Parts of the summers of my youth were spent on this farm in Pennsylvania (the one in the photo). This is where I learned where food comes among other things (well that and the cornfield across from our house in Indiana). It's where my family and I went two weekends ago. That shed that you see in the foreground was my grandfathers first house while he built the one him and his family lived in and is still standing. There are a lot of memories on that land and obviously they're not all mine. Several generations of my family have memories of that place and after my uncle retires, the farm will probably have to be sold.
Not that I would even want to farm, it's a hard life and there isn't much payoff. Farming is something one does because they love it. I guess it keeps you close to the land, but some people would be mortified by what farming can really be like. And I doubt that is how they would want to be close to the land.
Hell, that world is even foreign to me now. I'm used to the ranches out west where the only crop is hay (although I'd guess there's some alfalfa as well) and beef cows. Maybe some sheep.
There is more to it than that, there is a stronger tie to religion that I may have touched on earlier. I'm not very religious anymore, so it takes me aback when I hear all of the Godtalk there. The fact that many of the people believe a strict Creationism sort of surprises me. Even the religious type I know in CO are more of the Intelligent Design set (possibly even myself, I'm not sure). I get a feeling that the isolation from the outside world there is not so much forced as it is desired. If I were them and believed that way I may desire that myself.
2 comments:
neat blog,
I Love all the green as i live in the currently over 100 degree desert. Stop by and visit, be sure to say hi!
Blessings,
MB
Good to see the trip back East(ward) has been both enjoyable and nostalgic. I have finally gotten around to listening to the music you gave me. I liked the Pinback album, I need to give it some more listens though. Sonic Youth is always cool, although the last album of theirs I owned personally was Dirty (I love the knit puppets cover art). I am now listening to Tortoise, which I am enjoying muchly. Some of it reminds me of Mercury Rev; if you were to throw away their microphones and limit their volume to 6. Sorry Nigel, no turning it up to 11 here. It has a very retro (for lack of a better word) sound going for it, very throw-backish, almost a cross between M/R, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, and Mr. Scruff. Sorry, I know you shouldn't compare bands, but how else can us lamen describe a new sound? Relate it to an old one, I guess. I think I may get into these guys.
For you: Pick up Goapele's "Even Closer". Neo-soul godess. Another recent pick-up is Quasimoto's new one, "The Adventures of Lord Quas". Great new (& get this: different) hip-hop, from an old favorite, Mad-lib. I think you would also like Diplo, grab "Florida"; mostly instu-mental with miami booty bass, electro funk, and tinges of hip hop through-out (I think he produced most of MIA's album). Great music, all of 'em.
I'll stop now, before I write so much it crashes the 'net.
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