Some Chicks Can't Catch A Break

Backyard chicken-keeping is growing around the country, spurred by the interest in local food and sustainability.

Once upon a time everyone in Plymouth County had chickens, but recently even in Middleboro, we had a "Right to Farm" vote. That's right, we actually had to vote in a town election if a farm community that sustained a 90's real estate development boom and commuter rail installation still had the right to farm!

Apparently this is a problem around the country.

Town officials in Maplewood, N.J., decided this week that their community is ready for home chicken cooping—but only just. In a 3-2 vote, the Township Committee voted to allow a pilot program for a YEAR starting NEXT March where up to 15 households may be allowed a maximum of three chickens each; AND ROOSTERS ARE BANNED!

Read the ABC News article here.

Buying Straight From the Farm: A Growing Trend in MA

February 28, 2011
(Listen)MIDDLEBORO & BARRE, Mass. - The popularity of eating locally grown food continues to rise in New England agriculture. The number of Massachusetts and regional farmers turning toward community-supported agriculture, or CSA, has tripled in the last decade. Under the CSA model, people buy shares in a farming operation on an annual basis. In return, the farmer provides a regular supply of fresh, natural or organic produce throughout the growing season.

James Reynolds owns The Dahlia Farm, Middleboro. He says farming is hard work, but while the rewards may not necessarily be financial, the connection to community members is priceless.

"There's definitely more of a community aspect or community feel to it. We're meeting the people who are actually consuming our product, and we're getting involved with their families, their children."

Julie Rawson owns Many Hands Organic Farm and also is the executive director of The Northeast Organic Farmers Association in Massachusetts. She has run her CSA in Barre for the last 19 years. She says farmers have a huge number of expenses going into the growing season, and this business model relieves a lot of that burden.

"When people who are buying a share put up their money up front, that helps us not have to go into debt. It's a great way for the consumer and the farmer to work symbiotically: Farmers get their money up front and then consumers get their food throughout the season. You know it's of great value to both sides."

Reynolds says a lot of misconceptions still exist about buying directly from the farm - especially regarding price.

"You can actually get farm-fresh, no-pesticide, no-chemical food at a relatively fair economic price. In other words, the super-premium price you might expect to pay isn't necessarily there with your local farms."

Reynolds advises customers to shop around before buying in to a CSA. Some farms also offer half-shares, he notes.

CSAs are not limited to produce; farmers may offer shares for eggs, cheese and other products in their weekly distribution boxes or baskets. The popularity of year-round CSAs is gaining traction, too, with some farmers growing crops in greenhouses throughout the year.


Monique Coppola, Public News Service - MA


Listen to TheDahliaFarm's most recent media podcast from the Public News Service.

EnterpriseNews: Middleboro Farmer Offering Shares in Community Garden

The snow's still on the ground, but it's time to sign-up for shares of the harvest from a local garden...and a share from this CSA might be just the ticket to chase away cabin fever and a chance to dream of fat juicy tomatoes, fragrant basil and crisp cucumbers.

Pictured here, James and Cecilia Reynolds expect to see their first harvest of spring greens by the end of May, and people who want fresh vegetables for 18 weeks during the growing season can sign up for a share through Community Supported Agriculture...(see whole story)

Cow Power

Initiated in large part by our energy company in Vermont - CVPS - Cow Power is taking its place at the forefront on new alternative energies.

Featured in YouTube videos the manure/methane to electricity/propane conversion is now and early-stage reality, with an economic reality.

Although presently the economy of scale is for an 800-head dairy or larger, that efficiency should improve as the science continues to develop.

Subsidies aside, Cow Power is a new, rural emerging energy technology...

Yeehah!

Pear Gorgonzola Tart

Ok, admittedly this is not a particularly "gardeny" recipe - but then again it is fatty, fatty January.

Giada (Dino De Laurentiis granddaughter, proprietor of white teeth) has a real dead-of-winter winner with this one.

For something decidedly delicious and naughty be sure to whip up this Pear Gorgonzola Tart for the weekend or your next dinner party or pot-luck. You'll surely take the prize and be the belle of the ball.

Mmm... Yum!

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity has become so commonplace it is almost newsworthy. Almost.

With a daily bombarment of economic, political and natural disasters, the greater reality of food scarcity barely gets a mention. We hear of riots in Cairo and Tunis, but not of the rising food prices and shortages there. Not of the most basic human need to eat, being deprived.

In the United States we've had a "safe" and available food supply for years - but that is rapidly changing. Expect inflation to continue to eat away at your market basket over the next several months. The simple facts of world population growth, corporate consolidation, and engineered agriculture guarantee it. While we've recently seen riots in Mexico over the price of corn and in Bolivia over corporate control of drinking water, additional repercussions will include the accelerated spread of disease among people and animals, the poisoning of the environment, and a general sickening of everything out of the natural order.

Food recalls no longer surprise us - except by their shear magnitude. E coli contamination or industrial malfunctions are already built-in to our crisis awareness psyche. To think - the very things that support our lives.

Awareness, of course, and self-education are the first steps to conquer any challenge. Getting an understanding on American factory farming is not an exercise in depression, but rather a base to find a better alternative. Embracing the local food movement is a positive in a world of negatives. Films like Food, Inc., King Corn, The Future of Food, Blue Gold, need to be seen. There is a better way, we just have to want it.

2011 Season Begins

Happy new year and welcome back!

With this winter solstice we begin the new 2011 season on the farm. Our seeds have arrived and we have already begun to book shares for 2011.

This past year's "Compost Project" landed a generous supply of landscape waste and manure (about 120 cubic yards) which goes into our long-term soil-improvement program. We've also managed a seemingly endless supply of trucked-in oak leaves to use as a mulch for our fall-planted garlic.

Seed germination begins in about a month, so whether you are a returning share-holder or entirely new to our CSA program, be sure to sign-up soon for what promises to be our best season ever.