Over the past weekend when I was in Schoharie County I happened to stop and notice many of the people working on the farms. While there were many migrant workers in the vegetable fields, and probably illegals in the barns milking, the farmers and farm owners who were out on the tractors had one thing in common – they were old.

So much of definition of farming is historical. So much of this area that is kept alive is done by the same people who got into the business of farming long before there were cars and high-speed highways that could get one to the city quickly. Indeed, there many be some younger people getting into the business, but clearly not nearly in the rate of replacement.

For years there has been a sign in front of a farm near Middleberg, advertising that it was for sale. So far no takers. Nobody seems interested in producing fluid milk anymore. People want real jobs, where they don’t have to work as hard, make a product that people actually want, and make some real money. Fluid milk product is dull, and free-style barns with hundreds of cows are smelly.

What is going to the future of our land without farmers? Who will take care of it. Will it be hobby farmers who have less of an interest in the land, and only play with their pet horses and cattles when they have free-time between going to work? Or will a new class of farmer be born when energy prices fundamentally change how we live?

These are questions that have yet to be answered. I know our government and community leaders are increasingly concerned about the future of farming in our country – for good reason. There is no question that things will have change and will change in the future.