nov-dec 2008 passages newsletter, pennsylvania association for sustainable agriculture

8/9/2019 Nov-Dec 2008 Passages Newsletter, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

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Whats Happening in the Good FooNeighborhood?

A new web-based initiative of thstatewide Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBLprogram, the Good Food Neighborhooddelivers membership benefits to those Pennsylvanians whose main role in the food system is shopping, cooking and eating. For anannual contribution of $30 memberreceive:

Personalized seasonal product updatefrom local food providers on BuyLocalPA.orgIf youre one of those people who are alwayasking are strawberries in season yet? youcan make sure you dont miss any local good

ness by creating e-lerts tied to the currenavailability lists of your favorite farmers andother local food providers.

A subscription to Eaters Digest, an enewsletter delivering good food news in Penn-sylvania. This newsletter will share ideafrom around the state about creative ways togo local, help consumers make sense of thechoices they face on local food shoppingtrips and highlight information abouimportant policy issues.

An online social networking site called

Community Table, where neighbors can con-nect around local food shopping, cooking and

Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers, Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and Beyond

PassagesSustainable Food and Farming Systems

Number 75 November/December 2008

Newsletter of the

Pennsylvania

Association

for Sustainable

Agriculture

ture in Arlington, Virginia, has the auda-

cious goal of helping Pennsylvania con-

sumers by the thousands realize that makingresponsible food choices is a whole lot easier,

tastier and more fun than they thought.

And just like weve done with farmers,

PASA will use the Good Food Neighbor-

hood to build a community of informed

and engaged consumers.

When consumers who have only recently

begun to think about their food choices are

ready to take the next step, we want to pro-

vide them not just with information, but

with a readymade community. An interac-

tive website will allow those who are alreadyexperts in local food to serve as trusted

guides to those who are new to the search.

For many people, the idea of a local food

system is still unfamiliar. Long-time grocery

store shoppers may need some encourage-

ment before making their first visit to an

outdoor, seasonal market or a local Commu-

nity Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. We

want to make the transition for them as

straightforward and convenient as possible,

while providing rewards for changes in shop-

ping behavior.

With Good Food Neighborhood,we hope to give

consumers tools to make finding and choosing local

foods easier,both individually and in cooperation

with their neighbors. Chris Fullerton

continued page 3

By Chris Fullerton,Director of Consumer Outreach

For nearly two decades PASA has been aresource provider, defender, champion and perhaps most importantly communi-ty builder for those farmers who envision afood system that has fewer harmful impactsand makes farms more viable.

However, we realized long ago that if our work focused only on farming and farmfamilies, our impact would always be limit-ed. In order to achieve our mission, we mustdo everything possible to get our messageacross to the 98% of the population that isntactively involved in farming. While farmersare few and far between, everyone doeseatand therefore everyone shares in thebenefits of a sustainable food system. Formost people, the opportunity to vote forchange in agriculture comes around eachtime they make a shopping list. But shop-ping responsibly, with our noisy marketplaceand busy lives, can seem an overwhelminglychallenging task.

Enter the Good Food Neighborhood!This new program, launched by P ASA inlate September with support from the Henry

A. Wallace Center for Sustainable Agricul-

Our New Good Food Neighborhood Program

The general public today is more aware of food quality

issues than ever before, and they are yearning to reconnect

in a meaningful way with the sources of their nourishment

2009

Farming for

the Future

Conference

Details Inside

See Page 4

2009

Farming for

the Future

Conference

Details Inside

See Page 4


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Nov/Dec 20081 Our New Good Food Neighborhood

Program

5 Farmers Market Pre-Conference Tracks

6 Directors Corner

7 Board Perspective

8 Pre-Conference Track Details

9 Greening the Conference

10 Conference Sneak Peak Get More Involved

11 Membership Update

12 Farmer & Business Profile

14 Educational Outreach

15 Regional Marketing

16 Consumer News

18 Fundraising Update

22 Adding Value-Added to Our Value

24 Management Practices Can HelpAvoid Cucurbit Fruit Rots

25 Agricultural Plastic RecyclingOpportunities in PA

26 Editors Corner

27 Membership Form

28 Classified Ads/Employment

30 Calendar

Passages STAFF & OFFICE

Editors: Michele Gauger & Cathi Gerhard Williams

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Kim Seeley,Bradford County

Vice President: Brian Moyer, Berks County

Secretary: Mary Barbercheck,Centre County

Treasurer: Louise Schorn Smith,Chester County

Jerry Brunetti, Northampton CountyMelanie Dietrich Cochran, Cumberland County

Jennifer Halpin,Cumberland County

John Hopkins,Columbia County

John Jamison,Westmoreland County

Don Kretschmann,Beaver County

Christopher Lent,Luzerne County

Jeff Mattocks,Dauphin County

Sandra Miller,Cumberland County

Susan Miller,Chester County

Rita Resick, Somerset County

At-Large Board Members

David Bingaman,Dauphin County

Jamie Moore,Allegheny County

PASA STAFF

PASA Headquarters

Phone: 814-349-9856Brian Snyder

Executive Director

[email protected]

Lauren Smith

Director of Development

[email protected]

Carrie Gillespie

Development Program Assistant

[email protected]

Allison Shauger

Educational Outreach Director

[email protected]

Rachel Schaal

Educational Outreach Associate

[email protected]

Michele GaugerDirector of Membership & Research Assistant

[email protected]

Brandi Marks

Office Coordinator/Bookkeeper

[email protected]

Teresa McFeely

Bookkeeping Assistant

[email protected]

Consumer Outreach

Phone: 412-246-0990

Chris Fullerton

Director of Consumer Outreach

[email protected]

Mia Farber

Consumer Outreach [email protected]

Southeast Regional Office

Phone: 610-458-5700 x305

Marilyn Anthony

Southeast Regional Director

[email protected]

Western Regional Office

Phone: 412-697-0411

Greg Boulos

Western Regional Director

[email protected]

Julie Inman

Marketing Manager

[email protected]

Passages Nov/Dec 2008 Contributors

Contributing writers & photographers:Marilyn Antho-

ny, Greg Boulos, Chris Fullerton, Lucinda Hart-Gonza-

lez,Shannon Hayes, Kristin Leitzel, Binnie Roig, Rachel

Schaal, Charlie Scheidler, Kim Seeley, Allison Shauger,

Lauren Smith,Brian Snyder, Cathi Gerhard Williams.

