“Hope springs eternal,” as they say, and this is certainly true for farmers at this time of the year. A new cropping season is about to get underway, with hopes for good weather and a resolution to global conflicts that are making the business of farming a challenge right now.
There’s not much that The Gleaner can do about either of those things, but we can say, “Thank you.” We don’t say it often enough, as we cruise up and down the supermarket aisles and peruse the restaurant menus. But, we should – so, “Thank you!”.
There’s a rhythm to what farmers do that most of us only glimpse in passing. The early spring optimism, the long summer days, the anxious watch of skies and forecasts, the push to harvest before the window closes. It’s a cycle that demands a certain fortitude, and resilience to repeat year after year.
Farmers are producers, processors, marketers, and stewards of the land and livestock. It’s a complex balancing act between tradition – just look at how farmers are portrayed on a milk carton – and, increasingly and constantly, of technology and innovation.
It’s not a simple thing, but it matters – because behind every loaf of bread, every glass of milk, every plate on the table, there’s a story that starts down on the farm. And it’s not just about food. It’s also about community, as the rural landscape and local economies depend on the success of primary agriculture.
So just a small note to say that we appreciate the contribution that farmers make to society so that we’re all better off – well fed, well rooted, and well connected. For all of that, gratitude from all of us who depend on the work farmers do every day.
Hugh Maynard