Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

I was browsing around a website trying to find out all the farmers markets in my area, and I found this particular farm that has a community support program. The idea is like this: you pay a certain amount of money at the beginning of the growing season, and in return you get a weekly package of fruits and veggies through the harvest. You get to pick them up each week at the farm. I like the concept of being able to meet and get to know my local farmers. Having a relationship and a history of support for them would be invaluable when TSHTF. Does anyone else know of these types of programs?

http://www.pachamamafarm.com/csa.htm

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

I don't know of any co-ops like that but I have noticed some local eggs and honey for sale.. I'm thinking about buying from them, same reason, make local connection before TSHTF.

I've also noticed rabbits and goats.. I'm not sure my wife is ready from me to start carving up bunnies and roasting goats on a spit in the back yard:wink:

A couple of months without meat, she might be willing to give it a try.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Yep, we have a CSA just like that. We also get chickens.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Here is some background info. Looks like they are very active in western Mass. Local produce that hasnt' been shipped across the country or that has to bear the profit margin of a supermarket should be fresher, (depending on how it is harvested) and cheaper than storebought or perhaps even farmers market bought produce.

And then here is something else you might be interested in.
http://www.eatwild.com/

http://www.berkshares.org/heroes/robyn.htm

Robyn Van En
Secluded on a winding country road In South Egremont, Massachusetts, Indian Line Farm has been making history as a model for small-scale, economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture for the past twenty years. The late Robyn Van En, former proprietor of Indian Line, co-founded the farm in 1985 as the very first community supported agriculture (CSA) project on this continent. She is widely acknowledged as having been the foremost pioneer of the CSA movement in North America.

Based on a partnership between farm, farmer and community, CSAs provide for a simple, yet innovative method of community support and financing of small, locally operated farms. Committed consumers provide operating capital up-front to farmers, with the guarantee of a regular, sustained share of organic produce during the growing season.

The benefit to farmers and the community is profound. Farmers can plan for the future without the burden of interest bearing bank debt, while consumers can rest assured that their food is produced in a manner which nurtures the local environment and the local economy. In the face of a quarter of a million annual small farm foreclosures across the United States, CSAs have spread and taken root as a proven and effective means to support the family farm.

Motivated by similar working models in Europe, and inspired by the writings of E. F. Schumacher and Rudolph Steiner, Robyn and other community leaders started Indian Line Farm CSA in 1985 supplying apples, cider and vinegar to its members, harvested from a small apple orchard located nearby on land of the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires. The first vegetable share at Indian Line Farm was in 1986. By 1989, membership had grown from 30 to 150, and farmers around the country began to take notice.

Along with Clemens Kalischer and Cathy Roth, Robyn co-founded the Berkshire Regional Food and Land Council, known today as Berkshire Grown. Now under the direction of Amy Cotler, Berkshire Grown promotes locally produced food, flowers and plants in the Berkshire region and builds partnerships between farmers, chefs and consumers.

By 1992, Robyn founded CSA of North America, a nonprofit clearinghouse to support CSA development. From coast to coast, she spoke, educated, organized and advocated for CSAs and sustainable agriculture. In a little over ten years, she directly assisted in the formation of more than 200 CSAs across the country.

The world suffered a great loss when Robyn died unexpectedly at age 49 in January of 1997. But her work lives on in a tremendous body of resources and a movement which continues to grow. Today, more than 3,000 active CSAs can be found across the US, Canada, South America, Africa, New Zealand, and Hungary.

After her passing, Indian Line Farm was inherited by Robyn’s son David, who sold the farm to a partnership of the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires, The Nature Conservancy, and farmers Elizabeth Keen and Alexander Thorp. This partnership has further revolutionized CSAs by modeling a way for the community to provide permanently affordable access to land to farmers who maintain ownership of the buildings and other improvements.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

:rolleyes_m: Local farmers are getting hard to find for a variety of reasons.

The major supermarkets who used to buy fresh produce from them in my area no longer do so.That stopped about ten years ago.
The big grocery chains had rather ship in produce from Mexico to their warehouse distribution systems than buy farm fresh produce from the locals.
Unless you are a huge producer of certain vegetables and can guarantee to supply the entire distribution center with tons of produce on contract you are SOL trying to do business with them.
They aren't interested in price or freshness,just guaranteed bulk volume.

Local farmers are not equipped to do year round contracts of (just in time) deliveries to their distribution network.

BTW: There is another problem...price.

When local orchards and produce outlets charge higher prices than the supermarket the customers walk.
Why buy apples at $2.00 per pound from a local farmer when the same apples cost $.99 per pound in the supermarket ?
Don't say freshness or organic because the average J6P doesn't give a crap where the apples came from...an apple is an apple in his eyes.

And people wonder why the small farmers are a dying breed ?
I don't...
They have been marginalized to the point where farming is a break even or lose-lose economic endeavor.
The system no longer has any need for the little guy.

:bear_w00t::banghead::bear_w00t:

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

CSA is not hard to find.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml

There's a nice link.

Google CSA and add your region to it....you should not have a problem finding what you are looking for.

It's a foreign notion around here because it's not really very GIM to engage in anything that might be construed as a collective activity.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Couple years ago I was at a meeting where the one chain supermarket had a meeting for 'local growers' and small growers. I challanged the speaker by asking him if they really wanted local and small growers, why they wouldnt' organize a pickup route 3 times a week to cater to the small local growers. (I was smelling a PR ploy). Basically I was asking the fellow to put his money where his mouth was. The fellow turned a little sour and said, why would we do something stupid like that when I can pick up a phone and have 3 tractor trailer loads of peppers in 2 days any day of the week. I was thinking that my sense of smell was pretty good.

