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www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 18/SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
Parenting the world really is a big deal This past spring, farmers everywhere every year with no exceptions — unconwent to work planting the nation’s next ditionally. Even if they have to sacrifice. crop. When some in the world family roll That doesn’t even sound like a big deal their eyes and say what they do is to most people. It happens every year. unjust, farmers imagine that family with no food, fiber or fuel, and they dig their But the big deal is, in the coronavirus heels in and maintain the courage of days, grain producers forked out money their convictions. They have to remain they didn’t have to put in a crop they strong and united. knew would give them no return on their TABLE TALK investment. No return on investment When farmers feel unappreciated means no guarantee that they can stay in By Karen Schwaller because they see high prices for meat in business. the meat case, but only receive pennies per pound for that same meat, they often Other industry and commerce venues carry that feeling alone. But they keep producing depend on agricultural products to keep them going, grain to feed the animals which feed the world, and with businesses shut down and the ag economy because they see the bigger picture — the world on its knees due to anorexic grain and livestock family needs what they do. markets related to the coronavirus, it’s hard to know when or how it will end. During tough years like coronavirus years, farmers as much as receive no payment for the imporAgriculture parallels parenting in many ways. So tant work they do in being caretakers for the world much depends on agriculture — just as children depend on parents to keep them safe, warm and fed. family. Some of the most important work in the world is done by volunteers — which is how farmers Following are the top ten ways that the role of often feel. farmers compares to the role of parenting, as we They sometimes would like to tell the world famiimagine our nation’s farmers being parents and ly those famous words that farm mothers have said caretakers of the world: for generations: that, in the larger sense, “…..if you Farmers give abundantly to everyone in their don’t like it, supper’s over.” Trouble is, supper could world family — even to people who don’t necessarily be over for a long, long time. appreciate it. And even if they don’t have the money Just as parents keep the family going, farmers to give it. keep so many other people going in business, supEven when their world family doesn’t appreciate plying the basic needs of the production manufacwhat they give, they still plan on giving it every day, turing arena. In some way or another, most products
have roots that take them back to the farm. Farmers give to the world without expecting thanks or appreciation for all the work it took to get that box of cereal, those eggs, that glass of milk or orange juice, that hamburger, that pork chop or that chicken nugget meal to their tables. Farmers are so busy working that sometimes they don’t take the time they should to sit down, so to speak, and answer the many questions of their world family. And so the world family continues to tap them on the shoulder or tug on their shirt tails and ask questions. But they don’t always like the honest answers. Farmers embrace their world family — with all of their differences, similarities, flaws and imperfections; because theirs are the faces behind the reason they do this in the first place. There would be no other reason to withstand all the roller coaster emotions of farming if it were not for the world family who needs what they do. Some famous scholar in history once said, “When there is much food, there are many problems. When there is no food, there is only one problem.” We can apply that same thinking to families and parenting. Let’s all turn up the volume on appreciating our world parents — our farmers — and encourage them in their labors. Because what they do really is a big deal. Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v
Country cooks have ‘no worries’ when satisfying appetites FARMHOUSE KITCHEN, from pg. 5
before it. They have fresh fruits and vegetables by simply stepping into the garden. Then too, ning meal was needed; but the meal had already creamy milk, good butter, meat and poultry can been prepared. all be had right there on the farm.” One person wrote she has known of women The city woman also often found that when she whose health suffered from preparing so much phoned in her grocery order, she got so many food in stifling, non-air conditioned kitchens over inferior products or was short-weighted, she went a very hot wood stove. She thought the men to doing her own marketing. Which meant changshould spend a few days in the kitchen to know ing from a house dress to a street dress, walking what it was really like. one and a fourth mile to possibly wait in line at Others felt it was privilege to send the threshthe market to make her purchases before walking crew with a full stomach and that the men ing back home with a heavy basket, according to Photos by Renae B. Vander Schaaf had labored in hot, dusty fields. After all, in the article. Okra blossoms (left) are not just limited to good looks, while a 1920, would most of the threshing crew have All these women have legitimate opinions and tray of colorful tomatoes awaits processing. walked home? concerns, and I do find them interesting. It will The other debate was whether city or farm women in a short time everything is delivered to her back sure give me something to think about as I’m laborhad it easier. The farm wife had to prepare 1,095 door.” ing over my not-so-hot stove in my air-conditioned good, nutritional meals a year for hearty appetites. There’s another side to story, according to the city house. All the while thankful that storms, locusts They worked hard — thus needing plenty of food for woman. “Cooking three meals a day for 365 days a and pestilence have avoided my garden thus far this fuel. year. year would not be one-fourth the trouble if I didn’t “City women have it ‘easy’,” one woman wrote. “No have to pamper the appetites of my family. But it’s Renae B. Vander Schaaf is an independent writer, cows to milk, no churning, no vegetables to gather, no wonder! Here we are cooped up without fresh air, author and speaker. Contact her at (605) 530-0017 no poultry to care for, no chickens to run down, sunshine or exercise. My country sister has no wor- or agripen@live.com. v dress, etc. She just steps down to the telephone and ries, for her family will eat any wholesome food set
