What does it mean to be a luddite farmer?

Maybe you’ve heard the term luddite lobbed at someone who wasn’t adapting well to new changes in technology; usually the term is used in a derogatory way. However, the Luddites were an important part of the labor movement in 19th century England.

The Luddites weren’t against the use of machines – they were against exploitation of workers. In my opinion, a luddite farmer shouldn’t be against the use of machines altogether. Rather, we should be against the exploitation of land, people, and nonrenewable resources.

I draw inspiration from the teachings of indigenous land stewards, permaculture practitioners, and farmers and gardeners. I’m a farmer, a gardener, an artist, a conscious objector, and a luddite farmer. Join me!

Luddite Farmer, Hannah Patrick

Hannah graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in International Relations and Anthropology. Her studies inspired her to reflect on the culture of resource use in her own country. After graduating, Hannah travelled and worked on farms, for nonprofits, and small landscaping companies.

In 2021, Hannah started Luddite Farmer LLC as a small mixed vegetable and flower farm out of the Catawba Sustainability Center’s incubator farm program in Salem, VA.

While Hannah still grows food and flowers for her friends and neighbors, the business has evolved into edible landscaping and contracted farming work in the Roanoke Valley.