july-aug 2006 passages newsletter, pennsylvania association for sustainable agriculture

8/9/2019 July-Aug 2006 Passages Newsletter, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

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Compiled by Michele Gauger with excerpts from the FoodRoutes Network Weve all heard the saying put your

money where your mouth is, well thesedays that old saying is ringing even moretrue as a growing consumer population isseeking out local foods. A recent survey fromIowa State University and the Leopold Cen-

ter for Sustainable Agriculture showed 70%of Americans are willing to pay more forlocally-grown foods.

While no agency tracks overall sales of local food, demand for local product is forc-ing changes in the U.S. food system, whichhas become procient at shipping goodsover long distances. Education of the con-sumer population on the many reasons tobuy locally, as well as concerns over the qual-ity and nutritional value of foods, areempowering people to make healthierdietary choices.

Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers,Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and Beyond Number 61 July/August 2006

Newsletter of thePennsylvaniaAssociation

for SustainableAgriculture

PassagesSustainable Food and Farming Systems

One education and marketing campaignattempting to connect consumers with local-ly produced foods isBuy Fresh, Buy Local (BFBL). The primary objective of BFBL isto create a nationally recognized, brandname identity for locally grown food, as a way of differentiating such products fromthe mainstream. For the past three summers

Passages has reported on individual BFBLcampaigns initiated in several Pennsylvaniaregions (Passages #44, 49, 55).

Readers may know BFBL as PASAs mar-keting campaign, but some may not realizethat Buy Fresh, Buy Local is actually a nation-al marketing campaign coordinated by theFoodRoutes Network, a nonprot organiza-tion currently based in Pennsylvania.FoodRoutes partners with community-basedgroups that are interested in organizingBFBL campaigns at state and local levels.

Organic Dairy: An exciting and rewarding opportunity

By Erin James & Patty Neiner,Pennsylvania Certied Organic (PCO

Demand for organic products hasincreased rapidly over the last decadeand continues to grow at a rate of 20% per year. Organic dairy productshave been signicant contributors tothat growth. In fact, dairy marketingorganizations report this rapid rise indemand has resulted in an estimatedsupply shortfall of 15 to 30% in theNortheast U.S. alone. This strongmarket, offering about $25.75 baseprice per cwt, has attracted many dairy farmers in Pennsylvania and thesurrounding region to convert toorganic production.

In addition to increased income,producers find organic dairyingrewarding in many ways. Farmers notehow healthy their cows become by being more proactive and less reactivein their herd health management, they point to healthy and productive soilalive with microbial activity, and dis-cuss successful methods for weed andpest management without usingchemicals.

Buy Fresh, Buy Local:The Nationwide Scope

continued page 3

continued page 12

Enos Hoover's Jersey heifers graze in one of the rotationally managed pastures on PCO-certied Justa-Jersey Farm in New Holland PA. Justa-Jersey Farm is now managed by Jordan H.Martin and family.

71% of all food Barry Eastman serves at his restaurant in Black Hawk,Iowa is purchased locally.


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July/August 20061 Cover Stories:

Buy Fresh,Buy Local Organic Dairy

4 Farmer Prole:Rumbleway Farm

5 Interview with Robin Way

6 Directors Corner

7 Presidents Corner

9 Turning Goldenrod into Green

10 Educational Outreach

11 Conference News

13 Business Member Prole:

Agri-Service Farm14 Regional Marketing

17 Consumer News:Raw Milk Producers

18 PASA News

24 Editors Corner:The Grapevine

25 Calendar

26 Classied Ads

27 Membership & Contribution Form

Troy Bishopp, page 9

Buy Fresh, Buy Localaround the country,page 20

Pennsylvania Associationfor Sustainable Agriculture

P.O.Box 419Millheim PA 16854

Phone:(814) 349-9856 Fax: (814) 349-9840Website:www.pasafarming.org

Passages STAFF & OFFICEStaff Editor : Michele Gauger

Layout : C FactorAdvertising Sales : Michele Gauger,

PASA ofce, [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident: Kim Miller,Westmoreland CountyVice President: Kim Seeley,Bradford County

Secretary: Lyn Garling,Centre CountyTreasurer: Chris Fullerton,Huntingdon County

Mary Barbercheck,Centre CountyDavid Bingaman,Dauphin County

George DeVault,Lehigh CountyJennifer Halpin,Cumberland County

Mena Hautau,Berks CountyJohn Hopkins,Columbia County

John Jamison,Westmoreland CountyDave Johnson,Tioga County

Don Kretschmann,Beaver CountyBrian Moyer, Berks County

Anthony Rodale,Berks County

PASA STAFFHeadquarters

Brian SnyderExecutive Director

[email protected]

Jackie BonomoExecutive Assistant

[email protected]

Lauren SmithDirector of Development& Membership [email protected]

Heather HouseDirector of Educational Outreach

[email protected]

Michele GaugerMembership & Research Assistant

[email protected]

Brandi MarksOfce Coordinator/Bookkeeper

[email protected]

Western Regional OfcePhone:412-697-0411

David EsonDirector of Western Programs

[email protected]

Julie SpeicherMarketing Manager

[email protected]

Sarah YoungProgram Assistant

[email protected]

PASAs Mission isPromoting protable farms which produce

healthy food for all people while respecting the

natural environment.PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvanialandscape. We are seasoned farmers who know thatsustainability is not only a concept, but a way of life.We are new farmers looking for the fulllment of landstewardship. We are students and other consumers,anxious to understand our food systems and thechoices that must be made.We are families and chil-dren,who hold the future of farming in our hands.Thisis an organization that is growing in its voice on behalf of farmers in Pennsylvania and beyond.Our mission isachieved,one voice,one farm,one strengthened com-munity at a time.

PASA is an Equal O pportunity Service Provider and Employer.Some grant funding comes from the USDA and com- plaints of discrimination should be sent to:USDA Ofce of Civil Rights, Washington,DC 20250-9410.

Passages July/August 2006 ContributorsContributors: Troy Bishopp, Jackie Bonomo, George DeVault, David Eson, Chris Fullerton, Mena Hautau, HeatherHouse, Erin James, Karen Kirner, Kim Miller, Gayle Morrow, Patty Neiner, Kris Ribble, Lauren Smith, Brian Snyder,Joani Walsh,Leslie Zuck.

PASA in the NewsHave you seen articles about PASA in your local news-papers or other media? PASA is active across the state,

and wed love to know what coverage we are gettingin your area. Please clip any articles you see on PASAand mail them to our Millheim headquarters to theattention of Ofce Coordinator Brandi Marks.

Do you have a greatarticle idea for Passages ?

Want to share a farming practice with members? Wedlove to hear from you. Please contact the newsletterstaff at [email protected].

Deadline for September/October 2006 Issue:August 31,2006

Passages is printed on recycled,chlorine-free paper


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Organic dairy farmer Rodney Martinof Bridge View Dairy in Chester County says, Another reward is the satisfaction

evident in our children as they are able tolive and work with us in this beautifulenvironment. What better way to pass onthe desire to remain on the farm?

Basics of organic dairy productionOrganic farmers must follow specic

USDA regulations in order to markettheir milk as organic. First, land must bemanaged to meet the National OrganicStandards for at least three years to becertiable. Most importantly, the landmust be free of prohibited materials, such

as synthetic pesticides, fertilizers andtreated seed for a three-year period. A USDA-accredited certifying agent canhelp determine whether a product isallowed for use in organic production.Organic dairy animals must have accessto pasture. Buffers or adjoining land useagreements must be established betweenorganic and non-organic land to protectthe integrity of organic crops.

Organic livestock regulations requiredairy animals to be managed organically for one year prior to producing organic

milk or milk products. Organic manage-ment includes 100% organic feed withapproved additives and supplements.However, producers are allowed a one-time, whole herd conversion under twoexceptions to the 100% feed rule. If theone-year conversion started before June8, 2006, animals may be fed a minimumof 80% organic feed for 9 months, fol-lowed by 100% organic feed for 3months. Producers starting their transi-tion after June 8, 2006, must feed 100%organic feed, which may include third-year transition feed grown on their farm.

Another way producers enter intoorganic production is by purchasingorganic cows or heifers. It is importantthat any purchased stock come withproper identification and certificationdocuments. Once the herd is convertedto organic production, all animals bornon or brought onto the farm must bemanaged organically from the last thirdof gestation. In addition, all feed supple-ments and medical treatments used dur-

National Organic Standards. Commonfeed additives such as synthetic aminoacids and mineral oil are prohibited.

It is imperative that producersinform their certifier about ALL theproducts they wish to use on elds orlivestock BEFORE using them.

Recordkeeping is an essential part of the organic standards. An inspector mustbe able to verify the producers organicsystem plan, so producers should get intothe habit of writing everything down.This includes herd health care, fieldinputs, harvest dates, storage records,receipts and invoices.

Getting startedProducers thinking about transition-

ing to organic dairy production can startheading in the organic direction by mak-ing some gradual changes in their opera-tions. As any seasoned organic dairy farmer knows, the learning curve can bevery steep, and the transition may beeased if producers begin experimenting with new methods of production withintheir management systems. Here aresome suggestions: Begin switching from synthetic fertiliz-

ers, herbicides and pesticides to naturalmethods.

