tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32179890422677250042024-03-14T10:24:47.950-07:00Farmer Janeis all about the sustainable food revolution.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-1084424092092963862014-05-23T22:16:00.001-07:002014-05-23T22:16:15.072-07:00Guest Post: 24 Women Food and Agriculture Reporters You Should Know About<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's a guest post this month by Naomi Starkman over at <a href="http://civileats.com/" target="_blank">Civil Eats</a>. The critical role these women play allows us to stay abreast of what's happening on the Hill and beyond that impacts our farms and our plates. (I would add Naomi Starkman to this list!)<br />
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If you're interested in following women food journalists work and thoughts on food, Civil Eats just created a <a href="https://twitter.com/CivilEats/lists/women-food-ag-reporters" target="_blank">Twitter group</a> that will keep you in the know.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">24 Women Food and Agriculture Reporters You Should Know About</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.225000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Women are the backbone of today’s food media. Take a look at our site and you’ll not only see that most of our contributors are women, but many of our featured stories are focused on female food movement leaders and projects spearheaded by women. And yet, the women reporting on this issue area don’t always get the attention they deserve.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.225000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://civileats.com/2014/05/14/24-women-food-and-ag-reporters-you-should-know-about/#sthash.aJVEwZTH.dpuf" target="_blank">Read more...</a> </span></span></div>
Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-43280453594532527762014-04-21T21:28:00.004-07:002014-04-21T21:28:48.147-07:00GMO Labeling Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just last week on Civil Eats I posted <a href="http://civileats.com/2014/04/16/gmo-labeling-update-state-efforts-pick-up-momentum-big-ag-doubles-down/" target="_blank">this article</a> about the latest industry attempt to keep us in the dark about whether or not we're eating genetically modified organisms (better known as GMOs). Since this posting Vermont has passed their GMO labeling bill and over 30 states have legislation in the works including California.<br />
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As a person who prioritizes organic foods whenever I eat and shop, I'm dismayed to know that GMOs are still finding their way into my home and body via prepared foods and especially gluten-free choices. Are they in yours? Probably: The Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, Big Ag's latest group created to squash GMO labeling efforts (among other things), says that GMOs are in 80% of the foods found in our stores. Only <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/science/strong-support-for-labeling-modified-foods.html?_r=1&" target="_blank">7%</a> of the population in this country doesn't care about whether or not they are labelled. It's time that our voices - the voices of the 93% - are heard.<br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Please join me in telling the FDA that you agree that we have the right to know what's in our food by signing two online petitions both <a href="http://justlabelit.org/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=13694" target="_blank">here</a>. Thank you for taking action!</span><br />
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Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-73469638552022060252014-02-28T22:50:00.001-08:002014-03-03T22:43:57.548-08:00Rural Chicks Mob the CA Small Farm Conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Marissa Thornton of Thornton Dairy. Photo John Burgess.</span></td></tr>
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If you're in Northern California, join me and the Rural Chicks on <a href="http://www.californiafarmconference.com/index.php/conference/workshops" target="_blank">Tuesday, March 11th</a> at the California Small Farm Conference in Rohnert Park, CA from 9:15 AM - 10:30 PM.<br />
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I can't wait to hear what these rowdy, talented, whip-smart ladies share. Farmer-panelists include Andrea Davis-Cetina of <a href="http://quarteracrefarmsonoma.com/csa-shares/" target="_blank">Quarter Acre Farm</a>, Samantha Gilweit a former pig farmer, Lynda Hopkins of <a href="http://www.foggyriverfarm.org/Farmers.html" target="_blank">Foggy River Farm</a> and Marissa Thornton of <a href="http://srweb.sar.dc.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140114/BUSINESS/140119801/1033/news" target="_blank">Thornton Dairy</a>, with yours truly as moderator. I'll have some copies of "Farmer Jane" on hand for anyone interested.<br />
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<b>About the Rural Chicks</b><br />
The Rural Chicks is a 75-member group of farming women in Northern California that get together monthly for local dinners and dishing about the field of food and farming.<br />
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Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-50118687105609918592013-12-14T09:38:00.001-08:002013-12-14T09:38:39.581-08:00Shifting Gears<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: italic;">We believe we have a lot to learn from women food producers about how to foster true resilience, how to live on a finite planet, how to consume less and share more, how to foster compassion and courage, and finally, how to wake up and engage with present daunting realities.</span> </blockquote>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">What do
women farmers, sustainable food, the next generation and bikes have in common? A
project called </span><a href="http://www.shifting--gears.com/" style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Shifting Gears</a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">Led by Caitrin
Hall and Lake Buckley, Shifting Gears is an inspiring feat that took the motivations
of “Farmer Jane” – exploring and celebrating women’s contributions to
sustainable agriculture - on the road. It bodes well for the next generation of
women changemakers that these two twenty-somethings designed a project that
would bring them closer to women in their fields while utilizing the most benign form of transportation, the bicycle.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg61xnx43N8X8hgnaMRQ4I6e3VBxp8KHC4PVO16IlSoQvPaEuAA7H4Gp9hcr_q_y5_PLMPSPuoyrfdK473Pz-5jlnw9FGAZiX2JWJexcjfcYO28XSLlqT8bwQzN6hDC5CUxCsX9Ka1-Fn/s1600/4d8f8a_905daa253b86ac9bb8dd0e391be017cf.jpg_srz_295_335_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg61xnx43N8X8hgnaMRQ4I6e3VBxp8KHC4PVO16IlSoQvPaEuAA7H4Gp9hcr_q_y5_PLMPSPuoyrfdK473Pz-5jlnw9FGAZiX2JWJexcjfcYO28XSLlqT8bwQzN6hDC5CUxCsX9Ka1-Fn/s1600/4d8f8a_905daa253b86ac9bb8dd0e391be017cf.jpg_srz_295_335_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz.jpeg" height="200" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: center;">Caitrin Hall</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">From New York to California, nearly 4,000 miles, Caitrin and Lake visited urban and rural women-led farming operations alike. Call it an extensive informational interview of sorts, they
rode to achieve “layers of dialogue, the documentation of alternative food
systems, the female perspective, and bicycle transportation as inter-related
mechanisms for change towards a more just and compassionate food system.” I
call it - pure inspiration.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">While the
interrelationship between </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">agriculture and bicycling may seem obscure,
sustainable food advocates realize that the reduction of the externalities caused by the distribution of our food presents one of the biggest challenges in making our food system truly sustainable. Namely, that to achieve our desired carbon-neutral, environment-enhancing food system, we inherently need to tackle not only off-farm inputs and biodiversity, but also the mode in which we get food on peoples' tables. Despite this desire bicycles still play a minor role in farm delivery systems despite the creation of farms
such as the women-led </span><a href="http://tenspeedgreens.com/" style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Ten Speed Greens</a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"> in
Florida. Caitrin and Lake didn't cover any such farms but they did successfully bring distribution into the project's dialogue by simply riding to each destination. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Lake Buckley</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">Along their trip Lake
and Caitrin got some serious road miles on their legs and </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">their visits opened their eyes to the realities of farming as a woman in
the U.S.; they discovered how women are successful and learned about the disparities that women still face; and ultimately, they found hope in meeting some of the members of the fastest growing demographic to own and
operate farms in the U.S. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Inspired all to heck by the Shifting Gears trip, I caught up with these young, enthusiastic cyclists on the last leg of their journey close to my home in California to glean what </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">they</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> learned. Here's what they had to say:</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FJ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: What did you learn about women farmers that surprised you most?</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lake: The
amount of discrimination out there surprised me. We knew about the lawsuits
[against the USDA] and that discrimination was present, but we hadn’t
experienced the telling first hand. That was really eye-opening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Caitrin</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: For example, one farmer in Fairfield Idaho can’t get her compost
delivered to her farm unless it’s ordered on behalf of her husband. They
refused delivery to a woman. And since she doesn’t have a confrontational
personality, she continues calling in the orders on behalf of her husband even
though she’s the farmer and her husband is not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also, when
we were in Iowa we learned about the challenges of women who have inherited
land but have never been asked what they want to do on the land. Generally
speaking what they want is in opposition to what the extended family wants.
Women tend to want food, family and conservation land which goes against more
conservative family’s farming ideals. There have been circumstances when
extended family will sue or put a restraining order on the woman to take
control of the land. We found that in Iowa there is a super rigid cultural
definition of what it means to farm there. Women don’t have a place in farming
even if they own it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FJ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: What were some of the most memorable farms stops?</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lake</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Denise [O’Brien] of <a href="http://rollingacres.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank">Rolling Acres Farm</a> in Iowa
was one of them. It was amazing to learn about the formation and activities of
the Women Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN). I loved listening to her
speak and was blown away by her ability to empower women and to farm holistically
while being completely surrounded by a male-dominated farming culture concerned
primarily with the bottom line. When we were biking to her farm, we saw it
from afar as an oasis. It was the first time we had seen trees and
butterflies since entering Iowa. Everything else was fence row
to fence row corn. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Caitrin</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: She’s pretty much taking care of the biodiversity of the state!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lake</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">: Beth Rasgorshek who runs <a href="http://www.canyonbountyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Canyon Bounty Farm</a> and Janie Burns of <a href="http://www.meadowlarkfarmidaho.com/" target="_blank">Meadow Lark Farm</a> were
inspiring too in that they are working together to rebuild </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">local
grain infrastructure in addition to managing their own farms.</span> </div>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJp3T04Qr-1ncMy-pbyPcLy5o_okPU7sGhadJN46rcDvSQKjA9o8bZASJITGk-mwfDYzU59lrj7BYF4ghUSSZBDz1AslDht7BuZcU-pqjWkQZsGazkBFXFFp3PSYUuScJB7eMK0IKOjbc9/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJp3T04Qr-1ncMy-pbyPcLy5o_okPU7sGhadJN46rcDvSQKjA9o8bZASJITGk-mwfDYzU59lrj7BYF4ghUSSZBDz1AslDht7BuZcU-pqjWkQZsGazkBFXFFp3PSYUuScJB7eMK0IKOjbc9/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: center;">Janie and Lake buck hay in Idaho.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They learned that research isn't meeting smaller-scale grower's needs when </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Beth realized that she couldn’t get enough nitrogen in her soil. When she reached out to land grant universities to see if they were researching heirloom wheat varietals, they wouldn’t take her seriously because her operation is so
small. </span><span style="font-size: 18.18181800842285px;">The research that is being carried out in our land grants tends to focus on conventional seed for industrial farms making the seed and research generated unserviceable for a farmer like Beth as conventional wheat-berry protein levels are dependent on excessive nitrogen inputs.
