The Fagans - Life's Cycle - Independence means something different for everyone. For the Fagan family independence means self-sufficiency. It means earning what you work for, living off of what you grow, and practicing your values. What started out as a homestead in southeast Ohio over twenty years ago grew into a family farm of ten. According to the Ohio State University Extension Office in the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, family farms are declining nationwide despite a growth in small-scale proprietorship farms. These images represent this family's pursuit of independence. Catie, 13, Martha, 9, and Grace 11, watch their mother Linda clean intestines while their father Ken and brothers Travis and Tim shave the fur off of a pig behind them. The family butchered three pigs in the late fall which, along with other meats and their fall harvest, would provide for the family throughout the winter months.
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The Fagans - Alternate Play -
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The Fagans - Up Ahead - Tim, 21, drives his brothers Titus, 5, front, and Travis, 19, during an afternoon of herding cattle. Financial losses ensued when the Fagans were issued a
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The Fagans - The Hearing -
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The Fagans - Faith - Most mornings Ken reads a passage from the bible. Every Sunday the family attends a Catholic mass for Ken's faith and a Church of Christ service for Linda's faith.
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The Fagans - By the Horns -
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The Fagans - Helping Hands and Feet - After the killing of two ducks the children gather around to help pluck off feathers. The younger children often work in groups and learn from their older siblings from an early age.
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The Fagans - Constancy - Ken rests his head during a break from butchering while Travis sits by. Often after his job as a repairman he comes home to work on the farm.
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The Fagans - Home School - Linda reads with her youngest child Titus during home schooling time. Due to issues with lengthy traveling by bus because of their rural location as well as the family's traditional and Christian values which they believe counters the public school system philosophy, all children are home schooled until age 18.
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The Fagans - Tom's Office - Titus closes the door to his oldest brother Tom's office which is also a storage room and one of the many makeshift places to play. To the side are old egg cartons as well as trophies Tom won at poultry shows.
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The Fagans - The Market - Every Saturday the family comes to the farmer's market regardless of weather. The family's income comes from the market, selling milk to the local dairy, Ken's job repairing refrigerators and other mechanical items, as well as a few odd jobs the older children will accept.
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The Fagans - Rest -
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