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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Got Hope??

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  • From: Roots Farm & Karen Sutherland <rootsfarm AT cwdom.dm>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Got Hope??
  • Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:22:37 -0400

In the early 90's, I was one of a group involved in a big grant-funded project to revitalize/sustain the disappearing ag in the CT River Valley area of Western MA. The project was structured to elicit and then act upon farmers' visions of what was needed. One of the most frequent and important areas identified by farmers themselves was social-psychological support for farming families and project funds were consequently directed to establishing hotlines and other such support services.
Gary's challenge is only unusual in that he has the courage to face it and voice it.
The stress of farming -- especially in a culture with a myth of human control -- is enormous. I admire (and envy) the solidly faith-based farmers of this small land who accept the vagaries, set-backs and challenges as God's will, the insecurities as the true nature of life, and who are able to focus on and stay consciously grateful for the joys of a farming life. Like Gary, this year I am struggling to maintain hope and faith and I thank him for raising this important topic.
All best wishes,

Karen

Karen Sutherland

Roots Farm

Organic Produce

Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs

Cockrane, Dominica

767-449-3038

rootsfarm AT cwdom.dm <mailto:rootsfarm AT marpin.dm>

rootsfarm AT protoscape.com <mailto:rootsfarm AT protoscape.com>









Ploughshare wrote:
I have been farming for roughly 8 years, and this is now our 6 year running a CSA. This year we are up to 225 members. I have always been very enthusiastic about doing what we are doing, (feeling like we were part of a larger more important mission) so even though the work we do is incredibly difficult it always seemed worth it. However, this winter I seem to be in a real lull about farming. Partly it's to do with being kicked around for the past 2 years with the stress of the whole RCD fraud case. However, I'm also feeling a bit concerned about the stress of farming in general. We as farmers put ourselves in the storm of so much risk every year. There is always the luming possibility of bad weather, frost, etc that can take out a number of our crops and drought. There is also the stress of labor and customer needs. We use different strategies to help alliviate this stress (i.e. CSA marketing, row covers, succession planting, etc.) and all of these are all useful, and I have become a better farmer for it. However, (please allow myself to endulge in a bit of whining) I'm only 33 (and have four small children--by the way), but I am starting to already feel the affects of farming taking its tole both mentally and physically. In the fall, it feels like I crash from the previous year's season and I go through stages where I dread the next growing season. (PTSD for farmers??) In addition it seems that the winter months bring little relief for worry but brings only isolation (we live far out of town). What really has brought me down in the past months is knowing that even the best of the farmers are only making on average about $14.90/hour (from John Henderickson's Uof W study)-- So, I'm sending out this post not looking for more technical strategies (i.e--farm planning, business plans, etc.) but looking around to others who have gone through what I'm going through and who have pushed forward and feel good that they did. I guess I'm looking for hope.... Perhaps a bit of a support group for farmers. --Gary

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