Market Farming

["Mary" <buffo AT hit.net>]

Sue, Linda and others sharing-
It is a encouraging to hear your stories-and I am sad about the number of 
divorces I've read about in m-f,( I, too, am married to a city kid) I was 
29 when we found our dream spot in the country, and had yet to start the 
process of m-farming.  One of my friends bought "The New Organic Grower" 
E.Coleman for my birthday, and I was on a mission.  For several years, I 
drove 20min. to water and weed, then finally made the move with a very used 
mobile home and two small kids.  If it weren't for the hubby's nice-paying 
job at a local airplane company,  we wouldn't be here, and those insurance 
benefits can't be beat.  What started as a mission to grow food and start 
my own CSA, has been fine tuned to what I can handle in the cut flower 
business. I learned very quickly that other than a little help with the 
heavy stuff, I was on my own on this mission.  While I still grow food for 
family, the cut flowers are now what I grow to sell.  It is my 
stay-at-home-and-be-a-mom-first plan, but with the same benefits of a part 
time job. I don't homeschool, but we 4H-as a family. Why do I keep getting 
the feeling from other "sustainable-minded" full-time growers that if you 
don't grow and market good, "clean" FOOD, the effots are less than noble? 
I'm SERIOUS about flowers, and have found it a good fit for me, considering 
the space, equipment needs, and physical strength needed compared with 
raising produce. Now, with 3 kids in tow, ages 11,8,4, I have a 
family-oriented project that affords us the little extra's like family 
vacations, and college money. A friend of mine raises chickens, and sell 
them for $30-$50 EACH. Is it less noble because they are bantum show 
chickens? Or is the real value that a "mom-first" person(5 kids) has found 
a way to incorporate it into their modest market-farming venture? There are 
alot of kids at our FM, most of whom are in 4H. And they are learning about 
 being good stewards first hand, but not always on a large scale. I'm sorry 
if this has been too chatty for anyone, I just think that women should be 
encouraged to follow this passion they have for growing things (kids incl.) 
on a scale that doesn't destroy the other aspects of their lives/marriages. 
Dream big, but be realistic to your situation. If I am ever widowed, I 
would most likely look to a m-f based relationship, and I do wish you gals 
out there all the luck in the world with your new life-partners. Be happy 
in what you're doing, and who you're doing it with:)
Sincerely, 
Mary Buffo(a KS wheat farmer's daughter)