Comments on: Married to the land http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:22:43 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: llama http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-290014 llama Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:24:58 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-290014 NJLaywer, The goats were probably just trying to get to know you but they are pretty smart and might have figured out you were lawyering material and even goats don't take to lawyers right away if you know what I mean. They can be crafty little devils if you let them. I didn't say they were good for kids. I said that kids loved them which is quite different but those devilish goats sure like that fact. They have a great time messing with kids and it is fun to watch and film if you want to make a little extra money sending it in to the TV shows of the world's funniest people, animals etc. Methane digesters are a sustainable animal waste water and fecal matter treatment technology for farms that produces fuel and fertilizer too while cleaning up the environment that used to be polluted by this waste. It is conservation, ecology, alternative fuels and green to gills at its best. Very cool stuff and not that difficult or costly to do. NJLaywer,

The goats were probably just trying to get to know you but they are pretty smart and might have figured out you were lawyering material and even goats don’t take to lawyers right away if you know what I mean. They can be crafty little devils if you let them.

I didn’t say they were good for kids. I said that kids loved them which is quite different but those devilish goats sure like that fact. They have a great time messing with kids and it is fun to watch and film if you want to make a little extra money sending it in to the TV shows of the world’s funniest people, animals etc.

Methane digesters are a sustainable animal waste water and fecal matter treatment technology for farms that produces fuel and fertilizer too while cleaning up the environment that used to be polluted by this waste. It is conservation, ecology, alternative fuels and green to gills at its best. Very cool stuff and not that difficult or costly to do.

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]]> By: NJLawyer http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289997 NJLawyer Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:57:52 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289997 Llama, many years ago, I dated a guy from North Jersey whose family had goats. I had to help put them away at night, and they chased me. So how are they good for kids? And could you tell me what a methane digester is? Or more to the point why one would want one. I know what the environmentalists claim -- that the cows and other animals are adding to the greenhouse effect -- but to me what the animals "do" is normal. So, please enlighten me as to why this device is necessary. Thank you. Llama, many years ago, I dated a guy from North Jersey whose family had goats. I had to help put them away at night, and they chased me. So how are they good for kids?

And could you tell me what a methane digester is? Or more to the point why one would want one. I know what the environmentalists claim — that the cows and other animals are adding to the greenhouse effect — but to me what the animals “do” is normal. So, please enlighten me as to why this device is necessary. Thank you.

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]]> By: Cheryl D. http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289959 Cheryl D. Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:55:31 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289959 I have a gradeschool friend with whom I got back in touch during college after many years out of touch. We got back in touch 18 or 19 years ago, and I think she has moved (mostly across state and even country lines) more than once a year since then. She may have spent two years in one house in that time, but usually it's a year or less, and then I hear they're thiking of moving to Colorado, or Nevada, or back to Arizona for a few months..... (She and I grew up in Phoenix. Then her family moved back to Argentina for a year--that's where she was born. As an adult, she has lived in pretty much every western state.) And she keeps buying houses everywhere they live, which seems foolish to me--you lose more in real estate commissions than you'd ever lose in rent. Me, I chose to rent until I was ready to buy and stay put. Not only did I buy within four months of moving to Tennessee, but I got a dog and named her Miss Tennessee--two very good proofs I have no plan to go back to Chicago anytime soon. (Not in THIS lifetime.) I'm concerned about housing prices, but not overly so--I'm established here, and more than ready to be anchored in one community by a house. (I'll be happier still in eight years when I pay off the mortgage.) I have a gradeschool friend with whom I got back in touch during college after many years out of touch. We got back in touch 18 or 19 years ago, and I think she has moved (mostly across state and even country lines) more than once a year since then. She may have spent two years in one house in that time, but usually it’s a year or less, and then I hear they’re thiking of moving to Colorado, or Nevada, or back to Arizona for a few months….. (She and I grew up in Phoenix. Then her family moved back to Argentina for a year–that’s where she was born. As an adult, she has lived in pretty much every western state.) And she keeps buying houses everywhere they live, which seems foolish to me–you lose more in real estate commissions than you’d ever lose in rent.

