This isn't really about farmers. It's about US American men, lol.
I've only been involved in farming since 2005 but what I'm noticing is that most of the old farmers are not acknowledging the changing climate, and are insisting on traditional planting dates, crop choices, etc., that don't necessarily apply anymore, but that younger farmers are paying more attention and are more willing to to experiment. And that's what we'll need going forward--less stubbornness and more humility. But a lot of the younger farmers can't get land of course because it's waaaaaay more expensive now than it was when the older generation bought it.
You’ve hit on something beyond tractors and tillage, Kollibri. This generational tension isn’t just about farming methods—it’s about adaptation vs. tradition, opportunity vs. entrenchment, and how masculinity has been defined in rural America for generations.
The land access piece is especially brutal. Young farmers with fresh ideas can’t get a foothold while established operations dig in their heels.
This is exactly what I’m exploring in my America for Sale project—the economics, identity, and future of rural life are all tangled together in ways that can’t be separated.
Appreciate you bringing this perspective to the table.
Woman do it all the time too. If you take a baby step back, it is pretty easy to see that the structure of farming and domestic engineering (my mom's words) are essentially the same.
My Dad was the first to switch to no-till plowing back in the late 60’s. He never went back. His fields were very productive. He also wore out the equipment. He was his own boss and he owned his decisions. He lived his dream.
Immediately reminded me of this episode of Racket Squad from the early '50s. A county extension agent is trying to persuade farmers to use better methods, without success. A conman comes along with a fake contest for the best bushel of wheat, and the agent grabs onto it to help him persuade the stubborn old farmers. Their personality is exactly as you describe here.
After the contest, the swindler hauls away thousands of free bushels. The con isn't technically illegal because the swindler didn't promise to return the wheat. But everyone was so firmly convinced of his own perfection that nobody stopped to notice the details.
Even the smartest people can fall for a bait and switch. I have actually walked right into them on purpose - its pretty obvious after a while when you see them. It is amazing what you can do with it after the fact.
It is tough to imagine how I won't get set in my ways. The one thing I fear most at the middle or end of my arc is being in a "stuck truck" on the set of Groundhog Day (1993).
Hindsight is the most effective teaching tool ever. It is the responsibility of those with foresight to create it.
Famous last words in business (and life): We've always done it that way.
This isn't really about farmers. It's about US American men, lol.
I've only been involved in farming since 2005 but what I'm noticing is that most of the old farmers are not acknowledging the changing climate, and are insisting on traditional planting dates, crop choices, etc., that don't necessarily apply anymore, but that younger farmers are paying more attention and are more willing to to experiment. And that's what we'll need going forward--less stubbornness and more humility. But a lot of the younger farmers can't get land of course because it's waaaaaay more expensive now than it was when the older generation bought it.
You’ve hit on something beyond tractors and tillage, Kollibri. This generational tension isn’t just about farming methods—it’s about adaptation vs. tradition, opportunity vs. entrenchment, and how masculinity has been defined in rural America for generations.
The land access piece is especially brutal. Young farmers with fresh ideas can’t get a foothold while established operations dig in their heels.
This is exactly what I’m exploring in my America for Sale project—the economics, identity, and future of rural life are all tangled together in ways that can’t be separated.
Appreciate you bringing this perspective to the table.
Woman do it all the time too. If you take a baby step back, it is pretty easy to see that the structure of farming and domestic engineering (my mom's words) are essentially the same.
My Dad was the first to switch to no-till plowing back in the late 60’s. He never went back. His fields were very productive. He also wore out the equipment. He was his own boss and he owned his decisions. He lived his dream.
Immediately reminded me of this episode of Racket Squad from the early '50s. A county extension agent is trying to persuade farmers to use better methods, without success. A conman comes along with a fake contest for the best bushel of wheat, and the agent grabs onto it to help him persuade the stubborn old farmers. Their personality is exactly as you describe here.
After the contest, the swindler hauls away thousands of free bushels. The con isn't technically illegal because the swindler didn't promise to return the wheat. But everyone was so firmly convinced of his own perfection that nobody stopped to notice the details.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ryHYjual3c3s&ab_channel=ClassicTVChannel
Even the smartest people can fall for a bait and switch. I have actually walked right into them on purpose - its pretty obvious after a while when you see them. It is amazing what you can do with it after the fact.
Great story utilizing odes.
It is tough to imagine how I won't get set in my ways. The one thing I fear most at the middle or end of my arc is being in a "stuck truck" on the set of Groundhog Day (1993).
Hindsight is the most effective teaching tool ever. It is the responsibility of those with foresight to create it.
Famous last words in business (and life): We've always done it that way.