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Farmland Gives Us More Than Food and Fiber
| It’s
hard to believe that it has been almost thirty years since I came to Clark
County as the 4-H Agent. With that many years under my belt, it should
surprise no one that I’m a grandpa. My three year old granddaughter,
Kayla, came to visit us for a month from El Paso, Texas. Needless
to say, the farm is a foreign term to her. In fact, green grass and
crops were a different landscape for someone from El Paso. But on Flora brook and Woodlawn Farms, Kayla began her education on where her food comes from. She loved to bottle feed the baby calf, Little Orphan Danny, and watch and listen to Greg Kaffenbarger’s fair pigs in the red barn. More than food, Kayla began to realize that farms provide other things for her enjoyment such as wildlife, streams, woods, green open space, and quiet tranquility as she listened for the bullfrogs. To her, the farm was great recreation and education. Educating the public about the value of farmers and farmland is not limited to three year-olds. Recently my son had his car stolen at The Ohio State University. He said to me, “Dad, I have to go to the National Guard for two weeks in Michigan, so can you find me a cheap, great running car?” I found one in a sub division in West Carrollton from a 60 year old man with four college graduates. When I gave him a check and my business card to hold it till I returned with the cash, he looked at the card and said, “I know absolutely nothing about agriculture.” This is the sad situation that exists today when farmers try to enlist the public to help on farm issues and legislation. Farmers and Farmland are important because what they produce sustains our very existence. One in the right climate could survive without clothing, housing, or cell phones. No one exists without food and water. Farmland provides more than food and fiber. When sprawling urban areas overtake farmland, more than cropland is sacrificed to development. Communities lose a resource that not only produces food and fiber, but also can provide open space, riparian areas that filter and clean the earth’s waters, wildlife habitat, bird migration corridors, recreational opportunities like Young’s Jersey Dairy and much, much more. Most people on the weekend don’t say, “Let’s take a drive in the city!” They prefer the country to view the majestic landscapes of green, big magnificent red or white barns, and cattle grazing on a hillside. Our public lands support very little hunting. It is our farms that can provide this type of recreation for our urban friends. Have you ever wondered where your sewage ends up? It does not end up in the river (I don’t believe you want it to) or evaporate in the air. It is treated and is spread on farmland. This is great recycling and another reason we need farmland. There is a huge number of reasons to protect farmland. I have only had space for a few. “Farmland loss jeopardizes the next century in ways the urban population and some rural folks haven’t yet come to grips with,” said Richard Rominger, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, at a 1999 conference. “Losing our land compromises our ability to deal with problems ranging from social and economic to environmental.” The next time you see a farmer, thank him for improving the quality os your life, America truly needs farmers. Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Admin. and Director, OSU Extension TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868 Updated: August 2000 |