Return to the Soil

Last night, I walked in a preserved wooded parkland near my suburban residence. Along the trail were signs intended to illuminate some aspect of the local environment. One read "Return to the Soil." It briefly pointed out the ecological benefits decomposition brings to the soil and to the parkland's animals.

Living in constant contact with the soil is not an easy fit with my largely urban background. However, I'm quite curious when I meet people whose desire to work the land motivates their life decisions. A neighbor of mine is one such person. For many years, he toiled in the financial industry, lived in major metropolitan areas, and had not so much as spent a full day or night on a farm. When someone said "country" to him, he immediately reached for his passport. Lately, he's developed a strong interest in purchasing land and using a large portion of it to grow crops. Tilling the soil, growing plants, harvesting them, understanding the earth underneath his feet intrigues him. Given that he's approaching retirement age, and that farming involves uncompromising physical labor, his perspective takes courage.

In my neighbor's case, the call of the soil is as seductive as the lure of the sea for a nascent fisherman. I believe the adage about fishing also applies to farming: it's better to be taught to fish, rather than have the instructor hand over a fish.

PS. The photograph shows the historic stone barn and land of the Thomas Family Farm, a recently preserved property in southwestern Wisconsin.