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So, on top of running a farm, Beth is doing the market
and varietal grain research and breeding herself to further understand how
cross breeding will impact protein levels and flavor. In addition, she's partnered up with Janie to try to figure out if it’s viable to build a local mill. At
every step of the food chain there’s a link missing, so they’re farming
<i>and</i> trying to piece the fabric back together.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Caitrin</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Maisie Ganz of the <a href="http://soilsisters.org/" target="_blank">Soil Sisters</a> in Nevada City, CA was really
memorable! She’s built sustainability into their ethos. Not just about the
land and production but on an energetic level. I think we have an illness of
overworking in our society. Farmers especially are overworked, and especially on diversified
farms doing all that hard work. The workhorse, drive, drive, drive mentality is in place for farming as a career despite not making very much money. Meeting
women who are dedicated to taking care of themselves as much as they take care
of the land and their flowers was so refreshing. This is something that we need
to keep in mind and an aspect of feminine wisdom what we need to hold and perpetuate.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FJ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Were there any common needs between the women farmers you visited?</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lake</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: We would often have the amazing opportunity of having a potluck
and all the women would talk about how they needed more get togethers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isolation, or just being a farmer that
works very hard in this unique lifestyle, makes it hard to have a social life
and the social piece is so important. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other
needs included needing a better economic model that makes farming a viable
occupation, appropriate technologies for the small scale and outreach, and
networks, like WFAN. Not to mention the personal sustainability piece – it’s hard to
take care of yourself and the farm.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FJ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: How has this trek changed your view of farming as a woman?</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lake</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I have so much faith in women farmers. There’s an element of
nurturing, holistic seeing and long-term vision that are crucial in the farming
sphere and the women we met have that view. I have so much faith and hope that
this demographic of farmers will continue to grow. There’s a certain way of
doing things with feminine qualities that have so much potential for real
progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Caitrin</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I just have a huge respect for women farmers. It’s incredibly
hard work, an incredibly hard market and culture to participate in yet they perservere
while nourishing themselves. They are generally making the world a better
place. They are enlivening the world and making it better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Details of the women farmers that Caitrin
and Lake’s visited and their road adventure can be checked out on their website at</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><a href="http://www.shifting--gears.com/" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">http://www.shifting--gears.com</a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.</span></div>
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Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-25350978150434926092013-06-14T10:39:00.003-07:002013-06-14T10:39:33.938-07:00‘Farms with a Future’ Decodes Farm Success<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://honestmeat.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYevTYuGSrVzyHJKOA7b84kmBQKzSrrqlHP8aRD4KvCZHWwLSGR0E_n2xqj-hbBl5X5J9DKxKBuajS1vfgGwhcfOU2UTs3TiHnFB2SXFK3gBPJrHwfeodS2xld2ZW6JQ0_aCa_n28gWjnx/s320/Screen-Shot-2012-11-20-at-3.14.32-PM-e1353442612122.png" width="209" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Farmer <b>Rebecca Thistlethwaite </b>and her family never
anticipated that they would start a family farm, scale it 430%, and then close it
all within six years. </span>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But then, who would? Despite
their farm's closing, the light at the end of their 80-hour farming workweek
tunnel turned out to be enlightenment.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> She, her husband and daughter took a year off of farming not
to rest, but to search for the most innovative and successful farming models
across the U.S. Their time off-farm allowed Rebecca to manifest the essential handbook for starting and running a sustainable farm business, </span><i style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Farms with a Future</i><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thistlethwaite’s book is a literal
farm-business boot camp for greenhorns and aficionados alike. Read
it as a new farmer and you’ll avoid many of the pitfalls that new farms make. Read
it as an established farm seeking to transition to local markets, and you’ll
reap the benefits of starting your journey to becoming a truly community-supported
farm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Not only does <i><a href="http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/farms_with_a_future:paperback" target="_blank">Farms with a Future</a></i> get real honest, like Rebecca’s </span><a href="http://www.honestmeat.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">, but the book divulges farm dos and don’ts from a variety of farm
types. Farms such as Bluebird Grain Farms in Washington, which grow and market
heirloom grain varietals, share their discoveries over the years. And the
dairy, Butterwork Farm, which is touted as “one of the most successful organic
farmstead creameries in the nation,” is featured as a prosperous model despite
the volatility of the dairy industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you want to serve your community food, you
<i>will</i> need to get business savvy to do
so. This is one of the main take aways of <i>Farms
with a Future</i>. Each chapter will get you started on various
considerations such as accounting and infrastructure, but clearly each chapter
could have been its own book. Just know going in that you’ll have to go elsewhere for additional
reading on the chapters’ themes, but as it turns out, this isn’t a bad thing.
Creating the right foundation for your farm is an essential beginning to your
business and this book covers it all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/farms_with_a_future:paperback" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQ54qIAru14azpj-eTzdEhPHWYDrXUiwBdVMS1mDZFfUswo-mzcRecgwVvahqrYkUY6hgBJwhTJWAFGb3R6Dy5_SVqyvyQ7ldMx0HLkV4-qSPkCrUEM09IUk_lwQxgwL2KDuPdsFsQDy5/s200/farms_future_cover.jpg" width="140" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rebecca opens by recounting how she and her
family closed the farm to explore what successful farm businesses look like all
over the country but is far from dreary – by the end of the book she and her family are taking what they learned to start a new farm. And this is great news. After all, we need
more farmers to grow our country food, to be equally connected to community
and land, and that can revel in the slightly-controlled chaos that is farming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I caught up with Rebecca to learn more about
her book and to hear about the next iteration of farm that she and her family
are in the process of starting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: After reading your book, sustainability really takes on a new
dimension as you include the farmer, local community, environment and economic
viability in your definition. How have your thoughts of sustainability changed
throughout your journey as a farmer and writer? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: I first viewed sustainability just through an environmental
lens until I had the opportunity to study abroad in Belize and do extensive
traveling throughout Latin America in the 1990’s. Developing countries teach
you that there is no separation of 'man' and 'nature', and that you can't have
environmental conservation without addressing issues of power, poverty, land
distribution, access to education, and other social issues. I also came back
realizing that new models must be created here because sadly, most of the world
tries to emulate First World consumerism and industrialization. The planet is
doomed if everybody tries to live like a suburban soccer mom, to use the
euphemism. We need more sustainable models- those are what I hope the rest of
the world will emulate. Not our opulence, consumerism, and complacency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: You’ve spent a few years researching some of the more
successful sustainable farming operations out there. Are you seeing
predominately new farmers making it work, or are multi-generational farms also
making the transition to more direct markets and achieving greater economic
viability at the same time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: I have seen both – I have seen many new farmers get started
with a lot of enthusiasm, media attention, and high ideals only to succumb to
economic realities a few years into it (my own farm in California was probably
an example of that), and I have seen multi-generation farms try new growing
practices and marketing techniques that are likely going to 'save their farms.’
And I have seen the opposite too – new farms who are smart and business
oriented that will probably last and family-farms that keep repeating the same
mistakes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I would say, overall, that trying to farm without any familial
help is extremely difficult. If somebody plans to do that, they should at least
have a strong network of friends who can help pitch in (labor & capital).
In our own lives, we have moved to a place where we have stronger familial and
social networks, giving us a fighting chance to get a new farming operation off
the ground. We just did not have that in California (probably because we were
working to hard to cultivate relationships well). Writing this book reinforced
the idea of social capital – that is, the value of your social networks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: Have you seen any parallels of things that don't seem to work?
What are they and how can new farmers avoid these pitfalls? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"There are more pitfalls to fall into than there are potholes in a farm road. The biggest one is probably not seeking out advice from other farmers and feeling like you have to make all your own mistakes."<a name='more'></a></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: There are more pitfalls to fall into than there are potholes
in a farm road. The biggest one is probably not seeking out advice from other
farmers and feeling like you have to make all your own mistakes. Yes, there are
great books out there, websites, videos, magazines, etc. but nothing beats good
ol' fashioned communication. Seek out the farmers in your region, sit next to
people you don't know at conferences, attend trade meetings, call extension
agents, chitchat with vendors at the farmers market, etc. The other big pitfall
is not taking your bookkeeping seriously. Too many farmers think that if they
have cash on hand or in the bank that they are doing just fine. It's much more complicated
than that. Seek out some professional bookkeeping help if numbers aren't your
thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: Have you noticed a gender division of labor on these farms or
are women and men sharing the workload for the same tasks? If you have seen a
division of labor, what do females bring to the table that's inherently
different from their male counterparts? (Yes, we're talking in broad
generalizations here!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: I generally see women doing more of the marketing and sales,
tending to be more social and friendly. It's probably a smart fit- you don't
want a cranky male farmer sitting at your farmers market booth trying to sell
anything. I see women really pushing the envelope on innovating – they are
often the ones asking the questions like, why can't we do this differently? How
can we make this job less backbreaking? Why can't we use fewer pesticides or
less water? Maybe it's because women are not often taught the standard tasks
seen in agriculture that makes them more open to inquisitiveness. They have more
of an openness to learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: You talk about the economic downturn as being one of the
factors that led you to close down your farming business with your husband in
2010. Are things improving out there for local, small-scale producers? What
about in more rural areas where the markets (i.e. shoppers) can't afford the
same type of price bracket for their food?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: I still see it as a mixed bag. Most farmers in this country
still don't break even. They are living off the income of outside work,
subsidies, insurance payments, inherited land, free family labor, etc. Yes,
there are increasing numbers of farmers’ markets, so-called 'farm to table'
restaurants, grocery stores with a 'locally-grown' section, etc. But yet the
vast majority of farmers are small-scale and not making more than $10,000 a
year. I can't wait to see what the next USDA Ag Census data shows us. It seems
that a lot of moneyed players are entering the niche foods market – folks like
hedge-fund billionaires, ag-land investment firms, as well as post<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>dot-com millionaires. They start their
operations with huge capital resources, slick branding campaigns, vertical
integration, and the like. How will family-farms compete with that? I am not
sure. I really hope consumers will see through the glitz and go for
authenticity. I remain committed to telling the stories of real family-farmers
who are personally invested in the stewardship of their land and communities.
This is what I attempted to do with my book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: Do you think that industrial-scale marketing of
"local" and "sustainable" foods is impacting farm-direct
markets? How can small farms be more competitive than the chain stores that now
tout seasonal, local, and small-scale wares?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: I do think it's a real challenge, but a farmer who stays true
to telling their story authentically will rise above much of the fluff and
outright lies. Using third-party certifiers can also help tell your story
because it demonstrates your commitment to certain values rather than
meaningless words like 'natural' or 'sustainable.’ Heck, even Monsanto uses
that word (sustainable)! I also think that more writers and bloggers like
ourselves need to start asking hard questions of the stores, restaurants,
manufacturers, etc. that are using these words without any certification or
metrics behind them. Farmers have a harder time calling the bluff of their
local food trade for fear of repercussions, but those of us not farming for a
living should be more willing to roll-up our sleeves. It helps keep people
honest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: Now that you’ve landed on your new farm in Oregon, what are
your plans for starting your business? How do you plan to find that work/life
balance that didn't happen last time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: Well first off, we are planning more of a glorified homestead
than a commercial farm. We will sell a bit here and there, mostly within our
little 500-person community. In my business plan I put together, one of my
goals was that between my husband and I, we would not spend more than an
average of .5 of our time on the farm activities (20-hours a week). That will
help solidify our work/life balance. Sundays are fundays and we have three
camping trips planned for the summer. We are going to get our irrigation system
on a timer and never have more animals than a neighbor kid could not care for
while we’re away for a few days. That is our threshold. We are also making the
homestead a fun place to hang out so more of our social life can center around
our ‘farm.’ We are making a disc golf course, installing a zip line over the
pond, treehouse, guest studio, and maybe someday a nano-brewery! We are really
inspired by authors Sep Holzer and Mark Shepherd, doing more of a permaculture
model of annuals, perennials, animals, fish, mushrooms, education, and more.
Our land really dictates that we keep things small and diversified. Half our
acreage is in a pond and wetland forest, so we can't really do anything big
even if we wanted to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: Each chapter could be it's own book in delving into the nitty-gritty
details and nuances of farming! Where do you go for practical farming
information like determining which feeder to buy, how to lay your irrigation
and other answers to the day-to-day farming puzzles that come up? Where did you
look for this information when you were first starting out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: Both my husband and I started with a good educational
foundation of biology and ecology. That helped us look at each challenge from a
holistic perspective and also use biology as the foundation for anything. After
that, it was classic books by Eliot Coleman, Joel Salatin, and John Jeavons
where I learned farming techniques. My husband apprenticed with an elderly
farming couple in the foothills of California, learning to grow enormous
onions, garlic, tomatoes, and other quality veggies. I apprenticed with farmers
in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. So gaining practical, hands-on
education without the risk of owning the farm is a good way to go. Once we
started farming, we tried using a few different list-servs, talking to other
farmers, but I would say we got the most help from salespeople, believe it or
not. Just writing this makes me question my sanity! But we had an excellent
feedman who answered any questions we had about animal feed. We had a couple
great seedsmen who would find any crop variety we were looking for, tell us
seeding rates, type of innoculant, etc. We had good graphic and web designers
who would give us all kinds of free advice about marketing. Our fencing
supplier always gave us copious advice on setting up the best electric fence.
