Farming is the life support system at the heart of any culture. As the basis of our world economy, "no other invention rivals farming for the magnitude of its consequence." (Ronald Wright's - A Short History of Progress)
Over the years, my appreciation for farmland and the families that produce our food has grown. I grew up, in a suburban bubble, disassociated with the lands that sustain us. In a desire to better understand such landscapes I moved to a rural community, one with a long agricultural heritage, but pressured by urban encroachment. Over the next three years, I observed first hand how fragile our connection with our farmlands. What seemed so apparently vital to the identity and economy of the community was slipping away and no one seemed to know why.
Perhaps you live in a rural community that is rapidly losing its agricultural roots. Or maybe you are trying to be more conscious of your food choices and you're looking for healthier foods that you can feel good about. Perhaps you just want to feel closer to the land that feeds you and your family. The clothes on your back, the food in your belly, the birds in your backyard, and the water in your rivers, are all dependent upon healthy, sustainable farmlands. We are dependant upon farming; but we have become increasingly disconnected.
This project strives to reconnect farmers, farming communities and the food they produce with you and I. Above all else, it asks a simple question.... "What are we doing as individuals, communities, farmers, states, and the nation to preserve and protect our farms and farmland?" This effort sets out to answer the question "What is Farmland Conservation?"
The Bike Tour
In October of 2005, I was inspired to ride my bike across the country. Little did I know that this compulsion would lead to the effort taking shape here. Over a lifetime of mini-discoveries regarding modern day agriculture, the value of quality food, and the relationships that mankind has with the land and with one another, agriculture has taken on an increased importance in my life. Through a turn of events most likely beyond my own influence, I have developed a strong interest in giving back to the people, landscape, and system that makes it possible for each one of us to find nourishment....and perhaps even meaning in our lives.
Beginning the first week of June, 2006 I will set out from Yorktown, VA and travel along the TransAmerica bicycle trail to Astoria, OR ...with the possibility of heading to San Francisco, CA. The entire trip is approximately 5,000 miles. As I travel I have identified over 50 small family farms along this route that I plan to visit and describe here on this website. I also plan to visit dozens of convential farms, farmers markets, agricultural land trusts, and other individuals actively involved in promoting and preserving agriculture.
During my visits I plan to record interviews with farmers about their communities, their challenges and innovations, their passion, and what they hope to see for their children's future on their land. I also hope to work a bit on their farms and gain a glimpse of how farming is changing from their perspective. These observations will be written into a series of short articles and submitted to local newspapers in the communities through which I travel (and in the Northeast Georgian, and on my travel blog)
My hope is to gain some personal insight in how different individuals, communities and states attempt (or neglect) to value and preserve their local farmers and farmlands. In the process I hope to promote and encourage a deeper contemplation of Farmland Conservation. What are the necessary ingredients to reconnect a community to the lands that sustain us? I look forward to collaborating with the hundreds of individuals who are already deeply involved in such efforts and telling their stories.
Thank you for your interest. I hope you enjoy this effort. If you have ideas or suggestions, opinions, or good sources of information on these topics, please contact me, or visit my Worth READING page which features a growing list of articles that have furthered my understanding on these issues.
Put a bubble over an urban center such as New York City or Atlanta,
and the city would quickly die without a connection to outside lands
that provide food, clothing, fresh air and clean water.