Stop using treated seeds. Learn about proactive, natural herd

health strategies: talk to organic dairy farmers and vets, attend PASA andPCO eld days, read and research.

Find sources of organic seed and feed;evaluate the costs of inputs.

Establish careful records. Keep a le

ing the transition year (andafter the farm becomes cer-tied) must comply withthe National OrganicStandards and must beapproved for use in organ-ic production. (Contact a

certifying agency if youhave questions about aparticular product.) Theserules also apply to dairy goats and sheep.

As noted, there are var-ious methods, and combi-nations of methods, usedto enter into organic dairy production. Producersshould work with their certication agentprior to the start of transitioning to makesure their organic plan is approved. Con-

tacting a certier early can minimize thenancial risk of inadvertently using aprohibited product or practice that would result in denial of certication.

A timeline for certication:what to expect

Organic standards require producersto submit a certication application to aUSDA-accredited certier. Before certi-cation can be granted, a qualied organicinspector must inspect the producersoperation and all paperwork must be

reviewed by the certication agency. Of course, this takes time and most certiersadvise clients to apply at least six to ninemonths prior to the date they wish to sellorganic products. Dairy producers arestrongly encouraged to apply early enough so they can be inspected near thebeginning of their transition year. That way, if a noncompliance is found, it canbe corrected without losing organic pro-duction. Once organic certication isgranted, an annual update and inspectionis required.

Common hang-ups and mistakesCertifying agents have qualied staff

to help farmers understand the NationalOrganic Standards so they may becomecertied. Below are common mistakesthat may result in denial of certicationor re-starting the one-year conversion.

Treated seed is a prohibited material;if planted on a eld, the eld will not beeligible for certication for three years.

Feed supplements and medical treat-ments must meet the requirements of the

Organic Dairy continued from page 1

continued page 5

A cow and calf enjoy some quality time together in one of PCO-certied Bridge View Dairy's lush pastures.Bridge View Dairy isoperated by Rodney Martin and family in Oxford, PA.


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Rumbleway

Farmitage breeds), ducks and Boer goats. The

goats are raised on the hedgerowsaround the farm, and according toRobin they enjoy the variety of weeds.

The farm currently offers variousproducts for sale year-round, includingfresh poultry in spring, summer and fall.In 2005 they processed 2,500 chickens,500 turkeys, 100 rabbits, 100 ducks andabout a dozen goats, and expect aboutthe same this year.

In addition to an on-site processingarea and certied kitchen they have alsostarted opening their farm with Dinner

at the Farm events and their yearly Farm Day, which began in 2000.Both of these events are great ways tomarket our farming methods and prod-ucts to the community, she says.

Dinner at the Farm is a four-coursemeal, open to the pub-lic. Open seating isavailable December to April each year and din-ners are served family style. The meals featuremeats and productsfrom the farm that areprepared in their certi-ed kitchen. They alsooffer arrangements forprivate parties in Octo-

ber and November, where they will tailorthe menu to the event. Dinner at theFarm came about as a way to bring extraincome in during our off time says Way.

Rumbleways annual Farm Day willbe held the last Sunday in September. Way comments, We started Rumble- way Farm Day after hosting our countysFamily Day on the Farm and really enjoyed the experience. This eventallows visitors to see farm activities likemaking sauerkraut and pressing applecider. There are hayrides and a shingtournament, as well as craft activitiesand local farm vendors.I

Rumbleway Farm, owned by Robinand Mark Way, is a 62-acre farm near theSusquehanna River at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. The Way family purchased the farm in 1992, which wasoriginally established by Scott-Irish set-tlers in the 1800s, and since then they have been working together as a family torestore the farm and outbuildings. Thefarm name originated from Rumblebeing the last owners of the farm andWay as the family name. The previousowners really loved the land and wantedit to stay in agriculture, unfortunately thehusband died the day of his retirement ina car accident and did not get to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Today, Rumbleway Farm is a grass-based farm raising hay, beef cattle, goats,pastured poultry and rabbits. The Ways want their farm to be sustainable andhope to meet the growing consumer

demands fornaturally raisedfood. The Ways feel being sustainable isthe way of the future the way ourforefathers farmed in tune with natureand the environment.

Our rst venture was custom meatfrom beef cows and pigs, as well as hay grass. The cows spent their days grazingon lush vegetation, which was supple-mented with alfalfa hay and ground cornmeal when needed, says Robin Way.

In 1997 they started raising chickenson grass in moveable shelters similar to Joel Salatins methods in Virginia. Thechickens are placed on pasture at 34 weeks old, as it usually takes about 9 weeks for them to reach a market size of 56 pounds. We start receiving chicks inMarch and nish our last processing inOctober, says Way.

They also raise turkeys, (some are her-

4

Rumbleway

Farm

FARMER PROFILE

The Way family has been farming since 1992at Rumbleway Farm in Conowingo,Maryland.Inset: Turkeys,some of which are heritagebreeds, are just some of the animals raised ongrass at Rumbleway Farm.

For more information, contact RumblewayFarm, 592 McCauley Road, Conowingo, MD21918, call 410-658-9731 or visit them atwww.rumblewayfarm.com.


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PASA: What do you see as some of thecritical issues concerning agriculture?Robin Way: The continual loss of farm-land. We continue to move farther andfarther away from the land and where ourfood comes from. By being detached thegeneral public doesnt realize this loss of land and family farms.

What is unique about your farm? We live very close to the tri-state area(PA/DE/MD) and we wanted to takeadvantage of the market by offering poul-try. In order to do this we added a pro-cessing facility certied by the USDA anda certied kitchen. The facility is for ourown meat since we dont have the addedstaff to process for other producers. When building the facility we followedUSDA specications, applied for a writ

of inspection through the USDA, wrote aHAACP plan and we have an inspectoronsight during all inspected processing. Ittook us about 6 months to get all thepaperwork completed.

In 2000 we started offering customcuts of meat to customers rather thanonly freezer beef by the half or whole ani-mal. This allowed us to branch out tonew customers because not everyone hasroom for that much meat.

I have found that in offering cuts of meats to customers, consistency is impor-tant. Packaging and labeling can also help with sales. Your products should not only taste great but should look great too. Pro-vide recipes for hard to use cuts or beginto think of them in other ways, for exam-ple, the growing pet food market. Youshould try to get to know your butcherand work closely with them. Most of ouradvertisement comes from word of mouth, but we do hand out yers andbrochures. Our web site allows people toaccess us at home and view the farm. We

started the Dinner on the Farm eventsto make use of our processing area in the winter (because we are seasonal) andshowcase our farm products.

How has your operation evolved overthe y ears?Mark grew up with farming in his blood.He helped at a neighbors farm from thetime he was 10 years old. The farm cameinto the family about the time we gotmarried and we purchased it from hisparents. I was a city girl who loved theoutdoors and the country. We met while working for DuPont doing pharmaceuti-cal research. Mark still works a full time job with the Department of the Army asa biologist, while I manage the farm oper-ations and children.

When we married, Mark had severalbeef cattle at a neighbors farm so it wasnatural to continue to raise beef. Westarted into poultry when our extensionagent had a grant for a farmer cooperatorto try a new approach free range poultry in moveable pens. We started in 1996 with 50 chickens and hand-plucked themthe rst year. We decided we could raisepoultry, purchased the equipment andbuilt a processing area.

Why did you join PASA? We joined PASA to meet other people in

our eld and to learn ne w things. Wevebeen attending the conference for over 5years and have enjoyed the new pre-con-ference options. Mark has been to severalpasture walks and has enjoyed the two-day turkey workshop offered last year. Wehave met so many people who are both inour business and others who show us newdirections to branch out, that I alwaysrecommend PASA to others. No one doesthings the same way so by seeing whatothers do on their farms gives us ideas onhow to stream-line our business.I

folder with invoices and receipts forfeed, seed and v et expenses, herdhealth records, dates of planting, eld

inputs, harvest, and storage. Contact milk-marketing organizations

to nd out options for pick-up, orexplore ideas for developing on-farmprocessing or sales. Some milk market-ing organizations provide price incen-tives and/or loans to assist producersduring their transition.

Organic dairy producer Kore Yoder of Bev-R-Lane in Union County offers thefollowing advice about moving towardorganic dairy production: You have to

shift your philosophy from a focus onproduction to a focus on prot. Per cowproduction may be lower than in (non-organic) production, but input costs, vetbills, and cull rates are lower for grass-based organic production. In terms of raising crops to feed his herd, Yoder notesthat, Rotation is key to a lot of things:soil health, crop health, weed, pest, anddisease management, and farmer sanity.

A federal cost-share program is avail-able to reimburse producers for up to75% of organic certication fees (maxi-mum $500); contact Jared Grissinger at717-705-9513 or [email protected] more information or an application.Information about the National OrganicStandards and a list of USDA-accreditedcertication agencies can be found atUSDAs National Organic Program web-site: www.ams.usda.gov/nop.I

To set up a farm visit or if you have questionsabout transitioning to organic dairy, contactPatty or Erin at PCO ([email protected] [email protected]) or 814-364-1344.

