Farming hardly seems like the type of living that kids growing up dream about anymore. Firefi ghters, astronauts, Major League baseball players, president of the United States – all of these are typical goals of the average American child. Farming seems to have fallen by the wayside.
But according to Bob Sutton, agriculture is making a comeback, and it's a welcome – and long overdue – revival.
"I think young people are looking towards their future and telling themselves that they don't want to sit in a cubicle for the rest of their lives," Sutton said. "They realize that it's great to be outdoors."
Sutton, a former chief at the state Department of Environmental Management who is now the head of the Jamestown Community Farm, is currently promoting and organizing a forum at the Jamestown Philomenian Library. The goal is to educate the younger generation into reasons why agriculture makes both a rewarding living and enjoyable hobby.
"In one way or another, I have been involved with agriculture and the environment for over 40 years," Sutton said. "And over the last 20 years I've noticed less and less of it at the local level. But recently that's been changing for the better."
So is interest from children and teens significant enough to make a difference? "Oh sure, no question about it," he said. "Even colleges are creating new programs towards agriculture."
The forum – which is titled "Plant the Future Now" – is a collaborative effort between the community farm, the Conanicut Grange and the Friends of the Jamestown Philomenian Library. The event will run from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21, in the library's meeting hall.
The affair will open with a screening of "The Greenhorns," a documentary named after the group that created it. The film explores the lives of a young farming community. The organization is a small grass-roots nonprofit based in the Hudson Valley of New York. Its goal is to support, promote and recruit young farmers.
According to the group, "As the nation experiences a groundswell of interest in sustainable lifestyles, we see the promising beginnings of an agricultural revival. Young farmers' efforts feed us safe food, conserve valuable land, and reconstitute communities split apart by strip malls."
Following the documentary, local farmers will take over the floor for about five to 10 minutes each to discuss their agricultural stories. One of the speakers will be Clifford Kurz, who along with his wife Susan, has created a small garden at their Wright Lane residence.
"We're trying to grow a lot of things, both ornamental and edible," he said. "We started planting fruit trees two years ago and have seen a bunch of apples grow, but for the most part they're maturing."
Kurz said he also has beehives and solar panels. He is also fencing in the backyard to keep the deer out of another garden that is in the works. He says that he always buys organic and is growing his own crops because it is healthier.
"I just want to let people know that they can do it," he said. "Anyone can get into it, even on a small scale."
Said Sutton, "It's a basic skill. It's not like learning Chinese."
Another speaker will be a young islander, Zachary Turillo, known locally as the kid who grows the gigantic pumpkins each year. Sutton said Zachary is just one example of an island youngster who uses gardening as a hobby.
"He is a real neat kid," Sutton said. "He is such an interesting little guy to talk to."
After Zachary agreed to be a speaker, Sutton said he received phone calls from the youthful agriculturalist. "He asked if he should bring in some soil samples," Sutton laughed. "I told him whatever he thought was important."
Sutton thinks that the reason younger people are getting involved is because there is more literature and publicity on it. For example, there are plenty of news stories about chickens, cattle and hogs being treated cruelly by farmers, and they want to be part of the solution. "They realize that is no way to treat an animal."
Following the speakers there will be an open session for the community to get involved and discuss ways to improve farming on the island. "It could be planting a garden, buying local or donating land," Sutton said. "I don't have the answers. That's why we want people to show up and share their ideas."
Leading up to forum, Sutton's wife, Lynda, along with Mia White, will visit children at the library during story time to read garden tales and to plant seeds with the kids. Sutton and White will be there on Monday, March 19, at 10:15 a.m., and again on Wednesday morning at 10:15 and 11:15.
The forum and the story times are free and open to the public.
"Farming is 99 percent hard work," Sutton said. What's the other 1 percent? "Hard work," he laughed. "But it's enjoyable to be outside and it's a rewarding way to live."
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