These peoples’ jobs are to be on the forefront of agriculture, and in many
cases, they will do the research for you. Maybe we were lucky, but they never
tried to sell us anything we didn't want or need. Oh, one last thing – old
farming books that predate chemical farming. Every livestock farmer should own
a copy of "Feeds and Feeding" from 1910. That's where we got the idea
to try growing mangel beets and rape mustard for our pigs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: What's your advice for new farmers or farms looking to
transition to more local markets?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: Marketing is an art form that must be constantly adapted and
honed over time. Be creative, be honest, be professional, and follow-through.
If you are trying to sell into local restaurants, call them on a regular day,
deliver on time what you said you would bring, pack it well, invoice it
properly, and coach the relationship over time. Invite all the chefs for a farm
tour, for example. Or meet once a winter with your chefs to find out what they
would like you to grow/raise next season. Make it a partnership that both of
you benefits from and co-market each other. Also, be patient- many of these
things take time. You may not be meeting your sales goals right away, but you
have to earn the trust of your customers and make them fall in love with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: red;">FJ</span>: Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">RT</span>: "Don't reproduce error in bulk" was one of the best
bits of advice we got on our trip from young farmer Jerica Cadman of Jefferson,
Texas. Start small, experiment, hone your skills, create efficiencies, and then
grow if the market is there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-49590775511630078992013-05-23T14:01:00.004-07:002013-05-23T14:03:18.429-07:00Ten Reasons to Make a Call for the 2013 Farm Bill<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK47dUgCafJ3-lnpj-7emS8BdVMIDufVguz-_8xcRj3u1aCXH9D5hJv79ArL0JiWgNEc6FtSzIS0JHCCBQGJDUeJ9n3DBxzxZYIkUFLcF7FCJbuK4iVI3gyHQp8FtNx2XNKGE3nqLo0ZLK/s1600/farmbill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK47dUgCafJ3-lnpj-7emS8BdVMIDufVguz-_8xcRj3u1aCXH9D5hJv79ArL0JiWgNEc6FtSzIS0JHCCBQGJDUeJ9n3DBxzxZYIkUFLcF7FCJbuK4iVI3gyHQp8FtNx2XNKGE3nqLo0ZLK/s200/farmbill.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK47dUgCafJ3-lnpj-7emS8BdVMIDufVguz-_8xcRj3u1aCXH9D5hJv79ArL0JiWgNEc6FtSzIS0JHCCBQGJDUeJ9n3DBxzxZYIkUFLcF7FCJbuK4iVI3gyHQp8FtNx2XNKGE3nqLo0ZLK/s1600/farmbill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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You care about farmers and ensuring future access to local, sustainable food, right?! So here's your chance to make a difference. With just two calls, and perhaps a few clicks on online petitions, you can weigh in how our tax dollars are going to be spent on our food system.<br />
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Right now, our senators are deliberating the 2013 Farm Bill - the single most important piece of legislation that can help create a more sustainable food future for our country. Will our tax dollars continue supporting Big Ag, subsidies, pollution, junk-food companies and other private interests? Or, will amendments be passed to cap subsidies, preserve conservation programs, label GMOs, save food stamp funding, support public seed research, and bolster local food systems? The answer is: it's up to us. So here's what we've all got to do:<br />
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<b> Step 1</b>: Select your talking points from the list below.</div>
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<b> Step 2</b>: Call your senators. Click <a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm" target="_blank">here</a> to find them.</div>
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<b> Step 3</b>: Thank them for representing your interests!<br />
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Below you'll find not just ten reasons to make the call, but ten amendments that our senators need to hear from us on. You can also check out the recommendations of these organizations too: <a href="http://liverealnow.weebly.com/take-action.html" target="_blank">Live Real</a>, <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=10982" target="_blank">Center for Food Safety</a>, and the <a href="http://ota.capwiz.com/ota/issues/alert/?alertid=62682116" target="_blank">Organic Trade Association</a>, but whatever you do, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI4XLhY10VA" target="_blank">you've got to do something</a> for a more sustainable and equitable food system for all!<br />
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<b>Ten 2013 Farm Bill Talking Points </b></h3>
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In addition to these, you may want to consider voicing your support for Senator Boxer's amendment #1027 to protect honey bees and native pollinators, which, according to the Center for Food Safety, have declined by over 45% since last winter due to pesticides and Big Ag. </div>
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<i>Thank you for all that you do for our farmers and local food!</i></div>
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Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-23865381677498812662013-04-03T11:41:00.004-07:002013-04-03T11:41:34.688-07:00One Less Lady in the House: Kathleen Merrigan Leaves USDA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With Kathleen Merrigan's abrupt departure from the USDA early last month, sustainable food advocates and women backers of this power house are left wondering if she was forced to resign as the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture for the USDA, or, if she truly left of her own accord. </div>
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Merrigan is perhaps most well known for being an outspoken advocate for local and sustainable foods and for creating and managing the <a href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/knowyourfarmer?navid=KNOWYOURFARMER">Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food</a> campaign. This hallmark program was touted by Tom Philpott of Mother Jones as the "most high-profile acknowledgement [of the government] since the post-war rise of industrial agriculture that alternative food systems exist, matter, and deserve support." It efficiently bundled sustainable food programs under one roof at the USDA and brought a fresh voice to sustainable food programming everywhere. Merrigan not only weathered criticism by Big Ag supporters in the government, despite the fact that these programs receive peanuts in comparison with commodity crop growers subsidy payouts, but she'll be remembered as a strong voice of opposition and for convincing commodity-crop-centric states that the local and regional food movement isn't just a coastal phenomenon. </div>
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But Merrigan's support of regional and local food systems didn't start with her most recent post, nor as head of USDA's Marketing Services under the Clinton administration. Her involvement goes back for decades.</div>
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As a faculty member and director of the Agriculture, Food, and Environment program at Tufts University Kathleen made Tufts a leading institution in sustainable agriculture. She also helped write the 1990 Organic Foods Act, a document that worked to ensure the integrity of organic foods when the USDA announced their dangerous organic certification program in 1998. Before that, she was a strong advocate for farmers' markets and local food production, a stance that she <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/09/beyond-farmers-markets-why-local-food-belongs-on-grocery-shelves/262064/">maintained </a>throughout her time with both the Clinton and Obama administrations. </div>
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As a woman of power at the USDA, Merrigan will always be an inspiration for women that aspire to climb into the higher tiers of government. A difficult task since most positions are appointed by male-counterparts that have historically held down such posts. Merrigan also managed to tactfully bring issues and concerns to the USDA table emblematic of a more feminine approach such as her genuine care for communities, for the environment and for future generations. </div>
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We need more women in the government, like Kathleen, that will re-direct our tax monies and government spending to invest in the types of programs that are necessary for a healthy future. Kathleen will be sorely missed as an advocate and change-maker in our food system. For women, she will always represent the potential of women's leadership to steer the boat even in this historically male-dominated space. As Denise O'Brien said in <i>Farmer Jane</i>, "It's important for women to be involved in decision-making from a family level to the highest levels of government." Kathleen really exemplified the potential of this statement. </div>
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Upon receipt of the news of her so-called resignation, sustainable food leaders around the country wrote a letter to Merrigan thanking her for her service. The letter, signed by more than 100 food and farm leaders, can be viewed <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/09/beyond-farmers-markets-why-local-food-belongs-on-grocery-shelves/262064/">here</a>. While the next appointee has not yet been announced, advocates sincerely hope that her legacy will continue. And back to the original question of this post: did she resign or was she forced to quit? This Farmer Jane believes that the latter is true.</div>
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Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-75564804278004587522013-02-06T15:26:00.001-08:002013-02-24T18:18:15.032-08:00Thoughts On 'God Made a Farmer'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The new Dodge Ram <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sillEgUHGC4">commercial</a> sure is getting a lot of play for its tribute to farmers. Apparently, the company has plans to make 2013 the "Year of the Farmer." Certainly we don't need a truck company to tell us that the work ethics and integrity of farmers are to be admired. Yet, I have to admit, a little highly produced media to sway the public in caring about people that produce their food for a few minutes certainly isn't a terrible thing. </div>
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Regardless, Dodge missed a great opportunity to provide a contemporary view of the American farm. They were going for nostalgia and heart strings here - and they nailed it. Even so, they could have been more accurate by showing more farmworkers, more women, more minorities, and any one of the emerging young farmers featured on this <a href="http://www.thegreenhorns.net/?cat=29">site</a>. Yes, old white men make up the majority of primary farm owners in this country, but that's only because the <a href="http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Online_Highlights/Fact_Sheets/Demographics/">Ag Census</a>, only started counting secondary farm operators - such as women - in 2002. (Here's where you guffaw.) For all intents and purposes, this revised <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151396799859712">iteration</a> of the commercial does a better job in the inclusion of farmworkers, yet still misses out on representing other farmer demographics. After all, it's going to take more than just 2.2 million farmers in this country to grow this country local and sustainable food. </div>
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The beauty of this piece did silence the room I was sitting in when it aired. So, all the criticism flailing around should be taken with a grain of corn. After all, it is a <i>commercial</i> designed to sell more trucks. And with the power of this trope over our hearts and minds, this could make this year Dodge Ram's best year. Ever. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.200000762939453px; line-height: 16.979999542236328px;"><i>God Made a Farmer</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.96666717529297px;">By Paul Harvey</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.200000762939453px; line-height: 16.979999542236328px;">And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.200000762939453px; line-height: 16.979999542236328px;">God said, "I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the field, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board." So God made a farmer.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.200000762939453px; line-height: 16.979999542236328px;">God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say,'Maybe next year,' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from an ash tree, shoe a horse with hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out hay wire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. Who, during planting time and harvest season will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon and then, paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours." So God made the farmer.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.200000762939453px; line-height: 16.979999542236328px;">God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to yean lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-comb pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of a meadowlark."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.200000762939453px; line-height: 16.979999542236328px;">It had to be somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and brake, and disk, and plow, and plant, and tie the fleece and strain the milk, . Somebody who'd bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh and then reply with smiling eyes when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does. "So God made a farmer."</span></blockquote>
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Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-78616636097154878462013-01-01T20:59:00.003-08:002013-01-06T14:26:40.394-08:00Spring 2013 Food & Farming Conferences<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's that time of the year when seed catalogs are devoured and less is happening on the farm (even in California). That's why it's such a great time for sustainable agriculture organizations to bring all of us advocates and organic matter lovers together for inspiring talks and keynote speakers.
