#Bean2Blog: “I believe in being good stewards.”

“I believe in being good stewards. Farming goes back a long way in my family, and I’ve often felt that it was an art that was dying out.”

 These simple words by P. Allen Smith kicked-off the second annual #Bean2Blog event on Tuesday.  It was a day full of dark skies and intermittent bursts of rain as I, and nineteen other Arkansas bloggers, eagerly waited to see what the day of learning would bring. 

This wasn’t my first visit to Moss Mountain Farm or my first #Bean2Blog.  I was thrilled at the chance to go back and tour the perfect gardens, inspiring home, and I’m-ready-to-move-in-now kitchen at the farm for this second annual event.  This time I was bound and determined to let it all sink in and simmer. 

Regarding Arkansas soybeans, I was a little more than curious to see what it would be like to sit through an entire day of soybean facts.  Last year opened my eyes to how important soybeans are for Arkansas and the ensuring the future of the family farm.  What would I learn this year?  What else was there to learn? 

And what did it have to do with “being good stewards?”

A good steward is someone who is doing the best he or she can with the things that God has given him or her.  I believe that each one of us has something we can teach from a unique perspective that no one else can share other than you.

A farmer’s stewardship.

A good steward means taking care of the land and maximizing its abundant resources.

West Higginbotham, a soybean farmer from Marian, Arkansas, farms on the bank of the Mississippi River. His approach to farming is based on family heritage, solid knowledge, and a willingness to pursue a career that is admittedly, “not lucrative.”  We were drawn by his plainly spoken passion. “We are first conservators of the land. Food safety issues are always a concern to me. If you see a negative story about a crop, remember that there is always another side to the story.”  He believes that soybean crops are essential for the survival of the Arkansas family farm. “It starts in the field.  In these farm communities it is all about farming.  Often farming is the only game in town and soybean has so many uses beyond animal feed.”

The soybean is often referred to as “the miracle bean.”  That is because the potential for this bean is growing everyday and our Arkansas farmers are finding new uses. 

A teacher’s stewardship.

A good steward means living the pay-it-forward principle.

Have you wondered why someone like P. Allen Smith, a home and garden lifestyle expert, would be interested in Arkansas soybeans?  Besides his deep-seated love of his farming heritage we already talked about, Allen is passionate about his love for Arkansas and its abundant resources and beauty.  His partnership with the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board allows his voice to encourage Arkansans to harvest the potential of soybeans.

It is his love of the farm, its potential, and preserving that heritage that drives him to ensure that the future is preserved.  It’s simply about keeping the traditions alive.  He told us, “First of all, you’ve got to have something to say.  I find I have to teach something… you wake up one day and realize, gosh, no one knows how to plant a potato.” 

And so he makes it his mission to teach and preserve.

One fascinating area he is focused in is actively preserving and teaching about the “great old breeds” of heritage poultry.

Another area is preserving and teaching about antique roses that are facing extinction.

And he always goes back to the garden.  The ground.  It’s bounty.  He is always actively teaching about preserving our soil so it yields abundantly without depleting its goodness.

he is first a teacher.

Personal stewardship.

A good steward means when you believe in something, don’t just sit there.  Do something.

Arkansas is currently going through an exciting time as 900 acres are dedicated to producing edamame through a joint project with the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board.  They are working diligently to expand crop use diversity.  The project is small but it is a start. 

As I think through my own philosophy towards eating well and living well, this day at the farm awakened a nagging thought I’ve had about my own personal consumption habits and choices. About the food choices I make when it comes to organic, heritage, and local.