The Last Generation: Chapter 1 { 16 images } Created 30 Nov 2022
Zoey's Dream
Beneath the gently rolling Loretto Hills of Kentucky, 11-year-old Zoey Allen rides bareback through fields of corn and soybean while her grandfather, shirtless and leather-skinned, walks methodically through rows of freshly cut hay. “I’m as good as any farmer,” Jackie Allen told me that day. And at 62, he looks the part. The 260 acres under his feet, established by his grandfather before him, are indeed the only world he’s ever known. His face and hands hold the unmistakable texture of someone intimate with hard work. Standing next to him, his granddaughter exudes the same grit.
For Zoey, reimagining her relationship to the land means embracing her "natural gift" and helping her grandfather train horses for Kentucky's agricultural elite to offset declining farm revenue. Together, the Allens represent the best that American farms have to offer. They are the summation of generational knowledge and skill, passed down through family lineage. And for centuries the world has benefitted from this tradition of generational intimacy with the land. But as industrialized agriculture continues to grow, the Allen’s find themselves creatively diversifying to stay afloat. From dairy farmer to logger, from horse trainer to professional fisherman, Jackie Allen's role has evolved over the years to meet his family's need. "I wanna keep the farm," he said. "And I do my best to keep it. But you gotta take from this part of your business to pay for that part of your business, just to keep it going. So that's what I'm doing. And I'll do it as long as I'm able to do it."
Chapter One of The Last Generation follows Jackie "Jackrabbit" Allen and his grandchildren as they navigate the crossroads of a generational farming legacy at risk.
Beneath the gently rolling Loretto Hills of Kentucky, 11-year-old Zoey Allen rides bareback through fields of corn and soybean while her grandfather, shirtless and leather-skinned, walks methodically through rows of freshly cut hay. “I’m as good as any farmer,” Jackie Allen told me that day. And at 62, he looks the part. The 260 acres under his feet, established by his grandfather before him, are indeed the only world he’s ever known. His face and hands hold the unmistakable texture of someone intimate with hard work. Standing next to him, his granddaughter exudes the same grit.
For Zoey, reimagining her relationship to the land means embracing her "natural gift" and helping her grandfather train horses for Kentucky's agricultural elite to offset declining farm revenue. Together, the Allens represent the best that American farms have to offer. They are the summation of generational knowledge and skill, passed down through family lineage. And for centuries the world has benefitted from this tradition of generational intimacy with the land. But as industrialized agriculture continues to grow, the Allen’s find themselves creatively diversifying to stay afloat. From dairy farmer to logger, from horse trainer to professional fisherman, Jackie Allen's role has evolved over the years to meet his family's need. "I wanna keep the farm," he said. "And I do my best to keep it. But you gotta take from this part of your business to pay for that part of your business, just to keep it going. So that's what I'm doing. And I'll do it as long as I'm able to do it."
Chapter One of The Last Generation follows Jackie "Jackrabbit" Allen and his grandchildren as they navigate the crossroads of a generational farming legacy at risk.
