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New York Organic NewsPublisherNortheast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY)EditorFern Marshall BradleyProduction DesignerDavid LembeckCommunications & Development DirectorTanya SmolinskyContributors:Ann Anthony, Jenn Baumstein, Becca Berkey,Nicky Dennis, Mark A. Dunlea, Anthony Fassio,Aviva Gold, Elizabeth Henderson, JacquiKauffman, Dan Kent, Catherine Lea, ChristinaLeBeau, Paula Lukats, Kate Mendenhall, RobMontana, Elizabeth Nelson-Scully, Petra Page-Mann, Robert Perry, Rachel Schell-Lambert,Sydney Schwartz, Maryellen Sheehan, SuzanneCarreker-Voigt, Bethany Wallis

Advertising Inquiries:Contact Tanya Smolinsky at [email protected] or 585-271-1979 x502.Subscriptions:A subscription to New York Organic News is abenefit of membership in NOFA-NY. Formembership information, go towww.nofany.org/join or call the office at 585-271-1979.Submissions:The Spring 2014 issue theme is CommunitySupported Agriculture. Send article queries,photos, letters, and suggestions to FernMarshall Bradley at [email protected].

New York Organic News is published four times a year by NOFA-NY, 249 Highland Avenue,Rochester, NY 14620. The views and opinionsexpressed here are those of the authors and notnecessarily those of the NOFA-NY Board ofDirectors, staff or membership. No part of thispublication may be used without writtenpermission of the publisher.

NOFA-NY is a statewide organization leading a growing movement of farmers, consumers,gardeners, and businesses committed topromoting sustainable, local, organic food andfarming.

This publication is printed on recyclednewsprint.

At The Heart ofOrganic FarmingI want to start with a thank you to all of our New York state organic andsustainable farmers who provided their local communities with deliciousand nutritious organic food and fiber this past season. I also want tothank all you eaters out there who made the commitment to seek outlocal, organic food to sustain yourselves and your families. The goodthings in life don’t come easy, and we appreciate all of you who take theextra effort to raise food that meets organic standards and who supportorganic farmers with a fair price for their hard work.NOFA is a member of the International Federation of Organic

Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and follows IFOAM’s four principles oforganic agriculture: Health, Ecology, Fairness, and Care. This issue ofNew York Organic News focuses on the principle of fairness—one key tothe heart of organic food and farming. We believe that organicagriculture builds relationships that ensure fairness in our commonenvironment and life opportunities. IFOAM describes this principle asone that “emphasizes that those involved in organic agriculture shouldconduct human relationships in a manner that ensures fairness at alllevels and to all parties—farmers, workers, processors, distributors,traders and consumers. Organic agriculture should provide everyoneinvolved with a good quality of life, and contribute to food sovereigntyand reduction of poverty. It aims to produce a sufficient supply of goodquality food and other products.”When farmers choose to manage their farms organically, they also

sign up to foster equity in the agri-culture they steward. This is a heavyresponsibility and one that should set high standards for all ofagriculture. It is important that our farmers and farm workers can thrivein a system that supports living wages and covers the costs of operatingfarms that improve our ecology rather than diminish it. As eaters oforganic, we enter into this principle of fairness for our farmers, farmworkers, and neighbors. Everyone should have access to healthy, organicfood, and our support of a system that grows a better tomorrow shouldinclude making sure that others are able to eat this healthy food too.We know that we live in an unfair world. But together as an organic

community, we are demonstrating that we want something better for ourfriends, families, and future generations. We are leading by the examplewe want to see become the dominant narrative for our whole society. Ihope this issue provides you with some inspiration, some challengingquestions, and some fire under your buns to keep growing this organicmovement so that we are able to support a just food system for the greatstate of New York. I look forward to seeing you all in Saratoga Springs this January at

NOFA-NY’s Winter Conference. Until then, pull on your wool socks, graba blanket and some hot tea, and enjoy some great reading here in NewYork Organic News.

Director’s OutlookKaTE MENdENhaLL

Executive Director, NOFA-NY


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FEATURES

Partnering for Food AccessVisiting NOFA-NY’s Neighborhood Farm Share Program in action in Buffalo. by Nicky Dennis .......... 16

Saving Seed: Growing a Resilient Food System

Why regional, organic seed production matters, and how organic seed production is sprouting in New York. by Petra Page-Mann ............................. 18

Sharing the HarvestHow CSA subsidy programs innovate and collaborate to bring local and organic food within reach for people in low-income communities. by Paula Lukats, Rob Montana, and Aviva Gold .............................. 20

Once Again, Spreading IntegrityA company that cares about workers, farmers, localcommunity, and about doing business the right way.by Suzanne Carreker-Voigt .................................. 24

Farming Challenges Need Big SolutionsA survey of organic farmers in the Northeast reveals the significant challenges that farmers face.by Catherine Lea and Becca Berkey ....................... 26

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DIRECTOR’S OUTLOOKAt The Heart of Organic Farming

Notes from NOFA-NY Executive Director Kate Mendenhall.................................................... 1

FOOD ADVOCACYSNAP Attacks Stall Farm Bill

Pushing to preserve SNAP (food stamps) and fighting for a sane Farm Bill is more important than ever. by Mark A. Dunlea ............................................... 4

FARM TO FORKClosing the Gap

The inaugural Farm to Restaurant Conference helped build connections for a sustainable regional food supplychain. by Elizabeth Nelson-Scully, Jacqui Kauffman,Sydney Schwartz, and Anthony Fassio .................... 8

FOOD LITERACYMake It Real

Consider quality when you donate to food banks and food pantries. by Christina LeBeau .......................... 9

ON THE FARMFarming for Food Justice

Two young farmers take an innovative approach tocombining farming and social justice. by Rachel Schell-Lambert .................................... 10

THE FARMERS’ ROUNDTABLEWinter Wisdom

Get ready for winter with the staff at NOFA-NY. by Maryellen Sheehan, Bethany Wallis, and Robert Perry ............................................... 13

WHY LOCAL ORGANICRiding the Road Togetherby Dan Kent, Kent Family Growers ....................... 40

DEPARTMENTS

ORGANIC BITES .............................................. 3

NOFA-NY NEWS ............................................. 30

RESTAURANTS ............................................... 32

MEDIA ............................................................ 36

DIRECTORY OF FARMS .................................. 38

Contents

Young people from the Boys & Girls Club ofAlbany tear kale for a chili made ofingredients they harvested at Soul Fire Farmin Grafton. Soul Fire Farm is a NOFA-NYFarmer’s Pledge farm that offers freeprogramming in farm skills, leadership,cooking, and food justice for urban youth inthe local community. Photo by Capers Rumph

On the cover

Golden Rice: No Silver BulletThirteen years after Golden Rice was featured on the

cover of Timemagazine under the headline “This RiceCould Save a Million Kids a Year,” biotech’s golden childis back in the headlines. Just when public opposition toGMOs is at an all-time high, and the biotech and junkfood industries are once again pouring millions of dollarsinto a campaign to defeat laws that would require labelson foods containing GMO ingredients. Coincidence?Industry spokespeople say the suspiciously timedresurrection of Golden Rice isn’t a public relations stuntdesigned to convert GMO skeptics. But absent any newnews on a crop that hasn’t gained traction in more than adecade, the move looks more like an act of desperationthan a legitimate defense of biotechnology. After all, inthe real world, the genetic engineering that has takenover vast tracts of cropland, the kind that has led to theproliferation of crops that require drenching our soil andpolluting our waterways with obscene amounts of toxicherbicides and pesticides, has little in common with theDNA tinkering that produced Golden Rice. But the realissue is this. Golden Rice is no closer to saving theworld’s kids than it was 13 years ago. Because then, asnow, there is still no proof that it can. And betteralternatives exist. —Organic Consumers Association

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Organic Bites

An Apple a DayThere’s nothing more natural than an apple, right?

The symbol of good health and all that’s right with theworld. But did you know that the FDA is reviewing agenetically modified version of the perfect fruit? It’strue. A Canadian company called Okanagan SpecialtyFruits wants to “improve” the apple with a geneticengineering process that would prevent an apple fromturning brown after you slice it or bite into it. Why?Mostly so kids will eat more (genetically engineered)apples. Our best bet for keeping the GMO apple fromreaching school cafeterias and fast-food restaurants?Passing a GMO labeling law in Washington State, where60 percent of this country’s apples are grown. Becausechances are, if the state where the most apples are grownmandates that GMO apples must be labeled, the U.S.Apple Association, which opposes the GMO apple, willhave more clout when it comes to convincing the FDAthat consumers don’t want biotech engineers messingwith their favorite fruit.

—Organic Consumers Association

Farmers Fighting Climate ChangeLike an old reliable Ford 9N hauling its way out of a

mudbank, the idea that agriculture can be used as a toolto reverse climate change is starting to gain traction. Ifwe all agree that climate change is the result of too muchcarbon in the atmosphere, then we also agree that weneed to reduce carbon emissions. But what if we couldalso pull carbon out of the air and sequester it in theearth, just by changing how we manage farms? We can,says Courtney White, founder and creative director ofthe Quivira Coalition. White explains that by combiningthe use of cover crops, organic no-till farming, andplanned rotational grazing, not only can we grow carbon-neutral food, but we can actually grow carbon-negativefood. We may not think of biological processes as tools ortechnologies. But tools like no-till farming and theholistic management of grass-fed beef are proving to bethe most effective technologies to combat climatechange. –Organic Consumers Association

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Torturing Animalswith GMO FeedWe associate food with, at most, pleasure; at the very

least, survival. It’s not too different for animals. Butwhat happens when animals are confined in cramped,filthy environments and force-fed monoculture diets ofgenetically modified corn and soy? A lot. Calves are borntoo weak to walk, with enlarged joints and limbdeformities. Piglets experience rapidly deterioratinghealth, a “failure to thrive” so severe that they startbreaking down their own tissues and organs—self-cannibalizing—to survive. Many animals suffer fromweak, brittle bones that easily fracture. Dairy cowsdevelop mastitis, a painful udder infection. Beef cattledevelop liver abscesses and an excruciating conditionreferred to as “twisted gut.” It all adds up to a lot ofmisery for animals unfortunate enough to be on thereceiving end of industrial agriculture’s Big GMOExperiment. The spotlight on animal rights inconcentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) istypically focused on cramped spaces and blatantlyinhumane treatment. But some scientists, farmers, andveterinarians are talking about another form of animalabuse: stuffing animals with feed grown from geneticallyengineered crops drenched in glyphosate, the keyingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup.

