When I was a child, my father bought a large farm in order to allow my brother and I, and later my sister, to grow up in the country. It’s my believe that especially today that’s of incredible importance. I don’t know if the “especially today” part is political — because we’ve become a people with a paranoid obsession with safety (is it worth spending billions on child seats in cars to save five hundred lives over twenty years?) — or if the world actually is a more dangerous case, but the fact is that “freedom to roam” is becoming very much a thing of the past. With this loss, I think deny children the ability to learn to become full adults.
My daughter loves hearing stories about growing up on a farm, and asks me to tell her about all the different experiences and to illustrate them at length — which helps keep all my kooky meals getting consumed. Today I cooked my own version of a Manwhich — a curried rice and fresh veggie dish on raisin bread. People laugh when I use raisin bread, but I figure if you can cook most dishes with raisins, you can serve most sandwiches on raisin bread, right?
Those are Highland Cattle by the way — wonderful little furry indestructible beasties… She wanted to hear the story about the one-eyed bull (one of his cowfriends poked his eye out by accident at the hay feeder)… Here in the city we mostly have squirrels. I suppose it’s better than nothing, but they’re not particularly exciting.
There’s also a fat raccoon — one of many on this block — that appears to live on my neighbor’s porch. He’s quite happy there and doesn’t seem to leave much, and curls up in a little ball in the base of that umbrella to sleep. Not such a bad life… No predators other than the government.
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I was in South Carolina the weekend before this one and had an interesting encounter with a raccoon. I don’t see them much around ATL — mostly its opossums. :)
There is (I haven’t seen him in awhile) a fox that goes through the trash on my parent’s street… I was surprised when I first saw him, that he could survive in a metropolitan area. Granted, it was about a mile or so from the Chattahoochee river and a park, but Id never seen a fox outside of capitivity before, so for awhile, and I guess still, so its something I can strongly visualize and think about from time to time.
sounds awesome. I hated having my kids inside and not feeling safe letting them play outside when we lived in an apartment. Now that we’re in a safe community they’re loving the freedom of going to the park and up and down the street. Kids need freedom as much as adults do.
This was fun to read. My eldest son just got a new shark after one of his puffer fish past away- a one eyed albino, tri coloured. He’s rather neat looking with his one red eyeball.
My father ended up “adopting” 3 racoons last spring. He still feeds them and they live in the conservation area behind my parents house. Last time we went over for dinner we watched him feed them. After returning inside they decided they weren’t quite full yet and climbed up a 3 story deck to literally tap and sit outside the back sliding door which enters into the kitchen. My father quickly replied to their calls. What a good mother he’s become.
the raccoon seems to be pierced.
I love the idea of living in the country, however, I’m also a suburbanite and love being able to crash into the city (Boston) on whim. I absolutely love the outdoors of Maine and NH, and would be utterly thrilled if I could own two homes someday- one in the boonies, the other in the ‘burbs.
i grew up outside a state forest near philadelphia.. i was very lucky to grow up in the woods but, a short 30min train ride to philly.
i have a 7month old girl. i hope to be able to provide the same situation for her. i want her to be cultured well and i think nature and urban experience will help.
My God, Shannon, that is a beautiful entry! I was just at the library with my daughter today looking at books on fairies, my work project… I love that photograph of the raccoon, we had those in the Outer Richmond of SF when I was growing up. My daughter loves raisin bread, but not curry. Too bad our daughters couldn’t meet, I bet they really dig each other’s company. You are a better cook than me and you are a man, quite the domestic. I am embarrassed… I think I am feeling a little competitive, which could be a good thing! You are a very talented artist too. I am a bit bashful. Well, I take better photographs of food then you do. :)
Miss Pixie Styx: Shannon’s foodie blogging normally has far better pictures – stick around and you’ll soon see!
In the UK we have lots of urban farms and schools regularly take trips there. It’s amazing how many kids have never seen these animals before, and don’t have a clue where the sausages and burgers that make up their dinners come from! But they are a fabulous learning environment, and a great way to bring a bit of the country into the urban environment.
Used to ride my bike to school.
Cut through the neighbors pasture to get to my friend’s house.
Built a tree fort in the pasture.
Went to my friend’s house all by myself when I was seven.
Didn’t have a car seat.
Rode in car without seatbelts.
Got left in the car while mom shopped…
Parents have a screen door that doesn’t lock.
Most days I can go over there and none of their doors are locked.
Spent two hours in traffic yesterday and didn’t go more than 10 miles.
Nine years ago when I bought my house I could see the stars.
Now I see light pollution.
Put an offer on 11 acre farm the other day. 400 miles from here. It’s got a pond, a blueberry patch, screen doors without locks, trees for forts and a starry vista I can lie down on with my kids and watch the stars.
