Market Farming

["Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>]

Liz Pike wrote:
> And what's so wrong with status quo, Rick?  You've accused others of
> attacking, now it appears you're doing the same.

The status quo nevers stays put for long. If you do not keep changing with
the changing conditions, you will stagnate. Maybe you think that is good,
and I am sure some do. But if you do, then you would also have to agree that
anyone else who decided to do this in the past should have a right to stay
at their "size" or "method" of agriculture and still deserve to make some
kind of a living.

I had mentioned before about my grandfathers farm of 7 cows. It was a
subsistance farm in the 1940's and 1950's as it was. Today it would be
almost impossible to even sell your milk. Not Grade A and back then quite a
bit of extra organic matter got in to the milk:) But at the time it was
acceptable. Today it would be less acceptable.

How many here would think that this size was appropriate for today?

> >From our viewpoint, as small farmers, we're not only getting
> crushed, we're
> being pulverized while large farms & the government look down and tell us,
> "Now say thank you."   So yeah, we're gonna stomp our feet, and
> complain and
> yell.  And then go back to being rebels and do it our own way.  The Farm
> Bureau can keep their neutrality.

Most of the small farms in our area are actually farm bureau members. In
fact, we are seeing in increase of farms over the last few years. Which even
surprised me. But at least I understand where you are coming from. Thank
goodness we do have some fairness from the FB which allows for the
democratic process to work as much as you and others here seem to despise
the process.

Sincerely,

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Dairy heifers and dairy beef graziers
Viroqua, WI

www.mistyridgefarm.com