—Organic Consumers Association


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Food Advocacy

The Farm Bill is the federalblueprint for our food system. Thebill must be renewed by Congressevery five years, and thereauthorization process alwaysinvolves tinkering with fundinglevels of the various programscovered by the legislation.Congress is one year late inreauthorizing the Farm Bill, largelydue to its polarization anddysfunction.The Farm and Food Bill is

among the most comprehensiveand complex pieces of federal legislation. It providesfunding for farmers and rural development. It feedshungry Americans by supporting the SupplementalNutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the foodstamp program. It is the single largest source offederal funding for conservation, protecting soil andwater. It helps determine what foods are grown andhow they are grown.How the Farm Bill will be resolved is anyone’s

guess after this summer’s meltdown in the House.On June 29, the Farm Bill went down to defeat (195-234) in the House due to opposition to SNAPcuts ($20 billion) among Democrats. Then theHouse leadership passed a Farm Bill withoutincluding SNAP. The House subsequently passed astand-alone SNAP bill with $40 billion in cuts.Conservative House members are “shocked” that

as unemployment remains high, the cost ofproviding food stamps to low-income Americans hascontinued to rise. SNAP now accounts for more than70 percent of the cost of the Farm Bill.Progressives believe the solution to hunger is to

repair the economy and create living-wage jobs—while providing a strong safety net/SNAP for thosewho need it. The Great Recession of 2007 allegedlyended 3 years ago—but unemployment remains atvery high levels. Most new jobs pay only poverty-level wages.In June the Senate passed its version of the Farm

Bill—similar to what it had approved last year, witha cut in overall spending of $24 billion. Most FarmBill advocates, other than anti-hunger groups, wouldbe satisfied if the Senate version became law. But theSenate version largely preserves the status quo withsome incremental reforms.The status quo enriches agribusiness and wealthy

investors. On average, it provides less than $600annually in direct payments to a typical family farm,while paying nearly $30,000 per year per farm to

very large farms. The imbalance in Farm Bill-fundedcrop insurance subsidies is even more dramatic. The status quo also promotes an unhealthy diet for

all Americans by subsidizing commodities thatpromote the production of overly processed foodshigh in sugar (corn syrup) and fats (soy). The cost oftreating the resulting health problems, such asobesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, reachestens of billions of dollars annually.The Senate bill cuts $4 billion over 10 years by

reducing SNAP benefits for public housing residents(by eliminating the so-called LIHEAP provision). Nordoes it prevent a $30 a month cut in SNAP benefitsthat will take effect this November as a result of aprior agreement to free up funds to pay for state fiscalrelief and child nutrition.The Senate bill does include some worthwhile

reforms. It restores funding for most of the programsthat were added to the Farm Bill five years ago butdropped from the extension. The Senate versionincentivizes the purchase of fruits and vegetables bySNAP participants at farmers markets and does helpseveral organic programs.The Senate failed to include Farm to School

provisions (included in the House bill) for USDAFoods and fails to increase funding for the SeniorsFarmers Market Nutrition Program. Environmentalgroups were unhappy with the cuts in conservationfunding. Also upset are those who want fairercompetition rules for livestock farmers. The Senatebill does not provide a realistic blueprint for financialsustainability for small farmers.The House Republicans want to go much further in

cutting SNAP benefits. The House Republicans soughtto add to the Senate’s SNAP cuts by making it harderfor the working poor, such as those with child carecosts, to qualify. The anti-hunger groups unleashed anational grassroots mobilization against the cuts,forcing almost all Democrats to vote against it.

SNAP AttacksStall Farm Billby Mark A. Dunlea, Hunger Action Network of NYS

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Food Advocacy

It is also a mistake to try to separate feedinghungry Americans from the Farm Bill. The Farm Billshould be about creating sound food policy for thecountry, one that supports family farmers, promoteshealthy food, ends hunger, and protects theenvironment.A full and fair Farm Bill must include farm, food

and nutrition, conservation, and rural economicdevelopment programs. This includes:

• Full funding for SNAP and farm conservationprograms

• Crop insurance and commodity subsidy reforms,which include elimination of direct payments,payment limit reform, national sodsaver program,and conservation

• Robust provisions and funding to increaseeconomic opportunity for the nation’s diversefamily farm and food workers, and rural andurban communities

• Restoration of funding for the so-called strandedprograms—support beginning, sociallydisadvantaged farmers; fruit and vegetableproduction; organic farmers; farmers markets;healthy food access

It is time for Americans to demand real changethat ends hunger and lifts up all Americans, fromfamily farmers and food workers to senior citizensand children.With the passage of the $40 billion in cuts in

SNAP by the House, legislators will now begin theprocess of trying to draft a final compromise FarmBill with the Senate conferees. Advocates need tothank Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for her leadershipwhile urging Senator Charles Schumer to use hisseniority to support her efforts. We need to reachout to our local members of Congress to urge themto fight for a Farm Bill that not only ends hunger butpromotes a healthy, sustainable food system thatsupports a vibrant local food economy.

The Hunger Action Network of New York State is astatewide membership organization that combinesgrassroots organizing at the local level with state-levelresearch, education, and advocacy to address the rootcauses of hunger, including poverty. To learn more, visitwww.hungeractionnys.org.


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Farm to Fork

at the close of another richharvest season, Slow Food NYC(SFNYC) and NOFA-NY gatheredfor a meeting of the minds in thehistoric Hudson Highlands. Theoccasion was the Organic andSustainable Farm to RestaurantProducer Summit; the purpose wasto energize our community, onethat eschews the industrial foodsystem and moves toward thecultural, social, and economicbenefits of a sustainable foodsystem, regional food traditions,and the pleasures of the table.NOFA-NY and SFNYC strive toconnect like-minded regional foodproducers, artisans, purveyors,chefs, and restaurateurs whocontribute meaningfully to thesystem that feeds New York Cityand the region. At the conclusionof a year of Farmer Forums, aseries that aimed to inspireconversation, we were thrilled tolaunch the inaugural ProducerSummit on November 3 atGlynwood Farm near Cold Spring. At the Summit, we partnered to

create an actionable strategy tostrengthen and expand the supplychain that connects food producerswith food markets. An efficientsupply chain is key to closing gapsand building a food system thatmaintains the values of good,clean, and fair food. A broader,more holistic view of the networkhas the potential to supportcommunication and transparencyand to efficiently open themarketplace.A collaboration between SFNYC

and NOFA-NY supports solidaritybetween forward-thinking farmersand chefs, deepening a symbioticrelationship of choice, taste,inspiration, and economy. TheSummit provided space to fostercreative thinking, constructivebrainstorming, and newapproaches to addressing suchdynamic issues. The firsthand

insights into the challenges andsuccesses related to all points inthe distribution chain will proveinvaluable as we move forward. It seems fitting that the

Summit was held at GlynwoodFarm. Built on the ethic ofconservation, Glynwood isdedicated to protecting andgrowing rural communities. Whilesteeped in tradition, the centerserves as a “field laboratory” forthe promotion of cutting-edgefarming to help small and midsizefarmers thrive on the land and inthe marketplace. What was the Summit like? The

day was filled with paneldiscussions on topics such as thevalue of organic certification andThe Farmer’s Pledge, roundtabletalks, and workshops on seasonalmenu planning, growing,distribution, marketing, andcontracts. And, perhaps mostimportant, we put faces to namesand shared a beautiful meal astone’s throw from Glynwood’sorchard, where the deciduous treeswere dropping their leaves, theirenergy moving downward and into build up reserves for the nextcycle of seasons.By the time you read this, we’ll

have wrapped up the conferenceand will be reviewing evaluationsand setting our sights on next

year. Great things are percolating.For one, SFNYC is developing aninformation system to connect allmembers of the supply chain. TheSnail of Approval Producers Matrixis a convenient marketplaceprofiling 130 (and growing)producers, distributors, andwarehouses. It features productguides and product availability andharvest schedules, as well as clearpurchasing and distributionmethods. It is a huge step insupporting a regional flow of foodthat nourishes our communitiesand promotes stewardship of theland, animal welfare, and socialjustice. NOFA-NY is continuing work to

bring educational opportunities tolocal, organic farmers in New Yorkstate, including the 2014 NOFA-NY Winter Conference in SaratogaSprings set for January 24 to 26(see page 30). And NOFA-NY isalready laying the groundwork foranother great season of Field Daysin 2014.

If you know of an interesting event orproject that incorporates sourcingfood from local, organic farmers,please send an e-mail about it to

Closing the Gapby Elizabeth Nelson-Scully, Jacqui Kauffman, Sydney Schwartz, and Anthony Fassio, Slow Food NYC

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I was shopping with my daughterin the grocery store, buying itemsfor a local food drive. After I put afew bags of brown rice in the cart,Tess asked me why brown and notwhite. “Because it’s healthier,” Ianswered, “and it’s what we eat.”Then I told her that we help peoplenot only by donating food, but bymaking sure it’s healthy food. Foodwe’d actually eat ourselves.Logic even a kid can

understand. So why don’t more ofus get it?White rice is the least of it.

Most donations to food pantriesare chemical filled, non-nutritive,and far removed from real food.They’re whatever’s cheapest or onsale and, let’s face it, the rejectsfrom the back of our kitchencabinets. Some Girl Scout councilseven encourage people to buy GirlScout cookies and donate them tolocal food banks. Call me a killjoy,but I think that’s absurd.According to the USDA, almost

15 percent of households hadtrouble getting enough food atsome point in 2012. And FeedingAmerica, a hunger-relieforganization, reports that thenumber of people seekingemergency food assistance has

Make it Realby Christina Le Beau

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Food Literacy

tomato sauce, vegetable stock,natural peanut butter, oatmeal.But this time Tess was along, anddarn if her questions didn’t makeme mull questions of my own. Didgoing off the list mean mydonations would be wasted? Was Iforcing my values on other people?Would my little contribution evenmatter?The truth is, I don’t know. But I

do know that since then—spurredin part by that aisle soul-searching—I’ve been donatingcash instead of goods. Food bankstake cash and buy in bulk or seekout corporations to underwrite thecost, thus stretching those dollarsup to tenfold. Those economies ofscale make cash donations the bestway to support the cause. Still, there is appeal in selecting

and donating tangible goods. Andthere is something especiallysatisfying about donating freshproduce. Especially when you’vegrown it yourself or volunteered toglean at a local farm, harvestingcrops left at the end of the season.A growing number of food banksnow accept fresh fruits andvegetables, and you can find suchorganizations throughAmpleHarvest.org. That’s the kind of food I’d be

happy to feed my child. And yours.

Christina Le Beau lives in Rochester.She blogs at Spoonfed: Raising kidsto think about the food they eat(www.spoonfedblog.net).

increased 46 percent since 2006.So, yes, I know. Any food is betterthan no food. But calories in lieu of

nourishment isn’t sustainable. Andit isn’t moral. Especially whenyou’re in a position to dosomething about it. So when mydaughter and I were shopping witha list from the food pantry thatrequested specific taco kits andother heavily processed foods, Ifound myself returning box aftercan after bag to the store shelf. Itwas seriously depressing to readthe ingredients labels and know Iwould never feed those items tomy daughter. There was no way Iwould buy them for someone else’schild, either.Which meant I shopped how

I’ve been shopping for foodpantries for years. Simple staplessuch as brown rice, dried beans,


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NOFA-NY’s team of farming advisors turn their attention to planning and considering new ventures as winter settlesin. Organic Fruit and Vegetable Coordinator Maryellen Sheehan offers a cornucopia of great planning resources forvegetable and fruit farmers. Organic Dairy Coordinator Bethany Wallis discusses the pros and cons of marketing rawmilk direct from the farm. Field Crops Coordinator Robert Perry offers advice on ensuring that a grain crop stored for the winter will be problem-free.

This trio always enjoys answering farmer questions at workshops, field days, and conferences as well as through e-mail or calls to the NOFA-NY Technical Assistance Helpline (1-855-2-NOFA-NY).

Planning Pays OffMaryellen

Sheehan switchedfrom working horsesto working withvegetables when shemoved east fromIndiana in 1998.She’s grown onorganic farms and managed CSAsaround the region and is thrilled to bepart of the NOFA-NY team. When not fielding calls on fruits and veggies,she works with her husband on theirfarm in central New York.

