I went to town today and did a bit of stocking up. I want to be prepared to help. This is going to sound a bit selfish perhaps, but when others need help, I'd just as soon be able to hand them a can of tomatoes rather than a canning jar of tomatoes. Of course, I'll help if I can but I don't want to lose track of my jars. In this same trip, I discovered some very sad news, that seems to be marking an end to an era. It's weighed so heavily on my mind, I've had to double check blogs and articles to make sure the issue has not already been published, but I think I've just been talking about it to anyone and everyone.
In one of the many recent trips to town, I went by the Locker Plant I've patronized in the past. Last year, they told their customers they were reducing their operation hours to deer season only, but they would still process beef through that season. Since deer season is quickly approaching, I thought I might find someone at the place getting ready. Rather than finding anyone there, or a note on the door as to the opening day, the place was obviously beyond abandoned. The pens were all torn down, the refrigeration compressors were gone. Believe it or not, I really tried to justify those two looming facts by considering, the compressors sitting out in plain view when the business is closed 8 months would just be an invitation for theft and vandalism. As for the pens, since the focus now was primarily processing wild game, pens would really not be needed for dead animals. The mail box atop the pile of neatly stacked deconstructed pen sides jolted me out of my idealistic denial. There was only one more thing to check . . .
My little moment of denial came to a crashing halt and my fear confirmed, when I checked the meter box. The meter had been pulled. So, the next obvious thought of choice was, the elder generation had lived out his days and the descendants realized there really was no future career in a Locker Plant. That may be what did happen, I don't know. I know it was a family business that began right after WWII, just like the orchard up the highway that shuttered last year. I truly do hope and pray that the senior generation simply lived out their days with the kids and grandkids juggling their "real career" and helping grandpa. If that's the case, there's only one tragic detail to this story . . . Most in our society, even though they consume meat, do not raise their own meat, much less know how to process it.
In two years now, I've seen business shutter that were keeping alive the way of life that has sustained humanity throughout history. It's time to dust off those talents and learn how to produce and process our own food, while we still can, or hone some talents that will produce good products for fair barter.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Our Value
Realizing most folks under 50 have no awareness of the way business was done for centuries upon centuries before the industrial revolution, I want to share a bit of information. Actually, if it weren't for my fellow congregants in synagogue, I'd have very little knowledge of this, myself; as the way of life I'm about to share basically disappeared through the late 50s and early 60s.
Before the industrial revolution, agriculture was the backbone of this nation and many nations, but not everyone farmed. There were businessmen who created and produced products, but they were still very much dependent upon agriculture, as we still are today. We just don't realize it because we, as a society, have so distanced ourselves from the basics. Before the Great Depression, there were businesses that thrived in towns across America, primarily family businesses in which the family lived in an apartment above the business. Actually, many of these downtown businesses survived the Great Depression and continued to flourish until the Interstate Highway system was built in the 50s bypassing the downtowns.
The downtown businesses were usually family operations that ranged from bakeries to grocery stores, even clothing shops and jewelry stores. Farmers had basically the same situation, only they worked the rural land that had been handed down to them, and often lived in the same farm house in which they'd been born. The point I'm making here, is men did not measure their self worth and success by their "toys" and extras, but by what their hands and hard work produced. Business people in town strove to create the finest apparel or long wearing leather craft, exquisite jewelry, or . . . a tangible product of worth. They were recognized for craftsmanship, rather than accumulation. Farmers strove to have the finest crops and healthy herds, rather than newest tractor and biggest house.
Now that our society has become intensely materialistic and entertainment oriented, one thing has remained consistent. Entrepreneurs do not need entertainment. The movers and shakers of this century are not sitting by idly awaiting the next gadget.
I've done a bit of figuring. When the farmers and businessmen of our history made their living and supported their families, their product, produce, and the manners of their children were a reflection of their success. Free time was considered laziness and extravagant extras were considered a sign of poor management. A good farmer or businessman didn't owe anyone. His value was not in what he made an hour, but what he built in life and what he would hand down to the next generation.
For the most part our society has stopped building and stopped investing. It takes a significant hourly wage to live for the moment! Quality craftsmanship has lasting value when applied and taught to the next generation. Land has lasting value, when worked. Hourly wages spent on entertainment and gadgets are gone very quickly, and soon forgotten. Life insurance has replaced inheritances and that basically makes the statement: "we are worth more dead than alive."
It's not too late to invest our G-d-given talents and invest in the next generation.
Before the industrial revolution, agriculture was the backbone of this nation and many nations, but not everyone farmed. There were businessmen who created and produced products, but they were still very much dependent upon agriculture, as we still are today. We just don't realize it because we, as a society, have so distanced ourselves from the basics. Before the Great Depression, there were businesses that thrived in towns across America, primarily family businesses in which the family lived in an apartment above the business. Actually, many of these downtown businesses survived the Great Depression and continued to flourish until the Interstate Highway system was built in the 50s bypassing the downtowns.
The downtown businesses were usually family operations that ranged from bakeries to grocery stores, even clothing shops and jewelry stores. Farmers had basically the same situation, only they worked the rural land that had been handed down to them, and often lived in the same farm house in which they'd been born. The point I'm making here, is men did not measure their self worth and success by their "toys" and extras, but by what their hands and hard work produced. Business people in town strove to create the finest apparel or long wearing leather craft, exquisite jewelry, or . . . a tangible product of worth. They were recognized for craftsmanship, rather than accumulation. Farmers strove to have the finest crops and healthy herds, rather than newest tractor and biggest house.
Now that our society has become intensely materialistic and entertainment oriented, one thing has remained consistent. Entrepreneurs do not need entertainment. The movers and shakers of this century are not sitting by idly awaiting the next gadget.
I've done a bit of figuring. When the farmers and businessmen of our history made their living and supported their families, their product, produce, and the manners of their children were a reflection of their success. Free time was considered laziness and extravagant extras were considered a sign of poor management. A good farmer or businessman didn't owe anyone. His value was not in what he made an hour, but what he built in life and what he would hand down to the next generation.
For the most part our society has stopped building and stopped investing. It takes a significant hourly wage to live for the moment! Quality craftsmanship has lasting value when applied and taught to the next generation. Land has lasting value, when worked. Hourly wages spent on entertainment and gadgets are gone very quickly, and soon forgotten. Life insurance has replaced inheritances and that basically makes the statement: "we are worth more dead than alive."
It's not too late to invest our G-d-given talents and invest in the next generation.
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