Table Talk

As a woman of the farm, I’ve cleaned up needed a high-pressure hose and an exor- clean up, there is one mess I don’t even mind hapmy share of messes. cism before they were brought into the pening … and that’s the mess of wrapping paper No matter who is running the farming operation, be it known there are plenty of messes which need to be tended to — inside and outside of the house. I can’t even count the number of times I have stepped into the mud room in our basement and been confounded by the manure-covered farm fashion accessory tornado I had apparently missed. TABLE TALK By Karen Schwaller house. There are sick days that necessitate the washing of sheets, clothing and carpets (which may have at least appeared clean beforehand). There are canning days after which the top of the stove needs a hammer and chisel; corn shucks, mud and snakes to sweep out of the garage; basements to dry out after the washing machine breaks or the access and all the gift trimmings on the floor on Christmas Eve/morning. It’s brilliant with color, pregnant with joy and anticipation, sprinkled with wonder and laughter, and founded in the love of people we never even knew from generations before us, who are the reason for today’s room full of people who are all connected to each other in one way or another. Some messes are worth cleaning up, if only because they mean we have a family to love, and who loves us. It’s the greatest gift — and the great-

I have yet to hear of a room in a farm plug to the sewer pipe blows (don’t ask est mess — of all. house officially titled on house plans, “the manure room.” After all, on a livestock farm, that’s mostly what’s in there, isn’t it? how I know that). There’s the degreasing of clothing, hands and towels, and sometimes even the messy job of untangling family members who have gotten But I’ll still give you five bucks if you swear that dent in the shed door wasn’t my doing. Those from a generation or two before us on the farm might even think differently about what actually constitutes a mess. My husband tells of a time into a spat they can’t seem to solve on their own. But with all of the different messes there are to Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v when his grandparents were visiting, and during that time he and his sister had paid a visit to the Letters to the editor are always welcome.local taco venue and brought their delights home to devour. As they were opening them up to add more heat to them, his grandfather just blurted out what Send your letters to: Editor, The Land, 418 South Second St., Mankato, MN 56001 e-mail: editor@thelandonline.com he was thinking as he laid his eyes upon the prized All letters must be signed and accompanied by a phone number (not for publication) to verify authenticity. taco filling that was so highly anticipated by my husband and his sister. “I’ve cleaned up better looking messes than that,” Killing the planet? We’re killing ourselveshe uttered. Outside, there are messes in the barn from the nature calls of all those animals living there; messes from birthing or even when someone left the hydrant running during chores. Will farmers take land out of production in the name of sustainability in spite of the sirens’ call of $15 soybeans? Is the USDA turning a deaf ear to warnings of low grain carry-overs and even possible LAND MINDS, from pg. 2 Americans are the planet’s champion consumers. A 2018 article in Business Insider by Andrew D. Hwang states the average American uses about 9.7 hectares. This data suggests the Earth can support at most one-fifth of the present population, 1.5 bil-

If my husband asks you if I did that last week, I’ll shortages in 2022? lion people, at an American standard of living. give you five bucks to say I didn’t. “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is “The Earth supports industrialized standards of

There are hog buildings and semi trailers to engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat living only because we are drawing down the ‘savpower wash, snow to move and messes that weasels the climate crisis and conserve and protect our ings account’ of non-renewable resources, including and rats can seem to generate just by their very nation’s lands, biodiversity, and natural resources fertile topsoil, drinkable water, forests, fisheries and presence. including our soil, air and water,” The April 21 petroleum,” Hwang said.

There are oil spills on the shop floor, fuel run- announcement stated. “Through conservation prac- It took 127 years for the world population to douovers now and then, glass to pick up from tractor tices and partnerships, USDA aims to enhance eco- ble from one billion to two. By contrast, it took only windows that break, tools following a major equip- nomic growth and create new streams of income for 47 years, from 1927 to 1974, to double from two bilment overhaul, paint cans that fall off of a project farmers, ranchers, producers and private foresters. lion to four. Since 1960, world population has grown and end up coloring the floor, bales that break open Successfully meeting these challenges will require by about one billion every 13 years. when they fall off of the bale elevator, piles of grain on the ground from a cart operator who hit the wrong button in the dark (once again, there’s five bucks in it if you swear that I’ve never done that to my husband or anyone helping us…); and sometimes there is a marriage to clean up when husbands and wives work together, hours are long and tempers and patience run short. And even with all the stress that comes from those things, it’s no less stressful in the house. If you had ever stepped into our basement and seen the laundry piles down there when our family was growing up, you would know what liquid was really in the stain remover bottle. There were piles of ‘regular’ dirty work clothes for farm, school and office jobs; filthy hog farm work clothes; and clothes that USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including state, local, and tribal governments.” Sounds about right. Carbon footprints, an increase in extreme weather events, melting ice fields and safe supplies of potable water all lead me to a question I don’t hear asked very often: Can the planet Earth sustain 8 billion people? Scholars have discussed this topic with (again) a wide spectrum of opinions. A United Nations report from 2012 stated Earth can easily sustain about 2 billion people. More recent studies have that number at 8 billion, providing those 8 billion are judicious in their use of resources. Environmental experts are quick to say we are killing our planet. I don’t believe this is so. Yes, I believe we are harming our planet — perhaps irreparable harm. But Earth will survive. It’s the human race that’s going to take the pounding. And it’s going to make Covid-19 look like a trip to the dentist. We can enjoy our avocados and Florida vacations; but Earth will have its day. Paul Malchow is the managing editor of The Land. He may be reached at editor@TheLandOnline.com. The views expressed in this column are not necessarily the opinion or policy of The Land. v