On the apples thing, I dont' know anywhere where $2.00/lb is a realistic price especially in bulk. I havent' purchased for a while, but if/when purchased by the bushel, $15/40 lbs was the last I was familiar with. Have they gone up to $80/bushel? Even Pears and Peaches are in the $20's-$30/bushel. So unless your buying 3 or 4 select apples, I doubt that you'll pay $2.00/lb for apples.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Of course you are absolutely correct about the price of apples....

But I think the important thing to note is that the RiverRat couldn't think of a reason to support local farmers...or I should say that he doesn't see why J6P would benefit understand the benefit recwived by supporting local farmers by paying a bit more for produce.

This I fear is one of the main reasons why such people will be left alone, hungry, and insecure if our society breaks down in our lifetime.

What they don't know will kill them....oh well.....

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

:D Yep,the $2.00 per pound for local apples is for real...even roadside stands in apple country were charging that last fall when the apple crop came in...you guys must live in areas where prices are cheap.

Hmmm...on the reasons to support local farmers thing ?
Maybe my prior post did sound like I can't find any reasons to support local farmers,maybe not.
Just stating the economic facts and letting the chips fall where they may.

I really don't have a dog in this fight...

In the end it will all come down to price anyway.
When J6P is living in his car...buying organic vegetables and fruits won't be a top priority.

:rolleyes_m::bear_w00t::rolleyes_m:

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

CSAs will usually let you work off your fee, giving you valuable training in veggie raising. Most local farmers are old farts like me with no help. Making friends with one and helping out from time to time could get you remembered well when times get tough. You should know that we're a suspicious lot. City folks are always trying to get over on us and it makes us wary.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

As the price of fuel continues to rise and the availabilty of produce is just not there, these little farms will come back. They're really still there but as River Rat said "it's economic" We have several CSA's around me but at this time they can only market to a small group that wants "Organic" produce, but are still willing to pay higher prices. Most people still want convenience and cheap prices.

sb

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

That is exactly what is going to happen.... price will dictate this..the only thing that I worry about is the shocktroopers sent by monsanto et al to said farmming communities on trumped up charges that the "food is not safe" and make the move to shut them down...

Those who crontrol the food line will weild just as much power as those that control the money line.


T

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

I'm fortunate enough to live across the street from a modest 400 acre farm. Raises beef cattle, pigs, turkeys. Grows corn, hay, and other veggies.

Both father and son work full time jobs off site and farm in their "extra" time. I live in a fairly affluant area..... but these people are by far the richest in my eyes.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

I was in my cups a bit last night....probably should have mentioned that I live near one of the main apple growing centers in the US... Ooops...

In the end..I think it comes down to forming bonds within your own community. I think the deeper thing here is that it is important to focus on what you can do locally....if TSHTF..I agree...noone will care about organic crops...but they will definitely be ahead of the game if they have established ties with food producing folks in their neck of the woods.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Mornin' T

Very possible , but I don't think they will bother the small operators much, though They just won't have the resources to do that. It will be the bigger producers that are targeted first. Where the money is. I guess a lot of it depends on how cohesive society remains during the downturn or will it be a collapse. Those are things we just don't know. We postulate, we prepare, but we really just don't know.

I think that is where most of us are here at this forum. We are preparing for a scenario we see approaching, but we seem to be realistic in how it may come about.

sb

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Morin Squirrel,



You are right...... when the smoke clears...it is all just a best guess..get as informed as you can about a possible situation(GIM forum) and make the most purdent moves based upon that information.

Anything else is just spinning your wheels.


T

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Here in SE Ohio I live in farm country with corn, soybeans,some wheat and beef/milk producers... all good folks to know and horsetrade with.
I have a friend that grows sweet corn, peppers,tomatoes,squash and cabbage on 40 acres and also sells starter plants from her 20'x40' greenhouse.
Her roadside stand dose OK,but still struggles.

Now here's the kicker...When she has surplus produce SHE CAN'T EVEN GIVE IT AWAY TO THE LOCAL RESTHOMES AND FOOD BANK because of some halfass liability restriction...amazing.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Same thing here in So.Central OH. We put out a large garden, I should say gardens, each year. Some years we have a really good yield and have more than enough even after we've canned and ate all we want, to sell or give some away. We offer this surplus to anyone of our friends who want to stop by and pick some for themselves. Older folks would take us up on it, but do you suppose younger, actually more needy would bother to come pick their own? Not! They wanted my wife to pick it and bring it to them. I told her not to do it, they be too lazy to come and pick free food they can go hungry for all I care. Then they wonder why they are so far in debt. :rant:

Over the last 20 years local farms have made a swing to crop farming, as in, no livestock. The only ones with livestock around here are the older farmers that still control the family farm. The young are all into crops. There is a small community of us that have small farms that do connect for trades or purchases from each other. All of us either have other jobs or sources of income and like homegrown over store bought when it comes to fruit, veggies, eggs and meat. It's a dieing bred though unless more young get on board and start learning some of the basic subsistence skills.

Re: Getting to Know Your Local Farmers
 

Dont worry there is going to be a reversal of that ....a MASSIVE reversal. With the economy impolding sally and sam smith are going find out the BA is good for nothing but birdcage liner... they will come around to seeing the virtues of knowing how to feed ones self pretty quick.


T