While the mono-crop producers are digging their talons into the flesh of government, our health and the environment, small farmers are beginning to spread their wings for independence and prosperity.
It is well known in the liberty communities that farming is a key part of freedom, but are we doing the right things to take full advantage of the tools available today?
A lot of people, like my family, get into farming for reasons such as more humane treatment of animals, control over what the animals eat and other similar minded reasons having to do with quality of life and the quality of food that is produced. Those are great reasons and are likely to have positive ramifications for the farmers and the area they operate in, but there are still more reasons that I suspect less farmers consider a priority. These reasons have more to do with liberty and creating even better markets.
Historically, farmers are the engine of freedom and they are also the victims of annihilation as governments know that food often holds the greatest tactical power. As governments always try to mold society in as controlled a fashion as possible, farm markets are often highly controlled. This is were we have some real opportunities today.
With the tools available now such as decentralized information, transportation, and financial tools (i.e. blockchain), it seems we could eventually render the tentacles of control obsolete - or at least small enough to drown in a tub. These tools are particularly suited for a more peer-to-peer market system. My question is; will this change the culture enough to strengthen the markets naturally?
Is that even what many farmers actually want? Farmers probably would want this, if they knew it, but many are just trying to improve their lives without necessarily considering liberty at its essence. Liberty needs more/ better marketing.