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From Saratoga Springs, NY to Pacific Grove, CA, organizations across the country engage local food advocates and sustainable agriculture communities during this time of year. So here it is, the spring roundup of conferences organized by date. If I've missed any, please post the date, name and web link to the conference below.<br />
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<b>Spring 2013 Food & Farming Conferences: </b><br />
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January 19 - 20: - Nevada County's Sustainable Food and Farming Conference, CA<br />
Farmer Jane (Temra Costa) will present with keynotes Will Allen and Joel Salatin. <a href="http://www.foodandfarmconference.com/">http://www.foodandfarmconference.com</a>/<br />
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January 23 - 26: Eco Farm's 33rd Annual Conference, Pacific Grove, CA<br />
<a href="http://ecofarm2013.org/">http://ecofarm2013.org/</a><br />
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January 23 - 26: Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SAWG), Little Rock, AR
<a href="http://www.ssawg.org/january-2013-conference/">http://www.ssawg.org/january-2013-conference/</a><br />
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February 6 - 9: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's (PASA) 22nd Annual Conference, State College, PA<br />
<a href="http://conference.pasafarming.org/http://conference.pasafarming.org">http://conference.pasafarming.org/ </a><br />
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February 10 - 12: Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group's (SAWG) Regional Conference<br />
<a href="http://www.nefood.org/">http://www.nefood.org/</a>
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February 21: California Climate & Agriculture Summit, Davis, CA<br />
<a href="http://calclimateag.org/calcan-summit-2013/">http://calclimateag.org/calcan-summit-2013/</a><br />
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February 21 - 23: Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service's (MOSES) 24th Annual Conference, LaCrosse, WI<br />
<a href="http://www.mosesorganic.org/">http://www.mosesorganic.org/</a><br />
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March 7 - 10: Natural Food Product Expo West, Anaheim, CA<br />
Ok, not a true sustainable food and farming conference, but the natural food buyers all head here to check out the latest and greatest natural food and sustainable living trends.<br />
<a href="http://www.expowest.com/">http://www.expowest.com/</a><br />
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March 10 - 12: California Small Farm Conference, Fresno, CA<br />
<a href="http://www.californiafarmconference.com/">http://www.californiafarmconference.com/</a><br />
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April 29: Slow Money National Gathering, Boulder, CO<br />
<a href="http://slowmoney.org/events/events/nationally-organized/the-2013-slow-money-national-gathering">http://slowmoney.org/events/events/nationally-organized/the-2013-slow-money-national-gathering</a></div>
Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-53619510600718753542012-02-19T15:50:00.023-08:002012-04-11T10:51:47.515-07:00GMO Labeling on its Way for CA<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEB8lA5eVJ-lX7yfHc8798VAmjbJf6GB1X7dEbf-1BuWrPy4R8Vj5iIuahEKt1umnpYTcoWYHpwO5o8FxZXzekZjaiJ0hixvgsQ1x6qQK3EVduAZQ1WAqPwc25LlK0LRUpsERo-xtqkpy6/s1600/Pamm-Larry.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEB8lA5eVJ-lX7yfHc8798VAmjbJf6GB1X7dEbf-1BuWrPy4R8Vj5iIuahEKt1umnpYTcoWYHpwO5o8FxZXzekZjaiJ0hixvgsQ1x6qQK3EVduAZQ1WAqPwc25LlK0LRUpsERo-xtqkpy6/s320/Pamm-Larry.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712448624304548690" /></a>What was your food moment? You know, that moment when you realized that all food was not created equal. Perhaps it was when you discovered that seasonal foods simply tasted better. Or, perhaps it was when you found out that by supporting local family farmers you would support your community. Everyone has their "moment." For me, it happened in 1998 when I found myself on the streets of Madison, Wisconsin saying, "Want to sign a petition to preserve the organic standards?" I was a student of agriculture at the university and I'd just discovered that the food that I had been eating my entire Midwestern life wasn't the healthiest. I had walked into the Williamson Street Co-op and after reading the labels and being surrounded by organic foods, I decided to make the switch. At the same time the USDA was threatening to lower the organic standards as they formed the National Organic Program (NOP), and a call to action to preserve the integrity of organic by the <a href="http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/">Center for Food Safety </a> got me out and into the streets. <br /><br />The Center for Food Safety won on many fronts, but since the NOP's inception, consumer watchdog groups have had to continue their diligence to ensure that our food that is labelled as organic, remains as unadulterated as possible. Meaning without pesticides, synthetics, GMOs or other allowances that most people would agree are not "organic." So I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement when I heard the call for action this week, to once again get out there and collect physical, real-world signatures! This time, to get GMOs labelled.<br /><br />Labeling GMOs moves us in a proactive direction that will let each of us decide whether or not we want to eat them. Most other countries have chosen to label them, and all of us in support of labeling feel that it is our right to know. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9Ep4uxbhsvI#!">Check out this video </a>to see how many other countries have implemented labeling.) Where the attempt to banning GMOs in the early part of 2000 was only marginally successful, this effort has the potential to dramatically level the playing field. <a href="http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/labelgmos/pages/31/attachments/original/CA-Right-to-Know-Initiative12.pdf?1324916176">The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act of 2012</a> will undoubtedly make it on the ballot this year and is a call to action for Californians that don't want to expose their families, or themselves, to the adverse health impacts of GMOs. While the Act needs hundreds of thousands of signatures to make it on the November ballot, I have no doubt that this will happen. Right now dedicated volunteers are out there collecting signature! And the woman behind the charge? Pamm Larry. <br /><br />The following snippet and interview is written by Annie Spiegelman, author of "<a href="http://www.dirtdiva.com/">Dirt Diva</a>." The full article with more background on GMOs, can be found here: <a href="http://huff.to/zp9e6r ">http://huff.to/zp9e6r </a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Spark Behind the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act of 2012</span> <br />by Annie Spiegelman (aka "The Dirt Diva")<br /><br />There is a growing body of scientific research that indicates genetically engineered crops put our health at tremendous risk. "'Transgenic' seeds reduce the use of some insecticides," says Doug Gurian-Sherman, a plant pathologist and senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "But herbicide use is higher, and respected experts argue that some genetically engineered crops may also pose serious health and environmental risks. The benefits of genetically engineered crops may be overstated."<br /><br />Jeffrey Smith, consumer advocate and director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, says that FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that GM foods can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. "They urged long-term safety studies, but were ignored," claims Smith.<br /><br />Recent polls show that 9 out of 10 Americans want GMO foods to be labeled. Sometimes all it takes is the volatile vociferous voice of an Italian granny from Chico, California to have her Samuel L. Jackson "Snakes on a plane" moment, and bravely cry out, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"<br /><br />Pamm Larry, farmer, midwife, businesswoman and a gutsy grandmother of three was so distraught about our modern day food system that she quit her day job and spent her time educating herself on GMOs and how to apply for a ballot initiative. Next, she searched out her team and went straight to the state capital to painstakingly navigate through the bureaucratic muddle of tedious paperwork necessary to put an initiative on the California ballot.<br /><br />Grandma Larry and her galvanized cadre of concerned citizens represent the sane, spirited voice of a growing number of skeptical Americans who don't necessarily trust better living through chemistry. There are serious and valid concerns that the biotechnology companies creating these seeds have not adequately researched the long term health and environmental effects. Bear in mind, this initiative is not demanding these foods be removed from the food system, but rather Californians are justifiably demanding to know just what they are eating and feeding their children. (Wacko hippies! Why can't they just blindly trust the MAN?)<br /><br />On Feb. 18, 2012, California voters will be able to sign a petition to place this highly charged issue on the ballot. Once 560,000 signatures are collected between February and April, 2012, this measure goes mainstream and onto the November ballot in the form of the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.<br /><br />I spoke with Pamm Larry a week before the signature gathering period begins.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">You are the original instigator and the Northern California organizer of the Label GMOs campaign. What made you courageous enough to take on Monsanto and the other biotechnology companies?</span><br /><br /><blockquote>I don't feel like I'm taking on Monsanto or the others. I'm simply taking a strong stand for our right to know what's in our food. I woke up to the knowing that it was time for me to do more than whine and be depressed about our food situation. I've since come to believe that I'm so glad I let go of the belief that it was someone else's job to get this done. If I care, it's mine. It's been a quite the eye opener.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Had you been politically active in the past, and how painful was the application process for a ballot initiative?</span><br /><blockquote>I've always been politically aware, but this it the first time I've done any organizing. The actual paperwork of forming the committee was easy. The part about writing it was an amazing process to witness... and I need to be infinitely clear that I did not write this. Lawyers, politicians, scientists, processors, farmers all came together. No one, least of all me, would have wanted me to write this. It was a labor of love that these folks devoted themselves to and I am so grateful to them!<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Who came on board next to help?</span><br /><blockquote>The Organic Consumers Association (www.OCA.com) came on board. Ronnie Cummins, Alexis Baden-Mayer and the rest of the team were right there from the beginning and have continued to be a driving force for truth telling in the organic industry and keeping the grassroots strong. I admire them immensely. Jeffrey Smith and the Institute for Responsible Technology www.responsibletechnology.org) helped out at a crucial point in our grassroots building. Because they were willing to put out the word to their members to help me get meetings in communities, labelgmos.org (www.labelgmos.org), the original grassroots effort, grew exponentially in a very short time.<br /><br />I commend Stacey Hall, who helped organize and support the leaders in the south, and the over 100 leaders around the state who believed in this long before anyone else did. They are volunteering 20-40 hours a week to see this gets on the ballot and then voted on come November. Then there's another hero; our webmaster, who has created an amazing site on no budget to speak of.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Are you surprised by how many Americans don't know what a GMO is?</span><br /><blockquote>Yes. I believe it's been a very well orchestrated program of silence. I've been an avid organic fan for decades and I hadn't even heard about GMO's until about 8 years ago. I find many in the same place. Amazing to me, especially since it's a huge subject once you start down the rabbit hole.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How can we best educate the public on this issue?</span><br /><blockquote>I believe this will be won on the streets, one by one, with us talking to our communities, looking in each others eyes. That's how it began. We need to talk about it with each other. We need to spread the word and invite folks to learn more- read articles, watch films. We've got to wake up to what's happening to our food supply and take back our food sovereignty. I recently learned that the California Medical Association has a resolution in support of labeling Genetically Engineered foods. If the doctors think it a good idea... well... that's sure something, yes?</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What do we need to have this initiative pass?</span><br /><blockquote>First we need to get it on the ballot. That requires 560,000 qualifying signatures. We have the services of a signature gathering professional to lead that drive and all are confident that we'll get there. Please visit www.labelgmos.org and volunteer to help us gather signatures. Come to a one hour training workshop and then hit the streets with your neighbors!<br /><br />Then we need to educate folks about the issue. They have a right to know that they are innocently and blindly feeding their children; foods developed, then grown, via a genetically engineered process that has not had any long term testing on humans and that has increased the use of pesticides and herbicides.<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Which companies are backing the labeling campaign?