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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Whats the difference?

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: emitch@att.net, livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Whats the difference?
  • Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:43:51 -0600


Please note, that post in HTML (from Neil Inman ) was automatically
scrubbed by the list archives. Though some of you have your mail set to
display HTML formatted posts, I don't for security reasons, and I'm not the
only one. In the future I'll have to reject any post which doesn't have
text that all will see in their mail and in the archives.

That said, I have the same limitation, Mitch. Nobody's growing within an
hour's drive. I'd blow too much gas hunting around for Farmer Browns with
produce for sale or trade. It's not realistic for the majority of us. I'm
facing the same challenge as a grower. We've learned of upscale and ethnic
restaurants that can't get enough fresh, local produce, though they can't
pay the retail we get at markets. Now some folks can sell at a farmstand
where they have a great location for traffic. But for us it's two farmers
markets an hour away. At least they both draw hundreds of customers every
week. I need that to sell thousands of fine tomatoes and avoid having to
wholesale to restaurants. I can't see small grocers doing any good. It's a
wholesale price, and they're few and far between for most people. I won't
even consider a CSA.

I don't know any place where you can grow a balanced diet of only native
plants without adapting to the climate in some ways. It's a fool's errand
and I'd like to save someone the frustration. I don't "fight" the
environment; I work with it and grow accordingly. I'm not famous like Eliot
Coleman but he isn't "fighting" his environment; he adapts - with hoop
houses in Maine he can take in $100,000 a year on an acre and a half. On
the other point, this has nothing to do with politics or religion, and
we're not getting into that.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net
listowner

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 6/15/2007 at 6:09 PM E. E. Mitchamore Jr wrote:

>This is an interesting process, and I would like to hear or read more
>about it. At the moment I don't see it as viable for us because the
>producing small farmers are more than an hour away. However, like you, I
>don't see Farmers' Markets and CSAs as adequate, and what else is there?
>
>We have a few, new, small, grocers in the Austin area, who are dealing
>directly with farmers. That's a promising alternative to supermarkets.
>
>E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
>www.hillcountrynatives.biz
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Neil Inman
> To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 11:19 AM
> Subject: [Livingontheland] Whats the difference?
>
>
> The posts about Farmers Markets were interesting and sound very good &
>green. But I take issue with them as I feel this idea sets us up to
>further promote the Standard American Grocery Store Mentaility.
>
> Im working in my own community (and several others actually) to promote
>a real farm friends mentailty, where everyone produces something and
>grocery lists are lists of people whose farms we will visit this week,
>rather than just a list of food items to be purchased. In Oklahoma that
>means making friends, paying no sales tax, keeping the farmers prices down
>and eating like kings! I have located the majority of my families
>groceries (that we arent producing at home) from farms within 10 miles
>from me. I know several others doing the same. I call it stepping off the
>grid. I dont need to support CSAs that market their members profits to
>Farmers Market custoimers, rather than returning the profits to their
>investors. I dont need to support commercial dependancies that cost huge
>amounts of MORE WORK BY THE FARMER (eg having to get up at 4am, etc) I
>support the people who are willing to be neighborly and keep our ideals in
>focus.
>
> This is all a part of the same mentaility that inspires me to vote my
>conscience and not just for someone that is predicted to WIN. If we all
>vote our conscience, verses voting for who the media (christian and
>otherwise) predicted to win, I think we might be surprised at Gods
>blessing.
>
> Same here....if you want to encourage a practical, not regulated food
>source....buy from farmers you live near you know and set your self out to
>determine what you can produce to contribute to a REALLY viable market.
>Get off the treadmill and live they way you say you believe.
>
> Another friend shared with me this last month how she is tired of
>fighting the environment to have the foods she wants and she has decided
>to research and garden whats native and build a balanced diet out of that.
>In Oklahoma that means drought tolerant plants and animals as a
>rule...though we are getting alot of rain this year - lol. Her garden is
>doing VERY well.
>
> This isnt addressed to any one person....just a few thoughts in general.
>What are we fighting here? It seems to me many are fighting God Himself.
>
> Dona in NE Oklahoma
>
> "A RICH person is not the one that HAS the most, its the person who
>NEEDS the least!"







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