Final Farmer Post

As I continued reading Growing a Farmer, I could appreciate Timmermeister’s story, but knew that I could never follow such a path. However, I enjoyed how the descriptive (sometimes mundane) chapters helped the reader visualize and explore new aspects of the farm as Timmermeister did. I really liked that he found multiple ways to use all parts of his land and livestock so that nothing went to waste. He completely lived off his own land and also provided goods to others as well. He cultivated raw milk from his cows, honey from his bees, and meat from his slaughtered pigs. Honestly, the Slaughter chapter was brutal to read. As an animal enthusiast, I could never witness an animal being butchered, even when that’s its purpose. It was interesting to see that the had a genuine emotional connection to his pigs, but was still, at the end, able to murder them.

Interestingly, my aunt who lived in DC actually did exactly what Timmermeister did. She owns and runs 8 restaurants in the area, but decided one day that she really wanted to be a farmer. She was tired of the city life and felt more at home in rural areas. She still runs the restaurants but stocks them with fruits, vegetables, and eggs that are all created on the farm. Her style of farming is a little less brutal than Timmermeister, but I can appreciate the connection between his decisions and my aunt’s. Overall, it was an interesting read, but not my favorite to be honest.