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  • From: "Mary" <buffo AT hit.net>
  • To: market-farming
  • Subject: RE:women in small market gardening
  • Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 14:19:44


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)



  • RE:women in small market gardening, Mary, 02/25/2000

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