“Contemporary Agrarianism: A Reality Check” by Melissa Walker

I have decided to read “Contemporary Agrarianism: A Reality Check” by Melissa Walker. This essay is on the recent “good food” movement.  The truth is that agrarian ideology has become very mainstream. People all around us are interested in purchasing “organic” food labels and visiting farmers markets. In her essay, Walker studies the different aspects of the movement, as well as the wide array of social groups that participate in it. I believe that this resource is very valuable to my study because it will help me assess how the community is reacting to the movement, and what type of involvement from those whom are interested can actually benefit the farming community. Community involvement is a very important aspect in establishing a successful farmer- consumer relationship, and most farmers I have interviewed agree that this is a very challenging, but important step to having a successful career. 

Walker writes about how the “good food” movement is very far- reaching. She makes a reference to James E. McWilliams, who notoriously quoted that “New agrarians see agriculture as a counterculture ideal to understand the modes of production”. Although some people would argue that this movement began with Rachael Carson’s “Silent Spring”, Walker believes that writers such as Gene Logsdon were the true leaders of this movement. I read two of Logsdon’s books over the summer, and his writings and writings similar to his own focus on how farming is “the highest human calling”. There seems to be an overall great desire to return to the small-scale, “yeoman farmer” that Thomas Jefferson believed so strongly in. Walker identifies the general goals of this movement. One goal, for example, is environmental/ sustainable- agriculture stewardship. As the list carries on, Walker writes that these goals very far-reaching.  She also writes that the people who are able to take part in stimulating this movement are only those who can afford supporting local agriculture, because as we all know, our regular Walmart produce is a lot cheaper than purchasing fresh produce through a market or a CSA.

Walker covers all different aspects of this movement, and she is right- the goals are very far-reaching. The title of her essay is very fitting, because those interested in the “good food” movement need to have a “reality check”. From what I have gathered from her essay thus far, Farmer- consumer relationships need to be more well- established, and the goals of this movement need to be prioritized. 

As I am studying all these different aspects of my senior project, one theme is starting to really stick out to me- Farmer-consumer relationships. The lack of this kind of establishment in this community is becoming more and more apparent as I study statistics, interview farmers, and research about programs that help farmers across the nation. I love where this project is taking me, and I can't wait to dig deeper!