</span><br /><blockquote>David Bronner, of Dr. Bronner's Magical Soaps (www.drbronner.com) decided to get involved. His passion and commitment just blows me away. He is the reason large companies and the various NGO's finally decided to give this a second look. Without him, this initiative would not be where it is today. Because of him, the Center For Food Safety (www.centerforfoodsafety.org) became involved in writing the initiative. The folks who wrote the actual law did an incredible job. Food Democracy Now (Fooddemocracynow.org) brought its expertise in grassroots support of farmers.<br /><br />Mercola.com, Nature's Path, Lundberg Farms have all invested time and financial support in moving this initiative forward. Straus Dairy has been amazingly supportive in many ways. (One of which is hooking us up with their rocking ice cream whenever we ask!!) And now our coalition is growing to include other endorsers and supporters of varying involvement. Frey Vineyards, Nutiva, Guayaki, Amy's, Organic Pastures and UNFI have also been supportive. There are others you can find on <a href="http://labelgmos.org">Labelgmos.org</a>.<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What will be the talking points of the opposition?</span><br /><blockquote>1. "We have been doing this for thousands of years." <br />Answer: NOT true. This is not about hybrids or selective breeding. The initiative is clear in its definition of what a genetically engineered food is. It is where they take the DNA or RNA of one animal, plant, yeast, etc, and put it in another animal, plant, yeast, etc. It cannot happen in nature. For instance, in nature, a fish and a tomato do not breed and reproduce a new entity.<br /><br />2. "What about feeding the world?" <br />Answer: First off genetically engineered foods are not feeding the world. There are books on the subject. The UN and the University of Davis both came out with studies last year stating that the way to feed the world is NOT via corporate monoculture agribusiness; it's through agroecology (the application of ecological principles in farming). But even though the 'feeding the world' thing is a great PR myth, at the end of the day, what does feeding starving children in Africa have to do with labeling GE foods in California? Nothing. It's a different subject that's used to confuse people.<br /><br />3. "Food costs will go up."<br />Answer: NOT true. Companies change their labels all the time. There is a phase in period where all companies could easily incorporate this change into the design, too. Did everyone notice a jump in prices when they started labeling trans fats? No. Same thing here. There is no cost to the state. To say otherwise is a blatant diversion and misrepresentation or the person has not read the language of the law.<br /><br />4. "The government (FDA) says we don't need labeling of GMOS because they are the same as non GMO."<br />Answer- NOT TRUE. They are using 14th century science with that policy: if it looks the same and (in general) smells the same, it must be the same. We are asking the FDA to use 21st Century science.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What have you learned from this that you can pass on to other citizens wanting to get a measure on a state ballot?</span><br /><blockquote>Just start. I've learned that if we wait for someone else to do it, it won't get done. I had no idea where this would end up. I still don't. If I had waited for funding to start, this would not exist. If I waited for others to agree with me, I would have stopped after a month. While I believe "experts" and "professionals" are vital to everything in life, if I had listened to them carte blanche, this initiative would not be where it is today.<br /><br />I simply "knew" this was right, knew I could not stop, and kept on going. I let go of the outcome and continue to, knowing that I've done all I could to make it happen. The rest isn't up to me. I believe this is happening because it's time. It simply needed a tenacious, focused spark and a commitment to keep on going no matter what.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fundraising. How much is needed and where can "people who like to eat" send donations?</span><br /><blockquote>The coalition is gearing up for a very large sum as initiatives are very expensive. You can donate to the coalition effort at http://www.carighttoknow.org. Labelgmos.org will continue to raise monies independently as the original grassroots effort and member of that coalition. Our primary need for funds is for printed materials and film rights to educate the public about GMOs. <br /><br />You can donate on our site at <a href="http://www.labelgmos.org">www.labelgmos.org</a>.</blockquote>Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-61235218624102883812012-01-27T09:15:00.000-08:002012-01-27T10:51:34.963-08:00USDA Avoids Discrimination Litigation and Offers Cash<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyftIVfshtlYr5ui7r6ECdPZfpTW_oUjN3pHxBE_c_ZwBaUdEnNVOAphyphenhyphenV-QakKw1QuGqAn06JytwwHElCkeyXX1XK7E_XrNRIXFT52aPZ-Z_L7Vpu6mQE2_Y-momWd_umkCf7lnnfWNS/s1600/usda.tiff"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyftIVfshtlYr5ui7r6ECdPZfpTW_oUjN3pHxBE_c_ZwBaUdEnNVOAphyphenhyphenV-QakKw1QuGqAn06JytwwHElCkeyXX1XK7E_XrNRIXFT52aPZ-Z_L7Vpu6mQE2_Y-momWd_umkCf7lnnfWNS/s200/usda.tiff" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702386195076561250" /></a><br />Since its inception in <a href="http://www.usda.gov/documents/timeline.pdf">1862</a>, the USDA has systematically discriminated against farmers of color and women farmers throughout the U.S. denying them access to grants, programs, and support staff services. It wasn't until 1996 that the USDA created a Civil Action Team to eradicate racism and address the flaws in the system that have mostly benefitted agribusiness. But this committee's formation proved a little too late. By the mid-nineties farmers of color especially, had largely eroded from our rural landscapes. "In 1920, one in every seven farms was African American owned. Today, only 1 in 100 farms is African American owned (USDA 1998, at 16). The decline of the African American farmer has taken place at a rate that is three times that of white farmers (USDA 1998, at 16-17)." This is why in 1997 African American farmers filed a class action suit against the agency which they eventually won. (Read more about it <a href="http://www.ewg.org/node/8480">here</a>.) Now is the time for reciprocity for women and Latino farmers too.<br /><br />This week on January 25, the administration preempted the same sort of class-action suit involving Latino and women farmers saying, " "The Obama Administration has made it a priority to resolve all claims of past discrimination at USDA, and we are committed to closing this sad chapter in USDA's history," said Vilsack. "Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege past discrimination are encouraged to participate in an improved claims process in which they have the opportunity to recover up to $250,000 in damages." After posting this announcement on the Farmer Jane Facebook page, one woman farmer quickly replied, "Trouble being a lot of us were denied 'applying' for said loans, and therefore there is no paper trail." I recommend that even if you were denied during the application process and there is no paper trail, you should still pursue! We need to hold the USDA accountable <a href="http://www.businesspundit.com/usda-unaware-of-how-many-people-it-employs/">even if they don't know how many employees they have</a> (hopefully this isn't still the case!).<br /><br />Here's the information from the press release for contacting USDA, or read the full release <a href="http://1.usa.gov/yhdE1F">here</a>. <blockquote>"Individuals interested in participating in the claims process may register to receive a claims package, or may obtain more information, by visiting <a href="www.farmerclaims.gov">www.farmerclaims.gov</a>. Individuals can also register to receive a claims package by calling the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429." </blockquote><br />And if you're not too keen on calling up USDA right away and you're a woman farmer that has been denied funding I would recommend that you call Leigh Adcock at the Women Food and Agriculture Network at (515) 460-2477. They have your best interests in mind! <br /><br />Good luck!Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-42386046446688523262011-12-30T10:42:00.000-08:002011-12-30T14:18:37.673-08:00Setting IntentionsI'll keep this end-of-the-year missive short, with a poem:<br /><br />This year, let your love for the world grow wild;<br />like your garden;<br />real, or inside you.<br /><br />Plant some seeds for the future;<br />pull some from the library;<br />think about what you will "do" versus "watch."<br /><br />Our lives <span style="font-style:italic;">are</span> our gardens, full of wild creatures, weeds, and delicious gems.<br /><br />Like any fruit we start with a flower;<br />we too must be open to bees;<br />to ideas;<br />to wind.<br /><br />And as we sit in our gardens;<br />we must think about what we are willing to "do" for our passion;<br />for our future;<br />for ourselves;<br />and with love turn our faces towards the sun.<br /><br />- - -<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Wishing you the best in the coming year! Happy 2012!</span>Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-19505688080242337172011-12-06T12:21:00.000-08:002011-12-07T16:12:26.155-08:00Just What the Season Ordered: Citrus!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJzK_lxeeOhdSij-rQYekhy8LCEvpcfjOPXRYuQww44IwWppxYTaLn1GaeOXxuaNt76OaM5MjCdWFA4sV0VjkK9VzwjERTK4IBYnmc7d2ue1xjVqCHx5M5Nt6YmOrYCFtkCMFS4Lp7orU/s1600/E+thatcher+1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJzK_lxeeOhdSij-rQYekhy8LCEvpcfjOPXRYuQww44IwWppxYTaLn1GaeOXxuaNt76OaM5MjCdWFA4sV0VjkK9VzwjERTK4IBYnmc7d2ue1xjVqCHx5M5Nt6YmOrYCFtkCMFS4Lp7orU/s320/E+thatcher+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683509836747702290" /></a> As the longest night of the year gets closer, my body craves citrus. Sweet, acidic, floral, and delicious, the markets are gearing up to churn out more than the present Satsuma mandarin explosion - pomelos, kumquats, navels, blood oranges, and grapefruit are all on their way. Perfect timing! Just as the days shorten and I start to miss central heating here in Northern California, these immunity boosters arrive at local markets.<br /><br />For a Midwesterner like myself, navel oranges from California (back then from Orange County no doubt), or Florida, were a special treat that I have fond memories of during the holidays. I used to get three brightly-waxed navels in my stocking, a tradition that as a kid I considered a gip in the toy department since they filled <span style="font-style:italic;">half</span> of the stocking. Regardless, receiving them as a gift made me aware of the preciousness of seasonality. We didn’t eat citrus year-round and citrus certainly wasn't grown locally. But the navels were oh-so-much more than a tradition handed down over generations, they were an omen of good health as each navels’ contents – cleverly packaged in a compostable wrapper – would help me in my daily battle against colds. And while navels might not be viewed as such a novelty with today's digital gift options, they still have a place at the table. In fact, oranges are the most consumed fruit per capita in the U.S. with Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas growing a projected <a href="http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/fruits/citrus/citrus_profile.cfm">11.7 million tons</a> this season alone. And we need it. <br /><br />Unlike other mammals that can produce vitamin C, humans must eat two mandarins per day, or other equivalent citrus, to get our daily recommended dose (<a href="http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/">90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women</a>). And being that vitamin C is water-soluble, if there are leftovers that our body can't use immediately to strengthen our immune system, to catch free radicals, or to repair our cells and tissue, they are expelled. <br /><br />For me, eating enough citrus during these colds months is not a problem. Proven by the sheer quantity of mandarins that I eat in one sitting, and by my obsessive plotting to perfect <a href="http://www.ciaosamin.com/2007/11/jam.html">marmalade</a>, I'm sure to be eating enough citrus for two adults' daily allowances. Citrus is also starting to show up at seasonally inclined restaurants with beautifully manicured sections of citrus tossed in salads with roasted nuts (see recipe below). And in the coming weeks, the varieties and quantities offered at such establishments and markets are only going to expand. This is a very good thing. After all, our bodies have evolved with this fruit so that when we need it the most, it is most abundant. