The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

The Farmer and The Gardener

by Dessa Rodeffer,
Publisher/Editor

28 July 1999

I just read Editor Steve Forbes article in the August 9th issue of Forbes magazine: "American Agriculture is hurting."

He entitles his article "Washington-Made Drought," and says: "farmers are undergoing the hardest squeeze since the 1930s.

In Tuesday morning's Hawkeye, Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture was predicting that one third of the smaller independent farmers in Iowa will be forced out of business if Washington doesn't do something to help.

With corn, wheat, and soybean prices falling since 1996, I am wondering at today's low prices, how many of our Illinois neighbors will survive.

Forbes is blaming the Federal Reserve saying for nearly two years they have been tightening money and not supplying enough credit to meet market demands.

He feels the Feds should abandon its fight "against a nonexistent inflation," and feels this would "provide instant relief for beleaguered farmers as commodities would jump."

Of course, many agree with him, that Washington should work to open up foreign markets that continue to discriminate against our agricultural products.

Forbes wants Washington to stop telling countries to devalue their currencies and raise taxes. When you force a nation's people into poverty, it makes it harder to sell to them, he says. "In other words, don't harm America's customers."

Well, my husband is a farmer, and I wonder if he will survive the downs of the market or have any profit after all his work.

Maybe, if he keeps busy with his other jobs and we plant some people in Washington that understand and care about agriculture and the marketplace, he'll be able to farm until his retirement.

As I was weeding my garden and thinning out the perennials, I wondered why he loves farming so much, especially when things look so bleak.

As I continued to pull weeds and wipe off sweat, I envisioned plans for another flower bed. I've put in so many long hours just to develope one small bed, but I seem to have gotten hooked. Gardening brings me so much pleasure, but I can't explain why.

I continued to think about it. At times, it seems like I'm not getting anywhere but pulling weeds, yet my garden still grows and improves.

For the first time, in the middle of my weeding, I began to understand why he loves farming so much. It's not the money, although it's certainly the goal, but it's the pleasure he gets from working on the farm. It's a lot like my feelings for gardening.

Somehow, I believe God draws us to the earth to work. There is a satisfaction in knowing that we can work together with the creator, planting what He has given us, then waiting on His rain, His sun, and His timing.