Vegetable farmers often hear the question, “What do you do allwinter?” One of our winterconference presenters, flowerfarmer Polly Hutchinson of RobinHollow Farm (2014 WinterConference plug #1!) has a greatanswer to this: “We farm year-round, but we grow cropsseasonally.” Wintertime is resttime, but it’s also importantreassessment and planning time,where we lay the foundation onpaper for successful growingseasons. The drought of 2012 anddeluges of 2013 likely raised a hostof farm-specific critical planningissues around crop timing,varieties, rotations, and more.For folks just starting in

farming, who might be stymied byweather messing up planting cycles,it’s probably best to focus on

planning successful successions.You’ll find tons of greatinformation online about cropplanning, as well as print resourcessuch as Theriault and Brisebois’Crop Planning for Organic VegetableGrowers (this book walks newcommercial growers through theprocess of generating crop plans)or Jeavons’ How to Grow MoreVegetables (a home garden-oriented resource). For beginnersfocusing on general farm planning,Wiswall’s The Organic Farmer’sBusiness Handbook is a greatresource (and we are offering TWOintensive workshops for farmplanning and budgeting at theWinter Conference!). New andestablished growers alike may beconsidering adding moreweatherproof enterprises to theirmix. One dive-off point intoenterprise planning is Apple SeedPermaculture’s great collection ofenterprise budgets (on their blogat appleseedpermaculture.com).Growers who are thinking about

adjusting crop rotations to workwith their sites’ challenges (or theweeds that got away to seed thisyear!) may want to consult theNordells’ guide on weed-suppressing rotations, Weed theSoil, not the Crop and SARE’s CropRotation on Organic Farms.Drainage, flooding, and drought

prevention are long-term issuesthat are harder to plan for and

often entail large investments. Forsmaller growers and homesteaders,new management options cancome from permaculture, withsome highlighted in conferencepresenter Ben Falk’s Resilient Farmand Homestead.Working withcontours, building up hedgerows,and installing wind breaks andriparian buffer zones are allpractices with potential farm-scaleapplications. Other farms have hadluck from the more-conventionalpractice of tiling fields—to startexamining this option, contactyour local Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS)office to verify whether it’s anappropriate option for your site.Also, get connected with your localSoil and Water ConservationDistrict’s (SWCD) resources. Small-scale irrigation resources are alsooften hard to find planninginformation for, but Penn Statehas some good resources startingwith Bill Lamont’s overview attinyurl.com/kd922cu.Above all, improving soils (and

in particular building up stable soilorganic matter) helps buffer theimpacts of excessively dry or wetspells by increasing soil water-holding capacity, reducing surfacecrusting, and boosting percolationcapacity. Magdoff and van Es’sBuilding Soils for Better Crops is agreat starting resource.Also on the new problems front,

Winter WisdomCOLUMNS

The Farmers’ Roundtable

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The Farmers’ Roundtablewe’ve been seeing increased pestand disease challenges, withspotted wing drosophila (SWD)and late blight moving into theregion. Fortunately, we havegrowers, educators, andresearchers hard at work to findnew solutions. Cornell CooperativeExtension has great resourcesthrough their vegetablemdonlinewebsite, and SARE funds a range ofinteresting farmer projects thatmight give you new ideas. Finally, locally and regionally

bred and adapted seeds are also agreat way to deal with fluctuatingweather and disease pressures. Weare excited to offer three seedworkshops at our seed-themedWinter Conference, with localbreeders Ken Greene, MichaelGlos, Petra Page-Mann, andMatthew Goldfarb coveringdifferent aspects of beginner andadvanced on-farm seedproduction! We hope that you have a great

winter farm planning season, andlook forward to helping jump-startyour season planning at the 2014Winter Conference. And if youtried anything new this year thatreally worked well for your farm,please let us know!

Is Selling Raw Milk in Your Future?

Bethany Wallishas worked forNOFA-NY since2006 in rolesranging from co-manager on theDairy TransitionsProject to foodcoordinator for the WinterConference, field day coordinator, andfile review specialist for NOFA-NYCertified Organic LLC.

The most common consumerquestion I receive as Dairy andLivestock Education Coordinator

for NOFA-NY is “Where can I buyraw milk?” I typically answer byexplaining that in New York state,consumers can’t buy raw milk inthe grocery store. Regulationsgoverning the sale of raw milkmandate that it must be sold onthe farm where it’s produced, andthat the farmer must hold a permitfor raw milk sales. I encourage theconsumer to look into the benefitsof and concerns about drinkingraw milk. And I tell consumers thatone way to find a nearby (well,hopefully nearby) farm that sellsraw milk is to check the listings atthe realmilk website.With such a strong movement

for purchasing local foods, it’s notsurprising that the number ofconsumers interested in raw milkis increasing. More often than not,however, consumers are unable tofind a farm where they canpurchase raw milk. Across New York state, farmers

are marketing raw milk to helpclose the gap between consumerand farm—and to bring in higherrevenue for their product.Nationwide, state laws governingthe sale of raw milk vary widely.(There’s a federal ban on interstatesales of raw milk for humanconsumption.). Some states ban allsales of raw milk. New York Statefarmers can obtain raw milkpermits from the Commissioner ofAgriculture and Markets providedthat they can meet the standardsset by state regulations. Theregulations stipulate that salesmust be made directly to aconsumer and must be made onthe farm where the raw milk isproduced. The raw milk must besold in a bottle or single-servecontainer that is mechanicallyfilled and capped or in a containerprovided by the consumer andfilled in the consumer’s presence.In addition, a sign must beconspicuously posted and easilyread from near the point of sale.

The sign must state: “NOTICE:Raw milk sold here. Raw milk doesnot provide the protection ofpasteurization.” It’s essential to have safe

handling procedures in place toensure that your milk meets thestandards set forth for Grade Apre-pasteurized milk, including:being cooled to 45°F within 2hours of milking or sooner andhaving bacteria limits of less than100,000/ml and somatic cell countbelow 750,000/ml. (Please consultthe NYS Department ofAgriculture and Markets rules andregulations for a complete list ofparameters.) Producers interestedin selling raw milk are alsorequired to enroll in Quality MilkPromotion Services and are subjectto routine testing of their productto ensure milk safety.Think carefully before you make

the decision to begin selling rawmilk. The NYS Department of Agand Markets has a great deal ofregulatory authority over theoperation of raw-milk-permitteddairies that do not comply withraw milk laws. Under Agricultureand Markets law, agents of thecommissioner “shall have fullaccess” to any farm, factory,business, or facility suspected ofviolating the raw milk, or anyother Ag and Market Department,regulations. The law alsoempowers department agents toseize, impound, or destroy foodproducts that may be unsafe,adulterated, or even mislabeled. To read the entire regulation on

raw milk sales, visit theDepartment of Agriculture andMarkets website. You can followthis link: tinyurl.com/rawmilkreg.I don’t mean to discourage you

from selling raw milk. There areexcellent farmers selling raw milkacross New York without incident.But before you seek a raw milkpermit, you need to realisticallyassess how much regulation and

monitoring you’re comfortablewith for your business. Raw milkcertainly holds marketingpotential, because it gives you theability to set your own productprice and build a relationship withyour customers. It also provides anopportunity for consumers tobetter understand farming, haveaccess to a fresh product, andsupport local business.

Dry It, Clean It, Store ItRobert Perry is

a fifth-generationfarmer who hasexperience milkingcows, operatingcombines, runninggreenhouses,producing maplesyrup, growing certified organicvegetables, starting a CSA, andserving on the NOFA-NY organicstandards board. He has served formany years as an organic inspectorfor NOFA-NY Certified Organic,LLC. Small grains have always beenin the rotation, so having a role in theOrganic Agriculture Research andExtension Initiative (OREI) ValueAdded Grains Project—acollaborative effort between Cornell,Greenmarket, NOFA-NY, OGRIN,PASA, Penn State, and others—wasa great opportunity.

Crop storage is on the minds ofgrain farmers these days, andmany farmers have questionsabout managingmoisture in stored grain.Aerating the grain atharvest is essential(particularly during a wetseason like the one weexperienced this year).Grain with a moisturelevel higher than 13.5percent will require somemethod of drying.If you’re a small-scale

grower, try spreadingharvested grain on a tarp

on a wooden floor in the barn fordrying. However, if you need todry more than several bushelsworth of grain, that system isn’tpractical. Instead, use a smallgrain-aerator fan. These drawmoisture out of the grain througha perforated tube inserted into thegrain. I find that I can use aconnector sleeve to attach aperforated plastic drainage coil(with the end capped) to the fan.The coil is nestled into the grainwagon or tote bag. This offersmore flexibility in the placementof the air chamber than a rigidsteel tube would provide. Use ducttape to seal off any perforations inthe coil that aren’t covered bygrain. Leave the fan running forseveral days. This can reducemoisture levels and help keep thegrain from sweating or heating.Grain with over 15 percent

moisture content will need evenmore air. You may have to rotate itbetween wagons or take otherdrastic measures to maintainquality. Inside storage is essential,but don’t cover the wagon loadwith a tarp or seal the tote bag. Often grain straight from the

combine contains weed seed,straw, and other foreign materialsthat may increase the moisture inthe grain bin and taint the flavorof the grain. Cleaning the grain atharvest is a good method ofmaintaining the value of the crop.A rotary screen cleaner can

eliminate the large particles fromthe grain, while an air-screencleaner will take out the weed seedand small seed heads that may beimmature or diseased.How can you find a grain

cleaner for your crop? One optioncould be NOFA-NY’s mobile grain-cleaning unit. The unit has atwo-screen air cleaner that is fedby a 4-inch auger, and it has a 4-inch bagging auger discharge. Thisscale allows for minimal handlingof the grain from a tote bag orgravity wagon. The machine needsto be level and have a consistentflow of grain to operate efficiently.Multiple screen sizes are needed toseparate the various types andsizes of grain; contact me todetermine whether we have theright screen sizes for your crop. You can also look for small air-

screen cleaners at farm auctions.Clipper and Vac-away are twobrands I’ve seen at auctions. Partsand screens for older Clippercleaners are still available from themanufacturer. For a farmer withonly an acre or two of grain, theexpense of owning a cleaner maynot be worth the investment. Anew cleaner costs at least $5000,while a used cleaner might be $500at an auction. Sharing a cleanerwith other farmers can be a goodstrategy. A small cleaner can betransported in a pickup truck andused by several farmers relativelyeasily.

Steve Rockcastle of Green Heron Growers inPanama, NY shows how torotate a chicken tractorduring a rainy July NOFA-NY Field Day on raisinggrass-fed heritage beef. Photo by Sarah Raymond


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The Farmers’ Roundtable

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Jalal Sabur and Erika Brenner arefarmers who grow food for theircommunity. Food activism startswith this basic principle, and Jalaland Erika practice farming asactivism to a remarkable extent.Growing food and determining itspath through innovative, targeteddistribution is their approach tochanging food-access inequality forfamilies in the lower HudsonValley and New York City. These remarkable beginning

farmers, 2013 participants in theNOFA-NY JourneypersonProgram, studied economics andsocial justice issues in college, butthey’re making as much use oftheir hands-on farm training asthey are of their college education.In fact, their academic studies ledthem to understand that farmingis a means of action against thedisparities in food access. They arenot alone in making thisconnection—many farmers havechosen a mission “to feed thecommunity that needs food most.” For the past few years, and this

summer in particular, Jalal andErika led by example todemonstrate an inspiring way inwhich farmers can work withurban food- and social-justiceorganizations. These two youngfarmers spent plenty of time atWassaic Community Farm inAmenia simply planting and re-planting kale, chard, and tomatoesafter downpours continuallydrowned and destroyed key crops.They harvested what they couldand packed up the results ofdedicated farm work to feed CSAmembers and market customers.The reality of their customers’need to access and eat healthfulfood has powered them througheach challenge, bolstered bysupport of like-minded partnersand the potential they envisionedin a converted school bus.

