The Teacher…
the slackers and the school farm!
He was imposing for a little guy. His no-nonsense, 1960’s suit filled out with a sturdiness that not only hinted at his powerful physique but revealed his personality. He appeared to have just visited the barber before class – high and tight, not a hair out of place. His blue eyes twinkled as he addressed the room. “My name is Mr. Dodson and I am your new ag teacher.” he said with confidence. I had no idea that my life was about to change forever.
The year was 1975 and I was part of the “dazed and confused” generation… We did not identify with the Boomers but we were too old to be Gen X’ers. We were sort of the lost ones; the latchkey kids who embraced the hippie aesthetic of long hair, jeans and flannel shirts, the ethos of self-sufficiency, back to nature and indulgence, mixed with the nihilism of growing up with war, the bomb and the degradation of the environment. It would be two more years before the punks came on the scene and “No Future!” would become anthemic… but the die was cast.
Mr. Dodson replaced an old dupe who had earned a reputation of being clueless. Most students signed up for the ag class so they could “work the back farm” and either use it as an opportunity to smoke something or, if it was the last class of the day, blow it off and walk into town. Dodson was the opposite. Sharp, impassioned, disciplined, he had been the state champion wrestler. Now he faced a true challenge as he stood in front of a class of disenfranchised youth, looking like everything we railed against. “Agriculture can save the world!” he declared. Everyone shut-up and listened. “No matter what happens, everyone needs to be fed. Life happens on the farm!” He then went to the chalkboard to illustrate biodiversity, the linkage between crops and animals and soil health. He taught with contagious enthusiasm and he infected the whole class. He became my favorite teacher and, though he was only in my life for two years, his impact lasted a lifetime.
We could use a few more Mr. Dodsons. I wish that every school would have mandatory agriculture classes and every student have a Mr. Dodson. The world is in a similar situation today. War festers in far away lands, human-driven climate change degrades our environment and heat records are being set on a regular basis. It is easy to resign and feel there is “No Future” – but we can do something. We, as farmers, can embrace regenerative farming techniques to “heal an ailing earth” and sequester carbon. We, as consumers, can choose to purchase from local farmers who operate a biodiverse organic farm. We can make choices as a community to value our environment and choose leaders who recognize that human activity must change for the benefit of all.
Industrial farms, fossil fuels and energy production must evolve as well as the way we, as individuals, use these items. Freedom means we have choice and sometimes we need to choose to move in a new direction and recognize that just because we did it one way in the past, it doesn’t mean we need to continue to do it in the same damaging way.
We grow grapes, make wine, raise animals and grow food crops. The reason we are able to make a beautiful wine – like the Three Amigos Vineyard Pinot Noir – is because we embrace biodiversity and have planted grapes in places where the climate is conducive to growing grapes that produce classically structured Pinot Noir. However, we can only control what is on our farm. Others, who are not farmers, must also help heal an ailing earth or the farm will not be able to keep up with rapid change and agriculture will not be able to “save the world.” Whatever your politics, please prioritize the health of the planet. We should have learned from the past as a cautionary tale and choose leaders who are committed to the future, accept the science of climate change and are willing to do something about it.
Rob Sinskey
