Farmers under fire?
In Bible times people lived in an agrarian society. The rituals and feasts, and the metaphors used by preachers, prophets and the Lord Jesus himself speak of the farming calendar. There was a real sense that riches or poverty, and life itself, depended upon God’s blessing in the fruitfulness of labour on the land.
This connection with agriculture was evident in the UK until modern times. Harvest Thanksgiving was an integral part of the church calendar, acknowledging the importance of food production. There was a general appreciation of farming practice. Now, however, that has been lost. Research shows that many children grow up thinking that milk comes in plastic containers from a factory, that white bread is made from milk and brown bread from wheat. Consumers expect strawberries and tomatoes to be available on Christmas Day and at the same prices as when they are in seasonal production.