New season

That time of year has come again . The annual ritual of planting is well underway where I live . It seems to me that the planting dates have been later lately than early in my farming career and in my youth . Now a days I plant vegetables and help with the flowers . No longer do I need to concern myself with wheat , barley ,canola .
When you leave something it can be easy to forget that part of the world . One tends to self absorbed and were it not for daily commute through some of the best farm land I likely would forget . The commute has really opened my eyes to how much change has occurred in the time I have been "in the game". The size of the equipment , the number of outfits per fields . Hard to get my head around what has happened . These people are seeding 15000 acres or more all in a period of 3-4 weeks . I wonder how much further technology can take us .While I sit in awe of the farming operations and business like approach I also am frustrated at the under utilization of our land . Between where I live and where I work is the largest irrigation area in the province and yet creativity seems to be no where to be seen . Every one jumps from band wagon to another en masse . There is a research facility in the near by town growing all sorts of different crops and fruits and vegetables . They hold an annual field day and their doors are open to questions and advice when ever you need it . But nothing becomes of it . Particularly in the fruit and vegetable sector .
There are so many people right near me who for one reason or another can not grow a veg. garden yet love the taste of fresh from the garden . They would probably even freeze or preserve if they had excess. I can't help but think with all the land sitting idle and is near a water source that if some one were to put that to use and grow something how much better off all would be and how much healthier we would be . Could it be just a fantasy attached to my enthusiasm for gardening ?
As much change that has come to us in the past 25 years , that much or more is to come in the next 20 years and it just may be that the change will be in a different direction than we have been going . I may be one of the first to implement the change . If so I do it with the best intentions and pride in what I do . Actually now that I think about it I am merely returning to an era of the past when people cared for the neighbors and extended family . Well now that makes me even more proud .