By Paul Bootsma March 24, 2016
This weekend the Christian community celebrates the gift of life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many churches, both country and city, will be full this weekend for the Easter celebrations with people reflecting on the real purpose of life and their responsibilities.
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It is a time where the church of Christ remembers that we also have a task to do. We are stewards of this earth, given the task of caring for it. We need to use the earth's resources to feed the global population. This is an exciting task with many possibilities and opportunities. This year's CFFO policy tour presentation begins by asking for biblical examples of being stewardly in agriculture. We have heard many different examples, including parables of Jesus, such as the parable of the sower, and the parable of the weeds and the wheat. This reminds us again that even Jesus Christ understood the task of farming and the significance of it, so that He used farming examples in His teachings.
As farmers we are to use the soil, water and sunshine as well as the nutrients and organics of the soil to produce food for the population. In doing so, we are to be stewardly so that we provide safe healthy food but leave these resources for the next generation to use as well. We have a responsibility to the wider human community to ensure that we are not the last ones to live on this earth.
As we gear up for this growing season let us remember the gifts we have been given and use them in a way that shows society and our consumers that we are responsible and forward thinking in our businesses. Using updated tillage equipment or methods and proper soil testing to ensure using only what is needed to grow a crop are easy practices that indicate long-term thinking. Making efforts to become aware of the most beneficial pesticides to use to prevent negative consequences to other plants or animal life should be a normal practice in today's farming. Crop rotations that leave the soil in good health are methods that show we care. There is a wealth of information and advice available to those who are willing to look for it.
Jesus gave us the example of love and compassion which we remember this weekend as we celebrate Easter. We are blessed with many gifts and are to use them to encourage and assist our loved ones and neighbours. We need to be thankful for the communities in which we live. On behalf of the CFFO we wish you a blessed Easter weekend with family and friends. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Paul Bootsma is the Field Service Manager for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKNX Wingham, and UCB Canada radio stations in Chatham, Belleville, Bancroft, Brockville and Kingston. It is also archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,000 family farmers across Ontario.
