Dateline: 7 June 2006
I often hear from people who admire the agrarian good life I have written about in My Book and on this blog. And they tell me how they want to live an agrarian lifestyle too. This is a good thing. As I say in the Afterword of my book:
“Christian agrarianism is a great and noble and ancient adventure. Seek this good life with prayer, hunility, wisdom, gusto, vigor, and resolve—and don’t look back.”
If you happen to be one of those who see the beauty and wisdom of agrarianism, and you look upon the agrarian life with a longing heart, yet this good life seems so far away and unattainable, I’d like to offer these additional words of wisdom:
“Embrace agrarianism right now by doing what you can, where you are, with what you have.”
Start by reading and informing yourself. Start by visiting and supporting small-scale sustainable farms around you. Start by using basic, wholesome foods to cook and prepare meals for your family. Start by growing something even if it’s one tomato plant in a plastic pail. Just start right now by doing what you can, where you are, with what you have.
Thank you for this post. Especially this: "Just start right now by doing what you can, where you are, with what you have."
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I live in the city, on a lot and a half, and dream of getting some land in the country. Yet the whole thing seems a little out of our league.
This post changed my perspective a bit. My husband came home from work and I said, "Read this!" and had him read this entry and the Path to Freedom link you shared.
Since then we've been talking much about restructuring our back yard a bit so that we can create some space for a chicken coop and some goats. We already have a vegetable garden on the side of our house...
Now our goal is not "to get that land", but to be good stewards NOW with the land God has given us for now.
Thank you.
Kindly,
Stacy
Thank you, Stacy, for your comment. I wish you the very best as you delve deeper into the agrarian good life right where you are with the resources you have!
ReplyDeleteI, too, was looking for that land,
ReplyDeletehowever, it was not to be. God said, "Bloom where you are planted. That's where I put you."
Since then, a 50 x 50 backyard has kept us in vegetables and the pantry overflows. We have fruit trees started and rabbits will be reproducing this spring. At my age, this is a miracle in itself.