PCO is USDA-accredited nonprot organiccertifying agency that educates and certiesgrowers, processors, and handlers of organiccrops, wild crops, livestock and livestock products in Pennsylvania and adjoiningstates. Join PCO to receive Organic Dairy Mat-ters newsletter and notices of upcomingworkshops and programs. Information aboutPCOs certification program, membershipoptions, and upcoming events can be foundon PCOs website: www.paorganic.org. Orvisit our ofce at 406 S. Pennsylvania Ave.,Centre Hall, PA.

Organic Dairy continued from page 3Interview with

Robin WayInterview withRobin Way

Robin Way in the farms new certied kitchen facility.


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A Matter of Vision:The Future of American Agriculture

This vision, while different in obvi-ous ways, also represents a progression of ideas that brings about a desired out-come food for our society that, whilenot necessarily inexpensive, is of very good quality for the money paid, i.e.high-value food. The emphasis on qual-ity as opposed to efciency is the key to understanding this particular vision,and a key to understanding the differ-ence between conventional and sustain-

able systems.The sustainable vision is founded on

the concept of connection, whichrefers to both the farmers connection tothe land and animals and the consumersconnection with the farmer. This visionsees farmers collaborating with eachother, as opposed to competing, toachieve common goals. And this collab-oration holds whether talking aboutfarmers next door, or those in differentregions or countries within the nationalor global marketplace.

The major strength of this vision liesin its replacement of resource exploita-tion with an emphasis on systemichealth. Sustainable farmers are con-cerned with the health of the entire foodsystem, beginning with the soil, landand water and ending with the health of consumers. A breakdown in vitality any- where in the production chain meansthe whole system must be reevaluated.

Volumes could be spent comparingand contrasting the two visions present-

ed here. But even in this simplistic form,it should be clear how powerfully descriptive and consequential these twoportrayals are in understanding the way decisions about national farm policy have been made in the past, and what isreally at stake for future generations.

If you subscribe to Vision A, whichdepicts the status quo of agriculture forthe last 40 or 50 years (but not so muchbefore that), then you will necessarily reach certain conclusions that are by

D i r e c t o r s C o r n e r

Editors Note:This article was originally print-ed in the Spring 2006 edition of Waterkeeper magazine, visit www.waterkeeper.org.

By Brian Snyder For at least four decades, since about

the time when many of us as childrenbegan to idealize processed foods origi-nally prepared for astronauts, Americanfarming sat on the brink ofsomething.

Whether that something amounts

to greatness or disaster depends on theperspective of the observer. But few would argue that this 40 year period canbe characterized as one of intermittentdecline for the bulk of farmers and, moreimportantly, for the agrarian culture that was once the hallmark of our country.

Today, the decline continues, withsome notable exceptions. At least twogeneralized approaches to farming,located mostly at opposite ends of thefarm-size spectrum, seem to be ourish-ing. Traditional farms, now oftenreferred to as midsized farms, are dis-appearing fast. It is only natural toinquire as to the drivers of this divergenttrend, and whether any particular modelholds the key to a brighter future.

In pursuit of answers, it can be very instructive to note how, when faced withthe same set of facts, equally well edu-cated and otherwise sophisticated peoplecan sometimes reach very different con-clusions. Take for instance the appear-ance of Mad Cow Disease in Americasbeef industry, or the impending specterof deadly Avian Inuenza.

Faced with these circumstances,advocates of so-called modern conne-ment and mega-feedlot production sys-tems see a need for more uniformity andcontrol, as well as larger productionfacilities in general. On the other hand,practitioners of alternative agriculturalsystems, usually implemented on smallerand widely scattered farms, will talk about the need for increased diversica-tion and holistic approaches that look at

the health of the entire system.In order to understand and evaluate

these contrasting attitudes, one mustrst comprehend the visions that gener-ated them. In this case, a vision isdened as a series of interconnectedprinciples that logically lead to a desiredresult. For example, consider the follow-ing diagram of one agricultural vision:

Vision A:Isolation

M

ExploitationM

EfciencyM

Inexpensive Food

In this vision, representing the princi-ples underlying what has come to beknown as conventional agriculture, wesee a progression of ideas ending in adesired result, i.e. an efcient produc-tion system that provides inexpensivefood for the masses.

The term isolation is used here todescribe an independent Americanfarmer, operating in a competitive mar-ket including not only neighboringfarms and those across the country, butincreasingly those in other countries. Asthe vision goes, such farms make the bestuse of, or exploit available resources inorder to operate as efciently as possible.The desired outcome is to produce therelatively inexpensive food supply that we often take for granted.

In contrast to this conventionalthinking, an altogether different visionunderpins the alternative farming meth-ods relied upon by the sustainablefarming community follows:

Vision B:Connection

M

Systemic HealthM

QualityM

High-Value Food

6

continued page 19


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9/28

Turning Goldenrod into Green:Reclaiming Fallow Land By Grazing

9

By Troy BishoppFallow land really sticks out in the

landscape doesnt it? But when you go by

a fallow eld, have you ever noticed theriding paths or the occasional attempt atmowing a portion of it? Nice and greenand vegetative arent they?

You can get pretty excited about thisuntapped resource once you understandthe simple dynamics of bringing it back into production with livestock. A strate-gic mowing and subsequent grazing pres-sure to stir up the natural soil seed bank can yield a totally renewed landscape.

Weeds Can Be Grazed

Your arch nemesis on fallow land isusually a combination of goldenrod,knapweed, multiora rose and other frus-trating so-called weeds. These weeds arehighly competitive and contain allelo-pathic compounds that sicken the sur-rounding area so they can thrive. They are also very unfriendly to undergroundsoil life. However these plants do hate tobe cut or grazed on a regular basis, so takeadvantage of this weakness.

Livestock can actually do fairly wellon these weeds. This past year some of my custom grazed stocker calves were ona 85% knapweed farmstead and they actually looked as good as the ones eatinggood grass. The big trick is to keep theplants vegetative enough so that your ani-mals will eat it. And it really helps to haveanimals in the pasture that have learnedto eat these plants. Theyll soon teach theothers that its not all that bad.

If you have ever read Newman Turn-ers book , Fertility Pastures , you know thatthere are many medicinal benets that

come from weeds. Maybe this was a fac-tor in the weight gain my own cattleshowed. Isnt it neat how Mother Nature

may take care of us after all?I have also found that after a timely

deposit of manure in the soil seed bank,and a little moisture and sunlight nally reaching the starved canopy, good thingsstart to happen.

Matt Sanderson from the ARS PastureSystems Research Unit has informed methat Northeast pastures contain about 5.5million seeds per acre in the soil natural-ly. The seed prole is broken down into 5classes: annual/biennial forbs, annualgrasses, legumes, perennial forbs andperennial grasses. Overall forbs represent70% of the seed bank, while the grassesand legumes make up the rest.

Pasture SaladOn av erage there are about 3 pounds

per acre of grass seed and 2 pounds per

acre of legume seed. Not a bad pasturesalad for livestock and wildlife. Deer,goats and sheep like those forbs whilepigs, chickens and turkeys like the seedsand roots and cattle like the grasses.Good management of these differentspecies on the land may bring back someof our most valued resource.

Could we ever turn thousands of acresof fallow land into productive grazingland? Maybe connecting forward think-ing farmers with like-minded landowners would be start. Its not an easy road totake, but something worthwhile to inves-tigate in this day and age. We must startsomewhere as the price of fuel, feed andcredit hampers our young people fromgetting into agriculture.

What are your thoughts on theseideas?

Troy Bishopp is a fourth generationfarmer-grazer and grazing specialist withthe Madison County, NY Soil and WaterConservation District. He co-presented aPASA eld day at Mike Wrights Farm.I

Editors Note:This article originally appearedin the January 9, 2006 issue of Small FarmQuarterly.

Left: Close up of grazed knapweed. Looks pretty tasty doesnt it?

Inset: When it comes to grazing, author Troy Bish-opp sure knows what hes talking about.

Turning Goldenrod into Green:Reclaiming Fallow Land By Grazing

Project Grass Conference Coming in October The 5th Annual Statewide Project Grass Conference is to be held at Penn

College in Williamsport, PA October 20 and 21, 2006.Speakers will include Jim Gerrish and Allen Williams along with various

producer, industry, and agency speakers. Jim Gerrish is a grassland con-sultant working with private landowners on pasture and rangeland plan-ning, hay making, and livestock management.

Dr. Williams is a founding partner and Vice President of The JacobAlliance, LLC,and Livestock Management Consultants,LLC.

Additional topics will include: pasture management, value-added mar-keting, producer discussion groups, solar and wind power on the farm,alternative energy and bio-fuels on the farm, converting to organic dairy-ing, dairy heifer grazing, pastured poultry, pastured hogs, updates on theFarm Bill,pasture nutrient management and much,much more.

Please join us in our discussions of Pennsylvanias grasslands! For moreinformation and registration form contact Kris Ribble at 570-784-4401 Ext.111 or [email protected] deadline is September 29.


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By Karen Kirner,Guest Field Day Reporter

One of the most interesting parts of

PASAs eld day programming is thechance to learn about another farmsoperation and the farmers ingenuity. Itseems every farmer has their own uniquemethods of running their businesses.

