Aspects in Planning Strategy for a Farm
Dooyeweerd's aspects can be used in planning strategy for a farm. The following is an excerpt from a report I wrote about a visit to Eemlandhoeve farm that shows this.
See also Gareth Jones' report on Eemlandhoeve and how Dooyeweerd is employed there.
"On Wednesday afternoon [four of us] visited an organic farm operated by Jan Huijgen, a Christian who tried to use Dooyeweerd's idea of aspects to guide the strategy for his farm, which he had inherited from his father.
- One of these aspects is the biotic, so he went organic. Another is the historical, but this is both forward and backward looking, and demands that we both make changes but also keep the changes in harmony with the past, so he sought to make 'progress' yet keep past things.
- One of the aspects is the social, so he has taken efforts to involve the local community in his farming in a number of ways, such as taking 'difficult' people to work on his farm, such as letting local people design e.g. his bridges, and such as allowing local people use his land for e.g. putting their beehives on. He also allows his neighbour farmers to take his ideas.
- One of the aspects is the lingual, so he has taken pains and effort to inform the local people, and also others about his work, and has incorporated a number of meeting rooms into his farm, and also keeps up a website.
- One of the aspects is the economic, and he has been careful and not wasteful.
- One of the aspects is the aesthetic so, when he needed new farm buildings, rather than just knocking up the cheapest buildings he could, he employed an architect to make something pleasant, and also something by which the inhabitants could feel harmony with the surrounding land.
- One of the aspects is the juridical, and he tries to give his livestock their due, and also he has constructed a new legal contract with neighbouring bodies.
- One of the aspects is the pistic, of faith, and he is very open that all his vision rests on his Christian faith.
- The aspect before the pistic is called the ethical, but it is really about self-giving even to the point of sacrifice. Sacrifice is not to be seen as some unfortunate, painful thing external to us, but something that if we engage in will bring real benefits. He told us how he had decided to give up some of his land - and to a farmer that means giving up his very soul.
- His telling us of this was not without emotion (which happens to be another of Dooyeweerd's aspects). When we came to take leave, shaking hands, my own eyes moistened, and Jan, noticing this, hugged me. I hugged back, and we stayed in embrace for what seemed a long time. Then I started praying for him, that the sacrifice he had made and the pain thereof, would be to him a joy and blessing, and also to others. He then prayed for us. When I opened my eyes I found that [all the others] had also joined with us, holding hands."
See also general aspects of sustainability.
This page is part of a collection that discusses application of Herman Dooyeweerd's ideas, within The Dooyeweerd Pages, which explain, explore and discuss Dooyeweerd's interesting philosophy. Email questions or comments would be welcome.
Written on the Amiga and Protext.
Compiled by (c) 2002 Andrew Basden. You may use this material subject to conditions.
Created: 14 April 2002
Last updated: 29 August 2013 .nav,.end, unet; link to sust aspects and eem.sust.