What kind of power can a bushave to bring together farmers andsocial justice activism? The bus is aliteral vehicle for what Jalal andErika call “Victory Rides.” Thevegetable-oil-powered school busprovides a means for New YorkCity families to visit their lovedones incarcerated upstate, and theprice of a bus ticket includes a boxof local farm-grown food. (Much ofthe food came from WassaicCommunity Farm, supplementedby nearby farms and a partnershipwith the dairy marketing groupMilk Not Jails.) This summer’sinaugural ride cost a family $50,which is comparable to standardfare for a group bus trip upstate,but with the bonus of educationand a box of healthy food.Word about the Victory Rides is

spreading and other groups haveshown interest in organizing a trip,but busy farmers don’t haveenough hours in the day to keepthis project running on their own.Jalal and Erika are thrilled withthe organizing support, in-kindassistance, and community leadersrallying around their project.Tanya Fields has run communityinformational meetings in theBronx through her organizationThe BLK Projek; artists Crystal

Clarity and El Puente recentlybrought New York City youngstersto Wassaic Community Farm for aday of education on food justiceand food production, after whichthey all designed a mural to painton the bus; Hearty RootsCommunity Farm in Tivoli and theFood Bank of Westchester farmprovided food to ensure a well-rounded mix of foods would bedelivered through the CSA andprison bus program.The plans for the bus grow from

the root goal of combining aneeded service (a bus ride upstate)with education and affordable,locally grown food. The bus’sinterior redesign will expand thebus’s potential, allowing for its useas a mobile classroom and a mobilemarket that can be parkedanywhere food access is achallenge. If all goes well, theredesign will equip the bus withcold- and dry-storage areas andfold-out surfaces and awnings.Victory Rides will be a major usefor the bus, even after its redesign.As Jalal put it, there is a need for aconsistent pattern of education,advocacy, and food distribution tothe families already aided by thisservice. The bus facilitates the typeof work many farmers want to do.

Farming forFood Justiceby Rachel Schell-LambertBeginning Farmer Program Coordinator, NOFA-NY

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On the Farm

It provides a direct, controllablepathway of farm-fresh food to thehomes of those who want andneed it. Jalal, Erika, and all thoseinvolved in (and benefiting from)these farm-to-community linkagesinspire us to rise to the challengeof finding new models ofproduction, education, anddistribution to change the wayfood reaches plates and tables.


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On the Farm

Erika Brenner and Jalal Sabur inspectchard growing in the incredibly weed-prone but nevertheless fertile and primeHudson Valley soil of WassaicCommunity Farm. Photo by Rachel Schell-Lambert

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Two years ago, NOFA-NY’sNeighborhood Farm Share programbegan introducing community-supported agriculture (CSA) intolow-income communities inWestern New York. Food JusticeConsultant Elizabeth Hendersonand I helped to partner community-based organizations in Rochesterand Buffalo with local CSAs, oftencreating new distribution locationsin food-insecure communities.Through this pilot program, NOFA-NY provided subsidies toincome-eligible individuals toparticipate in a CSA, increasingaccess to high-quality, local organicfood.In early summer, Liz and I visited

one of these distribution sites. Wemet with Deb Ritchie, farmer andco-owner of Native Offerings CSA,as well as the staff and clients ofJourney’s End Refugee Services, aBuffalo nonprofit organization. Asthe driver backed up the farm truckto the loading dock at Journey’sEnd, Deb hopped out of the passenger side to meetLiz and Nasika, a refugee client.Through the Neighborhood Farm Share Program,

Native Offerings CSA works with staff fromJourney’s End to provide refugees with weekly

produce. “We’re always looking for ways to supportpopulations that don’t have access to this type offood,” Deb said. This year, about 20 refugees signedup to receive CSA shares from Native Offerings andsubsidies from NOFA-NY.

Partnering forFood Accessby Nicky Dennis, NOFA-NY Community Program Coordinator

In Buffalo, the Neighborhood Farm Share program helps support refugee populationsthrough access to fresh, healthy food.

Rebecca Severson, Executive Assistant at Journey’s End, andrefugee student Joseph Nzikamira admire produce from NativeOfferings CSA. Photo by Maddy Smith

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Working TogetherAfter unloading the crates of vegetables from the

Native Offerings truck onto a cart and bringingthem into a classroom, people immediately startedopening the boxes and lifting out turnips, radishes,chard, spinach, scallions, and a range of Asian greensand herbs. They organized produce into groups ontables while a client named Joseph weighed outspinach. Rebecca, executive assistant at Journey’sEnd, set up the EBT (formerly known as foodstamps) machine. Journey’s End processes EBTpayments each week, untangling the financial knotof payments and rotating clients, and Deb is gratefulfor that. As the Journey’s End clients bustled around

putting produce out on display, Deb wrote a list ofthe day’s products on a whiteboard withcorresponding amounts. Clearly they’d done thisbefore. In a matter of minutes a farmers-market-style display took shape in the classroom setting.Although it wasn’t written into anyone’s jobdescription at Native Offerings or Journey’s Endthat they would be helping refugees get access tolocal organic food, everyone is glad to do it, Debsaid.“I think you always have to strive for these things

and trying to make something like this happen isimportant,” Deb added. It was obvious a relationshiphas developed between farmer and Journey’s Endstaff. Their bond was built out of a shared desire tobring people fresh, healthy food and to create asense of comfort and support in the midst ofchanging lives and circumstances. Introducingrefugees to organic, healthy vegetables at a moreaffordable price is priority number one.In the midst of the distribution, people’s

excitement about the week’s fresh organic vegetableswas contagious. Beth, the ESL (English as a secondlanguage) teacher, said that the refugees “light uplearning the names of the new vegetables they seewhile trying to identify what part of the world thefoods are from. Many of our clients are from farmingcommunities where eating local is the way of life.With the farm share, students can be connected withsomething which reminds them of home.”

Familiar FoodThe refugees come from the Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Nepal, Iraq, Bhutan, Burma, and othercountries. Joseph, a refugee from the Congo, saidexcitedly that he was a farmer in Africa, growinghectares of beans, corn, and potatoes. He said he canfind many of the spices he used in Africa here in

Buffalo, but many of the canned foods in grocerystores are unfamiliar. What he valued most about hisfarm share is having access to fresh food, like that heate in Africa. His family and children are still inAfrica and he said that hehopes to bring them heresomeday, adding that hereally likes America. By May 2013, NOFA-NY

had distributed 110 CSAsubsidies throughpartnerships with 10 farmsand multiple organizationsin Rochester and Buffalo.NOFA-NY’s vision is toexpand the geographicalreach of the subsidyprogram in the future byworking more closely withexisting regional CSAsubsidy programs atorganizations such as JustFood in New York City,GardenShare in Canton,and Healthy Food For All inIthaca. (See the story onpage 19.) NOFA-NY alsohopes to create farm-basedpartnerships throughoutthe state. All told, more than 350 CSA subsidies weredistributed throughout New York in 2013.

Refugee student NirmalaKhanal with her CSA shareready to go. Photo by ElizabethHenderson

anking Our PartnersNOFA-NY thanks our partner farms:

• Peacework Organic CSA• Porter Farms• Good Food Collective• Rochester Roots• Promised Land CSA• Thorpes Organic Family Farm• Native Offerings• Arden Farm• Common Roots Community Farm

Thanks also to our organization partners:• Journey’s End Refugee Services, Buffalo• Friends of St. Bridget’s, Rochester• Jefferson Family Medicine, Rochester• M.K. Ghandi Institute for Nonviolence,Rochester

Each seed tells the story of its entire life history,millions of years in the making. While some seedsmay travel the globe in a single generation, manyseeds remain within their watershed, and most willtravel barely at all, staying in their particularmicroclimate. Multitudes of environmentalpressures select genetics that thrive in theseconditions; in this way, plants and their seedsbecome profoundly adapted to place.Agricultural seed tells an additional story, one of

human relationship. Historically, they too haveadapted to place, being passed from neighbor toneighbor and from grandparents to theirgrandchildren. Fast-forward to 2013: centralizedseed-production areas serve international markets,and three chemical corporations own over 50percent of the world’s seed supply.Journalist and corporate reformer Marjorie Kelly

writes, “Most of the great political struggles of thepast 5,000 years can be reduced to a simplequestion: who will own land, water, and the otheressentials of living—and to what end?” Our geneticdiversity is indeed one of these essentials. Modernseed marketing methods and technologicaldevelopments including genetic modification, F1hybridization, expanding patent laws, andcentralized seed production have contributed to theloss of 75 percent of our agricultural geneticdiversity in the last hundred years, according to theUnited Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The significance of regionally adapted, organic

seed in a resilient regional food system cannot beoverestimated.

Why Regional Seed?If “regional seed” is seed that has adapted to a

bioregion, then much of the seed farmers plantedbefore World War I was regional. Farmers in bothindustrialized and developing nations saved theirown seed in addition to sourcing seed from other

regions. It was as important to maintain high-quality seed stock and develop regional genetics as itwas to keep a good bull for breeding livestock. Overtime, each crop variety was selected to thrive in theenvironmental conditions and meet the farmer’sneeds on the farm.After World War I, hybrid seed grew in popularity.

The allure of hybrid F1 varieties began to changefarming norms, and fewer farmers saved their ownseed to sow the following season. It was easier tobuy new seed each season, and, in fact, saving seedfrom an F1 hybrid crop is usually a fool’s errand.Seed produced by F1 hybrid plants will not grow trueto type—in other words, the seeds from an F1hybrid usually produce a next generation of plantsthat looks, tastes, and behaves completely unlike theparent plants. In effect, the transition to the use ofF1 hybrid varieties made seed just anothercommodity (like fertilizer and pesticide) that allfarms must purchase annually.

Saving Seed by Petra Page-Mann

Producing organic seed in the Northeast as part of growing a resilient food system

Seedstalks from organically grown lettuce are spread todry in the shelter of the drying barn at Fruition Seeds. .Photo courtesy of Fruition Seeds


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You might assume that seed companies actuallygrow the seed they sell, but this is most often notthe case. Most seed is grown where the climatefavors commercial production, such as the PacificNorthwest, California, and Israel. Seed companiescontract with growers in those locations and receivebulk shipments of seed, which they then repackageunder their company name. This is not to say thatthe repackaged seed is bad seed, but it isn’t seedselected to excel in your specific climate and soils. Each region has specific resources, growing

challenges, and market opportunities; regionallygrown seed is uniquely able to adapt to these needsand conditions. “Seed customized to our growingconditions gives us freedom from ‘making do’ withwhat serves major national markets,” observes Dr.Michael Mazourek of Cornell Plant Breeding andGenetics. “A region’s ability to have vibrant,productive seed is critical.” Mazourek’s extensiveorganic program includes cucurbit breeding forflavor, disease resistance, and productivity here inthe Northeast. Phenomenal varieties such asHoneynut butternut squash and Green Fingercucumber are fine examples of the potential ofregional, organic seed breeding.

