On Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:58:56 -0600, Lynnet Bannion <[log in to unmask]>  
wrote:
>
> ...
> HGs always resisted going into farming, ... because they
> didn't want the drudgery of farmwork.

That may be.  But there had to be an advantage, or farming wouldn't have  
"stuck".

> It's not the same as riding in the air-conditioned tractor these days.   
> And it's not like having a cute little home garden that you put afew  
> hours a week into.   If you had to actually support your familyby  
> farming, using stone and wood tools, it would be a huge
> amount of work.

My "cute little home garden", as you put it, coupled with my flock of  
chickens, can supply a large amount of food without 12 hour days in the  
field.  In fact I spend very little time out there during the growing  
season other than just walking around looking at things.   And I don't  
even own a tractor.  I do put in some long days when it's harvest time,  
but that's nowhere near year-round.

What *would* be a lot of work, though, is harvesting and processing  
*grains* -- something I have never bothered doing on any significant scale.

Garden smarter, not harder.

--
   Robert Kesterson
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