Today I took a busload of farmers (past, current and future) on a trip to Trenton, New Jersey to protest the Governor's decision to kill the Department of Agriculture (Garden State, duh!). It was quite a nice day. I got a hat and a support sign to poke into the ground at the farm (ref. the cranberry farm where I work, for those of you who don't know). I met some very nice people and got to experience a bit of the ballyhoo though most of my time was spent tethered to the bus since I had a few elderly folks who needed to take advantage of the couch seating somewhat frequently. I did hear a muffled loudspeaker in the midst of a crowd and understood, by an uproar of cheers, when the muffled voice made some proclamation or statement that was largely agreed upon. I'm sure to read a summation of the statements in one of the local papers in the coming days so I'm not too torn up about what I missed.
It's what I didn't miss that is of some interest. Horses and tractors were the key elements of this rally. As I understand it there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-30 equestrians and in the vicinity of 120 tractors all motoring (or hoofing it) through the New Jersey capital city. It was indeed a sight to behold. There were many a small boy beside the road with eyes wide and mouth agape as tractor after tractor of various sizes tooled down City Street after City Street. Along with the horses and tractors were some other supportive farm related vehicles. There were a few produce delivery trucks, an alpaca bus, a truck pulling a very large wooden carved pig (seriously) and our farm's Cranberry Harvest Tour Bus. Aside from these there was one other noteworthy vehicle; a hearse. Yes, a decked out older hearse complete with casket in back (empty I hope) and a supportive phrase lettered on the side having something to do with "Not Killing the NJDA". I am prayerful that the rally does what it was intended to do and the Dept. of Ag. manages to survive. For what it's worth, I'd like to point out that on a day when truckers everywhere across this country pulled over or slowed down in traffic to make a valid point about the cost of fuel, hundreds of farmers entered the capitol of NJ on horseback or tractor seat (and bus) and we did this without even slowing down rush hour traffic. These people are, for the most part, good people of the soil who work hard and sleep well. They don’t complain much and they enjoy staying to themselves. I’d like to make a plea for these people.
When you go to the grocery store and pick up anything to eat; anything at all, please remember that someone somewhere grew that from a seed, a vine, an egg or a youngling. No farmers equals no food. Nuff said.
Tom
8 comments:
The university near us has both electrical & chemical engineering majors as well as courses for agriculture and the like. The tall buildings that house labs and classrooms for those interested in advancing technology provides a stark contrast to the farm land with cows, horses, sheep and crops. I was thinking the other day, and rambling out loud to Dan, that it seems like our culture views the farmer as being in the past, compared to the many advances we have. Yet, we NEED the farmer. We can't manufacture all the food that God gave us through nature, nor would we want to! But it kinda seems like we don't appreciate the farmer as much as we value technology and medical advances.
I hope you don't lose the NJDA. "Garden State, duh" - indeed!! :)
Oh yeah, it's "diesels." (o;
Thanks Lisa, as ever, your edits are appreciated.
Tom
Happy to help. Of course, I wouldn't have said anything except you once said to feel free to let you know, so ... well ... I do. (o;
Tom, who is the current governor of New Jersey? I can picture him in my mind but can't think of his name. Why does he want to close down the NJDA? Can he do this without legislative approval?
Bob,
Jon Corzine is his name and he has some really strange things going on. He is trying to close down all the National Parks in NJ as well as many branches of the government. I am normally all for a smaller government, but ridding "the Garden State" of the Dept. of Ag. is about dumbest thing of which I've ever heard. To beat it all, he's wants to put the duties of the NJDA into the incapable hands of the Department of Environmental Protection.
Tom
Tom, Corzine's move to drop the DOA made news down here in Florida. When will people see through his agenda? I hope your efforts stopped him.
Thanks Bob,
Love to Pat and everyone.
Tom and Dawn.
Keep Dawn in your prayers, she's dealing with RSD due to her surgery. She is in pretty constant pain and we're not sure when (or if) it will go away.
Thanks
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