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| "When The Cow Comes Home" Courtesy of Photoartdb Consulting Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved. |
It has been almost four months since creating a new posting for this blog. Almost as long as it would take for a lost cow to come home, right? My apologies for appearing disconnected from the topic, but a series of family-related situations, big changes in the lives of friends, some minor health issues for me, the death of an admired friend and other attention-diverting circumstances have prevented sitting at the computer and getting down the summer impressions at my little farmhouse in the midst of nowhere in Southwest Missouri. Unfortunately, the factory farm is still my closest next door neighbor. That fact has not changed.
Many who care about sustainable agriculture are still valiantly fighting to make our State and Federal legislatures understand the non-financial risks and long-term impact of the corporate agricultural giants taking over control of how our food is grown, distributed and processed. It seems our elected officials care less and less about preserving the natural beauty of Missouri, protecting the health of their citizens whom they purportedly represent, less about related consumer health issues and more about the personal financial gain that political action committees can provide to them. It's a sad but true summer tale and not much of a romance novel with a happy ending for lake or beach reading.
From the St. Louis Art Museum FB posting on August 10: Happy 194th Birthday, Missouri!
On this day in 1821, Missouri officially became the 24th state in the United States of America. Celebrate the establishment of the Show Me State with the joy of one of George Caleb Bingham's Jolly Flatboatmen in Port!
[George Caleb Bingham, American, 1811–1879; Jolly Flatboatmen in Port, 1857; oil on canvas; 47 1/4 x 69 5/8 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 123:1944]
All copyrights belong to the Artist foundation and the St. Louis Art Museum
This month, the State of Missouri turned 194 years old. One of my favorite cultural institutions in our state is the St. Louis Art Museum, which posted this magnificent painting from their vast and impressive permanent collection. Our home state is almost two centennial celebrations old! Two hundred years will garner quite a celebration perhaps with fireworks over the Arch in St. Louis, street festivals on the river in Kansas City, concerts in Springfield and other quieter celebrations on family lawns and state parks throughout the State. On the family farm throughout this naturally beautiful state, the bastion of economic development since 1821, it is harder to determine what will occur and whether or not it will be a celebration of any kind in six years. Many small independent family farmers are struggling and their futures unclear, especially in light of the passing of the so-called "Right To Farm" Amendment. Why our State needed an amendment to define something that already had bonafide statutes in place guaranteeing the right to farm to all farming practices will still baffle and keep busy the lawyers, the college professors interested in constitutional law and researchers for years. It was unnecessary legislation at its best. And at its saddest for those that it impacts -- the small independent farmer who struggles as corporations continue to encroach upon his or her daily means to an end: growing good, healthy food for American consumers. What do you think the "jolly flatboatmen" depicted in Bingham's painting would have thought if they traversed the Mississippi and our natural waterways polluted with the off-flow and other waste that can be found in our rivers these days through industrial and agricultural off-flows? Highly unlikely that they would have been quite as "jolly."
Here in Southwest Missouri, one of the rude awakenings that occurred upon relocating back to the family farm now almost three years ago was to hear about the e-coli outbreaks that were being regularly reported at Roaring River State Park, a natural water resource where my family fished, swam and vacationed over 50 years ago. It was a sad moment for me to think about losing this natural water resource through unnecessary pollution.
Even the National Trust for Historic Preservation has singled out Missouri and several natural sites in its report on what national treasures are being threatened by factory farming.
Since then, it has been my upsetting experience to learn that this is not the only natural resource that is being plundered, wasted and destroyed by people who show absolutely no conscientious concern for the lovely natural environment that we have going for us in Missouri. These outbreaks are regularly protested by the locals who know that the source of the problem is a factory farm operation that is not adhering to the proper quality controls or regulations put in place to make the surrounding natural environment safe for residents. Another rude awakening was the impact on the air quality and healthy circumstances of a factory farm located closely to where my family and I were living. Both did not please me as to the progress or attitude that people should have toward the abundant and lush natural resources that Missouri has always been known for in other parts of this country. People just seemed to not care any more. That attitude continues to be upsetting to me - the apathy and taking our natural waterways for granted.
There are some who continue to "fight the good fight" to protect the rights of the small independent family farmer, trying to protect the land from the encroachment of factory farming and focus on supporting legislation that would help sustainable agriculture flourish. That organization is about to celebrate its 30th anniversary: Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC).
