Goodbye to another family farm from a distance

As I write this we are in the process of losing another family farm. I say
that because the sale is going on right now. When it is over only memories
of those years will be left. Does this sadden me? You ;bet it does because
there is one less family farm; one less farmer who knows and loves the land;
one less farmer who cares about the product that he grows or raises; and one
more link to this life lost forever.

As someone who grew up in the city, I do appreciate the farmer and what he
contributes to the economy as well as the food chain. To paraphrase one
song by Dan Reilly, food doesn't grow on supermarket shelves. Now we will
see some good land carved up and sold in quarter acre lots which is not
something I want to see.

What will replace the family farm? You guessed it, the big corporate farm
where they know about making money but know nothing about the land or
nature. They also don't care about putting out a good product and probably
use more chemicals than necessary. Are we better for it? I don't think so.

You might ask about the from a distance part of this title. That is
mentioned because I am watching this sale from a distance as I am not there
directly. I am told that not many women attend these things; and I guess I
can see why. Most of the items being sold relate to the equipment and
machinery which is usually the man's area in a farm family. This is why
mostly men are involved in these sales. A woman would be vastly outnumbered
at one of these things.

My only solace is that at least my husband's parents are going out on their
terms. They are both in good health and able, I hope, to enjoy the years
ahead of them. Maybe now they will be able to do some of the things they
have wanted to do, such as traveling, now that they don't have to worry
about the farm. For once, they don't have to worry about whether we will
get enough rain, whether it will be too hot or any of the other worries that
come with farming. They were in it for 35 years and now it's their turn to
enjoy the fruits of their hard work.

I say with some bitter sweetness, goodbye to another family farm from a
distance.