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">arugula & citrus salad</span></span><br /><br />4 servings * prep time 20 minutes * nutritional benefits: vitamins C, A, and K<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">salad</span><br />1 large bunch of arugula, approximately 4 cups, washed and stemmed<br />1/3 cup toasted chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)<br />1 large grapefruit, or, 4 mandarins sectioned (see below for instructions)<br />grated Parmesan (optional)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">dressing</span><br />1 tbsp lemon juice<br />4 tbsp olive oil<br />1 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">steps</span><br />1. section the citrus and set aside<br />2. wash and clean arugula, remove the stems and chop<br />3. toss arugula and citrus with dressing and top with nuts <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Sectioning: First, get a really sharp knife. It helps! Second, remove the peel and outside membrane of the fruit by cutting off the peel, from top to bottom. Then, sectioning begins. Cut between each wedge of the membrane to remove each section without the skin, and voila! You have successfully sectioned citrus. </span><br /><br />Photo: Farmer Emily Thacher Ayala, <a href="http://friendsranches.com/">Friends’ Ranch</a>, Ojai, CAFarmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-31708924170710305702011-06-05T15:09:00.000-07:002011-06-06T16:06:07.666-07:00Plate to Politics - 2012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNNImG3pfBN5ejJAuMc2Rvtz-oAwl4JKwviCUBS4KXN0vowkyo2oJOsRrIyBWcgKRSR4e-Uf_PGrm7KLGjInb7nAZ2AyNC2xn8Ihc3VqLUDJ6N_9n3bW924H1iYQbA_msvqPHZSXbOCtu/s1600/p2p.tiff"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNNImG3pfBN5ejJAuMc2Rvtz-oAwl4JKwviCUBS4KXN0vowkyo2oJOsRrIyBWcgKRSR4e-Uf_PGrm7KLGjInb7nAZ2AyNC2xn8Ihc3VqLUDJ6N_9n3bW924H1iYQbA_msvqPHZSXbOCtu/s320/p2p.tiff" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614893642621763778" /></a><br />Look up "moms against" in your favorite search engine and you'll find an untold number of organizations comprised of moms against such and such. Moms Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Moms Against Mercury, Moms Against Climate Change, and (my favorite) Moms Against Sarah Palin. Moms definitely have reason for their anger and advocacy for change. And now there’s a new collaborative of moms, and not moms, that will be working to engage more women in food politics. And do we need it! Despite our efforts to shift our national food policy in a more progressive and healthful direction during the last Farm Bill, we're still getting served up more of the same. This past spring, for example, many of the progressive programs funded through the last 2007 bill such as <a href="http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/attra-funding-eliminated/">ATTRA</a> were eliminated and other organic programs were put on the chopping block. Fortunately, organizations such as the <a href="http://ofrf.org/policy/stories/110603_ol_approps_story.html">Organic Farming Research Foundation</a> were able to preserve organic research funding. Despite budget cuts attacking a broad spectrum of social services such as organic food and farming research, health care reform, and education, military spending is only slated to increase in 2011 and 2012. So it was with a happy heart that I received the press release below announcing a new coalition of women who convened to discuss policy and food system reform. <br /><br />What Plate to Politics posits is that women's leadership in political positions will activate change through the entirety of the food movement's various branches - labor, farm to school, consumer awareness, Native foods, organic research and practices, health, and environment. This was expressed through the diversity of attendees at their first meeting, women who represented all of these facets of our food system. It will take all of us in this movement to make headway next year and Plate to Politics is sure to be a great force in organizing rural and urban women alike around a progressive food policy platform. So visit the <a href="http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/platetopolitics/">website </a>and get involved!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Women from Around the US Gather in Wisconsin to Strategize Ways to Strengthen the Healthy Food and Farming Movement</span><br />A diverse group of 30 women food system leaders from across the country met May 23-25 near Racine, WI, to begin the process of creating a national strategy for strengthening the influence of women in the healthy food and farming movement, from the farmhouse to the White House.<br /> <br />“We called this gathering ‘Cultivate 2012,’ reflecting the fact that next year will be a pivotal year for increasing women’s leadership and voice around food issues through the next election cycle and farm bill,” says Liz Johnson, National Director Rural Leadership for The White House Project, a non-profit aiming to advance women’s leadership in all communities and sectors.<br /> <br />The Cultivate 2012 summit was the kickoff of Plate to Politics, a nationwide coalition of women in sustainable agriculture sponsored by The White House Project, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), and Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN). <br /> <br />“Women have always been the primary drivers behind the healthy food and farming movement--as farmers, purchasers of their families’ food, and staff at the non-profit organizations that support the work,” says Leigh Adcock, executive director of WFAN. “Plate to Politics is the beginning of a national coalition of women in the movement who will work on a series of projects and initiatives to magnify our voices and influence in the arena of sustainable agriculture and healthy food systems.”<br /> <br />Women attending the Racine gathering represented a wide range of backgrounds, such as Lydia Villanueva, a Latino farmer organizer from the Texas Panhandle, Severine von Tscharner Fleming of New York, a beginning farmer advocate and producer of the film The Greenhorns, and Aurora Conley, a tribal leader working to preserve native strains of wild rice in northern Minnesota. The group included farmers, leaders of national grassroots organizations, federal agency staff, political activists, researchers and communications professionals. Meet all of the women leaders <a href="http://thewhitehouseproject.org/platetopolitics/leaders.php">here.</a><br /> <br />Key initiatives that emerged from the Cultivate 2012 gathering are development of:<br />• an authentic, positive message in the national media prioritizing the triple benefits of the movement for health, economy and food;<br />• a national database and social media platform for collecting and championing diverse and inspiring stories of women farmers and food activists across the country, including connecting them with opportunities to be policy leaders from the local to the federal level;<br />• a targeted education campaign for Congressional staff and leaders on policy issues of importance to women in sustainable agriculture;<br />• and an informational toolkit and resources to educate and inspire a broad diversity of voters on food issues.<br /><br />“The core of our work and conversations at Wingspread was a deep and collaborative commitment to social and racial justice that drives the action agenda we developed, including perspectives from rural and urban, women of color, young women, native women, immigrant women and elders,” says Lisa Kivirist, director of the Rural Women’s Project for the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) and author of Farmstead Chef and Ecopreneuring. “We proved at the summit that as diverse as we are, we can coalesce around several key initiatives that will support the millions of women working to change America’s food system for the better.”<br /> <br />Visit the Plate to Politics <a href="http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/platetopolitics/">website</a> to learn more about these initiatives and find out how you and your colleagues and constituents can get involved in this vital work!Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-45472388633591812632011-05-15T22:40:00.000-07:002011-05-15T23:10:44.587-07:00Busy Times!With spring on its way out the door, we are quickly entering early summer mode here in Northern California. For the past few months I've been busy pickling and canning everything that I got my hands on! While last year was the "year of the book," this is the year of doing things, of growing things, of putting seasonal splendor up for next winter, and of enjoying late nights in the kitchen with friends. My canning sessions to date always seem take longer than planned and it's a sure sign that I am truly a novice at the art. For example, a few weeks ago I was up until 3:00 AM waiting for the marmalade to get to the right consistency. Sometimes things take longer than planned. <br /><br />In addition to all this food work, I have two new bee hives that I'm looking after along with my boyfriend's fabulous mom up on their farm in Sonoma County. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8eqxgYRE0jDxAjwvt6J5w-Twn4sLhyphenhyphen8aqIAlvnM0uQaZbesXmyu-KiwOmW388UyT3zO4DEesK5VewmloTmJK2BBe4Z4kCfuKVlAgB4vp4JbVONygo8SZKIhZPcYzqt2aGv452dUGiU3Z/s1600/IMG_1334.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8eqxgYRE0jDxAjwvt6J5w-Twn4sLhyphenhyphen8aqIAlvnM0uQaZbesXmyu-KiwOmW388UyT3zO4DEesK5VewmloTmJK2BBe4Z4kCfuKVlAgB4vp4JbVONygo8SZKIhZPcYzqt2aGv452dUGiU3Z/s320/IMG_1334.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607187035071279474" /></a>My last hives disappeared suddenly a few years ago and it's exciting to get some going again. Bees take pollen (pure sunlight) and turn it into golden honey - a wonderful alternative to cane sugar that is also said to help with allergies. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTrJUakOdtAYSHNRYobGtP84IdLtntMLxqp-GgeVn81Rg0D2xyUPataCJ0vMbj5zd8pMVHuUaFVDT7iIKLQO-JIRWH8Czz3wYLId8eB3nfcpz_JpbJKBMfDE4hD9hxYwKcJq6yNNuEZaM/s1600/IMG_1335.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTrJUakOdtAYSHNRYobGtP84IdLtntMLxqp-GgeVn81Rg0D2xyUPataCJ0vMbj5zd8pMVHuUaFVDT7iIKLQO-JIRWH8Czz3wYLId8eB3nfcpz_JpbJKBMfDE4hD9hxYwKcJq6yNNuEZaM/s320/IMG_1335.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607187027356176706" /></a><br /><br />In between food preservation, beekeeping, and some Farmer Jane events here and there, I've been looking for more stories to tell on the Farmer Jane website; especially the stories of women of color. Why women of color, you ask? Because, these are the stories that aren't being told as much as they ought to be. While writing Farmer Jane, I searched and searched but unfortunately did not have the right contacts to get in touch with more women of color. (Thirty percent of the book's stories fall into this category, but it's hardly 50 percent - the goal that I had set for myself.) So if you have any contacts of women that I should reach out to, please send them my way by emailing me at <a href="info@farmerjane.org">info@farmerjane.org</a>. I would very much appreciate it!Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-21435942626127935512011-03-05T15:43:00.000-08:002011-03-05T16:24:27.610-08:00In Celebration of International Women's Day, March 8Tuesday, March 8 is International Women's Day! A day to celebrate all of the women in your life, and women that you don't know, that make our world a better place. Through our work in fields, advocacy and tireless commitment to community and future generations, this day unites women from all over the globe to recognize their contributions to peace, development and sustainability. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUcxXV08hpBV8gfMgATjAtiQBs2EeK2YEKnJrX8ahzK6kHIuh2Vx-F8unSK8dAE9ZHeCzuFm4t1xUyMilofZzO-wh9FAPVQUKYwoH64wa6hkgeeYQlSik6BsEXVu5bdVmS0b9nCE_g3EO/s1600/imgres.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 236px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUcxXV08hpBV8gfMgATjAtiQBs2EeK2YEKnJrX8ahzK6kHIuh2Vx-F8unSK8dAE9ZHeCzuFm4t1xUyMilofZzO-wh9FAPVQUKYwoH64wa6hkgeeYQlSik6BsEXVu5bdVmS0b9nCE_g3EO/s400/imgres.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580755844769711986" /></a><br />The day started in 1975 when the United Nations proclaimed March 8th as International Women's Day to celebrate women's global activism and peacekeeping activities. In the United States, women were first celebrated on the National Women's Day on February 28, 1909 after a women's garment workers strike. I don't know if women in oppressed countries know about this day, but on Tuesday, I'm going to be in solidarity with women everywhere who fight for justice, a clean environment, healthy food, and peace. I will be in the company too, with other women advocacy organizations such as <a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org/">Oxfam America</a>. Below is some info about the event I will be at, but if you're not in the East Bay, look up an event near you or consider having women you care about over for dinner to dialog. Women, the world over, are making the change that politicians only promise. <br /><br />---<br />March 8th, 2011 marks the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. Around the world, organizations and individuals will be celebrating this exciting historic landmark. From coast to coast, Oxfam America supporters will organize 100 events in 100 days, and you're invited! Join the Bay Area Oxfam Action Corps at a very special event called “Ending Hunger Starts with Women.” <br /><br />Reception, Presentation and Panel Discussion...all FREE!<br />Tuesday, March 8th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm<br />The David Brower Center, Goldman Theater and Gallery, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA<br /><br />RSVP: oxfam.sf@gmail.com<br /><br />6:30 to 7:10 pm: Informational networking reception in the gallery where guests can enjoy sustainable appetizers, organic wine and fair trade tea and coffee, while mingling with local luminaries and browsing informational tables featuring local non-profits.<br />7:10 to 8:30 pm: The evening will continue in the Goldman Theater with short films and a presentation from special guest Ms. Prak Souern, a rice farmer and community leader from Cambodia, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with some of the Bay Area's pioneers for ethical change, food experts, and leaders in business and government.<br /><br />This event is the beginning of a dialogue about food justice in its global dimensions. We don't expect to arrive at all the answers in one night, but it's urgent that we further the conversation. There is something drastically wrong when nearly 1 billion people in the world are chronically hungry. And most of them - 3 out of 5 - are involved in food production, either by farming, fishing or herding. Women are the majority of farmers in this context, and so shoulder the added burden of gender inequality.<br /><br />There is something wrong when our US cities have pockets of so-called 'food deserts' where people of limited income cannot easily access affordable healthy food. And there is something wrong when the food we do eat today depletes our natural resources for tomorrow because of unsustainable practices.<br /><br />But it does not need to be this way. We can embrace solutions and a smarter, fairer food economy. So join us, at what promises to be a fun, uplifting and enlightening event, and find out how we can choose better ways to eat and grow our food, and at the same time advocate so that people worldwide have the rights and the resources to do the same.