It was not fun but I do want to do it again- pick cotton. It started when I was watching someone on YouTube spin cotton it brought back a childhood memory.
Of the many field trips I went on, in the Washington Metropolitan area where I grew up, was a trip to a historical sight where there was a woman spinning cotton using a spinning wheel. We were able to get a sample of the bur (the cotton ball part of the plant). I don’t know what happened to that plant but as I watched the woman talking about cotton. I wanted to learn more about it, some of my ancestors picked cotton, a few are still alive. I watched a few more videos on spinning cotton and ordered a drop spindle and some cotton that I could spin, I also ordered some seeds. I am still struggling to learn how to spin cotton but I have successfully completed to cotton growing seasons. The last season I had six plants that produced more than enough cotton for me to not spin (LOL!).
I remember thinking that I had harvested all of the cotton only to discover that there was more. The fact that I had unused cotton from what I had purchased and the previous years harvest had me shaking my own head! (SMH!) I remember as I harvested the cotton in the hot South Florida sun how not fun it was. I picked by hand, no clippers, no machines. I was thankful I had not planted more and appreciative of what my ancestors must have done even post slavery.
I did a YouTube video of me picking cotton. Someone made a derogatory remark about me picking cotton as if I was still on the plantation. My response was simple: Once upon a time we had not choice and we made no money from the activity. Today I can take the cotton that I grew and harvested, process it and make money from it.
I want to grow more cotton because the flower is as beautiful as the bur. The cotton plant flowers and then the flower dies and a boll develops, when the boll opens up there is this big puffy ball or bur. Within the bur are the seeds for more cotton, I have lots of seeds. I don’t want to make money off of the cotton that I produce but if I could learn to spin it and make stuff out of it, it would be fun and perhaps a practical skill. There are individuals who make money off of their spun cotton or other threads such as wool.
How unfortunate it is that so many Black people, “African-Americans” think that learning a skill such as picking cotton is beneath them. These African-Americans do not understand the difference between have to and want to. These individuals are consumers and not producers, they love what money can buy but object to capitalism. I like capitalism but I am not in love with money.
Someone had to grow the cotton! Someone grew it, process it and made something of it to sell. There are those who buy materials and make stuff and then they sell it and make money. These individuals buy more stuff and make more money but the activity of making money requires time and energy. That woman who thought I was foolish for growing and picking cotton has no problem with purchase cotton items that have someone’s name, other than hers, on the product. This same woman, or her type, would buy these products from this woman and not comment on how she obtained the material.
The problem is not that the cotton was picked but that a Black person picked cotton post slavery. Slaves picked cotton by force, post slavery cotton was picked on farms under the often unprincipled business association of a sharecropper. Today people of color can own their own farms and sell its’ produce at a price that is to their advantage.
Growing and picking cotton was a learning experience for me. It was difficult work, it was not that hard because I had only a few plants. People love the money more than the lessons. Scripture teaches loving money is the root, basis, foundation, of evil; nothing good comes from loving money. I don’t chase after money, all of my basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) are met I seek after wisdom knowledge and understanding. I seek after: “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” I don’t think negatively about those who choose not to buy into the marketing plans of advertising agencies. I appreciate people who grow their own no matter what color they are.
written by Marsha L Floyd
1 TIMOTHY 6:7-11
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
No comments:
Post a Comment