. Effective marketing has convinced farmers that they need bigger and better equipment to make a profit. They need this new fertilizer to make a profit. They need these “icides” to make a profit. Yet all I see is lots of dollars going out of the bank account, in payments and insurance and product. When does the merry-go-round just stop? No more equipment. In fact, you can sell most of it. No more high-priced fertilizers. Instead, take time to observe the land, and its response to natural forces. Weeds are not your enemy! They’re Nature’s way of healing damages done, and there’s plenty of great evidence of that, if you’ll just look.
Nature is the best educator on how to care for these resources we can’t live without, and there are many gardeners, farmers, and ranchers who hit the proverbial wall, and were forced to observe and learn from Nature. If you need some names, let me know!
The Tennessee Dirtgirl
