Lori at Skoog Farm in New York State, U.S.A, sent me 2 great iPhotos (as she described them) of some onions pulled from their garden this weekend.
By iPhotos, am I to suppose they were taken by an iPhone?
If so, this is a nice illustration of how things are different for farmers in New York State and where I live, in the Auvergne, France.
Firstly, I had never seen an iPhone until I went up to Paris a few weeks ago and a friend had one. (Admittedly she is both American and the technology editor of a newspaper, so one might expect her to have one! Although she nearly lost it when someone tried to pickpocket her, having seen her use it on the Paris metro en route to a Bruce Springstein concert.)
The idea of anyone here being able to afford one, certainly a farmer in this region, is difficult to wrap one's head around.
But more importantly, even if they could, they wouldn't buy one, because, quite simply, what would be the point?
By iPhotos, am I to suppose they were taken by an iPhone?
If so, this is a nice illustration of how things are different for farmers in New York State and where I live, in the Auvergne, France.
Firstly, I had never seen an iPhone until I went up to Paris a few weeks ago and a friend had one. (Admittedly she is both American and the technology editor of a newspaper, so one might expect her to have one! Although she nearly lost it when someone tried to pickpocket her, having seen her use it on the Paris metro en route to a Bruce Springstein concert.)
The idea of anyone here being able to afford one, certainly a farmer in this region, is difficult to wrap one's head around.
But more importantly, even if they could, they wouldn't buy one, because, quite simply, what would be the point?
Most people have a mobile phone, we send textos as they are called here, we use them occassionally when there is a signal up in the mountains, but they are a simple, functional item.
What I like about living here is people's complete lack of interest in materialism and consumption. Condie Rice was recently in Australia, and, talking to a group of young students, informed them that her favourite hobby was 'shopping'.
Here, for now at least in our secret valley, the idea of going shopping being a planned leisure activity has not taken hold. It will, no doubt, but not yet. You go not shopping, but to a specific shop or market to buy something you need. It's not a hobby!
Anyway, what's all this got to do with farming? Not much, and we can now say that an iPhone takes great pictures of onions. And what fine onions.
(This year our vegetable crop isn't the best. Too much rain in the spring, and now hot, parching days and then quite cold at night. Not ideal.)
What I like about living here is people's complete lack of interest in materialism and consumption. Condie Rice was recently in Australia, and, talking to a group of young students, informed them that her favourite hobby was 'shopping'.
Here, for now at least in our secret valley, the idea of going shopping being a planned leisure activity has not taken hold. It will, no doubt, but not yet. You go not shopping, but to a specific shop or market to buy something you need. It's not a hobby!
Anyway, what's all this got to do with farming? Not much, and we can now say that an iPhone takes great pictures of onions. And what fine onions.
(This year our vegetable crop isn't the best. Too much rain in the spring, and now hot, parching days and then quite cold at night. Not ideal.)
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2 comments:
Ian,
These photos are from a program called iPhoto. I do not have an iPhone....out of my league. Thanks for printing the photos.
Lori
Whoops, sorry, my mistake! I must say, I did think it a little fancy ;)
Ian
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