This is the case at Otterbein Acres,owned by John and Lena Fisher. Visitingtheir farm, located in Franklin County, was a chance to learn more about theiroperation that includes 200 grass-fedsheep and two collies that are trained tomove the sheep. Probably the most inter-esting attraction of the eld day was the

milking carousel that John designed andbuilt himself.

When researching milking systems John found the equipment to be very expensive. Therefore he decided to buildhis own milking system, hoping to beable to do so at a lower price. His plan worked since the carousel cost about$1,000 (not including the pipeline thathe added later). John also had two othergoals in the design of the project: head-locks to hold the sheep in place and theability to milk 100 sheep in one hour.

The nished carousel has a ramp that

leads up to the turntable. The base of thecarousel wheel has rubber to prevent thesheep from slipping. When a wooden

gate is lifted one sheep is allowed to walk onto the carousel from the ramp. As thecarousel is manually spun (this might bethe hardest part of the job since it gets

heavy with sheep on it), feed falls into acenter trough which gives the sheepincentive to put their heads into theheadlock. After a sheep is secured and herudders are disinfected, the milkers aremanually attached.

After each sheep is nished milking

the milkers are manually released and when the sheep completes a full circle onthe carousel the headlock is released and

tures are added to the milk, bacteria eatthe lactose (milk sugars) in the milk.They produce a bi-product called lacticacid, which gives the cheese its avor andincreases the acidity of the milk.

After the milk has an acid-base, thenext step is to make the milk solids setmore rmly. A coagulating agent, mostoften rennet, is used to draw the curdstogether. The curds are then drained andleft to rm up. In soft cheeses, you addsmall amounts of rennet and let thecheese sit for longer periods of time. Inhard cheeses, you add large amounts of rennet and let the cheese sit for a shorterperiod of time. Its that simple!

While stovetop cheeses arent likely to win any artisan cheese awards, they are afun, delicious and healthy crowd-pleaser

By Heather H ouse Want to achieve culinary authority

status at your next potluck? Try bringinga fresh, homemade cheese! Makingcheese at home is a thrilling experience,one that even a novice cook can enjoy.Since PASA is hosting a Home Cheese-making course with Ricki Carroll in thefall (details below), we thought wed giveyou a crash course in cheesemaking.

There are two basic steps in cheese-making. First, a starter culture is added tomilk to separate the milk solids from themilk liquids or, in other words, the curdsfrom the whey. In very simple cheeses,like Queso Blanco, the coagulant is vine-gar. In more complex cheeses, like Parmi-giano-Reggiano, a special bacterialripening culture must be used. Once cul-

for friends and family. Cheese can bemade from both pasteurized and rawmilk, but ultra-pasteurized milk cannotmake Mozzarella cheese because the heat-treatment applied to the milk preventsthe stretching of the curds.

Want to learn more? The Queen of Cheese, Ricki Carroll, will enlighten uson the world of home cheesemaking fortwo distinct PASA events in October. Author of Home Cheese Making andfounder of the New England Cheesemak-ing Supply Company, Ricki lls every class with expert instruction and lots of stories. Whether you attend the hands-onprogram in State College on October 28or the cooking demonstration at West-moreland County Community Collegeon October 29, you will leave class with ahome mozzarella and ricotta cheesemak-ing kit and the inspiration for makingcheeses at home!I

continued page 19

E d u c a t i o n a l

O u t r e a c h

A highlight of the eld day at Otterbein Acres was the milker designed and built by John Fisher.

Learn from the Queen of Cheese

Sheep Dairying & Cheesemaking

FIELD DAY REPORT


11/2811

Planning Committee

Moving ForwardThe 2007 Conference Planning Com-mittee consists of almost 30 PASA volun-teers who lend their time leading up tothe conference to determine the confer-ence theme and keynoters, contact speak-ers for the workshops, and solicitsponsors for support. Board membersBrian Moyer and Mary Barbercheck areco-chairing the committee again thisyear. Planning began in May and is going well. By the time you read this, most of the planning for the 120+ conference workshops will be nearly completed! Notonly that, we have booked our threekeynoters for the 2007 event. Folks whopurchase tickets to the Thursday eveningdinner picnic will have the honor hearingfrom venerated direct marketing farmer Joel Salatin. Opening the main confer-ence Friday morning is peak oil expert James Kunstler and we'll wrap up the

cause! Contact Lauren Smith at PASA

headquarters for more information.Arias M. Brownback

Scholarship FundFormed in 2001, this scholarship fund

is designed to help youth and otherdeveloping farmers attend the Farming for the F uture conference each year. Thescholarship expresses PASAs commit-ment to providing educational opportu-nities for those wishing to learnsustainable agricultural techniques andmethods regardless of nancial circum-

stances. As the scholarship fund grows, sodoes the list of people whove gainedfrom its support. In fact, PASA was ableto award over 25 scholarships to supportfarmers attending the conference in2006. Ideas are being sought for newsources of income for this fund. If youhave any ideas in this regard, contactHeather House at PASA headquarters.I

conference on Saturday with an inspiring

and colorful closing from farmer photog-rapher Michael Ableman. We hope to seeyou all in State College in February!

Business OpportunitiesPackets of information on sponsoring,

exhibiting, advertising, and other busi-ness opportunities connected with theconference will be mailed late summer. If you are not on the business contact listand care to be, contact Lauren Smith atPASA headquarters.

Charity AuctionNow in our fth year of auction

fundraising at the conference, we areseeking unique (and valuable!) items toauction at the 2007 conference. TheSilent Auction, the Bag Auction and theLive Auction need a variety of items in allprice ranges. Help us assemble some ter-ric items to be auctioned off in 2007 this is a terric way to contribute to the

C o n f e r e n c e N e w s

16th Annual Farming for the Future ConferenceCultivating Excellence Farming to Serve the Common Good

February 13, 2007 State College, PA

Dont Miss TheseSummer Educational Events!

Southwestern Penna. Fresh Market Tomato Twilight Meeting August 29 (tentative)Lee Young and Eric Oesterling, Penn State extension educators in Washington and Westmoreland Counties respectively, will host a twilight meet-ing at the site of the 2006 Tomato Variety Trial to cover tomato varieties and pest management. This year the trial will contain a number of linesfrom Dr. Majid Foolads breeding program, which seeks to increase disease resistance and nutrient content in commercial tomato varieties. Thetrial is tentatively planned for Bebout Farms, Venetia, Washington County. For registration and information, contact Lee Young at 724-228-6881 [email protected].

Lehigh Valley Potato Twilight Meeting late August or early SeptemberA Twilight Potato Growers Meeting will be scheduled during the last two weeks of August or rst week in September at Twin Maple Farm, locatedin Northampton County, near Bath, Pennsylvania. Robert Leiby, Lehigh Co. extension educator, has established the 2006 potato variety plot at thefarm. Several hills of each cultivar in the plot will be harvested and placed on display. Growers will be able to compare new varieties with knownstandards like Katahdin and Snowden. There will also be updates on potato diseases and insect pests. For registration and information, contactRobert Leiby at 610-391-9840 or [email protected].

Bucks County Pumpkin Twilight Meeting September or OctoberScott Guiser, a Penn State extension educator in Bucks Co., is planting a pumpkin variety demonstration for growers in southeastern Pennsylva-nia at Delaware Valley College this year. A twilight meeting to observe the results will be scheduled for this fall. For registration and information,contact Scott Guiser at 215-345-3283 or [email protected].

Penn State Cooperative Extensionin Washington, Westmoreland, Lehigh and Bucks Counties

Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association717-694-3596 www.pvga.org

ADVERTISEMENT


12/28

Kansas City metro area.Diana Endicott of Good Natured

Farms says, As consumer demandincreases for natural and organic foods,label green-washing is an increasing prob-lem. The BFBL campaign helps local,small family farms differentiate them-selves, from these green-wash labels in the

marketplace. The BFBL campaign is anessential marketing tool providing localfamily farms, processors and independentretail markets a competitive edge.

IowaIn Northeast Iowa their BFBL cam-

paign has doubled local food purchasesamong 23 institutional buyers, includinghospitals, retirement homes, restaurants,grocers and colleges. Together these insti-tutions spent approximately $465,000 onlocally produced fruits, vegetables, meats,dairy and baked goods in 2004 dollarsthat otherwise might not have beeninvested locally.

Snapshots of Other Buy Fresh, Buy Local CampaignsNow that you know more about the origins of the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign, see whatother states are doing across the country. Here are a few examples of how the message of buy-ing locally is spreading nationwide, including an update on the Pennsylvania campaigns.

C o v e r S t o r y

12

markets differentiate themselves fromtheir large competitors.

The various BFBL campaigns are uti-lizing lessons learned from the Be aLocal Hero, Buy Locally Grown effort,supported by the FoodRoutes Network and implemented by Community

Involved in Sustaining Agriculture(CISA), a nonprofit organization in Amherst, Massachusetts. In an independ-ent evaluation, 78% of area residentspolled recalled the Local Hero cam-paign. Of those, 65% reported that thecampaign inuenced them to buy locally grown food. Further, 70% of participat-ing farmers reported increased sales afterthe campaign began. Today, BFBL isbuilding the market for locally grownfood in communities across the U.S.

