Life on a small farm might seem primitive, but by living such a life we become able to discover the Great Path. I believe that one who deeply respects his neighborhood and everyday world in which he lives will be shown the greatest of all worlds.

The increasing desolation of nature, the exhaustion of resources, the uneasiness and disintegration of the human spirit, all have been brought about by humanity's trying to accomplish something.

As far as my planting program goes, I simply broadcast rye and barley seed on separate fields in the fall . . . while the rice in those areas is still standing. A few weeks after that I harvest the rice, and then spread its straw back over the fields as mulch.

There is no time in modern agriculture for a farmer to write a poem or compose a song

Of course, I have made mistakes . . . just as every grower does. However, I never really think of them as mistakes!

If we throw mother nature out the window, she comes back in the door with a pitchfork.

The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.