Farming

Nadim 

3/2/18

Last class we watched a movie that discussed some practices of different farmers. One topic which was discussed was practice of organic versus conventional farming. Some farmers stated that they only use organic farming while others said they planted seeds that contained GMO. We usually don’t buy organic fruits or vegetables just because they cost more and we haven’t really noticed any difference in flavor. Of course, without proper scientific testing it would be an incorrect conclusion to assume one has more nutrients than the other. However, we haven’t really looked into this deeply and will likely continue in purchasing conventionally   grown produce. 

Another thing which I found interesting was the fact that the documentary also focused on the ordinary social lives that the farmers pursue. The stereotypical farmer seems to draw an image of a lonely person working on a farm all day. However, the image focused on their daily life such as their families and children. This helped me understand the lives of farmers and their relationship to their job of farming while also maintaining a lively social life. 

I also found the business nature of running a farm. The film really focused on how the farmers have to work with the consumers to essentially sell their products and make a profit. It also never crossed my mind how farming is also a business in and of itself. I felt that this film really exposed me to a “field” that I never had any connection to and was thus able to better establish a connection with those who grow my food. Regardless of whether its organically or conveniently grown, work goes into farming and we should be appreciative of that.