Destiny word agriculture
Revisiting Farm Blacksmithing
Farm blacksmithing is a term that might be new to many people but it actually has been going on for centuries. It is simply the design of tools for the farm, by the farmer, probably in the farm. Let’s explore.
Back in the days, there used to be a Forge on most of the farms. Farms are commonly secluded and are miles away from the commercial centre. A farmer naturally needed to have the skills, and the means to fix broken down tools and machineries in his shed. Today, the functions of the farmer are becoming more and more specialised and diverse. Blacksmithing skills doesn’t have to come naturally anymore; it is now a distinct part of Agricultural Engineering, taught in colleges exclusively.
Although there are professional farm blacksmiths available today even on call, one can argue that need to be a handy farmer cannot be totally eliminated by the new trend. No matter the size of the farm, having a farm workshop on it can not only be economically viable, but also enable farmers to be creative, learn new skills on how to solve their minor problems as well as carry on the culture of innovation that ancient farmers were known for.
In large farms, having a functional workshop can serve a lot in terms of resources wasted in getting farm blacksmithing services elsewhere. The workshop can also open their service to the public as a one stop centre for farming tool services, to generate extra income for the farm. With the advancement of technology today, farm blacksmithing is almost narrowed down to mostly repairs. The ease and cost of getting a fancy ready-made tool for almost any kind of farming activity that you could imagine trumps the innovative aspect of the trade. However, when it comes to farm tools, a little emphasis is placed on the looks of it; functionality, durability and ease of use are paramount. Sadly, getting tools with this quality can still be an expensive affair for most farmers. In this case go back to/set up your own farm workshop/shed and forge your tools like the good old farmers. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: agribusiness, Agricultural school, Blacksmithing agriculture, Destiny word agriculture, tool world farm, tractor farmingRelated posts
Fulfilling a Destiny by Teaching Agriculture
Picture it, to steal a catch phrase from the late Estelle Getty of The Golden Girls, 1995, Morristown-West High School, vocational hall, second classroom on the left. Mr. Phil Wright is lecturing on safety in agriculture mechanics. A very small sophomore is sitting in the first seat listening to someone that absolutely fascinates him instead of taking down the information that is being presented. I certainly did not master the art of welding or woodworking by listening to this man (by no fault of his), but I was able to come to a very important conclusion. During this ag. 2 class, I decided what my future and my destiny holds…a career teaching agriculture. During my venture as an agriculture teacher, I have had many rewarding times, a few disappointments and more opportunities for adaptation than I would have ever imagined.
Current Role:
I am one of three teachers in the agriculture department at Cocke County High School in Newport, TN. Each teacher is unique in that they specialize in a certain area of the field. The senior member of our team is the agriculture mechanics and wildlife management “guy”. We have a horticulture specialist that is in charge of the greenhouse classes. I teach small animal care and forestry; two classes that I am very familiar and comfortable with. I am also certified to teach agriscience, in which the students can earn a science credit. I also occasionally teach fundamentals of agriculture and usually one landscape and turf grass management class in the spring. My favorite part of my job is the work I do involving the FFA. I was very active in the FFA during my high school years and I carried my passion for this organization with me to Cocke County. I never miss a year at Leadership Training Camp and I regularly attend the state FFA convention in Gatlinburg. I train FFA members for seven or eight career development events throughout the school year. I found out during my first year of teaching that I certainly was not going to be a teacher that reported in at 8 a.m. and left at 3:30 p.m. five days a week. Sure, I could do that, but the one important factor that would suffer from the lack of dedication that would show is the students. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Destiny word agriculture, Fulfilling school carrer, Teaching education farm