Friday, January 18, 2013

Why I Farm


I've been thinking a lot lately about why my husband and I have returned to the farm. Why we've been drawn to this lifestyle and why a passion for this way of life grows stronger every day. Sometimes every minute. I believe I've come to a conclusion. It is the way we were originally intended to live. When God put Adam and Eve in the garden and gave them charge over His creation, He made them in essence, farmers.  

 And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
(Genesis 1:28-30 ESV)


We are still charged as believers to be good stewards of what we've been given. Whether it is a farm, family, wealth, power, influence, and etc. There are many ways to live this out. Does it mean that every believer needs to become a farmer? Of course not. Each of us needs to be tender to the will of God and His plan for our lives. However, we do all need to eat.

My husband and I are very thankful for this place we've been given. It is an answer to prayer. We've wanted to return to farming since we got married and now have an opportunity to teach our kids the importance of this lifestyle.

There is a bumper sticker that I absolutely love every time I see it.


It's true right? I mean, if I didn't grow my food, someone else did. If there weren't people out there who dedicated their lives to growing produce and raising animals, we wouldn't eat. Simple concept really.

Two nights ago my hubby and I watched a movie that greatly inspired us to continue to pursue this passion of ours. It confirmed our beliefs that if we want to eat healthy food, we need to be active in where we buy our food or take the initiative to grow and raise our own. We've opted for the latter. Sure, for the time being we are buying our food, but we are hopeful to be able to grow and raise most of the food we eat. I imagine that first meal will taste fantastic.

                                                      

If you feel like being inspired, I suggest you get this movie and watch it. It's wonderful and eye opening.

Currently, we get our milk from a local dairy and our eggs from some friends who have chickens. I buy our produce from a local organic small grocery store, and I'll be buying our meat from a local butcher. Our animals are not ready for butcher as of yet, and our garden will be planted in a few months. Chicks will be here in a few weeks and we are very excited about their arrival. My kids can't wait to care for the little fuzzy bundles of cuteness. And I'll be there with my camera ready.

Are you wanting to be more active about feeding yourself and your family? Well, you surely don't need to live on a farm to do so. If you have a backyard and your local laws allow for it, you can raise chickens and rabbits very easily in a small space. You can grow a garden if you have a lawn or build some raised beds. If you live in an apartment you can grow in pots and window sill planters. Anything you can do will be a great start. And who knows, maybe you'll start an herb garden in your windowsill tomorrow and find yourself planting a vegetable garden in a neighbors yard, or even at your own farm a year from now. Who knows? Baby steps are all that's needed. Baby steps.

I farm because I love this way of life. I farm because I want to feed my family well and know where my food comes from. I farm because I can. 

How about you?

I shared this post on Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday.

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