Thread about cultic dynamics in the intersection between first gen farmers and permaculture/regen ag.

Framing: this is not about those from a farming b/g that have got into regen ag because of eg. no till, mob grazing and agroforestry — this doesn't really pertain to that group

It's about those that are new to farming that have come through alternative routes.

Cultic dynamic? High demand relationships, coercion and eventual betrayal. This understanding is taken from @matthewremski (pls correct me if I'm wrong at all) and more generally conspirituality

There are several influencers that are well-known in their respective fields, that have acquired a certain guru following. From microdairying, to agroforestry, to horticulture. They sell books, courses and youtube lifestyles.

They're persuasive and encourage you to abandon critique and themselves heavily critique all other methodologies and ideologies. You're with them or you're against them. They decry and denounce this dynamic in others and yet indulge in it deeply themselves.

When you're new to this world you're impressionable and naive — it's unavoidable to an extent. I know I was. You're susceptible to silver bullet thinking and the simplicity of a narrative that paints black and white, good and evil. Do this and you will succeed — it's alluring.

These influencers are effective at honing their brand persona — experts at being the 'entrepreneur of the self'. Glossy insta photos, hot twitter takes and 'candid' youtube videos. It's all crafted. There's serious money in this — severn figure book sales.

A lot of what they say is pretty good — like the best conspiracists, you need enough truth to go with the BS. The catch is in what they don't say. Ultimately they're snake oil salespeople. Social media, publishers and conference organisers love a good story and a hero's journey.

They'll surround themselves with acolytes and you'll benefit from the limelight if you toe their line. If you help perpetuate the fantasy and make it look like their methods work. So long as you don't question them - they're intolerant of that. They demand loyalty and white lies.

Tangent: I've been in more than one cultic group before, I've observed these same patterns, experienced the same feelings. I've not studied the cult research lit, however, not yet.

Again to reiterate this is not a critique of the entirety of the Regen Ag community, it's about sub-cultures within that, although it's possible to see some of the same patterns playing out in the wider discourse. As Regen Ag solidifies, that will only intensify, as things stand.

It's not an exaggeration to say we were lied to when we first came into all this. The movement was considerably smaller then, 5-7 years ago, than it is now, and less fashionable - it's risen meteorically since then. With 5 years hard won experience under our belts, I can say:

Most that try will not manage to maintain a successful microdairy, and I'm doubtful we will manage to either. There are various factors. This is heretical to admit within the cultic dynamics of the sub-culture, however, we mustn't lose ourselves totally in our fantasy.

The community guards against this sort of critique by doubling-down on its belief in rugged individualism and entrepreneurialism. Farming is famed for its 'can do' attitude' — and there are reasons why that mindset has benefits for farmers but like anything it has its blindspot

I could tell you about others that have tried to microdairy and not been able to, who have followed a similar path to us. That all had to give up, that are angry at being misled and have been caused financial and interpersonal stress as a result.

But you'll never hear those stories on social media or at a conference — they don't sell. And I'm not just talking about books and courses, I'm talking about the dream, the fantasy. Talking to friends in other fields of this community — trees, growing, mushrooms — they confirm.

We all get enquiries from people looking to do it themselves, and we're all happy to help them, but often these people don't want to hear the harsher side of it — the reality of living it. So they drift off back to the peddlers of false dreams, which is tragic.

People from a proper farming b/g aren't susceptible to this in the same way. Ultimately, they have decades or centuries worth of experience/resources to draw upon. But those leaving the city to 'live the dream' are currently being taken for a ride by messianic influencers.

None of this is about casting judgement on who will and won't 'make it' - the factors are too numerous, and too contingent, to be predicted. The 'beast' wants you to feed it with stories of self-made success and that must be resisted; if you want people to succeed: be honest.

*We are indebted to some very good people out there that have generously helped us in the last few years when we realised what we were doing wasn't working, helped us back to reality and thanks to them we might be able to continue doing it a bit longer.