A Farmer’s Labor of Love

It is often said that the three most basic needs are shelter, water and food. Growing food, then, may be one of man's highest callings. We all need to eat, and most of our food comes from farms. I get a great sense of satisfaction knowing that my farming life is feeding people. Evidently many small farmers feel that way as well.

Many of the farmers at that particular meeting once held "regular" jobs, and all of them felt the call to tend the soil for the greater good. In most cases, like me, they had voluntarily given up higher incomes, decent health insurance, vacations, flex time, 401(k) plans and pensions. In some cases, they had given up their whole nest egg to go into farming.

With the interest in buying local increasing over the past few years, it has been easier for small farmers like us to make a living. Being able to sell my fruit and vegetables directly to the people who will eat them is what keeps me in business. If I had had to sell via the wholesale channel, I would have run out of funds long ago.

I'm certainly not making loads of money, but I am at least keeping my head above water and offering health insurance to my employees. Vacation and flex time? Well, that hasn't really made an appearance in my life yet, but I'm hopeful that it will in the next year or two.

People are discovering what we small farmers have to offer. We can provide varieties of fruit and veggies with amazing flavors and colors, most of which will never be found at the grocery store. Customers quickly understand what a treasure local foods can be, and the farmers who provide those foods are scorned no longer.

It is a great pleasure, after a long growing season, to meet with my customers week after week. When there is time at the market, I share snippets of news, gossip, recipe ideas, etc. Some of these folks have become my harvest-time friends, not nameless and faceless consumers, and I wouldn't miss that for the world. Saying hello week after week to the hundreds or thousands of people who will be eating the food I grew is just about priceless.

As for the sweat, dirt, heat, gnats, physical exhaustion, frost and hurricanes? Well, I can't do anything about them but grin and bear it; I know there's a great reward in store at the end.

Kerschner lives in Cochranville, Pa.

© 2008