For the first of the year, I’m going to drop a gem, food for thought if you will, because I haven’t flown with ya’ll in a minute.  I went back and forth on writing this piece, because when you start talking about acquiring land, people can try to place obstacles in your path to keep you off the radar because it’s a game changer.  Doesn’t matter who you are if you are not apart of the chosen few.    

I want you to repeat the next sentence three times. “Some people think money is power. I think power gets you money, and I think land is power.” These words weren’t spoken by me but by Barbara James Norman, but on my second viewing of the Buzzfeed special on black farming legacy it resonated volumes with me. For you lazy jokers that don’t want to read the article here’s the video

I mean let that marinate for a minute.   There’s a common misconception that if you have money then everything will be good.  While it can give you all sorts of convenience even if you’re making within or close to six figures, one should really ask themselves.  What do you really have? I mean if someone booted you from your home,  would you have a place you can pitch a tent and call your own? Of course you could go move in with family, but what about your own?  If your house burned tomorrow would you have more than that .25 acre lot that your house is built on? .25 acres isn’t much in my opinion. I’ve watched certain individuals who actually had 1000’s of acres dictate the flow of the economy in a county.  That’s Power. Will I ever own thousands of acres in my lifetime? No, but I can set the ball in motion.  

Disclaimer: For the people who may think that I speak from a position of privilege, legacy has to start somewhere.  Your footprint maybe small, but rolling through this life to live solely for materialistic pleasures, selfish wants, and the now could be a strong counterpart for the reason you’re in the position you’re in right now.  But don’t feel bad I once thought that way in my twenties.  And to be honest, I’m pretty sure you’ll leave here, just like you came with not shit.

Couple that with a family legacy which is rooted in agriculture, who continues that legacy? When most black youth usually vacate their rural roots for more opportunities in urban centers, the continued growth of those legacies are usually left to die, flounder, or be dismantled.  Now, I’m not saying you should quit your career and go purchase a farm, but I am saying that one shouldn’t be ignorant of the sweat and tears that it took to acquire that land.  See, when it comes to black landownership I often associate it with the significance of the right to vote.  At one point in time we didn’t own anything, weren’t allowed to own anything.  Furthermore, when I see people who sell land it burns me inside to my soul, because even if you aren’t farming there’s ways that you can invest back into the ground to turn a profit without even raising a finger.  Depending on the size of your parcel, you can always flip that into more land.  Revenue over a term is better than a lump sum in most cases, because over time you will accrue the same amount and more.  Also, in unison future heirs can use that as a source of income. Land prices per acre have only increased in the last sixty to seventy years. Also to piggy back, when you only think about the present day, and not the future then you fail to grasp the message of legacy. And remember what my boy Hov said on 4:44? Legacy Legacy Legacy 

As I sat here and re read this article that I read on Buzzfeed this summer, it moved me to blog about the subject.  Because I’ve heard people say, you make good money, why would you want to farm? Don’t you make enough money working for USDA to make a good living? Yes, Yes I do, but re-read the second line of the first paragraph.  I don’t need to farm to make a living as of right now,  but I do need to farm maintenance and nurture the legacy that was birthed within my family.  Are there other benefits that come along with it besides what I’m blogging about? Yes, but those hold no where the importance of the main goal.  Also, I would feel very insignificant as an individual if I didn’t do my part to add to that legacy.

In conclusion, what I’m gone tell ya’ll is to not forget about legacy in 2018. I know in my generation we always float with trends and what’s hot on social media.  As Drake said on Views, “You don’t worry about fitting in, when you’re custom fitted.” If you focus on being in the in-crowd while other individuals are seeing the bigger picture, you will be left out. Furthermore, your legacy may not be in agriculture, but use your talent to build something bigger.  If you gone be a trucking machine, build a brand and an empire, but still get your 40 acres at least.  In the words of Rick Ross, move to buy the block not just the damn convenience store or a duplex. Furthermore, instill that into the youth and you want be thinking small fry. Continue to build that legacy, for whatever it maybe-something meaningful to leave behind to a society or generation to build on after you exit stage right.