Just read Farmer & Grower - the monthly magazine of the NFU & discovered the letter I sent has appeared as "Star Letter".
For those who don't read F&G, this is what it said.
Dear Sirs,
Guy Smith’s article “Judgment from up on high” has, as we have come to expect from Guy, a lot of good sense in it. The bible, as he says, is not “some sort of manual on how to farm.” But it does have insights that go beyond not coveting your neighbour’s lovely udders!
Arguably one of the greatest of those insights comes in the story of creation in chapter 2 of Genesis. In that story man (the Hebrew word is adam) is made from the soil (the Hebrew is adamah). The language shows we are inextricably linked to the earth. Placed in God’s creation, Adam is given the task of “serving” it and “keeping” it. Later those same words are used to describe our relationship with God – serve God – and our relationship with his instructions – keep the commandments.
In our increasingly urban and suburban society, too few of today’s suburban “Adams” have contact with adamah. The task of serving and keeping the earth is done day in day out by farmers. By and large most farmers do an excellent job. In so doing they are (whether they have any faith or not) acting as God’s servants. And I, for one, am very grateful.
Robert Barlow
Priest in Charge Teme Valley South
With letters like that in F&G, you'll all be taking out NFU membership!
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