Changes

Changes

You may be living under a rock, or purposely ignoring the world around you right now, if you don't already know that there are all sorts of changes going on. But I'm here to tell you, some of those changes, that some of you may have hoped for, are affecting things you may not have realized they'd affect. So if you'll excuse the soap box rant, I have a little something to get off my chest. I'll concede that budgets and procedures can usually benefit from tweaking from time to time. But tossing a grenade into a fully furnished area and starting over - is never the most efficient way of tweaking anything.

I'm not going to go into all of the international ramifications of these changes, because I'm not as familiar with that arena. 

But I am familiar with how these changes are affecting some things closer to home. One of those things, are farms. Like mine. Like so many others around the country.

There are various organizations that work with farms of all sizes, to help us do our jobs better. So we can grow more, nutritionally dense, safe food and do it in a way that is efficient, and better for the environment, which in turn, benefits the food and you, in the long run, because it ends up being more nutritionally dense. You see, it's a cycle. 

Some of those organizations use funds that are partially federally supplied.  I think we can all agree it makes sense for us to have a stable, safe and ample food supply here at home, right? 

Arriving at how best to do this thing called farming, comes in many different ways.  Sometimes they hold conferences that bring the private and public sector to central locations to share information, form co-ops where equipment and knowledge is shared. Some form partnerships with farms to protect top soil, livestock, water, etc.

Another one of those ways is through field research grants – where in real time, farmers give up the use of part of their land in order to allow these organizations to conduct various field tests to better serve all farmers who later tap into the knowledge base formed from the results.

I am one such farm. I have been cultivating and over-seeding a fairly large swath of growing area with cover seeds and tracking the results of weed suppression with the assistance of my NCAT representative, who secured grant funds through another organization. And I can't tell you how many times I've tapped into those vast bases of knowledge formed by previous farmers who partnered with research folks. This information is invaluable. 

Several years ago, I partnered with the NRCS to help preserve top soil at the farm by erecting a high tunnel that not only saves erosion, but allows me to grow more produce, better, for my community in the colder months.

Both of these projects were partially funded through federal grant monies. Fortunately, I have already completed the contract with the NRCS and was reimbursed the agreed upon amount.

Many farmers are in mid-process of various projects, however, and are now out money that they likely did not budget to spend, because they entered into a contract with their local NRCS office, (or name your favorite alphabet soup abbreviation organization), and now their reimbursed amount - isn't coming. Those monies are in jeopardy. And those folks consulting us, their jobs are going away or in jeopardy, too.

So now your farmers are on the hook for costly projects. Projects that they may have eventually undertaken, after they saved up or got low cost loans. And the folks consulting them, are going away, too. 

I took out a bridge loan to pay for the up front costs of the tunnel and had to pay 2 months of interest until the project was approved and sanctioned, and then reimbursed. 

I charged the costs of the cover crop seeds and paid them off when a check came. But the last, final installment, is being held up. So there are expenses I've had, that may just have to sit on the credit cards and cost this farm, and many, many others just like it, extra interest until either that final payment of reimbursement comes, or sales of products we sell cover it. Because our farm income money is already budgeted to pay for things like, mortgages, utilities, insurance. 

Most farms run on small, tight and fairly fixed budgets. And we don't all have outside jobs that keep extra money coming in when we fall short, due to weather or disease that take out a crop, (or a flock of chickens). Many small farmers don't carry crop or livestock insurance because they either don't qualify or it's not cost effective. So those hits hurt. YOU may be paying more for eggs at the store, but the farmer who culled his flock, isn't getting any of that money, because she or he's not selling any eggs for at least 8 months – probably longer. Because that's how long it takes to sterilize the farm, hatch and raise new hens to laying age. 

So, I'm appealing to you all right now. If you have a small farm, farmer's market or CSA farm program near you, reach out to those farmers and see if you can help. Shop those markets, first, before you go to the grocery store. Shop your small, local grocers who are the most likely to support local, small farms. And by all means, when you eat out, celebrate at our farm to fork restaurants who support small farms. Advertise in magazines like Edible DFW who showcase those businesses. 

I don't know what is in store for the foreseeable future. No one really does. But if we're all going to make it, we need to lean on and support one another however we can.

I'm in a weird spot because I'm trying to hand over the farming baton and retire, allowing a younger farmer to take over the plow and continue the farming here at Eden's. It's business as usual till then, though, and I physically can not increase my workload any more.

And if things don't improve, if the city doesn't agree to allow us to re-zone so we can expand the vision at Eden's to allow for that retirement, allow for a new, younger more able farmer, not only will the lack of valued and wise partners like NCAT, NRCS, etc., not be available for future farmers, neither will the land.

Yes, we have CSA memberships open. It costs $1500 a year, or $375 quarter, or $125 pre-paid by month to be a member of this farm, which gives you access to a share of the harvest each season. It gives you peace of mind to know where your food was grown, how it was raised and who has been handling it. It gives you access to the farm, (by appointment and within reason), to see how your food is grown and even offers you a chance to help out from time to time. 

It puts much of your money back to work in the local community where it cycles back around to our local funds.

Your memberships repair equipment, buy seeds, irrigation and growing supplies, and when available, help supplement the bigger projects we look to partner with various agencies to help make farming more efficient so we can feed more people for less. Like our high tunnel. Your membership makes it possible for farmers to farm and worry less about needing to supplement that income with another job. We're not all getting a spouse's income, too. Many of us farm alone. Not a complaint, just a fact. So yes, for those of us who didn't inherit our land, your membership pays the mortgage, too. 

I may never see that final thousand dollar payment that was due in January from that research project. But I'll manage. My CSA folks are good, generous folks who have helped out the farm during tough times in the past, too. 

However, I'd rather not need anything other than to get a few new members for our 2025 season to make up the difference.

So, if you live near the farm (we're in Balch Springs right off of I20/635), and you like fresh, local food, (we partner with other farms who raise grass fed/finished meats, and dairy, too), like the idea of supporting small farmers and can afford to risk the weather with us. We invite you to join us, or another local CSA, market, small grocer, nearer to you.

You can find links to our CSA application and more information on our website.  

Thank you.

 

Marie 

Eat Your Food - Naturally!