Comments on: Farm or Die – A Revised Manifesto http://cricketbread.com/blog/2009/06/09/farm-or-die-a-revised-manifesto/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:02:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dee http://cricketbread.com/blog/2009/06/09/farm-or-die-a-revised-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-1496 Dee Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:55:45 +0000 http://cricketbread.com/blog/?p=482#comment-1496 Trace, Terry and others who stumble on this amazing blog, Please know that you are definitely not alone, especially here in Chatham County. You are the future, part of a growing movement of people fully dedicated to growing and/or promoting sustainable, whole, healthy food in their own backyards or close to them. When I moved to Chatham 30 years ago, just about everyone grew their own food, some commercially, most just enough to feed their households. But you couldn't find a ripe tomato in the supermarket if your life depended on it, even at the height of the growing season. Now there are some 250 sustainable farms in the Greater Triangle area, most of them with 3 acres or less in production, many with 1-2 acres. There are more than two dozen CSAs,and about 30 Farmers Markets. We have the largest organized farm tour i the nation and the most recent one had arecord-breaking attendance. Most of the small farmers I know have no trouble selling their food. In fact the demand exceeds the supply. The recession has only made this even moreso, despitewhat the media say, as consumers continue to seek out authentic food that they can prepare at home. The biggest challenge is getting started. Land prices are high. But there are folks willing to lease or trade some of their land in exchange for a modest share of the crop, such as a share in a CSA.After all, they will get a big break on their property taxes and the satisfaction of seeing someone productively lose their land for sustenance. I'm writing about all of this on my blog,and hopefully for a book about our emerging local food scene,and I look forward to an opportunity to chat with you some day. Trace, you're a wonderful writer and thinker and I wish you the very best in fulfilling your dream and sharing it with others. Best, Dee Reid Pittsboro http://sustainablegrub.wordpress.com Trace, Terry and others who stumble on this amazing blog,

Please know that you are definitely not alone, especially here in Chatham County. You are the future, part of a growing movement of people fully dedicated to growing and/or promoting sustainable, whole, healthy food in their own backyards or close to them. When I moved to Chatham 30 years ago, just about everyone grew their own food, some commercially, most just enough to feed their households. But you couldn’t find a ripe tomato in the supermarket if your life depended on it, even at the height of the growing season.

Now there are some 250 sustainable farms in the Greater Triangle area, most of them with 3 acres or less in production, many with 1-2 acres. There are more than two dozen CSAs,and about 30 Farmers Markets. We have the largest organized farm tour i the nation and the most recent one had arecord-breaking attendance. Most of the small farmers I know have no trouble selling their food. In fact the demand exceeds the supply. The recession has only made this even moreso, despitewhat the media say, as consumers continue to seek out authentic food that they can prepare at home.

The biggest challenge is getting started. Land prices are high. But there are folks willing to lease or trade some of their land in exchange for a modest share of the crop, such as a share in a CSA.After all, they will get a big break on their property taxes and the satisfaction of seeing someone productively lose their land for sustenance.

I’m writing about all of this on my blog,and hopefully for a book about our emerging local food scene,and I look forward to an opportunity to chat with you some day. Trace, you’re a wonderful writer and thinker and I wish you the very best in fulfilling your dream and sharing it with others.

Best,
Dee Reid
Pittsboro
http://sustainablegrub.wordpress.com

]]> By: Terry http://cricketbread.com/blog/2009/06/09/farm-or-die-a-revised-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-1494 Terry Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:25:04 +0000 http://cricketbread.com/blog/?p=482#comment-1494 Hey Trace, I'm Danielle's cobber-friend & we met at your cropmob. I think it's time that I fess up & let you know how much sustenance I've been getting out of your writing. During the few weeks after the cob workshop, I read your entire blog, start to finish. It was like food, more important than food, I just couldn't get enough of it. I've been dreaming the homestead dream for 20+ years now, and am finally just getting to it, with my own 10 acres not too far from yours. The cob workshop was a turning point for me. I'd been wanting to do the homestead thing for so long, but now I know that I need to. There is no turning back. Also, the original of this article rang so deeply true when I read it. I was, at that point, in the throws of struggling at being thrust back into my "regular" life, when I knew that my energy/life force/whatever would be so much better spent barefoot in mud. Your writing has touched me, and sustained me, and I want to thank you for that. Another post that hit ground zero was the brief comment along side that haunting b&w photo, ending with "but we just may be alone". Isn't it just lovely to know, now with contact from Spain, that we are not alone at all. . . Blessings, Terry Hey Trace, I’m Danielle’s cobber-friend & we met at your cropmob. I think it’s time that I fess up & let you know how much sustenance I’ve been getting out of your writing. During the few weeks after the cob workshop, I read your entire blog, start to finish. It was like food, more important than food, I just couldn’t get enough of it. I’ve been dreaming the homestead dream for 20+ years now, and am finally just getting to it, with my own 10 acres not too far from yours. The cob workshop was a turning point for me. I’d been wanting to do the homestead thing for so long, but now I know that I need to. There is no turning back.
Also, the original of this article rang so deeply true when I read it. I was, at that point, in the throws of struggling at being thrust back into my “regular” life, when I knew that my energy/life force/whatever would be so much better spent barefoot in mud. Your writing has touched me, and sustained me, and I want to thank you for that.
Another post that hit ground zero was the brief comment along side that haunting b&w photo, ending with “but we just may be alone”. Isn’t it just lovely to know, now with contact from Spain, that we are not alone at all. . .
Blessings, Terry

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