Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[herb farmer <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

Thank u. good to see such an outlook on it, impressive because it's fairly rare. Interesting about stacked deck, I'd say; my own case similar in some ways. I'm on retirement from govt but it's not enough to live on, so I grow for 2 good mkts. My health ins is good but not good enough. My partner has that subsidized health ins now with COPD &I'm her caregiver dividing my time with the garden. BTW it's much more modest than yours since I learn from Jeavons & grow the most possible from the smallest area - less than1/4 acre all in raised beds. Our  selling focuses on the best return from best selling varieties. Which turn out to be largely Italian or greens from Adaptive Seeds in Oregon.
paul
 

On 4/19/2015 8:45 AM, l kelly wrote:

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I hesitate to say that I make a living from "farming" as I am still building what will be in most farmer's eyes just a large garden/orchard/vineyard homestead probably similar to what a lot of you manage day to day....with only an acre under intensive cultivation, and a few added acres of wild-harvest, and enough acreage of woodland to fire the oven, stove and heater.
I definitely testify to the wealth and comfort that comes from always having food and fuel at hand, and enjoying the relative health of a laborious lifestyle.
  
As to the deck being stacked against small farmers, well, there is obvious data for that statement, but here in the United States, I have also benefited much from the social safety net of subsidized health insurance. 
Because of our very small "farm" income, my husband's medical expenses from a recent fall that has left his legs paralyzed are largely covered.
Because of our very small "farm" income, my son attended college for "free" with a financial aid package.
 
I do not worry about my retirement as even if our Medicaid/Social Security  system goes bankrupt, I will be in the same boat as all others my age only I'll have a productive farm.
 
As to making enough cash to pay taxes and buy the foodstuffs that I can't grow but still wish to eat, I can say that we do okay in Northwest Arkansas.  There is enough cash flow in our local economy that my community is willing to trade their hard-earned cash for my whole food products.  I think value-added and diversity has added immensely to my ability to make ends meet, along with the fact that our main cash crop--raspberries--grow like weeds, but somehow the market here is way underserved.
 
I love this farming life, and would not trade it for any other. 
 
Laura

 

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