Be Your Own Farmer!

Hey y'all!

I wanted to share this really great program set up by The Beekman Boys. Just a brief history about these guys: they're an urban couple who traded the city life for a farm in New York, and since then reinvigorated the farm and made their own cheese, soaps, and wrote a book! You can find out more about them here and here.

They have a collection of sauces that give 25% of their profits to small farms. They raised $13,264, and now small farms can apply for a "lift" to help with their mortgage! Check it out!

Small farms is how America started; we were an agrarian society, but today we have an obesity problem and continue to eat food that isn't-well, food! America is now full of giant, mono culture farms that squash out the little guys. It is incredibly hard to run a farm- it has been and always will be. But with giant corporations selling chickens for five dollars or less, how can little farms compete? It's important to support local farms because they are more sustainable for our environment. They also help cut down on carbon emissions due to less travel. Often their food is healthier too!

What can you do to help? Well, you could buy some of that tomato sauce! Another great way to help out America's farming culture is to support YOUR local farmer. Go to your farmer's markets, stop at farm stands, go to local businesses. Hey, YOU could even be your own local farmer! Grow your own tomatoes  (look-it's on wiki how!) or raise chickens. Farming is hands-on work, which can be very rewarding, and a good, fresh hobby from the hectic lives we all lead now. As Brian Brett once said, "Farming is a profession of hope".

At school, I've gotten involved in our community farm. It's really great to do hands-on work and be productive in an entirely different way from all the work. Members of the club all have different backgrounds, and everyone has something to offer. Some people have worked on farms for years, and other just joined. You don't need to be raised on a farm to be a farmer!


Happy Trails and Hay Bales,

Liv