At the beginning of the year, I was so pleased to see a commercial, produced by the Land O’ Lakes company honoring the farmers of this land. As a text, they used one of my favorite poems by Amelia E. Barr, entitled simply, The Farmer. Today is National Farmer’s Day. Stop and think where we would be without farmers. Many romanticize about the ‘simple life’ that is farm life. Although there may be a beauty and connection to God, the elements and the earth that comes with farming – there is nothing simple about the simple life. I have included the poem below. Please take time to read it – and pray for the good people of this land who day after day, year after year, plant the seed, tend the farm, and raise our food. (All photos by others)
God Bless the Farmer,
Kathy
The Farmer by Amelia E Barr
The king may rule o’er land and sea,
The lord may live right royally,
The soldier ride in pomp and pride,
The sailor roam o’er ocean wide;
But this or that, whate’er befall,
The farmer he must feed them all.
The writer thinks, the poet sings,
The craftsmen fashion wondrous things,
The doctor heals, the lawyer pleads,
The miner follows the precious leads;
But this or that, whate’er befall,
The farmer he must feed them all.
The merchant he may buy and sell,
The teacher do his duty well,
But men may toil through busy days,
Or men may stroll through pleasant ways;
From king to beggar, whate’er befall,
The farmer he must feed them all.
The farmer’s trade is one of worth;
He’s partner with the sky and earth,
He’s partner with the sun and rain,
And no man loses for his gain;
And men may rise, or men may fall,
But the farmer he must feed them all.
God bless the man who sows the wheat,
Who finds us milk and fruit and meat;
May his purse be heavy, his heart be light,
His cattle and corn and all go right;
God bless the seeds his hands let fall,
For the farmer he must feed us all.
