Farm Memories from Jesse McRae

November 7, 2013 Deborah Wilbrink

Many of America’s memoirs deal with a life on the farm that the rest of us can only imagine. Here’s one tribute from my friend, Jesse McRae, to small farm life that’s rapidly passing. Or is it? With the local foods movement, I see many younger people taking up small farming. What memories can you share about farming? Any farmers want to weigh in? How about a Victory Garden memory? I’m working with a man who happily remembers bushel prices, by the nickel!  Happy Harvesting. . .

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“The Best Book is Your Own Story.”
Deborah Wilbrink

Comments (2)

  1. Bea Scarlata

    Yes, I remember Victory Gardens as a child, and my husband had a vegetable garden when I was an adult. There is nothing like fresh picked lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes for flavor as well as nutrition. I hope people keep farming and bringing their products to cities and towns like ours. Yours for happy memories 🙂
    Bea

  2. Kenna Eaton

    I just returned from a 3 week trip to Asia. After 2 weeks of big cities (like Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong) I was excited to visit a cousin for week in more rural settings on Shikoku. Instead of grassy lawns and fields, it seemed every available space, no matter the shape or size, was patchworked like a crazy quilt with small individual rice crops. The second annual harvest had just passed, but I would still see an older farmer here and there bent over and somehow tending to their personal share of the large field. Other fields were being dug up and converted into long consistent rows that could be more easily managed by machines and less labor. My cousin explained that the younger people don’t want to do that kind of work anymore, even though they eat rice 3 times a day. They do, however love cafes and computers. Sounds familiar. Hopefully Americans will continue to grow their support of local and small farms. Others are watching.

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