Out standing in his field in a business suit : An ethnographic study of farming changes in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1880-1990

The impacts of industrialization and urbanization on New England folklife are examined through the familiar story of farming, once a generalized way of living but now a specialized means of making a living. To those outside agriculture, the change that has occurred on New England\u27s family farms appears violent and sudden. This study is designed to determine, from those with experience in farming in a City known for its industrial accomplishments, whether the change has been as violent and unwelcome as often assumed. It examines the degree to which farmers have been able to, or cared to, maintain connections with the agricultural past, in order to assess resultant losses and gains. Through written documents, and oral interviews with farmers and others involved with Massachusetts agriculture, the impacts of government intervention, incorporation new technologies, and an altered environment are explored. While some degree of general, diversified farming existed until almost World War II, by 1880 the beginnings of specialized and commercialized farming were evident, and advocated by the community\u27s progressive farmers. Farmers welcomed some changes, such as electrification, that eased the hard routines of life on the farm. Others, such as compulsory pasteurization, they accepted as necessary to remain in farming. Still others they chose not to adopt because they did not make sense given their individual circumstances. The most visible changes, such as the adoption of new techniques, are not the most regrettable. Farmers see the biggest losses in the transformation of the overall farm environment, as neighborly interaction has diminished and increased attention must be devoted to administrative issues such as regulatory compliance. In order to restore these losses, agricultural preservation efforts must look beyond individual farms to the wider area in which they operate, agricultural authorities like the USDA must accord New England the agricultural status it deserves, and consumers must educate themselves on the part they play in sustaining local agriculture