The CSA at Arrowhead
January 11, 2013
Hi Folks,  

 

Brrrr....., cold out there. Not really; it's pretty warm for mid January. But I just came in from irrigating all of the winter vegetable greenhouses, and I'm wet and cold. I'm also tired----tired of fighting with two State agencies this week just to maintain my right to sell eggs across town lines. But, that's another story.

 

Today I want to talk about Scallops. Specifically the ones that I ate for dinner back on December 13th. Paula signed up for a Scallop Share from Cape Ann Fresh Catch CSF (Community Supported Fishery).

 

I've maintained for years that Farmers and Fishermen have much in common. I think that Farmers have a better feeling for this relationship than do Fishermen, but that's not really relevant here. Both groups are subject to the elements---rain, wind, fog etc, both groups are subject to terrible Market Price manipulation by the Government. And both Small Scale Agriculture and the Fishing Industry are over-regulated to the brink of non-existence. And both Farmers and Fishermen are subject to injury or even death using the machinery of their Trade. And both Industries suffer low paying jobs and low or no return on investment.

 

BUT, Farmers don't drown. Fishermen DO.

 

The Scallops that Paula picked up from the CSF truck that Thursday and we enjoyed that evening for our dinner, came off of the Fishing Vessel Foxy Lady II. This forty-five foot Boat, out of Deer Isle, Maine, had been Fishing out of Gloucester. The Captain and his one-man crew unloaded our Scallops on Thursday and set out to Fish again on Saturday. That was the last anyone ever saw of the FV Foxy Lady II or her crew. They simply never returned. Both men drowned at Sea. Please remember this the next time you enjoy seafood. Someone, somewhere, literally risked her or his life to catch your food.

 

When Than and I set up to sell our Farm products at The Cape Ann Farmers' Market on Thursday, December 20th, there was a small can on the Market Manager's table seeking donations for the Families of the two Fishermen who went down with their Vessel. I put in a five Dollar bill. A paltry donation at best. I should send more. These Fishermen had Names as well; Capt Wally Gray, JR and Wayne Young.

 

I realize that this request is a little out of the ordinary for this Newsletter, but, if you would care to make a donation to the fund for these Fishermen's Families, you can send a check to: F/V Foxy Lady II Fund, BankGloucrster, 160 Main Street, Gloucester, MA 01930. Or, you can leave a donation here with us at Arrowhead and we will make sure it gets to the right place. The Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Association will be grateful. In fact, if you stop by the Farm with a donation, we'll give you a dozen fresh eggs. Thank you.
Three Bottom Plow
3 Bottom Plow

Last week, if you remember, I was looking at a three-bottom plow at the John Deere dealership. Turns out that that plow is not for sale. It is on display out front as a historic Farm implement. A historic Farm implement?! I've been Farming longer than that plow has! Anyway, if you remember, when I left the JD Dealership I drove past some lovely Farms; with lovely Fields; and lovely Barns. But no Farmers. And I said that that was a story for another day. Well, it's another day.

 

The average age of a non-Farm Worker, here in the States, is thirty-eight and a half years. The average age of a U.S. Farmer is fifty-eight years.

An entire generation of Farmers is missing. Bad news. As these older Farmers die off or retire, with no next generation on the Farm, their Farmland will be wide open for even more consolidation. Particularly in the Corn and Grain Belts, Farms will go from a few hundred- or a few thousand-acre Family Operations to become tens of thousand acre Corporate Farm Operations. We will discuss the Farm Bill another time, but part of the Cliff Bill Legislation Congress just passed at the last minute contained one of the most disastrous Farm Bills---as far as concerns small Family Farms and Organic and Sustainable Farm Research---since the Nixon administration. And likely the most costly for Taxpayers ever.

 

But the root cause of the Missing Generation of Farmers is to be found in too-low food prices that our Government has maintained since World War Two. Since the second war return on investment for all U.S. Agriculture has been a negative two percent. Young people simply do not want to live with a twenty-four/seven job with low pay, no health or retirement, and high risk. Until these issues are addressed Farming will continue to advance to Huge Corporate Food Production. And while we may like to think the Local Farm Movement is on the way, it is really still in it's infancy---accounting for far less than one percent of all U.S. Farm production. We have a long, long way to go.  

 

High Prices
The following is a email trail with myself and a local Farmers' Market Manager from 2010. I know that no one wants to hear about higher food prices. But higher food prices simply must happen if we are to feed a growing World Population without relying entirely on Genetically Modified Crops.

Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 5:02 PM
Subject: Fw: Expensive produce at market
From: Dick Chase
To: Shari

Hi Again Shari,
 
I am resending  my earlier response. I just reread your most recent e-mail and caught the term "outrageously high prices" and thought that to be a preposterous--no absurd--- statement.
 
This attitude apparently expressed by NFM patrons is exactly why there are no young people in Agriculture. People here in the States are so used to eating CHEAP food  that they have lost all perception of the true cost of food. Pity.
 
The average age of a US worker is 38.5 years. The average age of a US Farm operator is 58. That ought to tell folks something.
 
If you continue to receive complaints from folks I would be happy to talk with them, in pleasant conversation, and see if we can smooth things out . Thanks.
 
Higher priced--definitely. Outrageous---most certainly not.
 
