Summary Of Renewing Husbandry By Wendell Berry

In today’s culture, society puts a lot of emphasis on utilizing technology. Technology’s influence has spread into the farming industry. In Wendell Berry’s article, “Renewing Husbandry,” he addresses the mechanical changes in the farming process. He stresses the idea of husbandry, taking care of the land and conserving the life the land offers. Berry describes the benefits and downfalls of technology. But the problems of technology exceed the benefits. Although technology aids in the farming process, the advancement in farming technology distorts the importance of cultivating the natural land.

Machinery desensitizes the natural understanding of the land. Berry acknowledges the capabilities of a machine on the farm, but he realizes agriculture

Agriculture fixates more on the production of food instead of stewardship, caring and protecting the land. Berry indicates, “Once one’s farm and one’s thoughts have been sufficiently mechanized, industrial agriculture’s focus on production, as opposed to maintenance or stewardship…” (Berry, 2005, para. 11). When farmers direct their attention on producing crops for the corporation, the farmers forget the reason why they farm in the first place. The farmers mislead thoughts on production create agricultural distress because they lack stewardship. Stewardship involves an intimate relationship with nature, but farmers focus more on the efficiency of production, neglecting the farm. Berry emphasizes that production steers the way of farming instead of the actual farm and community. Berry claims, “…emphasis on production permits the way of working to be determined not by the nature and character of the farm in its ecosystem and in its human community” (Berry, 2005, para. 11). Corporations control the farming industry, mistreating the farms and the farming communities. Production disregards the environment of the farm and demands more than the farm can produce, resulting in damage to the