Downwind“Put 1 foot in front of the other”"
This world provides a lot of transportation and locomotion options. Wheels. Wings. Water. Allowing us to move from place to place quickly. Convenient. Without much need to think, see, hear, smell, feel. Destination arrival without an awareness of the in-between.
On the Farm, we spent a lot of time with the original method of transportation…two feet. Old Faithful. Putting one foot in front of the other. Not fast. Plenty of time to think, see, hear, smell, feel
On two feet, we checked the cows in the pasture.
On two feet, we walked the fence line to find where those cows got out.
On two feet, we went to find the cows and herd them back home.
On two feet, we walked beans, weeding as we went.
On two feet, we checked corn fields for cutworms and root worms.
On two feet, we built fence, carried buckets of water, and lugged bedding out to the hog houses.
On two feet, we took a drink out to the Farmer in the fields.
And on two feet, we walked with Mom… just because.
In those moments, especially during walks with Mom, I learned to look around, see the world and take a breath. Think, see, hear, smell and feel. Thanks Mom!
Those days, sometimes our Sunday entertainment was to check out local parks, wooded areas and nature centers. They offered trails for new walking exploration. My siblings and I were adventurers, finding out where those trails went through the woods, around the bend over the hill, down the ravine. Being first up the trail was always a competitive sport. In the process, we “discovered” new worlds through rock, dirt, groomed limestone or wood chip trails.
Today, I call those walks “hikes”.
There is something about a trail that makes me want to follow it. A trail through the woods. A bike trail. A trail along a mountain stream. I point back to those years on the farm…walking and exploring.
This has led me to a bit of a fascination for the Appalachian Trail (AT). This famous trail runs much of the length of the Appalachian mountains from Georgia to Maine covering 2200 miles and traversing 14 states. People all over the world seek to check it out.
A small, less bright part of me wants to try to through hike the AT. A few years ago, during a trip to Georgia, my wife and I went to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. We snapped a photo of the plate on the rock showing the start (or end).
A couple months later, while we were in Maine, we headed to the northern section of the AT where its northern terminus can be found at Mt Katahdin. We thought it would make a good story (Christmas Card material?) that we traveled the Appalachian Trail in a matter of only 3 months.
I recently ran across and read a AT book about Grandma Gatewood who in 1956, became the first woman to “through hike” the complete Appalachian Trail at age 67. Grandma Gatewood went on to accomplish the feat 2 more times. Makes me reflect upon my Mom. I can picture her doing the same.
I like what wilderness advocate John Muir said:
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
John Muir could have been offering an analogy to taking a trail to glimpse the world of farming. Everyone could use a little “farm” in their life. Seeking a path that provides views of farm life is a treasure to hold.
If you have a chance to follow a path to a farm, do it. Walk there. On two feet. And for those I see on the way, don’t worry, I’m not lost…I’m just exploring.