Page 86 - Winter2017

Farm and Ranch

ELEVENTH ANNUAL GUIDED FARM VISIT:

A LOOK AT WHAT FARM-TO-TABLE REALLY MEANS
By Will Winter, DVM

This year Every year, sixty of us at the Wise Tradi- in creating wholesome, humane, nutrient-dense
was about tions conference get up before sunrise, crawl out farm food so the rest of us can thrive.
of our warm beds and pile onto our warm and
This year was about a glimpse of farm life
a glimpse luxurious bus, putting our collective lives into in Lake Wobegone country, life on the edge of
of farm life the hands of our intrepid bus driver and set off the prairie in Minnesota, actually life on the

in Lake into parts unknown. On-board farm breakfast edge. This is not an easy calling. There were still
arrives as freeways change into two-lane black-
thick crystals of white jack frost on the hayracks
Wobegone tops, then dirt roads, then to narrow curving before the sun had warmed the wagons. We sat
country, life farm driveways. Suburban sprawl reluctantly on the hay bales, wrapped in blankets gener-
on the edge gives way to brown open fields, tall endless rows ously provided by the farm family as we rode
of corn awaiting harvest, then a pasture here, a out to see the grass-fed cattle. As curious of us
of the prairie woodland glade there. Hello! We have come to as we were of them, they peered at us from a
in Minnesota, see from whence our food comes. few feet away, their breaths steaming, the bright
Every year, several farmers wake up even shafts of morning sun piercing the clear blue sky
actually life earlier than we do and begin to brace themselves and lighting up the plumes of frozen breath.

on the edge. for this strange busload of the curious. As they Satiated just from the noble presence of
crawl out of their beds and pull on their boots the beeves, and hearing the love from the farm
and coveralls, they may be asking, “Now, why family (it’s always so hard to ever leave…), we
was it again that I agreed to do this?” And then, traveled down the road to a modest tie-stall
at last, it is time. And this unusual and wonder- dairy where the young couple milked cows
ful dance begins, when people from two worlds, twice a day, while caring for their three small
city mouse and country mouse, get a chance to children. A bonfire in the front yard greeted us
meet. For the next ten to twelve hours we will and warmed our chilly hands, faces and feet. Not
get to experience people from different walks of very many experiences are quite as enjoyable
life. We will be stepping on the land they love as drinking that delicious, velvety, chilled milk
and seeing it with their eyes. just a few hours after milking—from the cows
I’m describing the annual WAPF Guided we see right over there. We traced their day as
Farm Visit, which takes place every year on the they chilled the organic milk, then filtered it
last full day of the conference. And each year into half-gallon jugs to be hauled into town as
it is different. Each year we see what it’s really full-fat, unhomogenized and raw milk for the
like on another slice of farm and ranch life. We city folks. Healthy, strong and vibrant, somehow
want it to be real, warts and all. Not some story these young farmers seem to be making it all
book fantasy, not Old McDonald’s farm (sorry, work.
folks, that doesn’t really exist), nor is it like a As evidence of the sweet harmony the
reality TV show. We may get our pant legs wet making of great food brings, our banquet chef
in the dewy morning grass and may step in from the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, Col-
cow poop, but we come away changed inside lin Clemons, who had been providing us with
somehow—as well as happy to learn that there cartloads of farm food for the past few days,
really are still all these crazy, inspiring people, sacrificed his day off to head to the little Mill
willing to sacrifice everything, still interested St. Tavern in Cannon Falls where he spent his

86 Wise Traditions WINTER 2017