Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

We get these notices here in NM and sometimes attend these type of events.

Here's the thing that caught my eye:
"while new farming blood is definitely needed in the valley, existing
farmers should be thinking about farming in terms of a business,
identifying new crops and markets that could make the venture more
profitable."

Yes, it's useful to think about "switching crops from the old standbys such
as alfalfa to "people food" such as fruits and vegetables, that might bring
in more money." That's a start.  Amazingly, this is the first time I've
seen anything - anywhere - about attracting more new farmers by making it
more profitable. Duh.

What's missing there is identifying better methods of growing to make it
more profitable and attract more new growers. Better methods isn't even on
the agenda. Yet better methods don't just apply to commercial growers but
home gardeners as well. When families don't get much out of it for all they
put into it, they give it up. Too much trouble for too little return, same
as commercial.

That speaker at the Yellow Springs conference I sent along called for 50
million new farmers. Good. And why should anyone get into farming today?
Nobody seems to figure out they have to be able to make a good living at it
- or it's a lot of hot air.

Thoughts on this?

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

----------------------------

Farmers, NMSU Discuss Growth

Albuquerque  Journal-->By Juan-Carlos Rodriguez
Journal Staff Writer
    Some South Valley farmers have been working with New Mexico State
University to figure out how to grow something new in the valley— more
farmers.
    Representatives of the NMSU College of Agriculture and the local
growers have met over the past year to discuss the future of agriculture in
the South Valley. NMSU is hosting two open houses in the coming weeks to
talk about what has been learned and the possibilities that agriculture has
as economic development.
    Joe Hlifka, one of the growers, said the South Valley is in a unique
situation in that there is farm land available but not enough farmers to
put it all in production.
    "There's a wonderful opportunity of a renaissance of agriculture here,"
Hlifka said.
    Jeff Bader, NMSU's Bernalillo County Extension Program director, said
while new farming blood is definitely needed in the valley, existing
farmers should be thinking about farming in terms of a business,
identifying new crops and markets that could make the venture more
profitable.
    Hlifka agreed, saying farmers need to start thinking about switching
crops from the old standbys such as alfalfa to "people food" such as fruits
and vegetables, that might bring in more money.
    "Times are changing," Hlifka said.
    Part of the discussions between NMSU and the community revolved around
basing some kind of agricultural education program in the South Valley.
    "Say someone owns five acres and wants to put it into production,"
Hlifka said. "He should be able to take a class, determine what equipment
he needs, what his costs will be, what he wants to grow, how to manage
water, how to build it out over the next five years and figure out what his
market will be. Does he want to sell to a food co-op or a supermarket?"
    Bader said that is an idea NMSU is working on, and not just in
Albuquerque.
    "There are similar citizen efforts happening all over the state," Bader
said. "NMSU is seriously looking at a small farms and ranches program."
    Marcia Fernandez, another grower who participated in the discussions
over the past year, said finding new ways for agriculture to exist in the
valley has become more important since some farm land is being bought up
and developed.
    "Time is short and we need to do something now," Fernandez said.
    For more information, call the NMSU Bernalillo County Extension Program
office at 243-1386.