These figures are not conclusive evidence, however, that the farmer lives in more healthful surroundings than does the average city man. In 1940 rural death rates were 10 per cent lower than urban.
For females, the expectation of life was 55 in cities and 60 to 62 on farms. If he was born on a farm, however, and stayed there, the chances are he would live to be from 56 to 60 years of age. Does this mean that rural people live longer, despite the poor sanitary facilities and the lack of doctors and hospitals?Īccording to a census study based on 1920 figures, a newborn city baby, if a boy, could expect to live, on the average, to the age of 52. It is often remarked that one sees many more old people in the country than in the city. Some do not have enough cash income to buy adequate, wholesome food. In some agricultural areas there are farmers who have no gardens and keep no livestock. Of course, there are farm families who do not get a rich and varied diet, even in prosperous times like the present. Of course, city families with large incomes get more adequate food than workingmen’s families, but many farm people, if they moved to town, would undoubtedly fall into the latter class. The farm folk ate much more meat, eggs, milk, and vegetables-which they often produced themselves-than did the city folk, who depended more on cereals. The city families, on the other hand, were getting barely enough protein and not enough calcium, phosphorous, and iron. The farm families, it was found, were getting much more protein, calcium, phosphorous, and iron than was necessary for good nutrition. Baker based his assertion on (1) a United States Department of Agriculture study, made in fairly prosperous times, of 2,400 farm families and (2) a study by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics of 12,000 workingmen’s families in cities. Do farmers eat better?Īs to the question of diet, Dr. Let us examine briefly each of these points. He is more likely to rear a family and thereby promote the future welfare of the nation.He is likely to enjoy his work more than most city people do.A farmer has more and better food to eat than have most people who live in cities.Baker’s reasons for wanting his son to be a farmer were: Baker-who may be regarded as a spokesman for the school of farming enthusiasts -said, “I have a son now less than 5 years old, and I hope when he grows up that he will decide to be a farmer.” Dr. Baker, a long-time student of agriculture, addressed a rural youth conference at the University of Illinois on the advantages of farm life. I envy you future farmers who have such great things ahead.”Ībout ten years ago, Dr. After more than 30 years of it, I still would rather farm than do anything else. Wickard, himself a farmer, told a meeting of the Future Farmers of America on October 10, 1944: “I like farming. Perhaps the first question which anyone who considers taking up farming as a career asks himself is: Do I like farming as a way of life?Īccording to its devotees, farming offers satisfactions not often found in other tasks. Many of the Fathers of our country, such as Washington and Jefferson, were farmers and their outlook on life largely shaped the spirit of our Constitution and government. Our own American civilization is grounded on the ideals of a simple agricultural society. Among ancient peoples, the landowner was regarded, along with the warrior, as the most respected and honored of men. Farming was among the earliest of civilized man’s occupations, and it has been the main economic basis of every civilization down to fairly recent times.
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