The Accidental Agrarian

Elsewhere, I have written:

Will this decade see the end of Agrarian Farming? Certainly I am not the only writer, farmer, eater-of-things-grown to pose this question in the past 20, 30, or 40 years, but for some reason this year, at this time, it seems like the cards are stacked against the small farmer and market gardener in a way like never before.

In order to have nutritious, wholesome foods with a low carbon imprint, from as close to their source as possible for both freshness, and flavor we must see a resurgence of a local, agrarianism which has long been under the heel of the Agri-Industrial complex. At a time when ���local���, ���Seasonal���, and ���Sustainable��� are the current buzz words there seems to be a tide of opposition to these movements both in the industrial food sector, and by very partnership, the government.

At a time of economic uncertainty, peak oil, climate change, and changing political structures we should be doing everything in our power to make sure that local access to wholesome, safe, affordable foods is as easy as possible. Not only individual citizens, but the governments which are meant to represent them. Yet time and time again the opposite is true. The local governmental barriers to Farmers’ Markets, Farm Shops, and Roadside stands in some places are insurmountable.

In addition, the lack of local slaughterhouses, the ban of on-farm slaughter, and laws against farm produced poultry, eggs and Raw Milk prevent educated consumers from making self-directed choices. In a sense we have a corporate imposed Feudalism where we, the serfs, have been offered a deal we can’t refuse–employment within the corporate culture, the myth of protection from all the harmful things the Agri-industrial complex thinks we should fear, and an ever growing amount of regulation which is meant to keep us in place and fearful of our overlords.

Those of us who dare raise food for ourselves or others risk incurring the wrath of our Feudal lords–Big Ag–who want to control every minute detail of what people eat. Step out of line and both the law–real or made up–and the power of economic forces will be brought down upon you. Some farmers have signed pacts with the Agri-industrial complex and are no better than serfs of old. Others of us have the illusion of freedom as we go about our lives, but in reality we are bound by a structure we cannot see. We work, we pay taxes, we enjoy what little free time we can. We are indebted–literally–to corporate culture and few of us see how binding this is. We are peasants. Serfs. Slaves. But unlike the mediaeval peasant who could raise crops to pay his taxes, and who could earn his freedom we have little choice. We must work for a wage, money, which at the moment is loosing value faster than a rotten potato. Farmers who work hard to grow nourishment must over-produce to get the devalued cash to pay bills, taxes, rents, and buy food for their family. Honestly this is a far worse deal than working three or four days for a master and having a day or two to produce your own necessities. At least the mediaeval serf was given true protection, a house and some land for his worries. True he had to ask permission to do anything, including harvest his own crops or shear his own sheep, but isn’t this what permits, fees, licenses are today. Merely the illusion of freedom and not any actual freedom itself?

If we are to be free of the burdens of the Agri-Industrial Complex, free of�� overly burdensome corporate and governmental regulations–the most of which have been created so bureaucrats have something to do–we need to shed this illusion of freedom. We need to end the thinking that the government will protect us from every little thing. We need to regain a sense of self-worth and of personal responsibility. We need to work for ourselves, our families and our communities. Work in ways which keep money locally for sustained development of where we live and for future generations. We need to realize the post-industrial revolution era needs to be similar to the pre-industrial revolution era–one of agrarian values and commerce.

No, I am not calling for a return to the technologies of the 18th century. At least, not wholly. . . . And, I think there was a time during the 19th century where the agrarian and the industrial co-existed quite happily, but the entrepreneurial greed of industrialism soon overpowered its quieter country cousin and won the day. Surely we can regain that balance where technology and the advances of the future are tempered and held in balance by working within the limitations and blessings of nature. Where a head of cabbage, a dozen of eggs, a quart of milk have a relative value and are held on par with white collar services.

This may seem utopian of me and profoundly far-fetched, but better this than the flip side of the coin–a world where greed and consumption have used up every available resource. Where soil is depleted, water is contaminated, air is unbreathable and the specter of famine is not isolated but globally known. Where profiteering and war have left behind a wasteland and all the advances of technology and the best of industry is bastardized and useless because humanity, through sickness, malnutrition, and chemical imbalance has regressed to a society of slovenly dullards.

We can forge another way. By supporting local agricultural systems. By buying locally, by growing our own foods or learning how and where our food comes from and by reducing fossil fuel depletion. By keeping money and resources within our communities, ending the hemorrhaging of jobs, industries and finances. This isn’t the easy, comfortable illusion we have been tricked into living. This is a new reality. One we are much better off getting used to and living.

Technorati Tags: agrarianism, farming, peak oil, climate change, sustainabiltiy, serfs, feudalism, enslavement, over regulation

Tags:

This entry was posted by Podchef on Friday, January 23rd, 2009 at 7:53 pm and is filed under Commentary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.