Kansas City,MissouriThe BFBL campaign in Kansas City,

coordinated by Bridging the Gap andGood Natured Family Farms, has trackedan increase in local food sales by 36% viaa locally owned and operated supermar-ket chain of 14 Hen House Markets and15 Price Chopper stores located in the

Buy Fresh, Buy Local continued from page 1

AlabamaAlabama FarmersMarket Authority

CaliforniaCommunity Alliancewith Family Farmers

Central Illinois The Land Connection,Inland Northwest, RuralRoots

IowaPractical Farmers of Iowaand University of North-ern Iowa

Kansas CityBridging the Gap and

Good Natured FamilyFarms

LouisianaBaton Rouge Economicand Agricultural Develop-ment Alliance

MinnesotaLand Stewardship Project

MississippiMississippi Association of Cooperatives

MontanaAlternative EnergyResources Organizationand Mission MountainMarket

NebraskaNebraska SustainableAgriculture Society

New Mexico/ColoradoRocky Mountain FarmersUnion

New York New York SustainableAgriculture WorkingGroup

NorthwesternNew Jersey The Foodshed Alliance

PennsylvaniaPASA

Campaigns are currently underway in 15states and 18 communities nationwide.

What is Buy Fresh, Buy Local ?The concept of BFBL was to create anational network of local food and agri-culture organizations that promoted localfoods through a unifying label. Once thenational label was designed, each partner-ing organization took the materials anddeveloped their own marketing plan.

The mission is to stimulate publicawareness of, and demand for, locally grown food. It brings consumers a con-sistent image and message that identiesand supports local food producers

through farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) projects,grocery stores and restaurants. The cam-paign also aims to help local family farms, processors, and independent retail

Who isFoodRoutes Network?

FoodRoutes Network (www. food-

routes.org) is a nonprot organization

currently based in Pennsylvania that

provides communication tools, organ-

izing support, and marketing

resources to grassroots groupsthroughout the US that are working to

rebuild local food systems and pro-

mote sustainable agriculture. Food-

Routes coordination of the Buy Fresh,

Buy Local marketing campaign is con-

necting consumers in communities

throughout the country to the fresh-

est, most delicious locally grown and

produced foods available. Through

outreach,advertising and point of pur-

chase materials,BFBL makes it easy for

consumers to nd fresh, local food

from farmers they can know and trust.

continued page 20

BFBL Campaign Partners


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B u s i n e s s M e m b

e r P r o l e

13

Q. What is unique about your business? A. I feel one unique thing about us is we were raised on dairy farms so we come inon the ag side, not commercial-wise. Were all about small family farms. Wevery much understand the people were working with.

Q. Why did you join PASA? A. The members fall within our targetaudience. I was contacted by PASA because someone heard about us andthought wed make a good match. I cameto the 2005 conference and displayedsome of our equipment. It was obvious

there were potential customers! We joined to stay involved.

Q. How has your membership been a benet to your business? A. Weve successfully displayed at twoconferences and also made a lot of impor-tant contacts not just customers.PASA brings a lot of people together. Wedo almost no advertising. Customers areour best sales people, so the contacts wemake at the conference are important.

Q. What does the term sustainablemean to you and how do you incorpo-rate that into your business?

A. We had a corporate vision statementthat says our mission is to develop prof-itable and sustainable family farms.Thats why we expanded into food pro-cessing (equipment); I could see it wouldbe a benet to them (customers) to addvalue to their product. Sustainable to me,

means it can survive over the long term,it can be passed on. From a businessstandpoint it remains viable over a signif-icant period of time. Prot and sustain-ability have to go hand-in-hand.

Q. What do you see as some of the crit-ical issues facing ag and ag-related busi-nesses today? A. I think urbanization is one of the crit-ical issues. It is a bane and a blessing. Itcreates challenges but it is an opportuni-ty to bring the consumer closer to thefarmer. It makes farmers rethink howthey farm. I think it is so important tothe consumer to know what ag is allabout. We have a whole generation of consumers who know so little of whatfarming is. Developing and communicat-ing a message to the consumer is critical,and part of the message can be lettingthem come on your farm and see (youroperation). We have to make it our busi-ness to educate the public.

Q. What do you see as the connectionbetw een sustainable ag and the con-sumer? A. It is all about the consumer. If youplan to build a sustainable system, start with the potential customer base and ndout whats important to them. Talk topeople about what is important abouttheir food. So many of our customers callus to ask what they should do, and they really have the cart before the horse. They should be talking to their customer base. We (as sustainable producers) are only targeting the minority who really care

about what they eat and where it comesfrom. Wed like that minority to grow.That comes back to communicating thatmessage. The more we can educate, thelarger the minority becomes. In generalonly a small percentage of people are will-ing to break out of their shopping habitsto buy fresh, local products. We have tocreate and communicate the message toconsumers that where your food comesfrom is important. I think farmers haveto play a lead role. Farmers have anopportunity to be their own message.I

By Gayle MorrowGot milk? Want cheese? Then you may need Agri-Service. The Hagerstown,

Maryland company has the processing equipment for whatever you want tomake with your milk.

We are all dairy-focused, says Dale Martin, who owns the company withRichard Strite. Our business is farmer oriented, not commercial.

Martin describes the company as kind of like a three-legged stool. Thelegs are farm equipment rental, milking equipment, supply and processingequipment sales. Agri-Service carries everything a dairy farmer needs to run hisor her operation, he says, whether that operation is focused on cows, sheep, goatsor other milk-producer. The rental end of the business is primarily implementslike ag baggers or tractors. The company sells barn equipment, manure handlers,milk coolers and such. The processing equipment runs the gamut from uidbottling supplies and icecream freezers to culturing

tanks for yogurt and butterchurns.We do have multiple

sizes of different things,says Martin, but stressesthe focus is very much onthe small-scale producer.

Agri-Service LLC got itsstart in 1985. Martinexplains that he and hispartner both grew up ondairy farms. In his case, hesays that as things hap-

pened with families, hisbrother took over their family farm so Martin and his father bought out a dairy equipment company. They started out with four employees and 21 years later, with growth that was some planned, and some not, Agri-Service now employ-ees 2530. He says many of the companys workers come from dairy back-grounds and have agriculture experience.

It helps us understand our customers, he says.If you think Agri-Service might be able to help you with your dairy opera-

tion, call 301-223-6877.

Churns to Cheese Makers get it at Agri-Service

Standing beside a cheese bag trolley and pictured leftto right is the Agri-Services crew of Larry Wampler,Sales; Marlin Wampler, Product Manager;and holding acurd fork is Dale Martin, President.


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I Heirloom Melon Tastingat Dancing Creek FarmWednesday, August 23, 5:30 pmdusk Mick & Seth Kodner are growing about20 varieties of heirloom melons for Tus-carora Organic Growers this summer andinvite anyone interested to their farm fora taste testing party. Bring your own heir-loom melons, nger foods and drinks toshare. Seth will offer a tour of the farm toearly arrivers. The farm is located eightmiles south of Port Royal between Rt. 75and Rt. 35. For directions and to RSVPemail Mick at [email protected] or call 717-527-2831.

IFree Biodiesel Workshopsfor Farmers

Wilson College will be offering work-shops for farmers on how to makebiodiesel fuel from waste fryer oil. Theone-day hands-on workshops will includesessions on chemical analysis, fuel quality,biodiesel processor designs, logistics of oilcollection and fuel making. Personalhealth and environmental safety will bestressed throughout the curriculum. TheBiodiesel Workshop Series is funded by a

grant from the SARE program. After participating in the workshops,

farmers will be eligible to apply for sup-plemental funding of up to $1500 tobuild their own biodiesel processors.Farmers who are selected for the funding will receive follow up support from theexperienced biodiesel brewers at WilsonCollege, and an engineer who is contract-ed to assist with the project.

Workshops will begin at the end of this summer in and around south centralPennsylvania, and will continue into thefall of 2006. The rst workshop is sched-uled for August 19th at Spoutwood Farmin York County. Farmers who would liketo participate or host a workshop at theirfarm are encouraged to contact MattSteiman, Program Manager, Fulton Cen-ter for Sustainable Living, Wilson Col-lege, Chambersburg PA. 717-264-4141ext. 3247 or [email protected] orvisit www.wilson.edu/biodiesel.

SOUTHCENTRAL REGION

Local Foods Week Events

September 10 I Savor, Sip & Socialize, Local Food Week Kick-Off at Six Penn Kitchen,5:30-8:00 p.m. Visit www.buylocalpa.org or www.pasafarming.org.I Eating Well While Doing GoodDine out at select restaurants featuringlocally grown food. For restaurants go to www.buylocalpa.org or www.pasafarm-ing.org.

September 11I Farm Fanfare: A Festival at East Liber-ty Farmers Market 3:307:30 p.m. www.buylocalpa.org or www.pasafarm-ing.org

I Caf Scientique at Penn Brewery:What to Eat: Organic, Local, Sustain-able? with Penn State professor andPASA board member, Mary Bar-bercheck, 6:30 p.m. www.cafescipgh.org

September 12 I Local Lunch and Learn: Fixing ourBroken Food System in Western PA with David Eson of PASA, Schenley Park Visitors Center Cafe, 12:00 p.m. www.buylocalpa .org or www.pasafarm-ing.org

I Whats For Dinner? SweetwaterCooking School goes to SouthsideFarmers Marketa cooking class usingthe days harvest, 4:30 p.m. www.sweetwatercooking .com/412-325-2703.

