The Story of Freelan — The Creed of Farmers & Ranchers

The First of April is here but there are no April Fools in Freelan!

One of Aesop’s fables tells of a father with several sons who were constantly squabbling. The father told each son to bring him a long stick. When they did, he took a stick and broke it easily over his knee. Then he bundled the remaining sticks and tried to break that bundle over his knee but couldn’t. The moral: strength in numbers (I’m paraphrasing).

So, what does this have to do with Freelan?

For one thing, they know there is strength in numbers. But they also know that those “numbers,” i.e., individuals, must choose to work together, that coercion is not part of a free society. No law, regulation, ordinance, or mandate or any other form of force are justified. In fact, free people tend to band together in emergencies more readily, mainly because they are used to seeing themselves as the problem solvers, not some government entity. To Freelanians, this is an extension of what is known as the Creed of Farmers and Ranchers.

Some excerpts from that creed as expressed by Jim O’Connell (one of the main characters) in a conversation with Rose Wilson (another main character):

“Farmers and ranchers tend to be very private, productive, proud, self-reliant individuals,” he [Jim] began. “They respect property rights and are good stewards of their own property. They have to be to survive.”

“Yes,” said Rose. “I can see that.”

Jim smiled. “Glad to hear it. They also work extremely hard, take that work seriously, take all kinds of risks, rarely taking any time out for themselves, and avoid asking for help even when things seem dire. They regard it as shameful to be a burden on anyone, especially their neighbors. On the other hand, they tend to look out for each other and will drop their work and rush to their neighbor’s side during any emergency or crisis to try to help. I’ve seen this myself. … What most people don’t understand is that, while these farmers and ranchers do genuinely care about others, it’s not their primary motive in life—nor should it be. They don’t rush to help out of altruism or selflessness. Not really. As I said, it’s about self-preservation… When they see a self-reliant, productive fellow farmer or rancher suddenly facing a crisis, they rush to help for very selfish reasons.”

“How is it selfish to help others?” asked Rose, looking confused, her brow slightly furrowed.

“Well,” replied Jim, “if they can help a distressed neighbor, even a competitor, get back on his own feet and back to being productive, then no one becomes a burden, and everyone benefits individually in the end. And the quicker that can happen, the better for everyone, especially for those in crisis. That’s the primary selfish part, but most of them would probably never admit it.”

“I see,” said Rose thoughtfully, the furrow deepening a little as she pondered his words. “Was that why you bought properties whose owners were about to go bankrupt?”

Rose flushed as she said it, but Jim didn’t seem to take any offense.

“Well, I was achieving a goal and helping them, too.”

“Oh.”

“This helpfulness also preserves a private honor and dignity for everyone,” added Jim, saying his words carefully and clearly and giving her time to soak them in. “Farmers and ranchers are generally proud, productive individuals and don’t like others butting into their affairs. Helping each other assures they can generally live a peaceful, voluntary, un-coerced association among themselves.” Jim shook his head, sighed, and remarked, “That’s changing with more government interference into agriculture and business. I’ve seen it and dealt with it before and since moving here. … It’s a free man’s type of creed, an individual’s type of creed. Governments just need to get out of the way and let private individuals voluntarily associate or help each other in the best ways they see fit, ways that benefit themselves and others. Sort of a value-for-value trade type of thing. Not only in products, but also in relationships.”

“Relationships?” Rose blushed a little at that.

“Sure,” said Jim. “You pay Chuck. He, in turn, does essential work around the ranch. You both benefit. But the same works in friendships. When time allows, Henry, Katherine, and I enjoy each other’s company away from work, as you also do. We trade each other’s personal value with our camaraderie. Each benefits from the relationship.”

“Oh, I see,” said Rose, a lot of what Jim was saying beginning to sink in.

Jim added, “It’s a little different in a crisis, though, where people offering the help generally impose no obligations on those being helped. The only possible obligation there might be is for them to get back to work and continue being productive. The way I see it, that’s the exchange of value—a very individual and personal matter between those who trade, as in freedom it can only be. A trade of value is set by individuals where both sides benefit; it is not open to public or political discussion.”

Jim paused a moment, took another sip of coffee, gave Rose a minute to think about what he said, and then continued.

“Though most people know it as a farmer or rancher creed, Henry prefers to call it ‘The Creed of the Individual’. He says the name reflects more actual individuals acting together in voluntary consent without outside interference, such as government intrusion or decree, to help each other in rough times so all can get back to being productive and independent. An application of rational individualism, a once-great American tradition. I tend to agree with his observation that this thinking applies to everyone, though most people think this just applies to farmers or ranchers.”

Jim paused again and then said in a musing sort of way, “Henry was my catalyst. He spurred me to do so much here. I was lost, adrift, knowing that there was a problem in the world but not sure what it was or what to do about it.” He laughed lightly and added, “And now I like to be a catalyst to others—a variation on that creed.”

Rose reflected a moment and then said, “That creed sounds a bit like the old Midwest barn raising I’ve heard about or seen in the movies,” she said. “When a new farmer starts out, or a farmer’s barn burns down, everyone in the nearby area comes to help build a new barn. Once that’s done and quickly, they can all then get back to their own work and not bear a burden from the new people or those who lost their barn.”

Jim looked at Rose with a slight smile and replied, “Exactly. Same creed.”

And so it goes in Freelan. Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into that world. More to come in the days ahead, and thanks for reading!

Please visit my author site for more on this novel series in progress and other writings, including my newly published book of ten eerie tales. And thanks for reading.

NOTE: None of my text or images are AI-generated. You can rest assured that I pulled it all out of that stuff in my skull called a “brain.”

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