The Farm

The Benefits of Land Stewardship

 Every person who has in them the love for, and the appreciation of, the outdoors can best get the euphoric feeling that it gives, by simply being “outdoors”. We have and can feel that connection only through being there or “been there, done that”; and one can never get enough. In our thoughts we are always thinking of our next outing. Planning, preparing, dreaming. It makes all the negativity, and shoulder buckling pressures in our lives disappear. We feel refreshed and alive. A satisfying feeling of accomplishment.

     For me, I achieve that by spending time at my farm. Now it isn’t a farm in the true sense of the word as I don’t have livestock there and don’t raise any harvestable crops there other than timber. I have owned it for almost 40 years. I say own but I am truly only the steward while my name is on the deed. Some day it will pass to one of my sons, and to his offspring and so on and so on. As the steward, my goal is to pass it on in better condition than it was when I acquired it. As a result of that being my aim, I have bettered myself and broadened my view of what is good for the land and those creatures that inhabit it.

     With my commitment to this betterment I have performed many projects at the farm. These projects so cement me to the farm that I feel that it is a living thing that needs to be nurtured and cared for as if it were part of my family, and you know, it is. My sons and several friends and their children have helped with the work and have hunted on the property and  this  likewise connects them to the farm in a similar fashion. 

     The connection and feelings of contentment and accomplishment that I have because of the farm have instilled in me the desire to share what I have with people that I know will appreciate all that it has to offer just as I do. I encourage those that I allow on the farm to introduce their spouses, children, and grandchildren to all that it has to offer.

     I have learned many things through trial and error, what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to food plots, placement of tree stands/shooting shacks, and that those decisions may change over time. This has all been learned through first hand experience.     

     To sum up this writing I would encourage anyone that owns, or plans on owning a piece of ground to consider following the path that I have with stewardship. If owning your own parcel of happiness isn’t possible for you, consider a partnership with friends to purchase land or at least try to connect with somebody that has land and would be willing to let you  in some way on their land, do the things that I have discussed. 

     In so many ways, the benefits of being a steward to land are what you put back into the land. Your time efforts, and accomplishments were not only spent outdoors (which is a benefit in and of itself) but the food, lessons, and memories you harvest and share with others are priceless.