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-8294118100362712742011-02-06T12:23:00.000-08:002011-02-06T12:51:50.067-08:00What this freakish weather means<span style="font-weight:bold;">It's February 6, 201</span>1 and the fruit tree buds are breaking. A warm, mediterranean wind is blowing over the hills in the Bay Area and plants, animals and humans alike rejoice at the coming of an early spring. Almond, cherry, plum, apricot - all confused and coming out to show their pretty little petals. In all the farm fields of California, nature has been jump started by a good month into thinking it's really April and farmers are scurrying to get ahead of yet another hectic season of coaxing food from the soil. If a late freeze comes, which it probably will, the buds will freeze and no fruit will come. Some may choose to plant annual vegetables with less of a gestation period after the weather becomes more stable. Some will write it off as a bad year. Regardless, farming is at the whims of nature. As young farmer Zoe Bradbury (she's so quotable!) wrote in one of her posts in Diary to a Young Farmer, "When I signed up to be a farmer, I knew the small print: <span style="font-style:italic;">and ye shall accept without question, whining or self-pity the vagaries of the weather, over which you shall have no control whatsoever</span>. Sigh. All I can do is keep an eye to the sky and try to work with it, around it, in it."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJ0k8k37sMJm72JzM6Kwr8Eh1se6OyWioT6urywhyxEob-uknB_WAAHFFALUgnDT8oyLQrl63Llut9KEjkwS04k9182-GfCXLbyKN401_mToVsX2csEfg8R2pTsvoCSydDFBcXMMQB1i0/s1600/IMG_0190.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJ0k8k37sMJm72JzM6Kwr8Eh1se6OyWioT6urywhyxEob-uknB_WAAHFFALUgnDT8oyLQrl63Llut9KEjkwS04k9182-GfCXLbyKN401_mToVsX2csEfg8R2pTsvoCSydDFBcXMMQB1i0/s320/IMG_0190.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570681135657896610" /></a><br />During this West Coast heat wave, New York, Chicago and other states to the East are slammed with snow storms so intense that many cities, such as Madison, Wisconsin, declare snow days. It's an ever-increasing trend that leads to celebration only when there's heat involved. But heat aside, it has become normal to have abnormal, more extreme weather. Despite some of the most brutal winters on record in some parts of the Midwest, heat is also being experienced and some growing zones have increased two notches in the last few years. Since the weather is related to climate change, all of us need to do our best to reduce our energy consumption. Here are some small steps towards tightening your global warming belt: <br /><br />1) Unplug unused appliances, they are using electricity and electricity = coal/natural gas/etc., contributors to global warming. <br /><br />2) Try biking to places within two miles from your home (where most car trips are used). Cars are huge contributors to global warming and declining air quality<br /><br /><br />3) Eat less meat. Especially red meat. Cattle are large contributors to global warming through the production of methane gas and are a major reason for deforestation in South America (the lungs of the world!). Vegetarianism is the best diet you can have for the planet, but if you can't eat veggies every day, choose organic white meats as much as possible and stay away from industrial meat.<br /><br />4) Think about your water usage. Turning on water means using electricity as well as this precious natural resource that is on the decline.<br /><br />5) Talk to your friends and family about what they can do. You may want to use Anna Lappe's <a href="http://www.takeabite.cc/take-action/learn/">Take a Bite </a>website.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-79475296372723512812011-01-22T15:51:00.000-08:002011-01-22T16:54:35.935-08:00Women, Food and Ag Network: Women, Fixin' FoodWhat Farmer Jane continues to point out is that women have largely been behind (and in front of), the sustainable food and farming movement all along - something that the <a href="http://www.wfan.org/Women,_Food_and_Agriculture_Network_Home.html">Women, Food and Agriculture Network</a> has known since the organization's inception in the late '90s. Co-founded by a farmer in Iowa, Denise O'Brien, the network continues to thrive today with all the purpose in the world of connecting the growing movement of women that are coming forward to call themselves farmers. That's right. Even though women have been farming since the advent of modern day agriculture when people transitioned from hunting and gathering to staying in one place and cultivating the land, they haven't always considered themselves farmers. Nor has the USDA considered them as such. That's why women farmers are filing a class action suit against the USDA as we speak - because women were not given the same access to grants as men. Similar to the African Americans recently won battle, other classes of people are stepping forward to call out the injustice. The tricky part is that women farmers are having a challenging time getting "class" status to file. <br /><br />Because women farmers have not been given the same access to information, resources, or networks as men have in the past, the Women Food and Agriculture Network is providing the great service of giving women a voice. And on January 29, the Network will convene for their annual gathering. In honor of this, I'm posting the contribution that Executive Director, Leigh Adcock, wrote for "Farmer Jane." This piece not only explains the significance of the Network, but also articulates in more detail why a Network for women and the movement of women in food and agriculture is as relevant as ever. <br /><br />- - - <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguG07TROOtuT42EhIwHy2ZJuT_LmIV3mGrXKTr4C0bctotMaEQsZm41NOsrGnkPYKr0ErqPex3O-Wrz2FJd6-h2ipRUiGe03gOM3UN65K5kBYqD82VYJeK-1_lAEY8hXSG5Rv-RYXyBpKb/s1600/pt+1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguG07TROOtuT42EhIwHy2ZJuT_LmIV3mGrXKTr4C0bctotMaEQsZm41NOsrGnkPYKr0ErqPex3O-Wrz2FJd6-h2ipRUiGe03gOM3UN65K5kBYqD82VYJeK-1_lAEY8hXSG5Rv-RYXyBpKb/s400/pt+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565177848770651330" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYFHrcJ2Ik3Wv_QcXG0-nnvx47OTFXBoC8e9z10KKpKG9JII22FzuWZlvtN03DE8DuzuqVMh61-dRr9CoTTxUHxoAHyUHEShGkPNvilJ51zTY13AuOdimz12orWUaEkcBYGHUSaa18zPC/s1600/pt+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYFHrcJ2Ik3Wv_QcXG0-nnvx47OTFXBoC8e9z10KKpKG9JII22FzuWZlvtN03DE8DuzuqVMh61-dRr9CoTTxUHxoAHyUHEShGkPNvilJ51zTY13AuOdimz12orWUaEkcBYGHUSaa18zPC/s400/pt+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565177845498341250" /></a>Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-49515195926478441932010-12-12T18:03:00.000-08:002011-01-17T17:45:31.256-08:00D-Town Here I Come<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTv8POZFhsk8lK_Fl8uYwVJbzYCy-8Qx5SKoFiVVQK4xdEt5_cVrp04GRXdtGgHL07TDPFfow0Ml21r3Vif2_FyNFux-sPOrjJl3Fk3YPI26KXelugUOB5F52IWQxCNMphI1EfAlGxlSk1/s1600/detroit.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTv8POZFhsk8lK_Fl8uYwVJbzYCy-8Qx5SKoFiVVQK4xdEt5_cVrp04GRXdtGgHL07TDPFfow0Ml21r3Vif2_FyNFux-sPOrjJl3Fk3YPI26KXelugUOB5F52IWQxCNMphI1EfAlGxlSk1/s200/detroit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550051473440423282" /></a><br />If you've been following the enthusiasm for urban farming then you've read about what's going on in Detroit. With an estimated 110,000 vacant lots, 1/3 of the city's 138 square miles, and no grocery stores in the downtown area, Detroit organizations are working to solve their own food insecurity issues. Here are a few of the organizations working to make healthy food a reality that piggy tails on <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/food-from-motown-to-growtown-the-greening-of-detroit">Grist's </a>excellent coverage of the city gone rural. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">“From Motown to Grotown”</span><br />No other city has contributed so much to American culture in the first half of the twentieth century as Detroit, and no other city has collapsed so entirely in the second half. Detroit embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of the United States as the birthing place of the automobile industry, and was home to scientific and cultural leaders such as Thomas Edison. Musicians have always thrived in the city as well. Perhaps it was the cold winters or the mundane work at the auto plants that busted out so many talented musicians. At the height of the “Big Three” – Ford, Chrysler and General Motors – it is said that at the end of the day, people poured out into the streets or to the numerous music venues of the city to dance. In the late ‘50s Motown Records was started by auto-industry worker, Berry Gordy, who produced some of the biggest names in R&B and Soul/Funk such as The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and others. Pop, rap, techno and rock musicians have continued to come out of Michigan and the Detroit music scene and have included such influencing names as Madonna, Iggy Pop, Bob Seger, George Clinton, Kid Rock and Eminem.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">“Right-Sizing” of Detroit</span><br />Alongside the musical and cultural revolutions that happened in Detroit in the ‘50s, the exodus of the city had also begun; a trend that only accelerated in the past five years since the bankruptcy of the automobile industry. The last Census Bureau analysis showed that Detroit’s population decreased from its peak at just below 2 million in the ‘50s, to 900,000 residents. City officials estimate that by the time the next census is completed that the number will have dropped to 800,000 as people who can leave, do. That’s why the present Mayor, Mayor Bing, is proposing to “right-size” the city. <br /><br />Detroit is sprawled out over 138 square miles (88,320 acres), with an estimated 40 square miles (25,600 acres), 29 percent or roughly 1/3, that has been abandoned. This represents a huge challenge to the city as basic service to various neighborhoods becomes costly in such low population densities. In August 2010, Mayor Bing announced the creation of “The Detroit Strategic Framework Plan” that will work to centralize, or “right-size”, the city, the people, and the resources over the next ten years. <br /><br />And tomorrow, I have the great fortune to travel to Detroit and to meet with some of the people making it happen, growing food old school style, to the funk of a different band. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.detroitblackfoodsecurity.org/">The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN)</a> <a href="http://www.detroitblackfoodsecurity.org/"></a></span>"is a coalition of organizations and individuals working together to build food security in Detroit’s Black community by: 1) influencing public policy; 2) promoting urban agriculture; 3) encouraging co-operative buying; 4) promoting healthy eating habits; 5) facilitating mutual support and collective action among members; and 6) encouraging young people to pursue careers in agriculture, aquaculture, animal husbandry, bee-keeping and other food related fields.<br /> <br />Since our inception, we have focused our energies in three main areas: urban agriculture, policy development and co-operative buying. A brief history of our efforts in each of these areas follows."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.cskdetroit.org/EWG/mission.cfm">Earthworks Urban Farm</a><a href="http://www.cskdetroit.org/EWG/mission.cfm"></a></span><br />"Earthworks is a program of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, a human service organization of caring people inspired by the spirit of St. Francis and sponsored by the Capuchins of the Province of St. Joseph and concerned benefactors. Earthworks seeks to promote sustainable agricultural practices, nutrition and care for the Earth. We strive for peace, respect and harmony between Neighbor and Nature."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.greeningofdetroit.com/5_2_urban_agriculture.php">The Greening of Detroit</a></span><br />"Each year The Garden Resource Program supports over 200 community, family and school gardens, all producing food for Detroit neighborhoods. Marketing opportunities are available for these community gardeners under the Grown in Detroit® brand at a GRP sponsored booth at Detroit's Eastern Market and mini-Farmer's Market's throughout the city. These gardens are currently producing around 100 tons of food each year, and the program is growing on an average of 20% annually."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/">The Eastern Market </a></span><br />"The mission of the Eastern Market Corporation is to mobilize leadership and resources to achieve stakeholders vision for the Eastern Market District and make the Eastern Market the undisputed center for fresh and nutritious food in southeast Michigan."Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-65964440100465935452010-11-30T22:45:00.000-08:002010-11-30T22:53:46.282-08:00With GratitudeOkay, okay. So I missed the biggest day of the year to give thanks. But really, 2010 has been one heck-of-a year for all things sustainable and food-like. Keep your eyes peeled for a "Best in Food, 2010" list that I'm working on (unless Grist beats me to it!), and know that in addition to all of the farmers, eaters, food businesses and media mavens out there that are making this local food system explode, I am profoundly full of gratitude to the grandest mother of them all, Mother Earth. <br /><br />Also, if you feel like sharing some of your gratitude, please post! For example, I'm also thankful for the expert mushroom hunters that I was able to hike alongside last weekend that scored the oyster, chanterelle and porcini mushrooms that were so delicious. For the wine makers (Wild Hog Vineyard) that made the best damned 2004 Zin that I shared at another meal with freshly plucked mussels from the beach. Ah... 2011 is sure to full of more good food, food initiatives to concern ourselves with and more ways in which we will learn to reshape our communities into places of abundance and opportunity. <br /><br />Cheers!Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-39873292371455389202010-10-12T22:38:00.001-07:002010-10-12T22:58:32.271-07:00Fresno - The Belly of the Beast<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizobx3vpyRvS2rGoBUv373MStcsb-vcsI_uYTlWGz1uj-ELD5l6fbDQFa0CpSI2d-foMLWLMJ7mH39AwC7HXs6zEeTex34AM0uJIUX9m0t7RXhgVisTctqPNi-K_Gyd49BJuVo-6U9898-/s1600/garden2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizobx3vpyRvS2rGoBUv373MStcsb-vcsI_uYTlWGz1uj-ELD5l6fbDQFa0CpSI2d-foMLWLMJ7mH39AwC7HXs6zEeTex34AM0uJIUX9m0t7RXhgVisTctqPNi-K_Gyd49BJuVo-6U9898-/s200/garden2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527404878920343266" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fresno, California</span>: The number <span style="font-weight:bold;">one</span> producing agricultural county in the entire U.S. also happens to suffer from some of the highest percentages of obesity and type II diabetes. One out of every three children and 70% of adults in the valley are obese despite the fact that fruits and nuts, vegetables and livestock are the top three products (respectively), that the county grows. The place, the people, the history of food production and the current situation is as much a demonstration of how awry the American food system has become, as much as it has the greatest potential for change. (It ain't the fruit that's causing the weight gain. It's primarily corn syrup and processed foods.) If Fresno can meet more of it's food needs locally instead of exporting all of its' products, if residents can grow more fresh foods and start reversing the detriments of industrial food on human health and land, then other parts of the country stand a chance too. No pressure Fresno. We're all rooting for you!<br /><br />Thanks to all the great organizations here in Fresno that have invited me to come down, <a href="http://fresnometmin.org/">Fresno Metro Ministry</a> and the Fresno Community Garden Coalition. USDA and CCROPP are also sponsors of the first ever, contemporary community gardening conference in Fresno. 'Contemporary' because I reckon that people used to meet all the time to talk about food when gardening was second nature.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-84469153421890684072010-10-10T23:22:00.000-07:002010-10-10T23:38:20.646-07:00World Savvy Gala - Thursday, October 13, 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj856_yXOPFa9VNuUJ_0DJYpK8MO-dvia9asun6njyayJFq30CSzNZifyD3wkgmHF1lkUWGjDjx5yuO4VtsvhBQ3BsoAYvoHQAYiFsMixKB-ggiwkXuOJz0z5T5XGdM8BFaRH83FUHhGwZm/s1600/World+Savvy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 110px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj856_yXOPFa9VNuUJ_0DJYpK8MO-dvia9asun6njyayJFq30CSzNZifyD3wkgmHF1lkUWGjDjx5yuO4VtsvhBQ3BsoAYvoHQAYiFsMixKB-ggiwkXuOJz0z5T5XGdM8BFaRH83FUHhGwZm/s200/World+Savvy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526673328404069218" /></a><br />I'm really excited about this event coming up this Thursday night in San Francisco. It's the annual fundraiser for World Savvy, a brilliant and effective nonprofit organization that has the following mission:<br /><br />"World Savvy prepares the next generation of leaders to learn, work and live as responsible global citizens in the 21st century. We support systemic change in K-12 education to provide every student in every classroom with the content knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to be leaders and changemakers in their diverse communities, locally and globally.<br /><br />World Savvy was founded in San Francisco by Dana Mortenson and Madiha Murshed in response to a critical need for youth to acquire global knowledge and 21st century skills within the conspicuous absence of global education programs in K-12 education in the United States. Since that time, we have grown from serving 90 students and 20 teachers in our first year, to reaching more than 6,000 youth and 1,100 teachers annually from three offices nationally: San Francisco, Minneapolis-St.Paul and New York."<br /><br />Check out their <a href="http://worldsavvy.org/">website </a>as they're doing a beautiful job educating kids about international issues and the environment. This year, they are particularly focusing on sustainable food solutions.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-21711339628848418252010-09-26T21:19:00.000-07:002010-09-26T22:00:44.053-07:00The Women's Land Army<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fEEYfiH4kfMwWCr_FsGYrMA-wTZ1EvjMHAyHERgcQJxqDxD5szzZ7SMiuW73Kniskzy3ZVDaKEdntfb4EYwGu1ARt0rVAgPNYHhMAB3Y7u-adp2I3f4B4iQoiWnHESlhdhUvtnpd6ugC/s1600/WLA+graphic+small+00+-+20100802.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fEEYfiH4kfMwWCr_FsGYrMA-wTZ1EvjMHAyHERgcQJxqDxD5szzZ7SMiuW73Kniskzy3ZVDaKEdntfb4EYwGu1ARt0rVAgPNYHhMAB3Y7u-adp2I3f4B4iQoiWnHESlhdhUvtnpd6ugC/s200/WLA+graphic+small+00+-+20100802.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521448744557610066" /></a><br />Women have always been involved in agricultural production and food processing, but during World War I women were especially leaned upon to produce food in the absence of men that had gone oversees. Women were solicited to apply to farm and grow the country food - it wasn't just Rosie the Riveter out there. Women were filling all sorts of positions, even before we had the right to vote. Imagine that. <br /><br />How I wish I could have witnessed those days, when women were put into the workforce, taught various jobs and skills and asked if they would grow food for our country. Well, I just learned that there's an entire book about it, written by Elaine Weiss called "Fruits of Victory," that is turning into a full-blown, three-day event in Chicago this October 5 - 7. No doubt that this blog was written after receiving an email about event and the "The Women's Land Army" from one of the organizers. She writes of the event and author Elaine Weiss: <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Weiss’ three day swing through Greater Chicagoland is designed not only to educate advocates of sustainable agriculture about landmark contributions by Progressive era women to insure food security in WWI, but also to hear about the future of American food production as laid out in the "Go to 2040 Plan" of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency (CMAP) and to learn what could be incorporated into the 2012 Federal Farm Bill if women demand changes in the way American food is produced.</span><br /><br />If I were in the Midwest, I know where I would be October 5 - 7. Check it out! The <a href="http://www.stevensoncenterondemocracy.org/wla.html">website is great</a> as is the info about the author. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fruits-Victory-Womans-America-Great/dp/1597972738?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220906305&sr=8-2">copy</a>.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-2191863349539337972010-09-20T22:28:00.000-07:002010-09-24T23:19:11.739-07:00Corn Sugar: Some quick facts and a few linksAfter years of experimentation corn, soft drink and junk food industry are finally getting their just deserved criticisms as they are a contemporary tobacco fight. Didn't the tobacco industry used to tell us that smoking was fine? Same thing here. The an industry akin to tobacco that is indeed, the next tobacco. Love this rebuttal video by the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRicUInkYQM">King Corn guys</a>. The battle is on. While the words are flying, and Michelle Obama marches against obesity, here are some fun facts about the various sugars out there. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Beet Sugar</span><br />As 30% of the world's sugar resource, sugar beets have been cultivated for years for the extraction of their sugary sucrose. This plant was genetically modified to create Roundup Ready Sugar Beets but apparently the permit was repealed in 2009.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Honey</span><br />One of the healthiest, natural sugars, honey means that there are bees. Something which we are all lacking these days. In all parts of the country and world. This isn't a medical evaluation of the sugar. If you are interested in that, there are some great readers out there about honey, propolis and royal jelly that you should definitely read up on! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">High Fructose Corn Syrup</span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztEIV_4fbHc5e2xZWbaU2vmaFqx03I5wPFcw1Rp9dvELtp6y6-QAvjYyQc7N-q90Yogp8A9cey_yr7YBP3TYWdy8G1ezZGH8N3sv1Z4O7-hMTY0qr5L85O1PgByfbaYz9wE2Vh-V9dbsI/s1600/corn.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztEIV_4fbHc5e2xZWbaU2vmaFqx03I5wPFcw1Rp9dvELtp6y6-QAvjYyQc7N-q90Yogp8A9cey_yr7YBP3TYWdy8G1ezZGH8N3sv1Z4O7-hMTY0qr5L85O1PgByfbaYz9wE2Vh-V9dbsI/s200/corn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520372116427738850" /></a><br />No, you can't call it corn sugar. HFCS is a highly processed no-longer-natural sugar that Princeton has recently revoked the rights to. At least, that's why the industry promoting the syrup has just created an insidious ad campaign to fight people's adversity to their products. Their main line - no one knows what's wrong with it. Seriously? Where is the American Diabetes Association?<br /><br />Molasses (high in iron), maple syrup and cane sugar are other alternatives to HFCS. But just because there's a "No HFCS" label on the front of a product's package, don't be fooled. Flip it over and you just might find "corn syrup." Ideally, the food system is getting rebalanced and the next Farm Bill 2010 (aka our taxes) will start to reflect our interest in eating healthfully. Right now the subsidies are skewing what food is most easily accessible. Check out this more journalistic approach about HFCS by Tom Laskawy on Grist: <a href="http://www.grist.org/people/Tom+Laskawy"></a><br /><br />If you would like more information about natural sweeteners, you've got to check out page 536 of Sally Fallon's "Nourishing Traditions," book and what she has to say about all of sugars variations. It's going to get ugly out there folks, and I hope the American Diabetes Association gets the funding, to voice their concern. At least, I hope that's why we haven't heard from them yet. I wonder who's on their board of directors...Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217989042267725004.post-37889924142980163192010-08-15T16:04:00.000-07:002010-08-15T18:57:39.087-07:00Victory is Everywhere-ishIt's easy to focus on the positive since there are a lot of living solutions happening out there right now. Solutions that people are implementing with their ingenuity, their time, and their knowledge. <a href="http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=7407&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1070&hn=michigancitizen&he=.com">Urban farms are sprouting up</a>. <a href="http://www.baycitizen.org/food/story/seed-library-comes-richmond/">Seed banks</a> and exchanges are happening in communities. People are composting and Americans are gardening again, growing the GDP by an estimated <a href="http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/06/23/garden-survey/">21 billion dollars</a>. <br /><br />Recently, the USDA even halted the approval of GE sugar beets. A victory for the<a href="http://truefoodnow.org/?CFID=24566211&CFTOKEN=79935113"> Center for Food Safety</a> and citizens everywhere that are concerned about what they eat. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nauQlGikHlIBazXh_mMg7AL0-rFhx9KViYaPIwMuEb0S_7JDMfB7nNezAyP9qjXeScmocR-lh3MUM5AmgY1Ll1x93kbC1uttKjJjNAXRbLM_6M7PM2T1HtUNkjPsyxlOcdyFYI74jNBH/s1600/join.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nauQlGikHlIBazXh_mMg7AL0-rFhx9KViYaPIwMuEb0S_7JDMfB7nNezAyP9qjXeScmocR-lh3MUM5AmgY1Ll1x93kbC1uttKjJjNAXRbLM_6M7PM2T1HtUNkjPsyxlOcdyFYI74jNBH/s200/join.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505776359954688594" /></a> If you're wondering what to do next, here's a recent call to action that needs your help.<br /><br />"This week (August 12) a Russian court ruled that the world’s first seed bank outside of St. Petersburg, Russia may be destroyed in order to make way for a housing development. If allowed to stand, this decision will have a catastrophic impact on global plant diversity. Called a “Living Library”, the Pavlovsk Experimental Station [1] is widely considered the "crown jewel" of agricultural biodiversity, since 90% of the collection’s varieties are not found anywhere else on the planet. [2] <br /> <br />Scientists around the world are calling the decision an assault against biodiversity and the memory of the bitter struggle that kept this renowned seed bank alive during the darkest days of World War II. Founded in 1926 by Russian agricultural scientist Nikolai Vavilov, the Pavlovsk Experimental Station, became an icon of human perseverance when 12 Soviet scientists made a stand, choosing to starve to death rather than eat the precious seed and plant collection [3] as Nazi soldiers killed more than 1.5 million Russian soldiers and citizens during the grueling 900-day siege of Leningrad between 1941 and 1943. [4]"<br /> <br />And here's the <a href="http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/cms/sign/save_the_worlds_first_seed_bank_act_today/?akid=178.6210.0BfsQy&rd=1&t=5">petition</a> that you need to sign!<br /><br />While you may wonder, "What does a seed bank in Russia have to do with me?" the answer is pretty simple. We need to preserve seeds around the world because we are losing plant diversity fast. Diversity is needed to ensure survival of crops, that means food crops too. Also, seeds contain the traits that we need to continue growing food successfully with the changing weather conditions caused by global climate change. They also have the answers to our health problems too, in that studies have shown that when people eat traditional varieties of crops - those not bred for high gluten, sugar, or other qualities - that<a href="http://www.nativetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3469:tribal-members-try-to-break-bad-eating-habits&catid=48&Itemid=24"> people's health improve</a>s. Not to mention, with the release of genetically modified organisms into our environment, we're going to need untainted, pure seed stock, in the future. It's true.Farmer Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913383525705547359noreply@blogger.com0