Me, I chose to rent until I was ready to buy and stay put. Not only did I buy within four months of moving to Tennessee, but I got a dog and named her Miss Tennessee–two very good proofs I have no plan to go back to Chicago anytime soon. (Not in THIS lifetime.) I’m concerned about housing prices, but not overly so–I’m established here, and more than ready to be anchored in one community by a house. (I’ll be happier still in eight years when I pay off the mortgage.)

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]]> By: efarmer.ny http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289948 efarmer.ny Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:30:04 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289948 Llama: Farming isn't for everyone, I know that. Everyone can't stay on the farm or we'd run out of farmland. I've read a lot of Wendell Berry and that has influenced my thinking about communities having people who know the history of the land because they stay there for multiple generations. We have cows, pigs, goats and chickens. But nothing in the camelid family. Vs: I hear you. Dairy farmers are really getting beat up...again. My chicken feed prices just went up again last month. We try to keep one dairy cow in milk for the family. When the temperature is under 20 degrees F my vacuum pump won't start and I get to milk her by hand. Good thing I don't supplement her hay diet with higher protein feed or it would take all morning. Llama: Farming isn’t for everyone, I know that. Everyone can’t stay on the farm or we’d run out of farmland. I’ve read a lot of Wendell Berry and that has influenced my thinking about communities having people who know the history of the land because they stay there for multiple generations.

We have cows, pigs, goats and chickens. But nothing in the camelid family.

Vs: I hear you. Dairy farmers are really getting beat up…again. My chicken feed prices just went up again last month. We try to keep one dairy cow in milk for the family. When the temperature is under 20 degrees F my vacuum pump won’t start and I get to milk her by hand. Good thing I don’t supplement her hay diet with higher protein feed or it would take all morning.

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]]> By: VS http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289840 VS Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:03:11 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289840 EFarmer, NY - We're on a small dairy farm in the Northeast and I will admit there's been times over the years I'd have moved in a heartbeat - if I could have convinced my husband to do so. But he's tied to this place and seems to thrive on the constant work. The fluctuating milk prices and the escalating expenses drives me crazy. But our kids and now our grandkids just love it here and that's worth more to me than my own personal choices. We have several Alpaca farms near us. Relatives of yours, right Llama? EFarmer, NY – We’re on a small dairy farm in the Northeast and I will admit there’s been times over the years I’d have moved in a heartbeat – if I could have convinced my husband to do so. But he’s tied to this place and seems to thrive on the constant work. The fluctuating milk prices and the escalating expenses drives me crazy. But our kids and now our grandkids just love it here and that’s worth more to me than my own personal choices.

We have several Alpaca farms near us. Relatives of yours, right Llama?

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]]> By: llama http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289819 llama Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:52 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289819 EFARMER.NY, My dad thought I was nuts when I told him that he should have a methane digester on the farm and add some some goats to go with the pigs and cows. He had plenty of raw material. He should have done it, even the the technology wasn't what it is today. He might have done so had I stayed tied to the anchor farm and helped him. Wind is aldo being rediscovered on farms and solar won't be far behind. Good for you. Somehow I think that your farm is far away from the reality of urban life in the rust belt of the urban North East and that you wouldn't trade your farm for it. Going green and organic on the farm is wise indeed. Try some goats. The kids love them and you can make some really nice cheese and goat doesn't taste bad at all either. Forget about raising llamas though unless you are so poor you have to make your own winter clothes. We taste bad and you don't want to try and milk one :-) EFARMER.NY,

My dad thought I was nuts when I told him that he should have a methane digester on the farm and add some some goats to go with the pigs and cows. He had plenty of raw material. He should have done it, even the the technology wasn’t what it is today. He might have done so had I stayed tied to the anchor farm and helped him. Wind is aldo being rediscovered on farms and solar won’t be far behind.

Good for you. Somehow I think that your farm is far away from the reality of urban life in the rust belt of the urban North East and that you wouldn’t trade your farm for it.

Going green and organic on the farm is wise indeed. Try some goats. The kids love them and you can make some really nice cheese and goat doesn’t taste bad at all either.

