In “Renewing Husbandry,” Wendell Berry argues against the industrialization of farming. He begins by explaining that it began with the invention of the tractor; when his farm first utilized the tractor he resented the mule plow that his father used. He saw the mule team as slow and ineffective, however, later he recognized their value in their slow caring pace of working the land, which he labels “husbandry.” He then claims that the economic growth of society has devalued farming and forced small farms to diminish while large farms flourish. He views that this shift of economic power creates a harmful blow to the quality of farming, he blames mechanization for the destruction of small farms. This ridicule of industrialized farming fails to understand that the renewal of husbandry begins with the individual. Berry believes that the mechanization of farming creates separation between the farmer and the land. Berry states, “Once one’s farm and one’s thoughts have been sufficiently mechanized, industrial agriculture’s focus on production, as opposed to …show more content…
His solution is as follows, “ … agricultural scientists will need to work as indwelling members of agricultural communities or of consumer communities.” (Berry, 2005, para. 27) Berry suggests that scientist must live in a farming community to understand farming at the core. This solution will miss a vital piece of the problem; that farming must advance beyond the small communities. Earlier Berry states, “The effort of husbandry is partly scientific but it is entirely cultural,” (Berry, 2005, para. 27) Berry again does not see just how important farming is to the world; “husbandry” is entirely scientific and entirely cultural. Farming has an apparent affect on community, part of the reason why many people start their own backyard garden, but its essential role in the nutrition of people must find those willing to advance