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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Jill Taylor Bussiere" <jdt AT itol.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Making a living
  • Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 09:55:03 -0600



----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin Ancell <kancell AT getonthe.net>
To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 8:21 AM
Subject: Re: Making a living


> More importantly Value Added is a way to take your 2nd's or non-marketable
> produce and turn it into something that is marketable such as salsa, bbq
> sauce, jams and jellies.... Many times you can make more money by adding
in
> the exta labor than if you were sell a #1 quaility produce.

Yes, I agree. Value added is definitely a way to make a living. And as you
point out, a good way to sell what you couldn't otherwise.

> > But we need, I think, while we are trying to find a way to make a
> living and produce good food, to find a way to work together to change the
> economic policies towards growers - to take the power back from the
agribusiness
> > conglomerates that are controlling the market. Is there a nationwide
> > organization that we could work with? If not, should we not start one?
>
> While that is a noble cause you would just be spinning your wheels.
Focusing
> your time, money and energy into your own operation will produce more
> results that will benifit YOU in the short and long term.

You are right, Kevin that it would benefit ME in the long run to only focus
on myself. But there is more to it than that. As you noted below, as the
population increases, things will only get worse. Would it not be a good
thing to have a vision and work toward that vision - a vision of how things
could work so that those doing the _very_ hard job of growing good food
could continue to do so - and that more would consider taking it on? A
vision with sustainable methods and markets? A vision that doesn't include
the need to cater to those with higher incomes in order to make a moderate
living? A vision of growing healthy food for all? Would it not be good to
consider those that will follow us in growing healthy food?

Jill

> > In addition to the livelihood issue of value-added, there is also
the
> > issue of nutrition. Many of us grow some of the healthiest food around.
> It
> > is healthiest when it is fresh. The more we process it, the more
> nutrition
> > that is lost. It seems idiotic that this system forces us to add energy,
> > labor, and time in order to offer a product that has less nutrition, in
> > order to make a living. Something is majorly wrong with this picture.

> Well it is a way to extend the season and allow people in the dead of
winter
> to enjoy a peach picked at the hieght of ripeness. This keeps people
coming
> to your market. Also it keeps you from tossing your hard work on the
compost
> pile when you can't sell it!!
>
>
> >I am just
> > trying to look at this whole system, at a time when the earth demands
less
> > energy use, and less packaging.

> Well it is only going to get worse as population grows....






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