Best,
Dick


From: shari
To: All Vendors
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 3:46 PM
Subject: FW: Resending re: Expensive produce at market

Hello Everyone,

I am resending this as I am still hearing about how outrageous the prices are at the Farmers' Market. This is truly unfortunate because some of the farmers are being perceived as taking advantage of the same folks that came out and made last year such a roaring success.  The community does understand that it does cost more  to buy from a local small scale farm and they are willing to pay extra to support the efforts of the local farms. But at this point we have turned away a portion of the community that feels the prices are unjustified.


{Previous E-mail sent below}
I want to let all of you know that there have been quite a few complaints  from the community about the price of produce at the market.  I understand that everyone has worked very hard to bring food to market early in the season, But I am concerned that we may be turning away our vital community before the season has really kicked in! Also, understanding the need to earn a living, but let's be responsive to the community that so whole heartedly embraced us last year.  Lastly, based on farming practices prices may vary from farm to farm, varied prices can be a good thing as it gives the community choices, severe undercutting of product prices is not encouraged.

Pls feel free to communicate any comments/ concerns you may have, thanks.

Best Regards,
Shari


Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 9:32 AM
Subject: Re: Expensive produce at market
From: Dick Chase
To: Shari

Hi Shari,
 
Interesting topic. The production of early season fruits and vegetables is an extra-ordinarily expensive practice, due to construction costs of Solar Greenhouses. Also hand labor is used in this operation as Farm machinery does not fit into these Solar structures. And, as you know, producing food in a chemical free environment is more costly. It costs about $30 per acre to control weeds with Herbicides and about $900 per acre to control weeds using mechanical and hand labor methods.
 
Due to the huge supply of cheap oil and petro-chemicals since WW11, we as a society have become used to CHEAP food---no matter what the environmental/healthcare/social costs. Here in the States we spend eight per cent of our per-capita income on food---the lowest in the world; The UK for instance, spends twelve per cent of per capita income on food; On the Continent--Euro-land---that figure is about sixteen per cent, Mexico is about 40 per cent and the Third World spends literally One Hundred per cent of income on food and many starve to death.
 
This is simply not sustainable in the United States. Part of the cost of Sustainable Community Living includes paying more for Sustainably produced Food and paying a fair wage to Farm production workers.
 
Newburyporters will pay $75 for dinner and wine at Ten Center Street. They must surely be able to pay $4 for a large bunch of chemical-free, Artisanal, hand grown Swiss Chard. Sustainable Farming must sustain the Farmer, the Farm Worker and folks in need through Food pantries and Community Food Kitchens, as well as the environment and the Community.
 
And remember, the rent at NFM went up forty percent this year alone--not a complaint---just pointing out a fact.
 
Cheers,
Dick Chase
 
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 7:40 AM
Subject: Expensive produce at market
From: Shari
To: All Vendors

Hello Everyone,

I want to let all of you know that there have been quite a few complaints  from the community about the price of produce at the market.  I understand that everyone has worked very hard to bring food to market early in the season, But I am concerned that we may be turning away our vital community before the season has really kicked in! Also, understanding the need to earn a living, but let's be responsive to the community that so whole heartedly embraced us last year.  Lastly, based on farming practices prices may vary from farm to farm, varied prices can be a good thing as it gives the community choices, severe undercutting of product prices is not encouraged.

Pls feel free to communicate any comments/ concerns you may have, thanks.

Best Regards
Shari

Better News
Punxatawny Phil

And now for some better news. Save the date; Groundhog Day, February 2nd. We will be having a potluck for all CSA Members---past, present and future. Details will follow soon.

 

And while we are on Groundhog Day, if you purchase, and pay for, any CSA Share on or before that date, Arrowhead is offering a three percent discount. No PayPal please---only checks or cash. So, if you have any extra cash lying around---LOL---this will be a much better return than Banks (I dislike banks) are offering. And your CSA has a lot of Spring Start-up costs coming right at us!

 

And Speaking of Spring

What happened on the Farm this week? Glad you asked. The mixed Braising Greens that Christine and I seeded back on the 29th came up this week. It took twelve days to germinate. Next month, with longer days, it would germinate in a week; in March it would take three or four days and in April, it would be up in twenty-four hours. What a difference some Sun makes. On Tuesday the 8th our first Greenhouse Tomato seeds were planted. Not here at Arrowhead, but out at Harvest Farm in Whately in the Connecticut River Valley. Our friend David is already heating a greenhouse to seventy-five degrees and it is much more cost affective to have him start our earliest seeds than to heat one of our greenhouses for the small space required for our earliest seeds. Harvest Farm starts early seedlings for many Farms in New England---and David does a great job. John and I will be picking up the transplants in early March. Also this week I ordered ten varieties of Pepper Seed that David will start for us. At Arrowhead, we will be starting our own warm weather seeds next month. So, here at the Farm, Spring is well underway. Still some Mid Winter CSA Shares available if you'd care to join us. We can set up a payment plan if you wish. Just send me an email.

 

 

This week's Share will likely contain Carrots, Leeks, Squash, Apples, Kohlrabi, Turnips, Radishes, Mixed Greens, a few Fresh Herbs if you ask, and the first small taste of Bok Choy. Hope to see you on Saturday.

 

 

Thanks as always for reading along. Next week we'll take a look at the Farm Bill.


Cheers 

Dick Chase
The CSA at Arrowhead