May 15, 2009

Stanford Revives an Agrarian Tradition: Walking the Farm

By DON TROOP

It is a custom well known among farmers and ranchers: Inspect the fences each year to ensure their soundness.

David M. Kennedy first heard of it in the 1960s from his roommate at Yale University, an Iowa farm kid. Two and a half years ago, as a distinguished historian at the former horse farm known as Stanford University, Mr. Kennedy approached Jon Christensen, a doctoral candidate and instructor in history. "You ever heard of walking the farm?"

Turns out that he had. "Check the