September 13I Family Day at the Mount LebanonFarmers Market www.buylocalpa.org or www.pasafarming.org

WESTERN REGION I PASA Appreciation DayShop at Whole Foods Market today. Five percentof sales benet PASA and its programs. www.buylocalpa.org or www.pasafarm-ing.org

September 14 I Hike and Eat Locally with VentureOutdoors in Schenley Park with cateredmeal from Caf at Phipps, 6:30-8:30p.m. Venture Outdoors Members $12, Nonmembers $15 www.ven-tureoutdoors.org

September 15 I Women on the Agricultural Edgean Urban Farm Tour, with Barb Kline,Mildreds Daughters Farm, 11 a.m. $5contribution to Grow Pittsburgh.Reservations/directions: [email protected]

I Farmers Market Fiesta at OaklandFarmers Market, with music and chefsfrom Mad Mex, 3:305 p.m. www.buy-localpa.org or www.pasafarming.org

I Fall Harvest Dinner a seasonal, localfeast to remember at Carnegie ScienceCenter, with Parkhurst Dining Services,69 p.m. Reservations/directions: 412-697-0411. www.buylocalpa.org or www.pasafarming.org

September 16 I Every Week is Local Food Week atFarmers @ the Firehouse Market withSlow Food Pittsburgh, 9:30 a.m.1:30p.m. www.slowfoodpgh.com.

I Good and Local: Berries, Cheese,Teas, Jam, Wine taste the local prod-ucts, meet the producers at McGinnisSisters, Monroeville, 11 a.m.3 p.m. www.mcginnis-sisters.com.

14

R e g i o n a l M a r k e t i n g

Hungry Parasites,Predators on Patrol

Use Biocontrol in the Field to Control:Corn Borer, Mexican Bean Beetle, Manure FliesUse Biocontrol in the Greenhouse to Control:

Aphids, Whiteies, Spider Mites, Thrips, Fungus Gnats

IPM Laboratories, Inc.www.ipmlabs.com [email protected]: (315) 497-2063Healthy Benecials Guaranteed


15/28

Where Will You Beon Friday September 15?

Two Harvest Celebration BenefitDinners are being planned for Sep-tember 15th, on different sides of the state! More details will follow toPASA members via invitation, but asave-the-date notice for you here:

Fall Harvest Celebration DinnerCarnegie Science Center

Pittsburgh, PA

Reception starts at 6:30 PMTickets are $75 and $100

Fall Harvest Celebration DinnerWhitaker Center for the Arts

Hilton HarrisburgHarrisburg, PA

Reception starts at 5:00 PMTick ets are $75 and $100

Details, including event sponsorsand detailed menus, will be mailedregionally to PASA members andavailable on the PASA website.

15

R e g i o n a l M a r k e t i n g

The Early Season Harvest Dinner washeld at Harrisons Wine Country Grill inState College on Fathers Day. Chef Har-rison Schailey strives to offer local pro-duce on their summer menus, so heenjoyed planning this menu. Thanks goesto events sponsors Colonial Press andParente Randolphe, LLC. With localfoods the focus and highlight, ingredientsfor the feast were procured from:Ashers Chocolates Briar Patch Organic Farm Brookmere Winery Cow-a-Hen Farm Dreamcatcher Farm Fiedler Farm Full CircleFarms Gemellis Breads Help From Above High Field Dairy Jubilee Farm LakewoodFarm Landisdale Farm LeRaysville CheeseFactory Long Lane Farm Meyer Dairy Mill-heim Bread Company Mother Earth Mush-rooms Mt. Nittany Vineyard New MorningFarm Ottos Pub & Brewery Over the MoonFarm Pipe Dreams Fromage Shade Moun-tain Vineyards Sombra Buena Coffee SpiralPath Farm Spring Bank Acres Stone Mead-ow Farm Sunny Ridge Farm Tait Farm Foods

Triangle Organics Farm Tuscarora OrganicGrowers Cooperative Village Acres

Special thanks to the big BurritoGroup and Casbah Restaurant for hold-ing two Summer Farm Dinners onPASAs behalf. Offering local farm foodson their menus is a summer-natural forthis restaurant group, so Chefs Bill Fullerand Derek Stevens were the right master-minds to prepare a fantastic 5-coursemeal featuring local ingredients for PASA West! With local foods the focus andhighlight, ingredients for the feast were

procured from:Bees-r-Us Chaddsford Winery C.T. MillerVineyards Dillner Family Farm Elysian FieldsFarm Goose Creek Gardens Green ValleyDairy Harvest Valley Farm Hendricks Farmand Dairy LaCasa Narcisi Mushrooms forLife Parma Sausage Products, Inc. PennBrewery Penns Corner Farm Alliance ThreeSisters Farm

Celebrating our Amazing Bounty Early Summer Dinner Success & Plans for Fall Harvest Celebrations

Wonderful ways to introduce PASA to a new community and celebrate PASA producer offerings,while raising money for the annual fund,are PASAs benet dinners.We held three wonderful meals in June, celebrating the early season harvest,and we have two exciting eventsto announce coming up in September.

Western

NorthCentral/Eastern

SouthcentralSoutheastern

REGIONAL CONTACTS & DISCUSSION GROUP ADDRESSESDiscussion groups are open to PASA members only to join and discuss issues related to sustainable agriculture.

To join the group in your region,send an email to the appropriate address [email protected] Eson412-697-0411 [email protected]

[email protected]

Brian Moyer610-944-9349 [email protected] Hautau610-378-1327 [email protected]

[email protected] Hurst:717-734-2082 [email protected]

NorthCentral/[email protected] Tewksbury570-437-2620 [email protected]

Out of State discussion group addresses:

States North and East of [email protected]

States South and West of [email protected]

WESTERN REGIONNORTHCENTRAL REGION


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ADVERTISEMENT


17/2817

ADAMS COUNTY

Caprine DelightGettysburgGoat Milk/Cheese

ARMSTRONG COUNTY

Wilson FarmsWorthingtonCow Milk

BEDFORD COUNTY

Hoffman HolmWoodburyCow Milk Guernsey Dairy

BERKS COUNTY

Dove Song DairyBernvilleGoat Milk/Cheese

Norman & Edith SauderKutztown

Cow Milk

Spring Creek FarmsWernersvilleCow Milk

Misty Meadow Farm LLCBernvilleCow Milk

M & B Farview FarmHamburgCow Milk

BLAIR COUNTYDavid & Terella RiceWilliamsburgCow Milk

BRADFORD COUNTY

Inn to the SeasonsCantonGoat Milk/Cheese

BUCKS COUNTY

Birchwood FarmsNewtownCow Milk

BUTLER COUNTY

Fishers Dairy

Portersville

Cow Milk

Bryners Haven

Evans City

Cow Milk

CENTRE COUNTY

Elmer & Martha King

Aaronsburg

Cow Milk

Spring Bank Acres

Rebersburg

Cow Milk/Bottled & Cow

Milk Products

Stone Meadow Farm

Woodward

Cow Milk/Cheese

CHESTER COUNTY

Camphill Village

Kimberton

Cow Milk/Bottled

D B Messner

Glenmore

Cow Milk/Goat Milk

Greystone Nubians

Malvern

Goat Milk & Goat Milk

Products

Shellbark Hollow Farm

West Chester

Goat Milk & Goat Milk

Products

CLEARFIELD COUNTY

Orner Farms Inc

Rockton

Cow Milk

CLINTON COUNTY

Mark J. StoltzfusMill HallCow Milk/Bottled & Cheese

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Travis Bountiful AcresCarlisleGoat Milk/Cheese

Mark S. NoltNewvilleCow Milk

Wil-Ar FarmNewvilleCheese

DAUPHIN COUNTY

Swiss Villa DairyGratzCow Milk/Bottled

Twin Maple Goat DairyMillersburgGoat Milk/Cheese

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Winding HorizonsNewburgCow Milk

LANCASTER COUNTY

Colonial Goat DairyGordonvilleGoat Milk

Conestoga Valley

EphrataCow Milk

Misty Creek DairyLeolaGoat Milk

King Fisher DairyElizabethtownCow Milk

Country Side DairyParadiseCow Milk

Amos T. EbersolNarvonCow Milk/Cheese

Hope Springs Farm EastEarlCow Milk/Cheese

Greenhills Farm

QuarryvilleCheese

Green Valley FarmKirkwoodCheese

Titus & Mabel LeidStevensGoat Milk

LAWRENCE COUNTY

Dean FarmsNew Castle

Cow Milk

LEBANON COUNTY

Red Gate FarmPalmyraGoat Milk

Belulah Land JerseysJonestownCow Milk

Fertile Valley FarmMyerstownCow Milk

MONTGOMERY CO.

Hendricks Farm TelfordCow Milk/Cheese

NORTHAMPTON CO.

Windswept FarmBethlehemGoat Milk

Patches of Star LLCNazarethGoat Milk

Kleins FarmhouseEastonCow Milk/CheeseCreamery

NORTHUMBERLAND CO.