Why Organic Seed?The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations

require certified organic growers to source certifiedorganic seed if possible. Increasing demand forcertified organic food increases the demand fororganic seed, whose supply is well below thisdemand. Conventional seed is adapted to agricultural

techniques such as mechanization and use ofsynthetic fertilizers and pesticides. High yield isdependent on high inputs. And becauseconventional farmers rely on chemical applicationsto control pest and disease problems, the varietiesthey grow are adapted to use of these sprays. Seeddeveloped with conventional practices is called“widely adapted,” but only to circumstances thatoffer similar growing conditions and practices. Suchconventionally produced, “widely adapted” seed maygerminate and grow in your farm or garden soil, butthe crop may not do as well as one that is regionallyadapted and was developed with organic practices.Organic seeds tend to produce plants that are

adapted to forage for soil nutrients (instead of quick-release fertilizer) and outcompete weeds (ratherthan relying on Roundup). They will be innately ableto adapt to stress without the aid of chemicalapplications. When organic seed is producedregionally, these qualities become customized to

those particular conditions. “It is sometimes truethat seed developed in one location will be broadlysuccessful,” says Mazourek. “However, it is moreoften the case that a seed adapted to theenvironment in which it was grown will be morerobust. This seed is an essential aspect of asustainable system.”“Each farm is unique, especially each organic

farm,” observes Michael Glos, also with CornellPlant Breeding and Genetics. Conventional seed,harvested from plants grown under a regimen ofquick-release fertilizer and pesticide, may performconsistently on a wide range of conventional farms.Organic systems, however, have a spectrum ofvariables for seed to respond to, increasing thesignificance of organic seed. Regional organic seed, like local organic food, is

too important to remain on the fringe for long. Theseed available to us now is good, but truly excellent,regionally adapted, and organic seed is our privilegeto cultivate. As eaters, we all play a role in the seedsthat are planted. With the vision and collaborationof seed companies, universities, and individualsalike, the foundation for a resilient, regional andorganic seed supply in the Northeast is alreadygrowing.

Petra Page-Mann is the co-founder of Fruition Seeds,providing certified organic seed grown in and for theNortheast. She and her partner Matthew Goldfarb growseed crops in the Finger Lakes and collaborate with ahalf dozen other certified growers to provide a widevariety of vegetable, herb, grain and flower seed forfarms and gardens in the region. Learn more aboutFruition Seeds at www.fruitionseeds.com.

The harvest of beans, sunflowers, and amaranth arrangedfor drying. Can you tell which crop is which? Answer: beanvines in the foreground, sunflower heads (turned upsidedown) at right, red amaranth seed heads at back left.Photo courtesy of Fruition Seeds

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Just Food CSa Subsidy Program

by Paula Lukats, Just Food CSA in NYC Program Manager

Nearly 20 years ago, Just Food began workingwith farmers and NYC communities to develop CSAgroups across New York City. From the beginningour vision was to connect all New York residentswith healthy, delicious, locally grown food whileproviding a market to support small-scale localfarmers. Early on, we realized it would requirecreativity and flexibility to make sure that everyone,regardless of their income, would be able toparticipate in the CSA model, while also ensuringthat farmers and their employees were being paidfairly for their work and the food they produce. Several strategies emerged that make CSA

membership more accessible, such as sliding-scalepayment systems, fundraising by CSA groups, andflexibility to pay over time. In 1999, Just Food wasamong the first organizations to work with theUSDA to make it possible for CSA members to usetheir food stamp (now SNAP) benefits to pay forCSA shares. Additionally, Just Food has developed asubsidy program, providing direct funding to helplower the cost of CSA shares for low-incomecommunity members.

This season we provided funding to 13 CSAsacross the city, helping more than 75 SNAP-eligiblefamilies purchase fresh fruits and vegetablesthrough a dollar-for-dollar match program fundedjointly by Just Food and Wholesome Wave’s DoubleValue Coupon program. Demand for this type offunding continues to grow. This year CSA requestsfor funding were double the amount of last year. The Sunset Park CSA, which is supplied with

fresh produce by MimoMex Farm, has received oursubsidy funding for the past three years.Coordinator Jen Whitlen said, “Participants aregrateful to have access to fresh, seasonal vegetablesfrom a local producer that they wouldn’t have beenable to afford otherwise.” This year, eight low-income families participated in the Sunset Park CSA.According to Jen, this funding has proven

invaluable, not only in creating access to fresh,healthy food for low-income families, but forbuilding the strength of their CSA community. Thesubsidy program has allowed the Sunset Park CSA towork with more clients from their host site, theCenter for Family Life (a family and social servicesorganization based in the neighborhood). With moreclients from the Center and other low-incomecommunity members able to afford to participate inCSA, the Center has in turn ramped up their supportof the CSA. The Center conducts outreach to low-income community members to encourage CSAparticipation, translates outreach and educational

An accusation that resounds bitterly in the ears of organic farmers and their advocates is that the high cost of organicfood makes it inaccessible to some of the people who need it most—low-wage earners and the poor. Yet the organicpremium in pricing is necessary to ensure that organic farming is sustainable. Without a price that covers the full costsof production, farms will not be economically viable for the long term. On the bright side, farmers and nonprofitorganizations, including NOFA-NY, are working together to find creative ways to make healthy, locally produced,organic food available to families and individuals with limited means. Here are profiles of three outstanding projectsin New York state.

Sharing the Harvest


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materials into Spanish, and has provided funds tohelp pay for CSA farm trips.Rachel Boeglin is the coordinator at the Prince

George CSA. The is a 416-unit supportive housingdevelopment that houses low-income workingpeople and previously homeless single adults. Since2002, The Prince George has hosted a CSA that isopen to residents and to the public. Accessibility fortheir low-income residents has been an importantpart of the CSA since its inception, but the subsidyprogram has made it easier for tenants to participatein the CSA. Expanding the number of subsidiesmakes it possible for more tenants to join, which inturn increases goodwill toward the programthroughout the organization and bolsters theorganization’s case for hosting and providingadministrative services for the CSA. Boeglinexplains, “Having the subsidy was an amazing thing.It allows me to feel like I can advertise more freely toour tenants and low-income folks.” As one PrinceGeorge tenant said, “The grant was great. I couldn’thave been part of the CSA without it.”

To learn more about the Just Food CSA in NYC Program,visit http://justfood.org.

healthy Food For allby Rob Montana

This story about Healthy Food For All first appearedas part of a larger article on CSAs published in TheIthaca Times (https://tinyurl.com/CSAarticle). It isreprinted here by permission.

Buying a CSA share can be a larger upfront costthan some people are able to afford. That’s wherethe Healthy Food For All program comes into play.The program, administered by Cornell CooperativeExtension of Tompkins County and in partnershipwith local farmers, allows households with limitedincomes to participate in a CSA through subsidizedshares that cover half of the cost. In addition,participants in the HFFA program are able to takepart in CCE-offered classes, workshops, events andresources to help support a healthy lifestyle.Farms participating in the 2013 Healthy Food

For All program include Early Morning Farm, FullPlate Farm Collective, Ithaca Organics, Sweet LandFarm, Tree Gate Farm, West Haven Farm, and

Kestrel Perch Berries.“That amounts to about 400 adults and youth

that would be food insecure and relying on foodassistance programs,” said Elizabeth Karabinakis,director of Healthy Food For All, adding that peoplehave access to food in a “dignified way” through theprogram. “It puts local and organic produce, whichwould be well beyond their reach through otheroutlets, within the realm of possibility for familiesthat are struggling.”In the program’s first year, 2006, there were three

participating farms and 18 shares available. Thosenumbers rose to 36 shares and four farms in 2007,and then again to 63 shares and six farms in 2008.In 2013, 120 shares were offered and nine farmstook part.“It started as a pilot program on a small scale

with just a couple of farmers,” Karabinakis said ofthe HFFA. “The first couple of years we doubled insize and we’ve pretty much, unfortunately, plateauedat 120 members.“The reason is purely financial, we’ve hit our level

of fund-raising capacity to be able to subsidize 120shares,” she added. “That’s what we’re capable of

Young members of the Sunset Park CSA, which receivessubsidy funding from Just Food, harvest potatoes during avisit to one of the farms that supplies the CSA with fresh,healthy food. Photo courtesy of Just Food

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now, and that includes our grant writing and oursignature harvest dinners.”The harvest dinners, which run from August

through November, are hosted on local farms, withlocal chefs, vintners, brewers and food producerscollaborating to create unique menus utilizing thelocally grown bounty of the area. Proceeds from thetickets—the all-inclusive cost starts at $75—go tobenefit the Healthy Food For All program.In addition to the dinners, funds to offset the

costs of shares are garnered through grantsand private donations. Karabinakis saidthere is a high demand, but the programis limited by the amount of funding it isable to generate to subsidize shares andmake them affordable.“If we could subsidize 500 shares, we

would fill 500 shares,” she said.While the funding is necessary to offer

the program, without the farmers’commitment to the program, it also would notbe possible. Karabinakis said the hope is to expandHFFA to allow those with incomes that surpass theceiling for qualification for the 50 percent reductionto still get some of a CSA share fee reduction,something along the lines of a sliding scale.“There is a commitment on behalf of Healthy

Food For All and local farmers to make it accessibleto everyone in the community, regardless ofincome,” she said. “That will require the program to

GardenShare’s CSa Bonus Bucks

by Aviva Gold, Executive Director, GardenShare

When CSAs started growing in popularity here infar northern New York, GardenShare founder PhilHarnden wondered how low-income families couldparticipate. The barriers are fairly obvious. ManyCSAs require payment up front, and it can beimpossible for families who are struggling to get byto come up with cash in advance for a full season ofproduce. And a poor harvest—always a risk withCSA—could be a crisis for low-income familiescounting on the bounty of their CSA share.Even so, many low-income families in the North

Country want to make the investment in CSA. Ourregion is remote and rural, and everybody

continue growing. I think a part of our development,in an effort to make healthy food affordable toeveryone in the community, we’ll need to come upwith some means to create more opportunities forpeople of all levels to get some subsidy.“There’s no good explanation in a community this

agriculturally rich in resources that there is anybodystruggling,” Karabinakis added. Not only finances get in the way of peopleaccessing fresh, locally produced food offered

through local CSAs. “The Healthy Food ForAll mission is to recognize there are realand perceived barriers to accessinghealthy food that are so entrenchedin our culture, in our community,”Karabinakis said. “There is anintentional effort being made onbehalf of Healthy Food For All toengage people who would otherwise

not consider local and organic produce aswithin their reach or even as desirable, so

they can learn about this opportunity to participatein Community Supported Agriculture and benefitfrom the strong network of local farms andabundance of food produced in our beautifullandscape.”

For more information about the Healthy Food For Allprogram, visit its website at www.healthyfoodforall.org.

understands the value of supporting our localfarmers. People also understand that a healthy dietemphasizes whole foods, rather than the processedfoods that fill the shelves at the Walmart, discountstore, or convenience store where many low-incomerural families shop for food. Although there was alearning curve in selling the notion of CSA to somelocal families, enthusiasm was soon high for this wayof buying great-tasting healthy food directly fromlocal farms. GardenShare’s CSA Bonus Bucks offers a discount

incentive so that families can join the CSA of theirchoice. We act sort of as a dating service, fixing upshareholders with farmers, setting up that first date,but the rest of the relationship is between thefarmer and the eater. Depending on the fundingavailable, we can offer up to $150 per share, and weserve as many as 90 families. We can help people paythe balance with their SNAP/EBT/Food Stampbenefits if they have them.


