The Family Farm

It's not
about
the farm,
says my
sister,
Cally.

Not
about
the
beautiful
big old
barn.

Nor
the
fascinating
small
pig
barn...

with
the old
sleigh
hanging
in the
rafters.

It's not
about
the
magnificent
old farm
house.

Not even
about the
heritage
of
150
years...

from
our
Swiss
progenitors.

It's
about
family.

Far
flung.

Spirited.

And
maybe
a
bit
cantankerous.

We
gather
once
a year...

to
celebrate
our
family
ties...

in
charming
New Glarus,
Wisconsin.

Relatives
we
hardly
knew
3 years ago...

We
find
kindred
spirits.















Bikers.

Tree
planters.

Land
lovers.

But
what is
the
future...

of the
old
family
farm?

As I
bike
around
New
Castle...

I
ponder
this
question.

I look
around
my
Indiana
bikescape...

I see
barns
sighing
of
neglect...

Forgotten
homes...





left to
crumble

in the

countryside.

.

We've
got
to do
better...

for
our
family
farm!

Should
we become
a bed
and
breakfast?

or
a
theater?

Farm
pumpkins?

or
tomatos?

Do
we keep
row-cropping
corn?

Dripping
the soil
of
our
forefathers...

...with
chemicals?

I see
too
much
cancer...

to be
comfortable
with
that.

Better
to
farm
organically
15 acres...

and
preserve
the rest
as
forest....


or
as
prairie

And
leave
for
future
generations

a
treasure

they
can
cherish...



...forever.