Field Day Schedule
New, Natural Tannery
Tomato Research
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TM
Volume 29 | Number 3
Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service
May | June 2021
Communities draw on strengths to build local food networks By Bayard Godsave
Less than 1% of crops grown in the U.S. Abazs tells it, “We are able to grow a lot of today reach household consumers directly, food per square foot.” while the money generated by farming, There were a lot of reasons for choosing likewise, tends to go elsewhere rather than Finland—Lise grew up in Minnesota, the staying within the community. One need not land bears certain similarities to Maine, have studied the economics of farming too where David always wanted to farm—but closely to feel that something is wrong with meeting the challenge of growing organic this way of doing things. In almost every produce under such circumstances has community there are farmers and consumalways been a vital part of what they do. ers who, feeling alienated by the status quo, “We want to show people it can be done,” are exploring ways to develop food systems Abazs said. “If we can do it up here, there’s that are healthy, equitable, and just. no excuse not to do it.” Ken Meter, author of the new book, What they have accomplished at their Building Community Food Webs (Island farm is undoubtedly impressive—more Press), has almost 50 years of experience so that it is done using only renewable helping communities seek alternatives energies—but the Abazses have not kept to what he calls the “extractive U.S. farm their efforts confined to Round River Farm. economy.” He has noted that, despite They started Round River Renewables to The Round River Farm crew shows off the lettuce harvest heading to the farmers technological advances meant to improve consult with and educate other farmers; market. Farm-owner David Abazs (front row center) has helped create several farmers’ productivity and profitability, Lise has produced the Farm Finances community-centered food projects in northern Minnesota. net cash receipts for American farms have Coffee Break Series, which can be found Photo submitted shown no growth over the last 100 years, on the farm’s website; and David helped while the average farm income has risen only $4,000 oversee the development of the AgroEcology Center, mutual trust among farmers and consumers,” Meter since 1960—from $20,000 to $24,000—forcing many writes. He identifies four key strengths that successa permaculture farm and educational center. In 2009, farming households to rely increasingly on off-farm he founded Wolf Ridge Organic Farm with the goal of ful food systems help to develop over time: health, work to get by. wealth, connection, and capacity. The successful food providing “all the vegetables and eggs for the 160,000 What’s more, as Meter wrote in a previous piece in systems he describes in his book are the result of school meals each year.” Around them has grown the Organic Broadcaster, alternatives such as organic collaborations between organizations and community up a community for which healthy food options and growing often prove to be more profitable. This holds sustainability are essential, and, in surrounding coungroups, schools and food co-ops, growers’ associaparticularly for crops such as corn, soybeans, and ties, the number of farms is increasing, bucking the tions and renewable energy advocacy groups—relawheat, where gross revenue outpaces the cost of pronational trend. tionships of trust and understanding that allow all duction for organic and non-GMO crops, while GMO stakeholders to utilize those four key strengths in Recently, Abazs co-authored a study calculating the and conventional crops consistently fall short. But, as order to better serve the health and economic needs of potential economic impact of local agriculture on the almost any organic farmer will tell you, the prevailing their communities. region that stretches from the tip of the Arrowhead, farming system is set up to take money out of commualong Minnesota’s northern border, west to the Leech Over the last few decades, just such a community nities and nutrients out of soil while giving consumers has built up around the small town of Finland, Lake Reservation and south, skirting Duluth, towards a dizzying array of unhealthy food options, the negaBrainerd. The study showed that if just 20% of the Minnesota. When David and Lise Abazs moved to tive impacts of which are well documented. region’s food were purchased locally, then 51 million the Finland community in Minnesota’s Arrowhead In Building Community Food Webs, Meter details food dollars would stay within the region annually. If region in 1988, they settled on a piece of land, what efforts from Indiana to Wisconsin, rural Montana would become Round River Farm, that was seemingly 100% of food purchases were local, the region would to Phoenix, Arizona, to build networks that provide retain as much as $256 million annually. Local food inhospitable to farming. Just 22 inches of soil topped communities with healthy food options, while creatproduction could also bring as many as 3,500 jobs to the bedrock, and that soil contained just 1% organic ing capacity that facilitates production by local, the region. matter. They used pigs to clear brush, cover crops to organic growers. The economic potential is there, the growers are replenish the dirt. After five years, the farm was begin“Resilient community food systems are built, at there, and there is demand within the community. ning to produce, and today, on certain sections, the core, by creating and nurturing strong connections of soil contains more than 15% organic matter. Now, as Local Food Networks continues on 6
Land trusts, easements improve land access for new farmers
PO Box 339, Spring Valley, WI 54767
By Erin Schneider
Tucked in between the ridges and valleys of Wisconsin’s Driftless region just outside of Spring Green, you’ll find moon-eyed Jerseys grazing in perennial pastures that give way to oak savannas and woodlands. Off and on since 1855, this has been the cows’ life. Dick Cates, of Cates Family Farm, keeps both cattle and conservation at the heart of his family business. Cates and I talked recently about land access for the next generation of farmers. “The first best thing a young farmer can do is get a long-term rental contract on the land, make some improvements, and have a land price agreed on when and if it becomes available for purchase down the road,” he advised. He also recommended consulting a local land trust. As land protection organizations, land trusts are well-positioned to support farmland access, community conservation, and land tenure needs. The staff, volunteers, and board members bring local knowledge, skills, and expertise in real estate, land-use planning, and stewardship as well as connections with landowners, legal counsel who can assist with estate and
farm succession planning, and access to state and federal funds that can be used toward purchasing development rights and conservation easements. Cates first learned about land trusts and conservation easements while on a trip to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the early 2000s. “I traveled with a group of people with UW - Extension, media, and agency folks to learn more since we were witnessing a time of housing boons and suburban landscapes buying up farmland,” he explained. In Lancaster County, land trusts had been formed to keep valuable farmland from being developed. “The culture had shifted from one of suspect to one of ‘Geez you’re an idiot if you don’t do this.’ Everyone had a sense of certainty regarding where development could happen and couldn’t,” Cates said. “People knew that this would stay a farming community and that investments along the agricultural value chain would have a certain future. This was remarkable to me.” Back in Wisconsin, Cates decided to buy land along Land Access continues on 8