Reunited… and it Tastes So Good: Consumer trends in the direct-to-consumer economy and promising new markets for small farmers. post thumbnail

Reunited… and it Tastes So Good: Consumer trends in the direct-to-consumer economy and promising new markets for small farmers.

As Joni Mitchell reminded us so long ago, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone…" But, at what has seemed like the 11th hour of the demise
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Micro-Farm Labor: What’s it Cost? post thumbnail

Micro-Farm Labor: What’s it Cost?

  In my previous post “Micro-Farm Labor: What’s it Take?” I reviewed the hourly labor requirements for a minimally-mechanized, micro-farming operation such as what we have at our pilot
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Micro-Farm Labor: What’s it Take? post thumbnail

Micro-Farm Labor: What’s it Take?

I hold the unique and curious position of being a Working Share Farm Manager at our ¼ acre pilot study CSA farm, HeartEye Village CSA, handily operating in the
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Beginner Farmer Beware: Just How Hard IS Farming Anyway? post thumbnail

Beginner Farmer Beware: Just How Hard IS Farming Anyway?

As consumers of food in the US we’re spoiled. There is just no ifs, ands or buts about it… The industrial food system has been subsidized for so long
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Wonders Never Cease: FSA Offers Small Farm Loans! post thumbnail

Wonders Never Cease: FSA Offers Small Farm Loans!

THIS JUST IN! USDA Finalizes New Microloan Program Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled a new microloan program today that will expand access to credit for small farmers and ranchers
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“Gulp!” In More Ways Than One: Water Rights a Local Case post thumbnail

“Gulp!” In More Ways Than One: Water Rights a Local Case

Maybe it's just because I don't know enough about this subject, but even in its cheery cartoon format this scares the bejesus out of me. Clearly, the up close
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Seed Shopping Fun and Glory: The Seed Stock Crisis and Preserving Our Seed Heritage post thumbnail

Seed Shopping Fun and Glory: The Seed Stock Crisis and Preserving Our Seed Heritage

Remember the Wish Book? You know, long before the Internet, Sears and Montgomery Wards used to come out with a special Christmas edition of their catalogue, and us kids
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It’s Not Thanksgetting post thumbnail

It’s Not Thanksgetting

I LOVE Thanksgiving. It is by far my favorite holiday and always has been. Even during my identity-experimenting youth, during that super-skinny period of my life when I was
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Production Planning for the Beginner Farmer: Building Resiliency in the Event of a Zombie Apocalypse post thumbnail

Production Planning for the Beginner Farmer: Building Resiliency in the Event of a Zombie Apocalypse

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no expert when it comes to Zombies. In fact, I felt obliged to do a little cursory research before I started
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Graduation Day for a Beginner Farmer post thumbnail

Graduation Day for a Beginner Farmer

By Tracy Sweely I have been farming for four years. So I guess it makes sense that it’s time for my graduation from “Beginner Farmer” status, kind of like
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