Why teach our children about agriculture?

Some people have asked me "Why do you spend so much time and money training your children in agriculture?" It's a fair question. You might wonder why it's so important to us. I'll endeavor to explain myself.

1. In my opinion, the US economy is going to fail at some point.

I believe that we cannot continue as we are as a nation, spending more than we take in, taxing our citizens ad infinitum, allowing Hollywood to influence our young people and the young people of the world with grossly immoral and unrealistic images of maturity.
Whether it is in 5 years, 20 years, or 50 years, our economy must at some point experience undeniable restructuring. The result, in a worse-case-scenario, will be to further enslave the citizenry in jobs and living conditions which make them dependent on the state. When that happens, food choices will be limited or at the extreme, only available to certain people.
I want my children and grandchildren to know something about producing their own food. I'm not certain if this knowledge will be enough to help them survive, but I'm certain that if they don't have this basic understanding, they'll be trapped into taking whatever culture is available at that time.

2. Using God's creation as intended causes us to be more dependent on Him.

For example. Genesis 9:3 "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Following the flood, God gave to man ALL plants and animals for food. God's intent was that man should interact with Him and His Creation to accept His provision.

In a world where much of children's entertainment (see Bambi) is all about animals taking on human qualities, it behooves parents to teach children that God's GIFT to man are the animals. Man was given God's creation to use, not to worship. Most people do not want to really think about the fact that our food requires death of one of God's creation. However, a proper understanding of this fact should result in worship and thanksgiving to the Creator, and a humbling of man's character.

3. Agriculture provides an excellent platform for Homeschooling.

Business planning, law, mathematics, biology, astronomy, climatology, anatomy, pathology, medicine, marketing, economics, history, agronomy, chemistry, are all topics which are available to the homeschooling farmer. This is critical.
Abraham Lincoln said it best at the 1859 Wisconsin State Fair:

This leads to the further reflection, that no other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought, as agriculture. I know of nothing so pleasant to the mind, as the discovery of anything which is at once new and valuable -- nothing which so lightens and sweetens toil, as the hopeful pursuit of such discovery. And how vast, and how varied a field is agriculture, for such discovery. The mind, already trained to thought, in the country school, or higher school, cannot fail to find there an exhaustless source of profitable enjoyment. Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two, where there was but one, is both a profit and a pleasure. And not grass alone; but soils, seeds, and seasons -- hedges, ditches, and fences, draining, droughts, and irrigation -- plowing, hoeing, and harrowing -- reaping, mowing, and threshing -- saving crops, pests of crops, diseases of crops, and what will prevent or cure them -- implements, utensils, and machines, their relative merits, and [how] to improve them -- hogs, horses, and cattle -- sheep, goats, and poultry -- trees, shrubs, fruits, plants, and flowers -- the thousand things of which these are specimens -- each a world of study within itself.

4. It's a wonderful life - Who could argue with that?

Farmer John

11:46 - 2006-Feb-24 - post comment

Argue?

Not I, said the pig!! I agree ... we need to teach our children and grandchildren that the world is not as most see it. I remember some book, one time, talking about dividing the US into two sections ... one was in California and it was agriculturally based ... the other was the majority of the US and it was factory / machine based. And California had guarded borders as to not allow the others to come in. I remember that, often.

spinninggrandma - 12:16 - 2006-Feb-24

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Wonderful!

What a wonderful post! This is what I would love to raise my children with. Thanks so much for sharing.

felipsha - 01:18 - 2006-Feb-24

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I agree wholeheartedly!

This is why we live the lifestyle we do!

Plus I can count planting the garden as a school day!ROTFL!

matsmom97 - 07:32 - 2006-Feb-24

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