On August 22, in Columbia, Missouri, others who feel strongly about a mission directed toward preserving the small family farm will be celebrating this important milestone for MRCC. You can learn more about them, their work and pending legislation they are supporting or trying to educate people about by checking their website and maybe decide to get involved or come to the upcoming celebration on August 22. The link to their website is below:
Read more about the upcoming celebration at this direct link about the event:
Bottom line? They are good, honest, hardworking people who are trying to make a difference in the world and advocate for good things to happen for sustainable agriculture, healthy food production and rural communities, as well as small independent family farms who are trying to follow the right path with their crops and animal production. If you can't attend their 30th Anniversary celebration, maybe you can find another way to encourage their good work. This long-time "good fighter for the good things" has known associations with and benefitted by other collaborative efforts with other nonprofit organizations that have similar directions in their mission statements. They are an organization worth celebrating, donating to and supporting to last another 30 years. Please visit their website and see if there is a fit for you and your interests. Felt strongly enough about them to buy a small ad for my little freelance photography and marketing biz. My desire is to only want to work with small businesses or nonprofits involved in good causes, businesses committed to environmentally sustainable causes, organizations that have artistic and educational missions. Otherwise, I'll just watch the world go by from my porch and write some more things; try to keep my health at optimal levels while trying to cope with my aromatic neighbor. And try to work with folks who have similar motivations and visions for a naturally beautiful surrounding environment and clean air, water and good food.
Speaking of such folks who care passionately about our environment, one of them recently passed on to the other world and deserves a momentary pause to contemplate his life as we watch his gentle spirit move toward the heavens. Edward J. Martin Jr. was a nature photographer and artist who held a sincere belief in sustaining the beauty that is the Missouri Ozarks. He also was an exquisite and highly creative human being who had impact on hundreds of people with his nonprofit work.
Ed worked and lived primarily in St. Louis for his entire life, but travelled often into the Ozarks and other states known for their natural beauty to do his art. His work can be viewed if you go on Facebook and search "Edward Martin Photography." He was an avid Cardinals fan and did photography for the Red Birds. My involvement with Ed began almost three decades ago in the art photography department of what was then known as Southwest Missouri State University. Ed always had a twinkle in his eyes, a great smile, natural charm, fabulous sense of humor, intelligent wit with a wicked sense of fun. He had a masterful craftsman-like approach to his photography and strived for perfection in the composition and depiction of the landscapes that he loved so much. He loved art and teaching people about art and photography. He also enjoyed helping others by sharing his wisdom and learning about life's lessons.
He had an exhibition in October 2012 in Springfield in conjunction with the Missouri Conservation Department Center with an accompanying lecture on "Nature and The Arts." Although I had intended to attend his lecture when he made me aware of it shortly after my move into my little farmhouse and invited me to come see the work on display, other circumstances caused me to miss it. That has been something that I've often regretted. Life is what happens while we are making other plans, as John Lennon said. We had a difficult and distant relationship for many years while I resided in New York, Connecticut and then Arizona. But in the past four years and slightly before and after my move from Arizona to Missouri, we had begun to discuss meeting if I went to St. Louis to visit friends or maybe getting together if he was in Springfield doing photography in the area. Then, he received a diagnosis of cancer in November 2014. He fought valiantly and with the support of his dedicated family and vast friendship base. Right before he passed, we got the chance to see each other and put our differences aside. It is a tragedy that he did not have more time on this earth to accomplish more of what he had started with his nonprofit work and brilliant photographic work. Many people will miss his bright spirit, mischievous grin and loving attitude toward those he cared about in his world. Mostly, the Missouri Ozarks and surrounding natural landscape of the "Show Me" State has lost an advocate, faithful friend and champion for displaying its amazing beauty to others in a painterly fashion. He introduced that beauty to others who may not have ventured into the unusual places that Edward hiked into and explored. The rest of us have lost a gentle spirit, loyal friend and beloved family member. He will be missed every single day by someone somewhere whose life he touched. Here are two of his photographs - copyrighted Edward Martin Photography with all reproduction rights reserved - just so you can see how truly amazing and stunning his work was:
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| Photo by Edward J. Martin, Jr. Signature image for "Nature & The Arts" Missouri Dept. of Conservation Exhibition Copyright Edward Martin Photography All reproduction rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without the permission of the artist. |
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Thank you, Edward, for your selfless servant leadership for those that you believed in helping. Thank you for bringing to life and celebrating the beauty and sparkling treasure that the Ozarks' natural landscape represents. Thank you for sharing your unique portraits of one of the best things about our home state - the outdoors.
May your spirit be at peace and you be welcomed into a grander landscape where God will enjoy the good grace of having an expert photographer and videographer to capture the heavens above. Most of all, thank you for letting me know you better and see the true legacy that you are leaving behind.
As a farewell tribute, please enjoy The Ozark Mountain Daredevil's song, "Beauty in the River," because Ed certainly saw the beauty in the river through the lens of his Canon camera. God bless you and the entire Martin family. May you know everlasting peace. As always, I claim no copyright to any of these images or this great music except my own "When The Cow Comes Home" photograph that started this blog entry. Thank you for continuing to read my ramblings. :)
Comments are by this individual writing the blog and no other company, nonprofit or other organization has approved or endorsed them. Am not a scientist, so can't claim my own scientific research but just comment on what is happening. These words are my sole opinion and no one else is responsible for these remarks. Anonymous comments not accepted. Stand up for your opinion. Thanks for your thoughtful and kind responses. Please keep language clean and our farmlands green. :)
