Farming is about husbandry of life
Re: “We do not farm for the love of strangers,” (op-ed by Cam Houle, WP, Jan. 10).
In his open forum column, Cam Houle presents the idea that farmers are businesspeople trying to survive, just like any other industry. While I can agree that the political and social structure I am living in tends to treat farming as a business, I do not agree that this is the inherent nature of farming.
Farming, by its inherent nature, is about the husbandry of life, for which I do not draw a paycheque, unlike the business world.
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The evolution of farming towards a business model is an ongoing one, with the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board being the latest move of government to point our lives in a direction of self-interest and away from that of collective self-interest.
I would have thought Houle would have appreciated this fact, given that he works within the framework of a marketing board, which gives him a measure of security not enjoyed by most farmers — a form of security that is continually under threat from both within and beyond our national boarders.
I cannot help but feel that we, as a society, are losing sight of the fact that we live on a living planet. It seems to me that we are instead honouring the idea that the strength of our national gross domestic product is to be the measure of our value.
I recognize that not everyone believes money is the measure of my life and am most thankful for those who recognize this, who recognize that there is a spiritual aspect to life that can not be measure but must be respected.
Wayne James
Beausejour Man.
