I love to read so much, that in grade school I would get into trouble. I wrongfully thought that when we switched subjects, I could sneak in a page underneath my desk top while I got out my books. Well, you know how one can never stop at just one page...how awful it must have been for my teacher to have to discipline me for reading! ;) (Sorry, Mrs. E.)
I have learned that I have to be very disciplined in my reading as an adult, or it will consume my life. The last book I read for nothing more than pure enjoyment, was on the way up to the Mackinaw Bridge. I remember pulling out of the drive, and then seeing the bridge. My poor family!
That was the last book I have read, other than the Bible. Now, I limit myself to two articles daily. In the morning I scroll down through my FB and pick two things to read. Most all of them allow me to gain information-new ideas on homeschooling, parenting or farming. Some of them are more news oriented and keep me up to date.
Lately I have noticed exactly how many Farm-Wife-Blogs there are. A Million.
Okay, maybe just a couple of hundred, but I think just about every farm wife out there is blogging. I've been able to put these blogs into categories:
The Seller: Many farm wives use their blog for eventual sale of items that they made by hand or grew on their farm. Often the items are a part of a story, the family's history, and have sentimental value. Two that I enjoy are The Renaissance Housewife and Wilcox Heritage Farm.
The Educator: Some Farm wives have taken it upon themselves to help educate other non-farmers about the agricultural industry. These vary greatly-there are post about very basic farm happenings and posts about political policy.
The Story-Teller: Some of the best stories come straight off the farm and many of them, along with the lessons learned, are told on blogs. Often there is nothing to buy and no side to take; they just leave you with thoughts and different perceptions of agriculture-or maybe even your own life.
While I have a couple of friends that offer awesome home made or home grown goods to sell, most of the blogs I've read lately are of the attempt to educate type. The one thing that is very consistent in all of them is that the writer feels that if others do no agree with their viewpoint, that they need to be "educated."
Think about that for a minute. (warning...soap box moment coming)
There is a huge "education" movement within the Ag. industry. Many of the major players in our industry honestly feel that people who don't agree with them simply do not know any better. They need to be educated.
This bugs me. Mostly because sometimes I do not agree with them-and I am a farmer.
Just because someone has a different opinion, viewpoint, or does not agree with you, does not mean that they are not educated. I have heard the word "education" so much now in the Ag. world, that I almost see it as a direct insult to the non-agricultural based consumer.
Consumers (a wonderful label put on people who shop and spend money on goods) are not stupid. In fact, many of them are very educated. They can read and do research. They can understand agricultural terms and practices.
another instance....
At a conference recently it was noted that the world's population would level off and eventually decline because women were becoming more educated about birth control. WOW! As if ALL women who had children did so because they didn't know how to prevent it. You would have been so proud of me, reader. I did not gasp (out loud) or make a scene. I let it go! Until now, that is...
(off the box now!)
So.....where am I going with this?
Here. This blog. I've been thinking about the point of this blog.
I am not a seller.
I am not an educator-or at least the type that is prevalent today.
Storytelling-maybe.
I have shared many wonderful memories that have been well received. I shared helpful hints for larger families concerning the day-to-day issues. I have shared some of our daily happenings and events from our farm. I have shared what intensive grazing is, what seasonal grazing is, and the mind-set that most grazers share. If there was any education done, it was not to change any person's mind, it was to simply offer an understanding of why we do what we do. I have always been very careful to use "I" or "we" statements in place of "you" statements. I have been very careful to point out that there are many different ways to farm, to home school, etc., and that one way is not necessarily better than the other. I have shared the awesome ways in which Christ has blessed us here. Relationships are important to us. This blog has helped us bridge, create and sustain relationships. With family and friends all across the nation (and world) this blog has helped us stay connected.
...but we don't fit into any of those categories. We're kind of out there, floating around, like miss-fit toys don't have a specific tote they belong in. By the way, that drives me up the wall!
I'm going to re-evaluate the blog. Is it worth the time? ( I do wonder sometimes how other frequent bloggers find the time to write so often). Does it need a more focused topic, or is it fine the way that it is? Has it run it's course?
One of most challenging aspects of the blog is the fact that the most interesting happenings don't get wrote about because I'm busy doing them. It is not convenient to carry the camera all the time and stop all the action to take pictures. We've got work to do!
So, there's a decision to be made. We've either got to give it our best, or not do it at all. What we don't want to be is just another farm blog.
