I remember a song from when I was young where one of the stanzas was: “Where have all the soldiers gone … long time passing … gone to graveyards everyone … when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.”

This past month we were saddened to hear of the loss of two local agricultural icons.

Hahn’s Dairy in Palmerton has closed its doors due to the well-earned retirement of the Hahns. The other was the passing of Richard Graver Sr. of Graver’s Orchards.

Both of these businesses are well-known for offering the best milk, fruits and produce and most importantly customer service with a smile.

The milk that you could purchase at Hahn’s will be greatly missed. It was fresh and best of all it came in glass bottles that you could return, which is the best type of recycling.

Mr. Graver was an old-school farmer who loved what he did and had the passion for growing crops that comes with being a lifelong farmer. The feel of the soil in your hands, and the earthy smell of it as you plow a field is like nothing else. It gives you a connection to the land that few other jobs can offer. It gets in your blood and your life revolves around the seasons and the jobs that come with those seasons.

My late father, another old-school farmer, used to say he could smell in the air when it was going to rain. My brother and I learned how to sense that too, not just by smelling it, but the actual feel too.

Unfortunately, we are losing a connection to where and how our food is produced.

Here in Carbon County we still have local farmers markets, as well as family farm stands where you can visit and pick up fresh eggs, produce and other items, but these are becoming scarce as well. Unless a young person inherits the family farm, it is becoming too expensive to start a farm. The cost of land alone is prohibitive. Add to that the cost of machinery and you are looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Who will replace our vanishing farmers?

If you had the opportunity to visit this year’s Carbon County Fair, you will see firsthand the future of farming. It is the dedicated young people in the 4-H program and their equally dedicated parents and leaders that are our future.

The quality of the 4-H program is a testament to the talented young people that come through it and the caliber of the leaders that work along with them.

Think twice next time you are tempted to pick up a processed package of food at the grocery store just because it’s easier and quicker. It’s time to go back to eating local, in-season produce and fresh meats.

Take the time to visit our local farm stands and farmers markets to experience the taste of freshness. Support them and nurture them as they do the soil, because without them, we don’t eat.