As my interest in local food and farmers develop, I am finding that my appetite is increasing for more knowledge.  I'm interested in learning just about anything related to farming, so next week I'm actually going out to visit a farm and pepper my new friend Holly with a thousand questions.  I don't think she quite knows what she's in for!  In the meantime however, I'm satisfying my thirst for some good old fashioned farming knowledge by reading blogs and watching videos by an intrepid farmer in Kansas City, Missouri.

Paul Wald, owner and operator of Speedy W Ranch Inc., is also a blogger (www.saltcreeklife.com)   and describes his farm as "...a magical place.  Tractors magically break down, weeds grow mystically, and cows escape with unusual regularity."  You've gotta love this guy!  He notes that "...agriculture is a fast moving industry" and as such, he is "along for the ride".  I've chosen to be a virtual passenger, watching as he tackles what many farmers tackle.  After all, 95% of American farms are family owned.  I want to know what challenges my food producers face, and how they resove the problems that come up, whether they be natural, economic or governmental.

A sample of his blogs produces titles of posts and videos such as Hectic Heifers, Pet A Cow (both hilarious), Crazy Coons, Cream and Sugar With That?, Farming Tools.  They are written in a friendly and playful style, infused with his opinions as well as his range of experience and wisdom.  I particularly like his Out Standing video series, which chronicles Paul out standing somewhere on his farm, showing us something like winter wheat harvesting with a combine, creating a whistle from hickory tree branches or filling the hay barn with hay bales.  Not only does the Out Standing series tickle my funnybone with his play on words, but they're informative for a non-farmer like me.  It was certainly eye-opening for me to learn that wet hay could actually catch fire because it generates so much heat, so only dry hay can be stored in the barn.  These have even become built-in homeschooling lessons for my kids.

Paul says that "Keeping up with the changes takes a lot of effort.  Holding on to the old ways takes even more".  And isn't that what we want?  Maintaining and preserving the wisdom of the past, and coupling it with technological improvements of the present?  I love our farmers.  Thank you for all that you do!  Of course as Sharon, blogger extraordinaire for www.farmersmarket.com, lives out the unfolding adventure of farming life as she renovates her newly-purchased 130 year old farmhouse, reclaims the land and stocks it with her horses and chickens and learns the art of farming, I'll live vicariously through her.  Comfortably.  From my suburban home.  But at least I'll be surrounded by an abundance of local food and armed with a new appreciation for the sweat, toil and tears from fellow Americans like Paul and Holly and one day even Sharon, who grow and harvest our food.

Follow Paul's trials and travails as a corn, soybean and beef cattle farmer at www.saltcreeklife.com and get ready for some hours of laid-back enjoyment and edification.  He is also featured on Blogtalkradio on February 12, 2012.  Tune in at 5pm to hear his take on how we survived before convenience stores, drive thru menus and pre-packaged food: www.blogtalkradio.com/paulsw/2012/02/13/finding-the-forgotten-feast--with-hank-shaw.

Paul Wald
Speedy W Ranch, Inc.
Kansas City, MO

www.saltcreeklife.com


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