Lapp FarmsteadHendonCow Milk/Cheese

Jack & Elaine KlinglerWatsontownCow Milk

PERRY COUNTY

Amos B. KingBlainCow Milk

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Hilltop Meadow FarmPine GroveCow Milk/Cheese

UNION COUNTY

Mountain View FarmsMifinburgGoat Milk

VENANGO COUNTY

Dianna HersmanPolk Cow Milk

WARREN COUNTY

Pot OGold DairyBear LakeCow Milk

WESTMORELAND CO.

Melvin FranicolaDarraghCow Milk

YORK COUNTY

Norma J.WarnerYork Goat Milk

Stump Acres DairyYork Cow Milk

C o n s u m e r N e w s

Producers with Raw Milk & Raw Milk Cheese Permits in PA Opportunities for consumers in and around Pennsylvania to access quality raw milk and raw milk products continue to expand.

Following is a list provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) showing names of those farms/farmers who cur-rently hold a permit to sell milk, cheese or other products derived from cows or goats.

Most permits allow consumers to bring their own containers directly to the farm for lling, while a few farms, as specied onthe list, have permits allowing them to sell milk that has been bottled by the farmer. Milk products permits, as shown, indicate

farms that sell pasteurized products like yogurt, butter and cottage cheese unpasteurized products of this nature can be arrangeddirectly with many of the farmers listed through private contracts. For more information, please contact Brian Snyder at PASA Headquarters or the Division of Milk Sanitation at 717-787-6041.


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$51,940MAY 16

$51,940MAY 16

P A S A N e w s

Annual Funds Tomato PlantEnjoys Growth Spurt

By Mena Hautau,Fundraising Committee Chair Since your last Passages , our annual fund tomato has enjoyed

a growth spurt of over $20,000. Three summer fundraising din-ners (see page 15) and donations from the Tait Farm Foods BasketProject this past winter totaled half the gain. Members steppedup to the plate for the other half.Thank you for all the contribu-

tions as we approach our $150,000 goal.Staff and volunteers continue to coordinate more dinners;

upcoming on September 15th are two Harvest CelebrationDinners.The Harrisburg event is holding a bag auction and look-ing for contributions, this is a creative way for PASA members toparticipate!

The Western regional ofce will be represented at WholeFoods Market in Pittsburgh on Wednesday,September 13, for the5% Day. Whole Foods is donating 5% of their prots for the dayto PASA. This is a great day to shop at Whole Foods Market inPittsburgh,and in turn contribute to the annual fund.

Bring on the summer heat and these additional ways to con-

tribute to PASA,so we can enjoy the owering, fruiting and ripen-ing of our labors! Fundraising labors, that is.

Our goal $150,000

$100,000

$50,000

0

$65,482 JULY 19

$65,482 JULY 19

$44, 772MARCH !&

$44, 772MARCH 17

18

Growing New Leadership: An Important Part of Growing

Sustainable AgricultureBy Chris Fullerton,

PASAs Board of Directors Leadership Development Committee

Recently an urgent appeal went gone out to PASAs

regional committees nd us your best candidates forPASAs Board of Directors. This appeal took the form of aletter from the boards Leadership Development Committee,suggesting some procedures for each region to follow in theselection of potential candidates for future PASA board of director elections.

According to board president, Kim Miller, PASA isalways looking for new ideas and new energy. But there is aheightened interest this season in leadership succession, duein no small part to the effect of term limits.

Kim Tait, PASAs Vice President from 200006 reachedthe end of her third 3-year board term last February. Twoother long-term ofcers, President Miller and Secretary LynGarling, will reach the same limit in February 2007. Tait,reecting on how quickly her tenure passed, says I can clear-ly see the need for PASA to be continually cultivating newleadership. The successful future of the organization is heldin the hands of new folks working with the existing board,creating an on-going vision and plan for the organization.

PASAs regional organizing committees are the naturalplace to look to for PASAs next leaders. The LeadershipDevelopment Committee is encouraging PASA membersactive in their regions to identify who will best protect andadvance the mission of our organization as future boardmembers, and to forward those names to the current board.

Regional groups are being asked to cast a wide net, withthe goal of realizing a board that mirrors our diverse mem-bership. This encouraging call for candidates is being tem-pered with one warning: serving on the PASA board is not aceremonial position. Just ask Jenn Halpin, newly elected tothe board in February, says I am impressed with the level of dedication and commitment I see in my fellow board mem-bers. While its an honor to be a member of this dynamicgroup, I also understand that board membership requires sig-nicant personal contributions of time and energy towardsPASA committees, fundraising, and outreach projects. Theexpectations are high, but so are the rewards: both for mepersonally and, I hope, for all the farmers and consumersaffected by PASAs work.

More detailed information on the duties of being a PASA board member can be obtained through your regional coor-dinator, see the regional map on page 15 to locate the con-tact in your area or contact Brian Snyder at PASA headquarters, 814-349-9856. The next election period willbegin at the February 2007 Farming for the Future confer-ence, and will include absentee voting for the rst time. A full list of Board of Director nominees will be nalized inmid-November. I

Illustration courtesy of Phyllis Kipp


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now familiar features of the rural Americanlandscape, e.g. fewer farmers, more mecha-nization, ever-increasing farm size, ever-decreasing biodiversity. A careful study of current farm policy in the country, especial-

ly with regard to the federal Farm Bill,reveals a very complicated effort to prop upand patch together a system that long agooutgrew any ability to replenish its ownresources.

Today, however, there are signs every- where that this prevailing vision is crum-bling, and that we really are on the brink of an important, if not so graceful transition toa more enduring vision of what agriculturecan and will be in the future.

Fortunately, the best farming practicesfor preserving the environmental and eco-nomic vibrancy of rural communities hap-pen to be the ones that will make our foodsystem safer, with an improved quality of life for all its participants.

There is no real credence to support theoften repeated claim that sustainable farm-ers could never feed the world. On thecontrary, given the current outlook forglobal energy resources, sustainable meth-ods in farming and many other industries

she runs off the carousel into a holding pen.

Six sheep can be milked at one time on thecarousel. This system works smoothly withtwo to three people working. The family commented that with two people you arebusy and with three people you often gettime with nothing to do. With the three-person system, one person works the gateand wipes the sheeps utters, one personputs the milkers on, and one person takesthe milkers off. Currently it takes 20 min-

will likely be required to meet the futureneeds of a burgeoning world population.

Consumers can likewise perform thisexperiment: test the results of a life-chang-ing decision to seek out the high-value endproducts of sustainable farm production. Itis as simple as choosing between Vision A and Vision B. In some ways, we are indeed

like astronauts, re-entering the Earths envi-ronment to re-discover the power of cre-ation that has been here all along.

Perhaps it will be as if we have spentthese last forty years wandering in an agri-cultural wilderness, with only one sus-tainable way out. I

utes to milk 30 sheep. The Fishers say th while the rst day was a nightmare, it ontook 10 days before the sheep flowesmoothly through this system.

The milk ows through tubing into twometal containers attached underneath thcarousel. The sheep are milked twice daiand each milking is stored separate

(because warm milk cannot be added tcold milk) until used. Barbara, the Fisherdaughter, has become interested in makinthe cheese and holds most of the responsbility for this part of the process. In geneal, 100 pounds of sheep milk yield about 2pounds of cheese. The cheese is aged for months on wooden shelves in an underground cellar that is kept below 60 F.

At this field day the Fisher famshowed us how a little creativity and a lot determination can result in functional anduseful equipment on the farm. John commented that he has no plans to obtain apatent for his carousel since he doesnt wato make it any harder for farmers.I

Karen Kirner is a rising junior at Dickinson Col-lege double-majoring in Anthropology andEnvironmental Studies. This summer she isworking at the Dickinson Student Garden tryingher hand at sustainable agriculture. Next yearshe will study in France and hopes to learnabout la culture biologiquewhile there.

A Matter of Visioncontinued from page 6

Sheep Dairyingcontinued from page 10


20/2820

The campaign coordinated by Practi-cal Farmers of Iowa (www.p.org) hasnearly doubled the annual money spent

in that region on locally produced foodsin 2004. It has also dramatically increasedattendance at farmers markets statewide,and has helped to connect farmers to a wide range of new market outlets fortheir products, including institutionssuch as retirement homes and hospitals.

Rudys Tacos of Black Hawk County,Iowa purchases 71% of all food servedlocally, spending over $165,000 annually on local products. Ive heard it is a bitodd that a blue collar restaurant like mineis doing local foodusually it is the

high-end places. A Mexican place inIowa? If I can do it, who cant? says Barry Eastman, owner of Rudys Tacos.

North Carolina & Appalachia Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture

Projects (www.asapconnections.org)Local Food Campaign works to increase

the viability of local family farms by pro-moting farm products in western NorthCarolina and the southern Appalachians. With its tagline, Local Food Thou-sands of Miles Fresher, the campaign is

Buy Fresh, Buy Local continued from page 12

building a regional food identity andmarketing a regional farm experience forlocal residents, as well as the growingnumber of tourists who visit westernNorth Carolina.

Got Compaction? Try Bio-Drilling with Forage RadishesThe new kid on the block a cover crop that helps alleviate tight soilsNaturally!

