By Diane Dubshinski
SCHOHARIE COUNTY — For over 10,000 years, farmers of all types around the world have been working and planting whatever land was available to them in order to provide food and sustenance for their families to survive in their world.
Back when this country was still under the rule of Kings and Queens, there were few occupations to be had. One might find a job as a blacksmith, tailor, or a shoemaker for local people to be able to earn a living. Or a person, who had old family money and an education might be able to earn enough money to go into a profession such as a lawyer or doctor.
If one of the town folk that had a store within the town and they closed up shop for whatever reason, the town would survive and continue growing. But, in those early days of colonization the most important challenging occupation though would be a farmer. A farmer would grow crops, raise livestock and create a market for flour and grain and dairy products to be sold to the townspeople. Without a local farmer, growth of that town would stagger and the town in some cases would start to die off.`
Farmers in the current years of 2025/26 bring with them a specific type of knowledge. That knowledge could be from reading books or going to college, using the technology features of AI known as artificial intelligence that are available today or fulfilling that genetic urge developed in farm raised children to take over the family farm!
A true farmer’s education starts at a young age. At a time when most farms were handed down thru generations, normally a child was introduced to the farm by being born in the same house and quite often the same bed as his grandparents were birthed in. Families did not stop at one or two children but sometimes a family would multiply to 10 or 12 children. While mom would take care of the house and children, an older child would be trained in the workings of farm life such as plowing fields, maintaining livestock and assisting the farm hands. The next older children would take care of a younger child, and as that 2nd or 3rd child grew, the responsibility would continue to be passed along with farming chores to each of the children. This would tell why missing those
Learning experiences on a farm with a growing structured family could be detrimental to our current generation of children that would make a difference in missing that social learning experience.
Come join us as we discover the farming effect on different aspects of past, present and future lives in and around Schoharie County.
CADE.
Best wishes to Phoebe Scheiner as she steps down from the position of Executive Director of CADE.
Cade Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship. 501c3. Phoebe has been and will continue to be a proud involved supporter of CADE.
Thank you Phoebe for all you have done. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Schoharie Agriculture
Come join us at the Schoharie Ag Solutions and Networking Expo on March 3, 2026. The Expo will be held at the Cobleskill SUNY Bouck Hall Ballroom from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Check out our flyers for more information.
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