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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] NYT morons at work: Don’t Let Your Children Grow Up to Be Farmers - NYTimes.com

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  • From: farmer1@gasperfarm.com
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] NYT morons at work: Don’t Let Your Children Grow Up to Be Farmers - NYTimes.com
  • Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 14:30:19 -0700

> Lawrence F. London:
> The NYT had published a blatant piece of crass propaganda
> and the only beneficiary is corporate ag.

When it comes to the solutions, yes propoganda to an extent. But the core
issue of young farmers being unable to make a living from food production
is a big issue that needs to see more press as people on the ground don't
have an awareness yet of the problem.

And that is key because half the problem is in their insistence on paying
below the cost of production for their food.


> Local small natural permacultural farms should pay low taxes and have
> first
> choice for the best local marketing opportunities and furthermore county
> taxes should be spent creating a venue for them that can accomodate all of
> them and should publicize these farms for the benefit of local customers.
>

You are projecting, the article didn't advocate for tax reduction but
rather pointed out that many so called farmers are nothing but rich city
folks seeking tax reductions. If anything that is the opposite.

However there is a legitamate issue wrapped up in that: in the NE land
prices and taxes are so high it is not possible for legitimate beginning
farmers to get started. If NE wants true local food production and to
preserve their land scape they will have to address that.

> I guarantee that you can compete with the cheap food system and still make
> a decent living.


I would never make such a guarantee. I am trying and it isn't working very
well at all. Very few are able to accomplish this; especially new farmers
who don't inherit their land. Far too many rely on off the farm jobs or
fraudulent marketing to get by.


> Word of mouth is a very valuable marketing tool. On farm economic
> diversification would help pay the bills
> until food production and marketing methods are streamlined.

Word of mouth is valuable but not enough.

I'm not even sure what yo mean by economic diversification. Explain. I
don't see how it won't have the same slow ramp up that building a business
does. It just sounds like more poorly paying thing to do I don't have time
for.







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