"Its My Plantation"

Chapter One

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky.

The perpetual beauty of purple of many shades floated above my head. I was lying awake in the attic of our century home. A room I decorated myself, my place of serenity.

Although the purple clouds looked so beautiful, they only shook when a terrible storm hit (so they say). Yet, in this case, there was no storm. Not the battery of the thunder or a hurricane.

"The Storm," in this case, was of a housing development that wanted to take our homes to the ground.

Development, new businesses, shopping malls.

Nor other farmers or I would budge. Our families lived here before us. We stood for our land. The purple clouds were beautiful. Yet, for many years, they did happen after the terrible storms. Many called them scatter.

I saw them as hope. Hoping the developers would scatter away and lie there. Looking up, they looked terrific. They made me think of the soft ice cream my granny used to give us when we were young; I believe she made it herself. (blueberries inside, yet it gave off the shade of purple).

I eased my mind as the beauty of the blushing sky and the dancing of spectacular purple clouds danced above my head. A comforting feeling came over me.

Could this calmness not take over the minds of those who wish to destroy?

Could it not take them back to when farmers were much more appreciated for the food supply chain and so much more?

As I lay here, I have decided that "my" land will have a new development; I will get a contractor to open a farmers market. I will include my neighbours. We can work together and make more money while keeping the production cost and more for others.

"My beautiful purple clouds." - I ask unto you.

Guide us, show us how to make the angry men disappear. To take their backhoes and shovels and dig far away. Show us how to dance away the agony of homes built on our land.

As morning rose and the town hall meeting began. I was nervous, yet this time I had a bit of confidence.

As the mayor stood before us, he went on to say that our community needed the land for business development. We need more jobs; we need new homes for those moving in.

As a giant storm would come roaring, the farmers rose together.

"We work our lands, supply meat, produce, and much more for our community."

"Our lands are ours, paid for and owned." "Who gives you the right to try to sell them?"

"Further, our homes are on those lands; you have no right."

Then out of nowhere, courage came before me. I stood up and said I was having a development put on my land. A Farmers Market - all farmers were welcome to bring their goods and even the crafts they made to sell.

We dont need more homes; we need the land for our development.

"Take your developers somewhere else. We will not leave."

*****

An angry voice from the crowd spoke out. I know you will leave when I give you the large sum of what your land and homes are worth. Trust me, none of you will ever get another chance like this.

****

Looking out the window, I saw the winds were picking up. The sky turned dark. We were in for a bad storm; this meeting was not where I needed to be. I had to get the cattle in and ensure everything was tied down tightly. We were in for a rough ride.

I turned and looked at the man from the crowd, "You can leave; we want nothing to do with you."