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We ask all people tocontribute at least $25 of theirown money to the cost of theirCSA share. In the past, some ofour farmers offered shares at aprice exactly equal to theamount of the subsidy soparticipants didn’t have to payanything out of pocket for theirseason of fresh farm produce.This was a laudable idea, but wefound that those customers whomade no monetary contribution at all were lesssatisfied with their CSA than other customers. Plus,when it came time to sign up again, those customerswere interested only if they were offered the samedeal. That didn’t seem sustainable, and it didn’treflect the spirit of creating new markets for ourstruggling producers.Our program is also open to families who earn

considerably more than the 130-percent-of-povertythreshold that many other programs have. We heardfrom many people who said they “fell through thecracks” but were still struggling, and joining CSAwas a challenge that was just out of reach.

CSA Bonus Bucks isfunded through generousdonations fromGardenShare supportersand foundation grants. Thisfunding varies from year toyear and makes running thisprogram a constantstruggle. NOFA-NY isleading a collaborative effortto find policy or othersolutions to fund this kind

of endeavor through a statewide effort. It’s hard to change the way people eat and shop

for food. We know that CSA is a radical departurefrom Walmart. But offering people a chance toaccess fresh food through a local CSA is sure to helpput more nutritious food on more tables in ourfragile rural economies. It’s a big win for everybody.

GardenShare is a nonprofit organization based in St.Lawrence County working to build a North Countrywhere everyone has enough to eat and enough to share.For more information, visit www.gardenshare.org.

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“We spread Integrity”— that’s the motto thatgreets visitors as they step into the lobby of OnceAgain Nut Butter in Nunda. Once Again conductsbusiness with this motto in mind, whether they’reinteracting with their growers, their wholesalers,their employees, consumers, or the communities thecompany operates in. The integrity is spreading, oneperson, one field, one farm, one store, onecommunity at a time.In 1976, Jeremy Thaler and Constance Potter

started out making peanut butter in a smallbasement in rural western New York, grinding thenuts with a single used coffee roaster. From thebeginning they wanted to form a company that notonly would produce the best, healthiest peanutbutter around, but would operate with integrity.They recognized the injustices of the industrialagricultural revolution and went to work forming acompany that would be ethical, sustainable, caring,and viable. By the early 1980s they were well ontheir way.

Once Again walks the talk. They lead the world byproviding an example of how a company can offerviable pricing to its farmers, wholesalers, andconsumers while supporting employees with fairwages and good benefits. They remain true to theirmission to support sustainable farming practicesand produce top-quality products. They also believein community, whether it is where their distributioncenters are in the United States, the farmcommunities in South America, or their consumercommunity.Communications director Gael Orr defines food

justice as a “three-legged stool” with all legssupporting socially responsible sustainability. Oneleg represents Fair Trade relationships, the secondensures that negative environmental impact isminimal (or that impacts are positive), and the third

This locally owned business and NOFa-NYmember is serious about great nut butters and high integrity.

Once Again,SpreadingIntegrityby Suzanne Carreker-Voigt

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leg supports healthy lifestyles. Without each legdoing its part, the stool will collapse.

Certified Fair TradeOnce Again was the first producer of Organic

Valencia peanut butter and is the first and onlypeanut butter business in the world to be certified asa Fair Trade Company. Over 20 years ago thecompany joined forces with Jubilee House, ahumanitarian organization with operations inNicaragua. Together they established farmcooperatives in impoverished farming communities,introducing sustainable organic farming practices toensure quality product and better livelihood for thefarmer. Everyone in Once Again Nut Butter’s supplychain, from farmer to huller/sheller to line-production employee to wholesaler, is paid a fairwage. In actuality, the company pays higher wagesthan Fair Trade and open markets mandate, andtheir practices surpass most Fair Traderequirements.

Protecting the EnvironmentOrr and those at Once Again like to believe the

conduct of their operation is providing “healthy foodthat is good for the body and good for theenvironment.” Talking to Orr, one gets the clearfeeling these words take precedence over corporateor personal profit. The company encourages farmersto use sustainable agricultural practices through theuse of micro-grants and education/mentoringprograms. Once Again proposed and funded afinancially sound and environmentally sustainablerotational farming practice for their Nicaraguanfarmers. The farmers were taught to rotate peanutswith organic cotton, which ensures that the soilstays viable and provides the farmers with year-round income.As an extra support to ensure year-round income

for the farmers, Once Again purchased commercial-grade sewing machines from Champion Products inPerry, New York, before that company shut down.Once Again sent the machines to Jubilee House inNicaragua, which enabled a sewing cooperative toform. The fabric created in Nicaragua is sold toMaggie’s Organics and other U.S. clothiers. As Orrpoints out, everyone is a winner with this network,and it gives the employees-owners of Once Again the“feel good” operation they all desire.

Encouraging Healthy LivingThe mission of the company does not end with

the production line. They invest in the localcommunities of their farmers and workers byopening health clinics and helping increase the

overall standard of living for their growers andworkers. Once Again spreads their ethical standardsto their business partners by selling product at fairprices, which helps keep down the cost of theirhealthy butters to a rangethat’s affordable for theaverage consumer.The company is an

employee-owned businessthat offers great benefitpackages and fair wages toall their employees. Infact, Once Again boastsan amazing four-to-onepay ratio. This means theCEO makes no more thanfour times what thelowest paid employeeearns. No corporate greedor selfishness is allowed.Everyone is invested inthe company’s success.Imagine the impact if allof corporate Americawould adopt this salary ratio—or even try a tenfoldor forty-to-one ratio to start?Because the company has no top-heavy salaries

and can take advantage of New York state taxincentives for employee-owned companies, cashflow is excellent, allowing for better investment incompany infrastructure, lower pricing, and increasedability to support social responsibility (theemployee-owners donate to over 100 charitiesannually). Once Again Nut Butter is leading the charge in

food justice and provides a model that we all canemulate as we operate our farms and markets andmake our purchases. The more the organic foodmovement focuses on health and fair trade practicesand promotes collaboration among differentcommunities, the more resonant and powerful ourefforts will become and the more we can change ourworld for the good of all. Once Again Nut Butteremploys a system where everyone wins, proving thatspreading integrity is possible.

Suzanne Carreker-Voigt lives on a small horse farm inCharlton, where she enjoys growing fruits, vegetables,and herbs for her family, friends, and a few special chefs.She has a passion for ethically grown food and pursuestrying to bring the benefits and joy of eating healthyfood to all. Suzanne serves on the boards of the NYSFarmers’ Market Federation and the Regional Farm andFood Project.

Everyone in Once again NutButter’s supplychain, fromfarmer tohuller/sheller toline-productionemployee towholesaler, is paid a fair wage.

FarmingChallengesNeed BigSolutions


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as any devoted organic shopper will tell you, itfeels good to vote with your dollars. When youchoose organic carrots grown in New York instead ofconventionally grown, imported carrots, you knowyour money is going to a farmer whose practices donot harm the land, whose produce you can safelyserve to your family. In a time when our governmentand corporate interests are subsidizing andencouraging huge-scale consolidated foodproduction in this country, a purchase from a localorganic farm is a weight on the right side of the scaleof food justice—and a new survey suggests thatsmall organic farmers in New York could use a tilt ofthe scales in their favor. To gain a clearer understanding of organic

farmers’ needs and challenges—to find out whogrew those organic carrots, how, and under whatconstraints—Becca Berkey and the NOFA InterstateCouncil developed and administered a survey to over600 farms across the Northeast this year. Surveytopics included their priorities, their workers, andthe challenges they face. An estimated 16 percent ofNew York organic farmers responded to the

multiple-choice questions and provided additionalcomments on those responses. The responsespainted a picture of small-scale family farms with avariety of workers, including many volunteers.These farmers hold strong values, which they workhard to maintain, but they are too often constrainedby deep injustices in the food system.

Balancing ActNOFA’s survey asked organic farmers about their

values and priorities and whether they are able toput them into practice—or, if not, what’s holdingthem back. The chart at the top of page 27 is a list ofpriorities, which the survey-takers were asked torate on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of influenceon them as farmers (5 equates to most important).The highest ranked item of importance to

farmers? “Producing high-quality products.” Theyalso care deeply about avoiding chemicals for thehealth of the environment and of their family andworkers; practicing good land stewardship; andupholding ecological principles. But as they work to grow high-quality food

without sacrificing their ideals or going broke, our

by Catherine M. Lea and Becca Berkey

a new survey offersinsights into the needsof New York’s organicfarmers.

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was another major challenge to the survey takers.

Who’s Growing Our Food?Farmers also noted the difficulty of maintaining a

stable, well-compensated work force. On the farmssurveyed, family members made up by far thebiggest portion of the work force (35 percent). Manyfarms also depended on unpaid labor, from CSAmembers to seasonal volunteers. Other workersincluded interns, neighbors, people completingcommunity service hours, and volunteers involvedin the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farmsnetwork. Farmers said how hard it was to find workers

willing and able to perform demanding, sometimes“mundane” seasonal jobs. “We pay a very highpremium to [the] government to bring in legal H2Aworkers,” said one farmer, “because Americans don’tstay on the job, don’t want to work outdoors, etc.”Many groups, concerned that labor issues have

been left out of the conversation about “good food”standards, have been calling for bettercompensation for organic farm workers. The survey

state’s organic farmers and their employees facedaily challenges. Farmers mentioned severalconstraints that prevent them from implementingfarm practices that align with their priorities. Thebiggest impediment is financial difficulties. Highcosts of supplies and labor, debt, inability to securegrant funding, and inability to get a premium fororganic products mean many farmers must stretchlimited funds over an enterprise that requiresconstant inputs and upkeep. Meanwhile, recentfederal cuts to organic cost-share programs haveonly made things harder. And many farmers feelfurther squeezed by federal and local regulationsand weighed down by paperwork. Another major hurdle is the lack of infrastructure

to process and distribute their products, buildrecognition, and attract buyers. One respondentemphasized the need for “support infrastructure forlocal sales and distribution, such as small-scaletrucking, slaughterhouse facilities, easy purchasesystems for restaurants and small stores (i.e. anonline system with multiple local producers).”Building consumer knowledge of organic products

*Berkey, R. (2013) [Justice issues impacting farmers and farmworkers on organic farms in the northeast: Amixed methods study]. Unpublished raw data

Charts by Becca Berkey*

Mean (Average Values of Respondent Scores(1 = Lowest, 5 = Highest)

Report of Types of Workerson Farms (N = 357)


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indicates that paid employees, including migrantand H2A workers, made up about 20 percent of thework force of farms surveyed. Pay varied from farmto farm, ranging up to $20 per hour, but averagingbetween $8.92 and $11.93—higher than New York’sminimum wage, but lower than the living wagecalled for by such organizations as the AgriculturalJustice Project (AJP). As the AJP notes, though,financial constraints sometimes prevent farmersfrom paying higher wages. Farmers listed several obstacles to retaining a

stable work force, and the most common,unsurprisingly, was financial. As one farmer put it:“Being able to provide adequate housing. Being ableto provide long-enough seasonal work. Being able topay a living wage… health care, insurance… all theNOTS are very challenging!”

Contended BillsEven if they’d like to pay higher wages and offer

extra benefits, some farmers say they can’t afford to.The Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act, forexample, has been met with ambivalence from manysmall-scale farmers. The bill, which has beenreintroduced each year to the New York statelegislature but not passed, aims to give farm workersequal protection under the National Labor RelationsAct of 1935.

Some organic farmers have proposed anotherpiece of legislation that would reduce the number offarm workers who could receive unemploymentinsurance. Currently, all farms with $20,000 or lessin payroll per quarter are exempt from payingunemployment insurance on their workers. Underthe proposed legislation, the threshold forunemployment payroll exemption would be raised to$40,000 per quarter, which would affect many smallfarming operations in the Northeast. Many of thesurveyed farmers in New York oppose the move,with 56 percent reporting they do not supportraising the threshold.

