Blog

monday is always a good day to remember to resist. to resist consumerism. so hard so hard. but what is easier, I think, is to embrace producerism.

Farm & Garden Director, Ocean Song Farm & Wilderness Center Description of Ocean Song Situated on 350 acres in West Sonoma County, Ocean Song is a learning center with the mission of inspiring and educating people of all ages to live in harmony with nature. Ocean Song offers year-round education programs for children, hosts workshops and […]

Dear Patagonia and Kim, I'm writing to request Patagonia reflective tape for use in a bicycle based action to take place in San Francisco during Slow Food Nation and the critical mass. The reflective tape will be used to sew onto bike-flags which poke into the air behind the back wheel of a bike. The reflective ribbon is for […]

We have a vast blank canvas of 70 acres in western Colorado that needs a few good artist/farmers-poet/herders to begin a long term project of inventing/creating a 21st century energy-looped farm. We have a really nice big house with lots of living spaces for any souls intrepid enough to move to the middle of nowhere, […]

these rules must be read by all attendees to the rabbit roast.  important to be legal and respectful and good little citizens at a perfect tiny agrarian pageant.  think of our partner and host as a kindly sleeping aunty whose jam pot you're minding.  She spent the whole morning bent over collecting raspberries. Careful not to […]

Hi Everyone, I run a web service for small farms that provides websites and ecommerce to farms across the country (see link below). The basic way it works is that each farmer has their own login and password and they can develop and update their site themselves without needing any technical skills. They choose and […]

The Greenhorns is a small, volunteer driven organization whose mission is to support, recruit and promote young farmers in America.  Our main focus is the production of a documentary film called "The Greenhorns". (You can watch the trailer at www.thegreenhorns.net/trailer.) We are looking for a dedicated farm/office apprentice. Part time indoors. Part time outdoors. This […]

Beware the biotech, my son The jaws that bite, the claws that catch, beware the yum yum bird, and shun unscrupulous corporate balderdash hype and greed and green PR jabberwocky

print this for your calendar!

The Glynwood people are very wonderful.  We'd like to make sure that lots of young farmers are nominated for their award.  The Harvest Awards nomination deadline has been extended to Monday, July 28...so do your part today! About The Harvest Awards: The Harvest Awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses across the United States that do […]

the hot hip shift when the young farmers are talking about 'selling the land' was the pelvic pivot that got me excited about filming young people shifting into farming instead of out of it. check out Farm Aid and Homegrown for more. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Iy2Jw4DVk&hl=en&fs=1]

Saturday, August 9: Rediscovering the Farm with Keynote speaker Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills- 8:15 am-3:30 pm A day of mini workshops will include topics: New Crops/Niche Crops  (Dr. Bob Dufalt),Micro greens, row covers and season extenders (Powell Smith), Drip irrigation (Mike Sharpe), Intensive Farming, (Tim Price), Dairy Goats (Casey Price), Laying Chickens (Marc Keegan), […]

the second unfancy food show--amazing rain and boozy brooklyn food counter culture. Severine and merlin made a brief appearance. Severine was peddling her special flower tea, elderflower cordial and organic rabbit. (on the paw) Fabulous people with passion for the real food, and real community of connoisseurship and production. Delightful chocolates and free range chicken, pickles to make […]

from Louella Hill Dear Friends: The count is in: 40 bodies were collected in June from the Arizona desert floor. This announcement (www.derechoshumanosaz.net from the US Border Patrol), interesting, coincides with our Independence Day. I grew up in a town on the Mexican border in AZ and during childhood saw many dark faces, hand-cuffed, on […]

Habitat Restoration and Native Plant Propagation Internship Redwood Creek Native Plant Nursery Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) The GGNRA Nurseries Program seeks an intern to assist in restoration field activities, volunteer outreach, and native plant production at the Redwood Creek Native Plant Nursery and Habitat Restoration program. Located at Muir Woods National Monument, one […]

"...embrace the flag. hope to live in that free republic for which it stands."  happy fourth!

from Paula Somoza Manalo, Mendocino Organics CSA The early morning of Saturday, June 22, a thunderstorm crashed through Northern California. My partner Adam and I were awakened by the shaking thunder and lightning right above us in Redwood Valley. My first thought was, "Great, we'll get a little water!" The storm did not last long, but […]

please note the date and location of the midsummer rabbit roast have been changed to 16 and 17 August at Glynwood in Cold Spring, NY.  Get directions here.

