Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-12-10
Farming and the Farmer.

The farm-the farm; and what is
the farm? This is question that
has as many answers as writer's.
Many look upon it as a word of re-
proach, and as place to be avoided
"a place of untold drudgery and
unending toll, dirt, sweat, CRIME and
grease. Others look upon the farm
as the embodiment of all that is de-
sirable in life-the place of rest
Almost every man nurses more OF
less through life the dream that in
his old age he will retire from the
active pursuits and busy cares OF
commercial life, or whatever career
of life he may be following, and
spend the evening of his days in
peace and quiet on snug little farm.
Here he imagines that he will find
that rest for which his soul yearns
and around which his fancy hovers,
but which no other calling in life
affords.
He pictures it to himself few
hundred acres, more or less snug
little cottage, not hidden in the
wilderness, but close by the roadside
with his loved ones by him, with his
body at ease, with his soul at rest,
he can be happy in the society OF
those he loves. Shade trees, grassy
meadows, purling brooks, skipping
lambs, bleating calves, frolicking
colts, growing chickens, all help to
make up in his minds eye the
scenes in which he hopes to linger
Here he will always think he will find
the land literally flowing in milk
and honey, the gift of the patient
COW and the busy bee. Crops OF
rich luxuriance will please. his eye
while the bountiful harvest will fill
his smoko-house and crib, the basis
of cQntentment and happiness.
Such is briefly the living dream of
the busy man. Alas, how few, how
few, attain reality.
Such home every farmer has i,
in his power to make and to enjoy
A little more brains and little less
muscle would lesson the turmoil and
tussel. Better planting and less
fretting, more study and less grumb.
ling, more reading and less discus
sion of politics, would enable many
a man now living from hand tc
mouth to enjoy the fat of the land
in a handsome home. What the
farm needs is farmer, and not q
mere farm laborer; man who
thinks and reads, that he may have
something to think about; one who
plans and arranges to carry his
plans into execution. The real
farmer realizes at the beginning that
he must make his living from the
farm; he must produce upon the
farm what he lives upon; he must
not live from the store his rations
must be home raised. TO do this his
farm must be taken care of the soil
must be made rich and deep and fine,
the seeds planted must be selected
with care, and none planted but the
best. The crops must be cultivated
according to their nature and neces-
stiles, and not according to acc-
dent. He must plant not only the
things he needs for immediate use,
but those he will need in the future.
He must look ahead and provide for
the increasing wants of a growing
family. Knowing that grass is the
foundation of all wealth, and that
cattle growing is a necessary part of
all permanent prosperity, he will ar
range to grow a part of the cattle
upon the thousand hills which pic
lures the prosperity of every conn-
try.
Such farmer will find pleasure
as well as profit in his business. lie
will be contented and cheerful. He
will hold up his head in society. He
will feel himself to be the equal of
men in other callings. His children
will grow up happy; for he will be
able to dress them and send them to
school, and to give them a little
pocket money necessary to supply
the wants which always come to the
youth coming to manhood and the
girl to womanhood.
If such farmers and such farms are
a fancy picture, they onght not to
be; they ought to be n living reality,
known to all men, and it is our fault
if these things are not so.
Why should we continue to pour
the money, which our labor earns, so
lavishly into the pockets of other
men Why should the merchant
live in plenty and ease when his
money comes from us2 Why should
the banker grow fat when his living
comes from our toll? Why should
the lawyer count his fees by the
thousands, when our days work
brings but few hard earned dol
lars2 Why should we continue to
furnish the money to build fine
houses in the cities, and the railroads
and the Factories while ua orreolyos