RANTS, stink bombs &c bouquets

摘要

Fifteen years ago I penned these thoughts below, buried in a less than successful essay and published on the pages of the Small Farmer's Journal. Looking for something else entirely, I found myself stopped and readingwondering how it could be that, though so long ago, these observations, cautions and critiques still seem entirely applicable today? Fifteen years ago was at the beginning of this new century, and it has brought us myriad changes. But as concerns farming, aside from genetic engineering and the surgical advances of chemical warfare in agriculture, little has changed politically. You might argue that organics have hit mainstream and that young people are returning in volume to the garden 'notion' of farming. You might also observe that interesting new technological advances are being wrought for an advanced appropriate technology approach to farming. Though true to varying degrees, these things and more do not negate the underlying societal problems which continue to make of good farming a risky business at best.Hope you'll forgive an old man his natural inclination to argue with himself in this fashion. What is italicized is 15 years past, what is not are my arguments of today with self.