Oh the underground food revolutionaries. Oh the delightful illicit dairy products. The covert wholegrain homebaked crusties. The kitchen jam, the runny custard. These are the pleasures of un-industrial food production and processing-many are the hedonist heros who hold safe traditional food-preparation techniques and technologies. Vote with your fork!  Domestic Artistry! Boycott the microwave, barricade the ready-made, eshew […]

Ringing bells, shaking hands, warm hugs, and good food were abounding yesterday as the third meeting of New Amsterdam Market got underway. New York's brightest bakers, chefs, food producers, purveyors, and caterers were on hand to curate the bounty of the regions foremost farmer heroes. Yesterday at the Seaport, it was a day dedicated to the […]

Hey everyone -- I know farmers are busy readying the fields and planting, but since I know a lot of you participate in and support farmer's markets, I thought I would pass this along to the group.   Small Farm Central is offering a stand-alone service that helps farmers pre-sell goods to farmer's market customers […]

The Family Farm Disaster Fund was established by Farm Aid to help farm families survive weather-related disasters. Right now we are working with farmers across the country who have been hurt by devastating flooding and severe weather in Iowa, Wisconsin and seven other mid-western states. Farm Aid is helping family farmers through this disaster by: […]

I think I've paid heed to the modern agrarian's manifesto and sown the seed of my own revolution. It didn't begin with a two month sabbatical in southern Arizona, although the high desert, from the magical community of Bisbee to the wild Chiricahuas, only helped to strengthen my resolve. A Palestinian man described Bisbee as an American Jerusalem; tucked away […]

Greenhorns: We are currently working on a zine-guide for beginning farmers to hand out at our young farmer's conference/rabbit roast festivities in July and would love your input! Swimming in the masses of resources out there, we would like to hone in on common obstacles that growers and ranchers face when starting their journey into […]

  The National Young Farmer Education Association is holding their National Ag Leadership Conference July 7-9 in Austin, TX.  Should be nice! More info here.   and National Grange Youth is holding their Northeastern Regional Youth Conference July 11-13 in Exeter, Rhode Island.  Read more here.

The Unknown As we know, There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know There are known unknowns. That is to say We know there are some things We do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, The ones we don't know We don't know. —Feb. 12, 2002, Department […]

The cost of basic food staples is skyrocketing around the globe. Billions of people who live on less than $2 a day are sliding into hunger and despair. Now more than ever, international entities and national governments must shift their agricultural policies toward sustainability, hunger prevention, and economic justice for farmers and farmworkers. Below, we […]

from Elisha Greeley Smith, Center for Rural Affairs Farmers are working longer than ever. According to the 2002 Agriculture Census, the average age of farmers is 55, and one in four is 65 or older. As older farmers leave the land and the price of farms continues to skyrocket, it's increasingly difficult for a new crop […]

from www.michaelpollan.com Greetings. I haven't been in touch for a while, and some of you have written asking for an an update on the 2008 Farm Bill.   After many, many months of wrangling, the bill was just passed by Congress, overriding a veto by the President. In my view, it is not a very good bill-- it preserves more […]

i'm interested in helping! from 82 to 2000 i was a dairy farm kid on Wotokahan Farm in Ohio and then in 01 i was attending Drake in Iowa working on a graphic design/advertising degree i dropped out ($) from 02 to 05 i attended BraincoMSA in Minnesota which is an advertising portfolio shcool i […]

Severine's notes from a train ride Sitting on the train enroute from San Francisco to New York State, I've been looking at a lot of silly land use decisions, and the unrelenting grandeur of our nation's arid mid section. Mansions, barrios, scrap-heaps and coyote carcasses, all are visible from the train, as are the broken […]

Howdy folks ~ This is Gabe Dominguez from SHAKE YOUR PEACE! San Francisco's own bicycle-touring folk band, and co-director of The Bicycle Music Festival, the coolest free 100% bicycle-powered event ever. After 2 years in my rooftop tent, I'd like to mix it up and relocate the tent to: a backyard, a different rooftop, or else […]

via Zoë Bradbury   Every time I come in from my farm fields and tune into the news these days, the headline is about food: food prices, food scares, food shortages, food riots. Food has America’s attention these days, but folks are overlooking a critical piece of the brewing crisis: a national shortage of farmers. […]

Grow Montana is now accepting applications for FoodCorps, a team of five full-time AmeriCorps VISTA's helping schools and colleges across Montana to buy more locally-grown foods. Now in the third year of this nationally-innovative program, FoodCorps works with Montana farmers, ranchers, students, parents, teachers, and activists to create long-term change. Last year's team returned over […]

The California Conference Planning Team is very pleased to announce that registration for RIC’s 10th Annual Conference is now open!!  You can find the complete registration packet by following the link this link (conference registration).  If you are a member of the Rooted in Community listserv, you can also find the packet on the Shared […]

Severine emails with the USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS), about her missing census mail survey and related protocols. Severine: How do you address the under reporting of certain farming demographics, such as nomadic and young famers? NASS: Thank you for contacting the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Although the statistical methodology for the 2007 Census is somewhat different […]

Sadly we were unable to attend Planet Diversity and the international protest in defense of Seeds! in Germany last week.  However, you can read all about it, and watch youtube of the protest theatrics and the biopiracy awards.  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gDzI45mI34&hl=en] Remember, the biggest crimes of this generation aren't even illegal yet.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for Glynwood Center’s 6th Annual National Harvest Awards!   The Harvest Awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses across the United States that do an exceptional job of supporting sustainable agriculture and regional food systems.  Do you know visionary farmers who not only raise amazing food but have also developed innovations in growing, marketing, and […]

from Louella Hill, Cheesemaker, Narragansett Creamery Sev! You are kind to call to consult me the consultant. What a little dilemma you have... But also... not really. My instant gut reaction was simple and strong: Your task right now is to make this film. Your task is not to overthink yourself. It is not to judge […]