Forage Radish FactsHelps alleviate compaction-naturally

Great for making a transition to no-till

Planting window-late summer Can be grazed

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Will take-up leftover N in the fall and release it in early spring

Nutrient pump will scavenge other nutrients deep in the soil prole

Increase water ltration

Winter-kills when temperatures drop to the mid-teens onsuccessive nights

Contact Steve Groff at 717-575-6778 or [email protected]

ADVERTISEMENT

Tim Boz & family of Live Earth Farm in Watsonville, California are just some of the farmers ben-eting from increased awareness of buying locally.


21/2821

According to their Buy Local cam-paign manager, Charlie Jackson, Raisingmoney was the most difcult part of thecampaign and understanding how yourlocal food system works: production, dis-tribution and consumption. Most peopledont realize that weve lost the infrastruc-

ture that supports local food. Its harderfor a restaurant to get a tomato from 20miles away than 2,000 miles. Under-standing why thats the case is difcult,but critical.

CaliforniaCommunity Alliance with Family

Farmers (CAFF, www.caff.org) launchedits rst regional BFBL campaign on Cal-ifornias Central Coast in October 2002. A member of the Buy Local Initiativepilot project, CAFF worked closely with

FoodRoutes and other partners through-out the country to develop and imple-ment the Central Coast campaign.

Since then CAFFs BFBL campaignhas expanded to the Sacramento Valley and plans are underway for BFBL cam-paigns in three other regions of Califor-nia. In 2003 a survey showed nearly 56%

of residents had heard of the BFBL cam-paign. Thus campaign organizers con-cluded their next steps were to focus ongetting more local food into grocery stores.

Tom Broz, from Live Earth Farm in Watsonville, CA says I believe the BFBL

campaign is raising awareness throughoutthe community and that we, the smallfarmers, are directly beneting from it.Our CSA membership has increasedbecause people across the board fami-lies and students, both low-income andhigher-income are making the choiceto buy local. The campaign is very timely and is resonating with some of the mostpressing national media efforts andhealth issues. The heightened awarenessin the community makes things easier onsmall farmers.

PennsylvaniaIn Pennsylvania our BFBL campaigns

have utilized various marketing toolssuch as local food guides, a website(www.buylocalpa.org), point-of-purchasematerials and other traditional methodsof advertising to enhance visibility and

access to information.

I Greater Philadelphia AreaPASA partnered with Fair Food and

Farm to City in 2003 to begin the rstBFBL campaign in the state. Since thenefforts have grown from ve neighbor-hoods to a citywide scope. Business/mar-ket participation has increased fromapproximately 10 to 100+ groups.

This year the third Local Food Guide will be distributed to over 70,000 via theCity Paper (available July 29). BFBL inthe greater Philadelphia area has main-tained a strong focus on driving urbancustomers to restaurants that purchaselocally. Their Local Food Week events were held July 1522. Anyone in thePhiladelphia area interested in participat-ing in the BFBL campaign can contact John Smith with Fair Food, [email protected] or 215-386-5211 x103.

I Western RegionLaunched in July 2004, David Eson,

Director of PASAs Western RegionalPrograms says of BFBL, Progress isencouraging as we look forward to future

Event will also feature a farmersmarket sponsored by PASA

continued page 22


22/28


23/2823

POULTRY MAN, LLC Eli M. Reiff 570-966-0769

922 Conley Road Mifinburg, PA 17844

Scalder (above center) 42 gallon rotary, gas red with auto controltemp timer. 60,000 BTU,all stainless steel.

Mechanical Plucker (above right) 3 4 HP motor, motor totallyenclosed. 10:1 Gear reduction, 27 diameter, stainless steel withshower.

ALSO AVAILABLEManual Scalder Hand dunk birds.42 gallon,45,000 btu.

Certied by PCO

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using Fertrell minerals on request

Complete feeds and concentrates

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certied organic feed

PASA WELCOMESOUR NEWEST BUSINESS MEMBERS:

Delaware NatureSociety/Coverdale Farm

Greenville, DE

Levy Restaurants at theDavid L. Lawrence Convention Center

Pittsburgh,PA

Meadville Area Local GrowersMeadville,PA

Mt. Lebanon Partnership Farmers MarketPittsburgh,PA

Simple Steps 2 HealthBrookhaven,PA

Smuckers MeatsMount Joy,PA

SPECIAL THANKS TO THESEPASA CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

VOLUNTEERS:Nitya Akeroyd Robert Amsterdam Susan Beal MicheleBriggs Sam Cantrell Melanie Dietrich Cochran EmilyCook Lisa Diefenbach Peter A. Ferretti Brian Futhey Laurel Hoffman Erin James Kitty Leatham Tom Maurer Sandra Miller Patti Olenick Louise Schorn Smith SeanStuberi George Vahoviak

PASA STAFF AND BOARDWOULD LIKE TO THANK

THE FOLLOWING VOLUNTEERS:Linda Aleci Lamonte Garber Carl Hursh Karen Kirner Tom Maurer Sandra K. Miller Patti Olenick Kim Tait

Join the FoodRoutes Network Buy Local Challenge

When you purchase local food, youll get a wealth of ben-ets. Youll get exceptional taste and freshness, strengthenyour local economy, support family farms, safeguard yourfamilys health,and protect the environment.

Now you can show your support for local food and farmsby signing on to FoodRoutes Buy Local Challenge. Think how many local communities would benet if everyonespent just $10 a week on local food.Visit www.foodroutes.org.

For more information on the SouthCentral campaign, con-tact Jenn Halpin at 717-245-1251. I

Editors Note: Selections were reprinted with permission from theFoodRoutes Network.


24/2824

The Grapevineby Michele Gauger

E d i t o r s C o r n e r

New DVD Looks Insidethe Local Organic Food Industry

In their new DVD Good Food, Good Busi-ness,Arnold Creek Productions, Inc.has cap-tured revealing insights from leaders in thefood industry. A nationally recognizedregional grocer, an award-winning chef, twoniche organic growers and others offer aglimpse behind the scenes within the foodindustry to address issues at the core of theexploding local and organic food market. They bring the business discussion down to ahuman level, citing relationships and com-munities as the keys to success.

The 26-minute program is targeted at theagriculture and food service industries, high-er education and government agencies. Itretails for $30 and is available through Ama-zon.com during the initial release.

This new video joins their rst programArchitecture to Zucchini:The people,compa-nies and organizations pioneering sustain-ability, which was just honored with theprestigious 2006 Portland Ofce of Sustain-able Development BEST Award for sustain-able product development. It has been an

international hit, selling to hundreds of col-leges, organizations and businesses in ninecountries. A program exploring sustainabilityin higher education is scheduled for releasein the summer of 2006.

Arnold Creek Productions, Inc. is an Ore-gon based production company specializingin educational and inspirational media onsustainability and health issues. Visitwww.arnoldcreekproductions. com.

Mandate to PurchaseLocally Grown Organic Food

Woodbury County Iowas board of super-visors is the rst in the U.S. to mandate thepurchase of locally grown, organic foodthrough its food service contract.This step tohelp revitalize the countys rural economy isunder their Local Food Purchase Policy.Thisresolution has the potential to shift $281,000in annual food purchases to a local farmer-operated cooperative. The policy defineslocal as food grown and processed within100 miles of Sioux City,which may be extend-ed if there is not a supplier within the radius.

As the rst county in the nation to man-date local purchase of organic food products,

the policy enumerates price provisions thatprotect the county from signicant increasedcosts that may result from this policy. Alsobecause the availability of supply of locallygrown organic food will not meet demand,the policy gives a strong preference for localnon-organic food production to meet unmetdemand.The text of the policy may be foundat www.woodburyiowa.com/departments/economicdevelopment.

New Publication Available from SANSAN is pleased to announce its newest

publication, Smart Water Use on Your Farmor Ranch. The 16-page bulletin fromthe Sustainable Agriculture Network, spot-lights innovative, SARE-funded research intoa range of conservation options includingsoil management, such as using compost,conservation tillage and cover crops; plantmanagement, featuring crop rotation,water-conserving plants and rangeland droughtmitigation; and water management such aslow-volume irrigation and water recycling.

Download the entire publication atwww.sare.org/publications/water.htm. Forfree print copies, visit www.sare.org/web-store, call 301-504-5236 or [email protected]. Please provide the titlerequested,your name, shipping address, andtelephone number when placing your order.

New Book: FarmersMarkets for KidsSubmitted by PASA member Janet

Chrzan, who says This book is designed toboost literacy and teach whole food mes-sages and it is a great price to be a promopiece for markets. Visit www.brainchild-books.homestead.com for more information.

New & Revised Agricultural AlternativesPublications Now Available

The Small-scale and Part-time FarmingProject at Penn State would like to announcethat the new Agricultural Alternatives publi-cations Apple Production, Peach Produc-tion, Developing a Roadside Farm Market,and Garlic Production are now available inprint through the Publications Departmentof the College. The publications outline thesteps involved in starting a small apple orpeach operation and starting a roadside farmmarket. Topics covered in the apple, peach

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july-aug 2006 passages newsletter, pennsylvania association for sustainable agriculture

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