Thank you…I think I’ll take my girls to the GW national forest, today, after such a great post.
I’ve enjoyed Last Child in the Woods though I admit to not reading it in whole yet. I would very much like a piece of far off land, a quite home, a big dining room table.
Raisin bread is perfect for sandwiches!
i have a whole little colony of racoons by my dumpster. their numbers seem to be growing as the wooded area that used to be right next door has been cut down for another condominium development.
it’s now quite rare to come home from or go to work without seeing one of the furry guys or at least one dear. it’s pretty sad…
yeah, a nice mix of city and farm life i think…especialy the ol “cutin wood” chore, always a pleasure, but the art and diversity of the citys..fuck politics.
I can’t say how much I feel the ache to have that amount of space that country brings you. Here (the NL) everything in the city is crowded, houses are build in long dull rows and takes a small fortune to even afford a home that doesn’t have neighbors on all four sides of the house.
Thank god I live near the woods, so it’s fairly easy to escape the city hassle, but the wildest thing I see around here is that obnoxious excuse for a cat that my neighbors have. And he shits all over my garden, well woopdeedoo.
My son loves to hear my small stories about nature, the seasons, the small treasures you can find even on your doorstep. For now it’s all I can give. A farm would be nice, yes. And I would settle for just a small one…
I have to agree, farms are great for kids, a great learning tool. I take my kids to a local park that has farm tours, it amazes them to see the animals. My dream would be to have a farm where I grow my own crops and sell my produce locally. And to also have horses and rescued animals that need homes. But getting land here is so expensive…
We may live in an overly litigious society in the US, but I think car seats are worth it. Even if it’s just 500 babies saved, that’s 500 famililes that aren’t destroyed.
modblog sucks without you, shannon.
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I am lucky growing up and living in a place so filled with nature and animals. I kinda wish i had grown up on a farm for some of the experences, but i didnt and i have had and still have great adventures in the wildnerness around me. Thanx
All right I’ll stick around. I am feeling a bit cagey, its true.
When I was 11 my parents suddenly and with little explanation pulled my siblings and I away from urban sydney and plonked us in a small rural/beach community on the midnorth coast of Australia. I have only recently grown to appreciate why they gave up so much for us (better jobs/more money, old friends) for this seemingly base and boring lifestyle. As a sullen teenager I’ve always gone on about all the opportunities I had lost from the move, but now Ive come to realise that really I was probably better off than so many that grow up in dense city environments. Little things like curling up on a roof with a beer and being able to read by moonlight and being able to walk down to the beach after school. And of course, ‘field parties’ :p Though I still have to escape to Sydney at least once a month for musical adventures.
I only hope when it comes time for me to have a family of my own its still possible to offer my children all of this.
Random thought: is the title of this blog a Blade Runner reference, perchance?
i grew up around farms. my mother was into selling equestrian real estate, so i had my share of fun with horses and stuff. nothings more relaxing about hanging out next to a pond or lake riding a horse bare back around it. thats awesome about your daughter… i hope my kids will want to hear stories of me growing up
YAY the true shannon blogging is back! I have never really lived near animals, allthough my aunt had pigmy goats.. But when we go camping, i feel nature calling to me.. that racooon is darling!
Miss you Shannon, even in Italy!
Reminds me of what I need to be doing. I am about to move to a small city, from the country… Makes me want to turnaround and get back in the woods. My daughters get to run around naked and happy. But as usual, fiscal responsibility pulls us in directions we’d rather not be. But give me a few years I’ll be “in watermelon sugar”, and all will be well.
after eating garden grown strawberries all summer i cant see the attraction of city life. all that nonsense. i wonder if its bad living in the middle of nowhere and trying to ignore all the bad things around?
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Children need the country, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
I live in the Blue Mountains an hour or so west of Sydney, in Australia. I’ve lived here my entire life and I can honestly say I wouldn’t dream of moving anywhere closer to a city, or large town.
Having clean air and the absolute lack of human noise when you’re out in the bush is amazingly relaxing as an almost-adult, but it was incredible as a kid, it let the imagination go wild.
That said, the pressure is on to squeeze hundreds of houses into the bushland surrounding my home, and we can already see the wildlife disappearing as the city spreads.
i worked on a farm last weekend, and let me tell you, i didn’t want to come back home. i could pick veggies and roll around in the dirt for the rest of my life and be happy.
usu. racoons just give me the creeps.. cause theyre so aggressive.. but that is really really cute..
im in the process of buying a farm.. well im looking and ready.. but think itll take quite some time to find what im looking for..
im sick of looking for parking
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