I've talked a lot of talk about farming both here and in the past year of my life. I have been forming this dream carefully to avoid the careless mistakes I've made before in choosing my life path. We've talked about how I see farming as a powerful tool and myself as a powerful actor to change the world around us and I've painted a pretty picture that looks and sounds great on paper. But how am I actually going to grow this change I am talking about?
I have given this an enormous amount of thought. It should be no shock to you that choosing a life of ethos doesn't pay well. It may come as a shock to you that farming doesn't pay well either. Really? Aren't organic vegetables expensive? Aren't you benefiting from that extra margin? Nope. Organic farming means we don't spray our weeds, we cultivate either with a tractor, or in my case on such a small scale, a hoe. Many, many hours are spent hand seeding, hand watering, hand transplanting, hand weeding, hand harvesting...so by the time my humble head of lettuce reaches your salad bowl, there's not a lot to show for all these hours (except for awesome biceps of course-not complaining!) So, if selling to those who can afford it doesn't make much, how on earth are you going to get food to the people who need it the most?
Fantastic question. I've got a few ideas I'd like to try someday, but for now I am on the low side of a decade long learning curve of farming, so I think I'll keep things simple. I think I can break my farming into 3 enterprises in the next year that will both keep me crazy busy, continuing to learn, building a community, earning enough money, and serving the under-served.
First, let's talk about community. You're here now reading on as I blather, so that's a great start! I'd like this blog to be a central point in my community- a place to come and talk about challenges, triumphs, new things to learn and do, share recipes, and learn from each other. My biggest audience will likely come from CSA subscribers. You get your box of veggies and I'll yarn you a tale here about them. I have always found food to be more satisfying and even taste better when it has a story to tell. So, currently working with Alain of Full Circle Farm (that also operates on Pacific Star Gardens' property) is the first enterprise of Tender Hear. Over this next year, I plan to learn what it takes to cultivate an acre growing over 60 different vegetables in a way that makes 7-12 of them available at any given moment. So, with a CSA, I plan to build my community.
Second, paying for my vegetable habit. So, vegetable farming doesn't make much money. Fine. I'm still going to do it because it's important, but I need something with higher margins to make this all pen out. This is where my creativity is a gift. Value added items from a farm generally are what pay the bills. It's the salves, sugar scrubs, flavored salts, jams, flower wreaths and bouquets, and the like that make any sense to make. So, come spring time, I plan to be waist deep in herbs and flowers. It'll be fun anyway- who doesn't like smelling delicious or easily adding amazing depth of flavor to a meal with a simple sprinkle of herbs? That's not a hard sell!
Third, getting veggies to those who need it most. For the moment, solving our hunger problem in the U.S. is en vogue. This means there is an enormous, and necessary, effort to make this possible. In a joint venture, I have teamed up with PSG to grow veggies for both the Yolo County Food Bank and a local school district. Both entities have recently launched campaigns to get their patrons and students more fresh foods. The Food Bank hosts Kids Farmers Markets in low-income schools. After school, the students come to a common area where the Food Bank has set up tables just like a market, and the kids get "funny money" to "buy" their veggies (great opportunity to teach life skills too!) and they are able to take home several pounds of great fresh foods to their families. The local school district we're working with is working too to incorporate more fresh foods. They are trying to look at what they are serving and see if they can't make it from scratch from locally sourced foods. We are all too happy to get veggies to both of these organizations to help with their projects.
So, that is my intention for the next year. I'll keep you informed, and hopefully entertained as we move through each venture as to how things are taking shape. I've got big dreams I am working towards- a full diet farm with beer, milk, eggs, meat, veggies, grains, beans, flour, and all those value added things. BUT, let's start small and see where we get to!
Here is a great documentary to check out!: A Place at the Table
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