“Our Farm as Their Farm”Given the daily challenges that farmers face, any

supports that allow them to implement farmpractices that align with their priorities areespecially important. Farmers named NOFA and theMaine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association(MOFGA) as two of the most important sources ofsupportAmong the benefits they said they receivedfrom these groups were networking with otherorganic farmers; gaining inspiration and moralsupport; and receiving technical assistance,information, and education. Farmers also gainedsupport from CSA programs and local markets,grants, off-farm incomes, and family members.

Justice for Farmworkers in New York StateWhen Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935, it provided legal

protections for workers’ freedom of association to enable workers to bargain collectively with theiremployers for better working conditions, benefits, and pay. The NLRA left out two groups ofworkers—farm workers and domestic workers, at that time mostly African-Americans. That was thedeal Franklin D. Roosevelt made with racist Southern Democrats to win enough votes for the NLRA.Those “exemptions” have remained in U.S. law ever since. A massive effort by the United FarmWorkers won protection for organizing for California farm workers in 1975. In New York state, advocates of farm worker justice have been trying to persuade the New York

state legislature to pass the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act for many years so that farm workerswill no longer be excluded from the protections granted workers in other sectors. NOFA-NY membershave endorsed policy resolutions affirming the rights of farm workers to freedom of association, butlinking justice for farm workers with justice for farmers. The resolution passed in 2008 reads: “Themembers of NOFA-NY hereby resolve that we would like our organization to work for theimplementation of local fair trade. We believe that everyone involved in the organic supply chain fromseed to plate is entitled to living wages, a safe workplace, and respectful treatment. Farm prices shouldenable farmers to cover the costs of production, sustain their families and farms, including a livingwage for all farm workers, and additional revenues to ensure the continuing development of the farm.Farm workers should enjoy the rights to freedom of association that are protected by law for workersin other sectors. Fair and transparent negotiations should provide long-term contracts between thebuyers of organic products and farmers, and between farmers and farm workers.”

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Many farmers said that devoted consumers makeall the difference to their farming operations.“Having a consistent, dependable customer base hasenabled our farm to grow and financially supportmany of [our] goals,” said one farmer. “The mindsetof the people in our geographic market [is] quiteprogressive… willing to pay the higher expense forfood that local/organic food brings.” Another farmerwrote that building a solid base of repeat customershas allowed their operation to thrive: “Ninety-fivepercent of our people who purchase from us havebeen with us for 5+ years, do all of their meatpurchases from us on a pre-order basis, so we knowwhat we have to grow and are invested in our farmas their farm.” This sense of shared responsibility iskey: “When folks invest in your business, you findyourself striving for excellence in what you do anddeliver.”

Moving ForwardWhile a dedicated customer base is crucial to a

farm’s success, not all farms have equal access to“progressive” customers with money to spend. In herbook Foodopoly (The New Press, 2012), organicfarmer Wenonah Hauter argues that expanding

consumer demand is only part of the solution: “Wecannot shop our way into a sustainable food future.”She cites the need to overhaul the Farm Bill,diverting subsidy money from commodity programs(like corn and soy) to the “specialty crops” title—achange that would channel much-needed funds tosmall and mid-level fruit and vegetable farmers. Choosing to buy carrots—or anything else—from

an organic New York farm feels good for theconsumer and good for the farmer. Every dollar thatgoes to our organic farms is a dollar sorely needed tocover workers’ wages, farm repair, and costly inputs.But if they are to thrive in today’s economy, organicfarmers need bigger solutions. They need the solidinfrastructure and governmental supports that willlet them put their values into practice and treatthemselves and their workers fairly.

Catherine Lea lives in New York and writes on food,farming, and environmental issues. Becca Berkey lives inBoston, runs the service-learning program atNortheastern University, and is a Ph.D. Candidate inEnvironmental Studies at Antioch University NewEngland.


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DEPARTMENTS

NOFA-NY News

Organic Farming &Gardening ConferenceFriday, January 24–Sunday, January 26, 2014The Saratoga Hilton and City Center, Saratoga Springs

New York ranks near the top in number oforganic farms per state—only California andWisconsin have more. Not surprisingly, we host oneof the largest annual organic agriculturalconferences in the country too. More than 1,100people typically attend our Organic Farming andGardening Conference. The 2014 conference willfeature more than 80 practical and inspiringworkshops.This year’s theme—Preserving the Past, Seeding

the Future”— honors the history of the organicmovement. The theme also calls on us to ensure thatfuture generations have the resources they need tocarry on this work. The topic of seeds is especiallytimely given the concerns about maintaining organicand genetically diverse seed in agriculture. We’re pleased to announce that Gary Paul

Nabhan will be the keynote speaker on Friday,January 24. Gary is aninternationally celebratednature writer and food andfarming activist. He hasbeen honored as a pioneerand creative force in thelocal food movement andseed-saving community byUtne Reader, Mother EarthNews, The New York Times,Bioneers, and Timemagazine.

We’re also pleased to announce that we’ll behonoring Brian Bennett of Bittersweet Farm inHeuvelton as 2014 Farmer of the Year. Brian wasnominated by his peers for his commitment toorganic farming and for inspiring many youngpeople to help grow a better food and farm system.He’ll be our Saturday keynote speaker.Conference workshops will feature presentations

about organic fruit, vegetables, grain, livestock, anddairy production, as well as sessions on urbanfarming, agricultural policy, food justice, gardening,homesteading, and business and marketing. Therewill be a trade show, a bookstore, live music, and aspecial conference program for children. The fullconference brochure with workshop descriptionsand the registration form can be found on ourwebsite at www.nofany.org.

NOFa-NY 2014 annual Membership MeetingSaturday, January 25, 2014, 12 p.m. The Saratoga Hilton and City Center, Saratoga Springs

The meeting will take place during the NOFA-NYWinter Conference, beginning at noon. Admission isopen to and FREE for all current NOFA-NYmembers. If you are not currently a NOFA-NYmember, you may join now to participate. Go towww.nofany.org/join to join online.During the Annual Meeting, NOFA-NY members

will vote on a series of annual policy resolutions andwill elect board members. To see the policyresolutions that will be voted on, go towww.nofany.org/policy-work/resolutions. We hopethat you can join us on January 25, 2014.

Organic dairy & Field CropConferenceFriday, March 7, 2014 • Holiday Inn, Auburn

New York has the second-highest concentrationof organic dairy farms in the United States. To meetthe unique needs of these farmers, NOFA-NY heldits first Organic Dairy & Field Crop Conference in2011: our conference is one of only three similarconferences held annually nationwide. Join us onMarch 7, 2014 for NOFA-NY’s third Annual OrganicDairy and Field Crop Conference at the Holiday Innin Auburn. The conference will feature a dozenworkshops targeted at beginning and veteran dairyand field crop farmers and will include a half-day

intensive session ontransitioning to organicfield crop management.NOFA-NY CertifiedOrganic, LLC staff will beon hand to answerquestions about organiccertification. Gary Zimmer, president

of MidWestern BioAg, isthis year’s conferencekeynote speaker. Gary is a

farmer, author, agribusinessman, and educatordedicated to biological agriculture. Recognizedaround the world for his commitment to improving

Gary Paul Nabhan

Gary Zimmer

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NOFA-NY Newsfarming through building healthy soils, Gary willshare his perspective on how we as organic dairy andfield crop farmers can benefit from organic soilmanagement—especially with increasingly extremeweather conditions—and how healthy soils producehealthy plants for livestock and humanconsumption. Gary is the author of two books, TheBiological Farmer (Acres USA, 2000) and AdvancingBiological Farming (Acres USA, 2010), written withhis daughter Leilani Zimmer-Durand.The conference will include workshop tracks

focusing on dairy, field crops, and businessmanagement. Watch a demonstration of the NOFA-NY mobile seed-cleaning unit and participate in adiscussion on whether or not value-added grains area viable option for your farm. The conference willinclude an expanded trade show where conferenceattendees can speak with company representatives.Enjoy a delicious organic lunch made with productsdonated by local farmers and business members andprepared by Holiday Inn Executive Chef Todd Field.The registration fee for the conference is $45. Toregister, go to the NOFA-NY website atwww.nofany.org.

NOFa-NY Programs & Services• Agricultural Justice Project• Beginning Farmer and Mentor Programs• CSA Fairs• CSA Subsidy Program• The Farmer’s Pledge• Farm to Restaurant Project• Field Days and Workshops• Locavore Challenge• The Natural Farmer• Neighborhood Farm Share Program• New York Organic News• Organic and Local Food and Farm Guide• Organic Certification• Organic Dairy and Field Crop Conference• Organic Farming and Gardening

Conference• Technical Assistance Helpline• Value-Added Grains Project


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DEPARTMENTS

Restaurants

Green Goddess NaturalMarket and the Scape Café2051 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid, 12946518-523-4676 • http://greengoddessfoods.com

Photo courtesy of Green Goddess Natural Market

Green Goddess Natural Market provides space forgrocery shopping and offers affordable nutrition classes,fresh juices (the only ones in the area!), and incrediblevegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options. It was thefirst store in the Lake Placid area to embrace this ethos.Co-owner Wynde Kate Reese grew up in the Adirondacksbut never expected to return there after high school.After traveling around the world and comparing some ofthe land practices she saw with those of the NorthCountry, she realized she didn’t want to live anywhereelse. Part of the reason she loves her work is that itconnects her to the community. “Some farms we startedworking with didn’t even have names when we started,”Reese says. Now, Reese and the rest of the team buy fromtens of local farms, including Juniper Hill Farm,Fledgling Crow Vegetables, Ben Wever Farm, HarmonyHill, and Asgaard Farm and Dairy. When this team isn’tfeeding people through the store and cafe, they arecatering local events and giving cooking demonstrationsat local businesses, including the local sustainabilitycenter. Store and cafe hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

The heron40 Main Street, Narrowsburg, NY 12764845-252-3333 • www.theheronrestaurant.comNarrowsburg is at the nexus of many states, both

geographically and agriculturally. For Paul Nanni andMarla Puccetti of The Heron, it’s the best of manyworlds. Paul, a Culinary Institute of America trainedchef, and Marla, whose background is in TV production,are a powerhouse duo who met after many years livingand working in New York City. Tired of the pace of thecity, the pair left Brooklyn for Narrowsburg(Catskills/Upper Delaware area), and have been so busythat they haven’t had a day off to explore their newsurroundings since they opened a year ago. Theirlocation makes it easy to source food from farms in NewYork state, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The farms andbusinesses that The Heron works with include: TheAnthill Farm, Calkins Creamery, Twin Brook Farm,Quails ‘R’ Us, Beach Lake Bakery, and Augusta Acres.Paul and Marla work to create a warm and welcoming

environment where people can relax and eat trulydelicious food. Anything they can’t find locally, theymake in house, including their home-cured meats. Paulsays that the mix of local residents and vacationers is oneof the most exciting things about being part of thiscommunity. People come back to eat—and that is trulyhow communities are formed.Restaurant hours: Hours vary by season. Check thewebsite for schedule of hours before you visit.

Photo courtesy of The Heron

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Photo courtesy of Merge

Photo courtesy of Turtle Island Café

and Oles Family Farm has even inspired Schneider tostart a small farm near Merge. She hopes to incorporatemore of the farm’s produce into the menu and says“Arden Farm hosts their CSA in our parking lot and havebeen indispensable in sharing their knowledge with mefor our garden.”Restaurant hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 5–10 p.m.; musicand live events after 10 p.m.