Forget about raising llamas though unless you are so poor you have to make your own winter clothes. We taste bad and you don’t want to try and milk one :-)

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]]> By: efarmer.ny http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289805 efarmer.ny Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:35:35 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289805 Well, as someone who is staying in the depressing Northeast, I can say that I am bleeding green but not in the way that Llama (#3) thinks. I have a small farm that I am developing part-time. Most of my spare time and nickels goes into more infrastructure that makes my family a little bit more self-sufficient. What can be greener than pastures, gardens, and woodlands managed in a God honoring way? I'm researching small scale methane digesters and that may become this summer's project for my children to work on. Unless clearly shown by God that it was his will, I would not leave this place even if I was offered a job with five times my current off-farm salary somewhere in the South. Here I have adequate rainfall, fertile soil, a market for extra crops, and lots of space for my children to explore. The caption of this post is married to the *land*. Most people buy a house but use it like an apartment. They leave it at every opportunity they get. I hate leaving my land. I love being able to say when I am out in the evening "well, we need to go home and get our chores done." My hope is that one of my children gets the farming bug and wants to take it over. Maybe I'll be able to retire on the farm and continue to help as my health holds out. Well, as someone who is staying in the depressing Northeast, I can say that I am bleeding green but not in the way that Llama (#3) thinks. I have a small farm that I am developing part-time. Most of my spare time and nickels goes into more infrastructure that makes my family a little bit more self-sufficient.

What can be greener than pastures, gardens, and woodlands managed in a God honoring way? I’m researching small scale methane digesters and that may become this summer’s project for my children to work on.

Unless clearly shown by God that it was his will, I would not leave this place even if I was offered a job with five times my current off-farm salary somewhere in the South. Here I have adequate rainfall, fertile soil, a market for extra crops, and lots of space for my children to explore.

The caption of this post is married to the *land*. Most people buy a house but use it like an apartment. They leave it at every opportunity they get. I hate leaving my land. I love being able to say when I am out in the evening “well, we need to go home and get our chores done.”

My hope is that one of my children gets the farming bug and wants to take it over. Maybe I’ll be able to retire on the farm and continue to help as my health holds out.

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]]> By: michelle http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289800 michelle Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:30:01 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289800 Klasko-- If no one has warned you yet, let me--every military retiree we know has moved at least once since retirement. Except the crowd in the DC area. My husband retired from the busy life of Honolulu to the bucolic countryside of Ukiah, CA. God moved us on four years later, but we were more than ready to leave a quiet country town for the "cultural" amenities we had become used to in our more cosmopolitan military days. As I've already said several times today, the best place to be is in the center of God's will and it often isn't where we think it is (this is not directed at you, Karen). Sometimes God puts us in unusual housing situations because of other things he needs to work out in our lives. Dave Ramsey is on Focus on the Family today discussing finances and housing, and I hated to get out of the car just now when I got home--he had such wise things to say. You can review it yourself at family.org. Klasko–

If no one has warned you yet, let me–every military retiree we know has moved at least once since retirement. Except the crowd in the DC area.

My husband retired from the busy life of Honolulu to the bucolic countryside of Ukiah, CA. God moved us on four years later, but we were more than ready to leave a quiet country town for the “cultural” amenities we had become used to in our more cosmopolitan military days.

As I’ve already said several times today, the best place to be is in the center of God’s will and it often isn’t where we think it is (this is not directed at you, Karen). Sometimes God puts us in unusual housing situations because of other things he needs to work out in our lives.

Dave Ramsey is on Focus on the Family today discussing finances and housing, and I hated to get out of the car just now when I got home–he had such wise things to say. You can review it yourself at family.org.

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]]> By: klasko http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289788 klasko Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:02:20 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289788 Thank you, Tychicus. Thank you, Tychicus.

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]]> By: Tychicus http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/comment-page-1/#comment-289785 Tychicus Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:57:33 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/04/married-to-the-land/#comment-289785 Klasko, I know that the nomadic military life is not always pleasant, but I among many are very grateful for you and your husband's long-term service to our country. Klasko,

I know that the nomadic military life is not always pleasant, but I among many are very grateful for you and your husband’s long-term service to our country.

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