Left the Farm at Age 19. Returned at 83. Why

Left the Farm at Age 19.   Returned at 83.   Why?

                                      by Andy Clarke

It was about seven years ago (2004), after reading dozens of “deep thought” books and thousands of articles, and engaging in many conversations with colleagues, that I became convinced that our present global industrial civilization is approaching collapse. Over 95 % of Canadians, including members of my family, have no such fears, either because they have not become sufficiently informed, or the very thought seems preposterous which encourages denial.  I also became persuaded that political action efforts to achieve a change in public policy was probably futile. Even membership in an organization that shared my views (in part at least) may have limited value, even though I continued to edit the Canadian Association for the Club of Rome’s journal, Proceedings, until June 2008.  

A second powerful motivator, and one unique to my personal life experience, was my memories of living through the Great Depression in the 1930s and early 1940s, at a level of rural financial poverty (but not urban poverty as the term is understood today) experienced by no one else of my acquaintance.  This early life experience equipped me mentally to be aware that it was possible to live a very different but reasonable life largely outside the money economy.  While never giving the subject the slightest thought a near life time ago, I now judge that my family lived off the land for possibly 70% of our then “necessities” of life.  At about age 15, and during my subsequent teen years, I was probably the chief wage earner for my family of four (Father, Mother, and my three year younger brother, Ken).

Almost 70 years later I believed I had sufficiently good health, the required attitudinal mindset, as well as the skills, to in large measure duplicate much of what I experienced many years earlier.  My present day financial situation, not at all similar to my family’s circumstances those many years earlier, played no role whatsoever in my decision-making. It did, however, allow me to embark on an experiment without undue concern about any financial risks associated with what I suspect virtually all friends and acquaintances consider exceedingly unconventional and bizarre behaviour. 

The Search for Land

For the above reasons, and to provide an example to others, I began looking for land with the following criteria:

• At least 25 acres, but preferably 50 to 100.
• A good mix of arable land and forest.
• Adequate water available for agricultural as well as household needs.
• Not too isolated and preferably close to a town with medical and other professional services.
• A rural farming community with generally attractive homes, an indicator of farming success and social compatibility.
• A reasonable distance to access the electric grid
• Preferably no home on the property at present.

After investigating dozens of options over a period of about three years, I finally located an acceptable 75 acre property near Perth, Ontariothat met the above criteria.  I placed an offer to purchase almost immediately and closed the deal in about a week or two

A visit to the property records registry for the area revealed that my land was first settled in 1820, possibly by a British veteran of the war of 1812 with the US. (I have been informed by one person that a small but very old log cabin on the property is believed to have been built by the original settler). During the years prior to 1978 it was farmed as a dairy farm. In the late 1970s the farm’s home was severed and sold, as were an additional three small lots. About two years later the remaining 75 acres of land was sold and for the past 30 years the land has been farmed as a cattle ranch. 

Progress to Date

During the last three years, and most unexpectedly, I developed a close working relationship with the previous owner, now living on another farm nearby.  During a discussion of our respective plans, I suggested and he agreed that he could continue to pasture his some 70 head of cattle on designated fields of his former farm. In return he served as my “tenant farmer” (and continues to do so), allowing me to pay taxes at about ¼ of the rate that would otherwise be required. He also provides me with valuable assistance in various ways.

Detailed plans to build an energy efficient home with the potential to live without the benefit of the electric grid if need be, generate a part of my electricity, and produce a significant proportion of our food requirements, began soon after the purchase of the farm. Building plans included extensive reading, meeting with an architect in Perthon several occasions, and meeting other persons including the representatives of five building contractors. I also prepared about six sketches of a home that I hoped would not only meet our requirements during my few remaining years but would appeal to my two children and four grandchildren.  I consulted frequently with my son, David, now a Vice President of his engineering firm based in Calgary.

During early December, 2009, I signed a contract with a Perthbuilding firm, construction began on April 1, 2010, and the home was completed three months later on June 30, 2010.

We began moving belongings in on July 1. My daughter, Cynthia, visited us soon after home completion but Betty and I didn’t sleep over until the first beds arrived in early July.  A few days later son David joined us for four or five days, soon followed by two grandchildren (computer engineer Robert from Vancouver and architect Gillian from Holland).  The foregoing is to give you a taste of the send off our home for the next 100 plus years (hopefully) received.

Possibly our two level home’s most distinctive feature is its heating and cooling resiliency. At the top of the list I would place passive solar, followed by an interesting wood fireplace in the living room which can heat either the upper or lower level. We also have a wood burning stove in the dining room which can also serve as a cooking stove. Third is our 4 ton geothermal water furnace which can heat or cool the entire potential 3,000 plus square foot house throughout the year. Finally, should the geothermal fail for non electricity reasons, we have three back up base board heaters in the three rooms most distant from the wood fireplaces. As you will have noticed, fossil fuels are strictly taboo and Betty and I could live comfortably off the grid if need be.  I also arranged the excavation of a 10 foot deep pond, primarily to provide a source of irrigation water, but hopefully with the potential to grow fish.

During late September, 2010 I purchased a 24 horsepower John Deere diesel tractor with six attachments, including a front end loader, a backhoe, a mower, a 20 ton wood splitter, a snow plow and blower, and a rotary tiller.  During October I built a 100 square foot shed to serve several purposes, including a pump and pressure tank to irrigate a substantial garden and small orchard, an electricity generator, an inverter, and possibly a battery pack to provide back up electric power if needed.  During October 2010 I sawed and split my winter supply of firewood, partly from standing dead trees with their treasure of dry wood. I also constructed the first of several cold frames for early planting this spring.

 During recent months I have now become reasonably proficient in the use of the tractor, its loader, mower, wood splitter, back hoe, and snow plow and blower. This spring I plan to begin first steps to plant a substantial garden and a 12 to 20 fruit and nut tree orchard.  I also hope to explore practical electricity generating alternatives. At present I am leaning toward one or more photo voltaic panels.

My Motivations and Our Future

I entirely agree that embarking on a new adventure as described above when one is approaching their mid 80s is far removed from the norm in today’s society. But considering my good health, a farming background during my early years, together with the experience of owning and operating a mobile home park during more recent years, I much prefer my present endeavors to the possible alternatives.

But perhaps the most important factor that has influenced me to embark on this new adventure is its role both as a possible future home for my children and grandchildren, as well as serve as an example to others in Canadian society.  Extensive study over a period of many years has convinced me beyond all doubt that an inflection point in today’s fossil fuelled civilization will be upon us in perhaps a decade or less. Appropriate preparations begun now may prove invaluable in easing the transition to a world very different from Earth’s first industrialized civilization.

One of the first thoughtful books to be published in 2011 is WORLD ON THE EDGE by Lester R. Brown, an author acclaimed and honored throughout the world. I would like to conclude this report by quoting the final paragraph of his new book.

       The choice is ours – yours and mine. We can stay with business as usual and preside over an economy that continues to destroy its natural support systems until it destroys itself, or it can be the generation that changes direction, moving the world onto a path of sustained progress.  The choice will be made by our generation, but it will affect life on earth for all generations to come.

 April 15, 2011