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Restaurants

Merge439 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202716-842-0600 • www.mergebuffalo.com

When asked about the naissance of Merge, one ofBuffalo’s farm-to-table restaurants, Sarah Schneiderexplains that as a child, she loved entertaining. She andher sister Eliza, the other half of the team that grew thisfunky food-art-music space, had parents whoentertained guests on a frequent basis. “I’d be cleaningup and love the rush of having so many people enjoyingthemselves,” Schneider says. Thus, the seeds of Mergewere planted. When they opened the space in 2009, thesisters’ vision was to offer options for those who werenot interested in the local fare (Buffalo wings) and alsoto create a fun, welcoming atmosphere. Merge is thegathering place to find vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free,and healthy meals. Schneider says, “I love the tostada.Blueberry barbecue braised bean curd, chipotle rice andcream sauce, black beans, and edamame on corntortillas.” Working with local farms such as Arden Farm

Turtle Island Café3790 Main Street, Willsboro, 12996518-963-7417 • www.turtleislandcafe.comThis 10-year-old restaurant in the Adirondacks is the

culmination of Chef David Martins 30 years’ culinaryexperience. Housed in a historic (1865) building that wasoriginally a pharmacy, the cafe is right in the middle ofthe local farm community. Juniper Hill Farm, CloverMead Farm, Essex Farm, Ben Weaver Farm, Sunset Farm,Fledging Crow Vegetables, Asgaard Farm and Dairy, andNortheast Family Farm are mere miles away. “As long asI’ve been a chef, I wanted to know where my food camefrom,” Martins says. “I grew up in the Adirondacks, andas a kid you worked on farms. All you knew revolvedaround the farm.” To Martins, it is all about cooking foodthat he would enjoy eating himself. That is why he workswith farmers from the area. He also has sincere reverenceand admiration for farmers and their work, saying“anytime I think I work too hard, I go to the farm for abit, and it makes me feel better about what I do.” Restaurant hours: Hours vary by season. Check thewebsite for schedule of hours before you visit.


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Food Justice ReadingCultivating Food Justice: Race, Class, and SustainabilityEdited by Alison Alkon and Julian AgyemanMIT Press, 2011

This well-reviewed collection offersdiverse and stimulating articles onpolitics, practices, and values ofsustainable agricultural systems. Athoughtful read for those interestedin the big picture about globalconcerns of food production, socialjustice, and environmental issues, and part of aninteresting series from MIT Press entitled Food,Health, and the Environment.

Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable FoodSystem for All by Oran B. HestermanPublicAffairs, 2012

This book goes beyond theincreasingly prevalent analysis of howour global food systems and ournational food chain are broken anddangerous. Hesterman reaches out tothe average citizen trying to find apath amid all the warnings abouthow, what, and why to eat local. He tells us how tocreate real change and take the Locavore movementto the next level. The Resources chapter offers anational list of organizations that can help you takemeaningful action.

DEPARTMENTS

Media

While our fields and gardens hibernate, our minds can blossom by the fire with an inspiring book inhand. Enjoy some of these books (and a few films) yourself, or give them as gifts!

Cookbooks66 Square Feet: A Delicious Life By Marie ViljoenStewart, Tabori & Chang, 2013

A great gift book—for yourself or another—is thisnew hardcover from a popular gardening blogger.Viljoen offers menus, musings, and recipes for dishessourced from her Brooklyn roof garden and New YorkCity farmers markets. Chapters are organized bymonths, and her approach is to savor what life offersthroughout the seasons in New York.

The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook:100 Delicious Heritage Recipes from the Farm andGardenBy Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent RidgeRodale, 2013

These popular chefs and authors from SharonSprings, NY, serve up a sweet gift of a cookbook thatmakes good reading for its own sake too. Promising toinvigorate heirloom recipes from their past and yours,they provide beautiful photos, simple recipes, a placefor your notes, and their own memories for a widerange of desserts, organized by what’s in season. You’llfind familiar treats such as peach cobbler and angelfood cake, as well as chocolate éclair pie and othercreative takes on classics.

The Heart of the Plate:Vegetarian Recipes for a New GenerationBy Mollie KatzenRux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013

The author of the originalMoosewood cookbook, MollieKatzen, triumphs again withher own cookbook, updatingold vegetarian favorites withunique grains, textures, andtaste that make healthier livingenjoyable. Another great giftbook!

Moosewood Restaurant Favorites:The 250 Most-Requested, Naturally Delicious Recipesfrom One of America’s Best-Loved RestaurantsBy the Moosewood CollectiveSt. Martin’s Griffin, 2013

Now your menus can be as popular as those of theiconic Moosewood Restaurant, with this newest oftheir wonderful cookbooks. If someone on your giftlist doesn’t yet have a Moosewood cookbook, thishardcover edition of their most successful recipes isthe one to give!

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MediaFood Sovereignty: Towards Democracy inLocalized Food Systems (2nd edition)By Michael Windfuhr and Jennie JonsenPractical Action, 2013

Windfurh’s new edition of his well-receivedanalysis is a study in current food politics, wherecorporations and countries have made internationaltrade more important than local food provision. Theauthors support bringing control of our foodproduction and access to our democratic policy-making processes.

Hungry for Change: Farmers, Food Justice and the Agrarian QuestionBy Haroon Akram-LodhiKumarian Press, 2013

In an analysis that moves fromfamily farmers to global productioncompanies, this author shows howcapitalism and other profit-basedfactors have changed the nature andresults of our food productionsystems. Akram-Lodhi offers clear-eyed, real-life examples of workable solutions to thisevolving crisis.

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documentariesFarmageddonDirected by Kristin CantyPassion River Studio, (DVD) 2012

This 90-minute documentary has been praised asan eye-opener, alerting people to the oftenconfounding role of government in our food system.The creator/director, a mom who became incensedby the lack of choice she had in finding quality foodsfor her family, says it is about “freedom of foodchoice.” Watch it and share your insights to educateothers for change.

Hungry for ChangeDirectors: J. Colquhoun, L. Ten Bosch, C LedesmaDocurama Studio, (DVD) 2012

From the same group that brought us FoodMatters in 2009, this film informs us on the manyways that the food industry sabotages even the bestdiet intentions with additives, misinformation, andother tactics. This could be the inspiration for a trulytransformational new year of healthy eating, nomatter what your calorie counting needs.


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DEPARTMENTS

Directory of Farms

Here’s a list of the NOFA-NY Certified Organic and Farmer’s Pledge farms mentioned in this issue. For a complete listing of certified and Farmer’s Pledge farms, go to www.nofany.org/directory.

Arden Farm1840 Billington RoadEast Aurora, NY 14052(716) 341-1268theardenfarm.comNOFA-NY Certified Organic

Bittersweet Farm1249 NYS Hwy 184Heuvelton, NY 13654(315) 344-0443NOFA-NY Certified Organic

Early Morning Farm9658 NYS Rte 90Genoa, NY 13071(315) 364-6941earlymorningfarm.comNOFA-NY Certified Organic

Good Life Farm4017 Hickok RdInterlaken, NY 14847607-351-3313thegoodlifefarm.orgNOFA-NY Certified Organic

Harmony Hill Farm267 Buckley RdWhitehall, NY 12887(518) 499-0239NOFA-NY Certified Organic

Native Offerings Farm8501 Maples RdLittle Valley, NY 14755(716) 257-3006nativeofferings.comThe Farmer’s Pledge

Peacework Organic CSA/Peacework Farm2231 Welcher RoadNewark, NY 14513(315) 365-3439peaceworkcsa.orgNOFA-NY Certified Organic

Porter Farms5020 Edgerton RdElba, NY 14058(585) 757-6823porterfarms.orgNOFA-NY Certified Organic

Sweet Land Farm9732 State Rte 96Trumansburg, NY 14886(607) 387-3702sweetlandfarm.orgThe Farmer’s Pledge

Thorpe’s Organic Family Farm12866 Rte. 78East Aurora, NY 14052(716) 655-4486thorpesorganicfamilyfarm.comNOFA-NY Certified Organic

West Haven Organic Farm,LLC114 Rachel Carson WayIthaca, NY 14850(607) 351-6670westhavenfarm.netNOFA-NY Certified Organic

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Why Local Organic

Riding theRoad Togetherby Dan Kent, Kent Family Growers

What if, instead of being afarmer, you longed to be an automanufacturer? Even if nothingreally is impossible, that dreamsounds crazy, because there’s nointermediate step between a guy inhis garage building one car forhimself and the global empires ofToyota or GM. You would have tobe a business wunderkind to takeon such an impossibly large debtand risk for so long before youcompleted your first vehicle orhad a profitable year.Now, imagine that the

dominant mode ofagriculture—industrial-scalefarming for commoditymarkets—were the only wayagriculture was practiced.Virtually none of us would findthe courage to take out themonstrous loan for the land,infrastructure, and roboticstrawberry picker (or milker,tractor, etc.) it takes to competeat that scale. Fortunately,agriculture is not like automanufacturing. Despitenumerous challenges facingyoung or aspiring producers, ithas never been easier to choosefarming as a career. This is duein large part to the widespreadinterest in local foods, wheremarkets exist for every size offarm, including those with onlyone cow or a fraction of an acre.Many of us who were able to saveup a few thousand dollars to buyseed and supplies, rent or lease anacre or so of land, and keep apickup truck rolling have been ableto start at the smallest of scales.We’ve slowly built our farms tosomething like sustainableenterprises, mostly disconnectedfrom the pool of piranhas that isthe mainstream food economy.Thanks to the growing interest inlocal foods, the novice grower canshow up at a variety of marketvenues with 10 bunches of this, 20

newsletters). These customerssupport the start-up farmbecause they want to see itsucceed, to become a fixture inthe community. The householdthat signs on to a 10-memberCSA is something really special.Whether or not they do so witha fist of protest raised againstindustrial agriculture, moreimportantly, they are statingthat they believe in you andyour efforts to forge a viablealternative to the grocery storeexperience. An alternativewhere they have access to dead-ripe fruit, truly fresh sweetcorn, tasty tomatoes, uniquecheeses, pastured-animalproducts, and many otherdifficult to produce and shipfoodstuffs that rarely can befound for sale in chain stores.

As producers, we should neverforget that our customers are notmerely handing us their dollars.They are entrusting us be theengineers of a grand project tomake safe and delicious organicfoods affordable and widelyavailable. Let’s not disappointthem. Back to work.

Dan and Megan Kent grow 10 acresof mixed vegetables, cut flowers, and strawberries in Lisbon, NY. KentFamily Growers is in its eleventhseason serving local and regionalmarkets.

The 2013 farm crew at Kent FamilyGrowers (left to right): Cassio Barboza,from Curitiba, Brazil; Paulo Borba, from Uberlandia, Brazil; and RobensonDesir, from Cavaillon, Haiti. Photo courtesy of Kent Family Growers

COLUMNS

pounds of that, or 30 jars of theother and earn enough to keep thefarm going.The number of consumers who

support small, diversified andorganic farms at farmers marketsand local-focused retailers and inCSAs make entry into the businesspossible for new farmers. Beyondtheir numbers, however, theseconsumers are caring and patient.Nationwide, aspiring farmers arefinding customers who will ridethe bumpy road with them as theymake mistakes in their formativeearly years (especially if the bumpsare described in entertaining

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new york organic news nov 2013

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