01-28-2008, 04:14 PM
There seems to be a very lovely and pastoral community garden at the Catholic Church in Pahoa. I've always appreciated the sense of health and growth on those acres when I drive past. Frankly, I don't know enough about it.
I don't think there is any shortage of ag land - large parcel or small. There is a shortage of farmers... but they have been an abandoned and diminishing breed in America for the past 30 years or more.
I consider myself very fortunate to have a number of years under my belt on our family dairy farm in Connecticut. I learned a lot, did a lot and enjoyed most every minute.
Our family was mildly ridiculed for years for not following the dictates of the Department of Agriculture. Instead of converting to no-till, Roundup and cows that never left concrete we stuck with pasturing, manure and harrows. Late in the game there was one farm left on our mountain where there were once fifteen. The rest went bankrupt. Then the state decided that our farmland was worth preserving because of it's pristine "organic" quality. They gave us $500,000 for the development rights. So those acres will not be developed ever.
In a way I had to laugh. My grandparents didn't have the word organic in their vocabulary. They were just old school, off the boat, turn of the century farmers.
We may wish we had many more of them about.
I don't think there is any shortage of ag land - large parcel or small. There is a shortage of farmers... but they have been an abandoned and diminishing breed in America for the past 30 years or more.
I consider myself very fortunate to have a number of years under my belt on our family dairy farm in Connecticut. I learned a lot, did a lot and enjoyed most every minute.
Our family was mildly ridiculed for years for not following the dictates of the Department of Agriculture. Instead of converting to no-till, Roundup and cows that never left concrete we stuck with pasturing, manure and harrows. Late in the game there was one farm left on our mountain where there were once fifteen. The rest went bankrupt. Then the state decided that our farmland was worth preserving because of it's pristine "organic" quality. They gave us $500,000 for the development rights. So those acres will not be developed ever.
In a way I had to laugh. My grandparents didn't have the word organic in their vocabulary. They were just old school, off the boat, turn of the century farmers.
We may wish we had many more of them about.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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