PASA in the News Have you seen articles aboutPASA in your local newspapers or other media?PASA is active across the state, and wed love to knowwhat coverage we are getting in your area. Please

clip any articles you see on PASA and mail them to ourMillheim headquarters to the attention of MicheleGauger.

Do you have a great article idea for Pas-sages? Want to share a farming practice withmembers? Wed love to hear from you. Please contactthe newsletter staff at [email protected].

Deadline for January/February 2009 Issue:

January 12, 2009

Advertising Sales: Michele Gauger,PASA office, [email protected]

Layout: C Factor

Pennsylvania Association

for Sustainable Agriculture114 West Main Street

P.O. Box 419Millheim PA 16854

Phone: (814) 349-9856Fax: (814) 349-9840

www.pasafarming.org

PASAs Mission isPromoting profitable farms which produce

healthy food for all people while respecting thenatural environment.

PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvania land-

scape.We are seasoned farmers who k now that sustainability is

not only a concept, but a way of life. We are new farmers look-

ing for the fulfillment of land stewardship.We are students and

other consumers,anxious to understand our food systems and

the choices that must be made. We are families and children,

who hold the future of farming in our hands.This is an organi-

zation that is growing in its voice on behalf of farmers in Penn-

sylvania and beyond. Our mission is achieved, one voice, one

farm, one strengthened community at a time.

PASA is an Equal Opportunity Service Provider and Employer.

Some grant funding comes from the USDA and complaints of

discrimination should be sent to: USDA Office of Civil Rights,

Washington, DC 20250-9410.Passages is printed on recycled paper

Conference Sneak Peak, page 4

Solar Water Pumping, page 21

Pictures from Costa Rica, page 31


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learning. Were most excited by this fea-ture, where any member can create an

online group defined both by topic andlocation. You can look for other memberswithin a short distance of your home whomight want to carpool to a farmers mar-ket across town or join in canning toma-to sauce; or invite Neighbors across thestate into a discussion about getting localfoods into schools. The possibilities forlocal networking especially are limitless!

Discounts at the buylocalpa.org onlinestore. Buy Fresh Buy Local caps, tees,

aprons, totes and much more! Occasional offers or other rewards

from local food businesses. This program,which is currently still in the works, willgenerate discounts, special deals or insid-er access available only to Good FoodNeighborhood members.

Tom Hricik (a PASA member who isalso on the advisory board that helped jumpstart this program) was honored asour Charter Member of the Good FoodNeighborhood during the Pittsburghlaunch in September. Tom says that hisconversations with farmers are therapeu-tic to him as a consumer: Farmers talkabout what they do with such passionand always cause me to see life through adifferent lens. Spend some time with a

farmer and you will quickly understandthe importance of water, soil, sunshineand the very nature of work. He defi-nitely sees the big picture when speakingabout his choices as a consumer:Increased demand for local food meanseconomic success for farmers while

improving the eating patterns of the localpopulation- something desperately need-ed in our region. Long-term changes inconsumption patterns can create aregional economy for local products where consumers can access a safe andreliable food system. Or to say it anoth-er way: by helping consumers find,choose and appreciate local foods, webuild healthier farms, healthier familiesand healthier communities for everyone.

continued page 11

Good FoodNeighborhood

continued from page 1

IWhy start a new program for consumers? A strategic plan-

ning session of PASA board and staff members identified this

opportunity several years ago. We realized that refining and

focusing our message specifically for the non-farming public

would help us reach more people who could support our mis-

sion and our farmers.A key idea was to develop a brand that

was accessible to folks who hadnt thought much about agri-

culture or food systems before.Our hope is that the Good Food

Neighborhood will help build more viable local farms by

increasing consumer awareness of local food options, organizea larger and stronger constituency for good foodin Pennsyl-

vania and make PASA a stronger organization for the long

term.

I Is this an alternative to PASA membership? No, this is a

new program being run by PASA with the goal of reaching peo-

ple we havent reached before. Like our field days, annual con-

ference and other outreach work, this will be a fee-based

program separate from regular membership benefits;the main

difference between these other PASA programs and the Good

Food Neighborhood will be its target audience: consumers.

I If Im already a PASA member,do I still have to pay $30 to

participate? No, PASA members in Pennsylvania can join theNeighborhood at no additional cost (all members in the state

with a valid email address on file were sent a coupon code and

signup link in late October; if you didnt get one,please contact

us).While participation in the Good Food Neighborhood is now

a new benefit of PASA membership, a consumer need not be a

PASA member to join. In fact, we anticipate that only a few of

our Good Food Neighbors will be interested in becoming full

PASA members.

I How is this new program tied to the Pennsylvania Buy

Fresh Buy Local program? The Good Food Neighborhood

program is designed to support and expand our BFBL work by

directing more consumers to farms and other sources for local

food (like markets, restaurants and stores). Good Food Neigh-

bors have special benefits tied to our BFBL website and to our

BFBL business partners, and the program itself has its online

home on BuyLocalPA.org.While PASA members can participate

in the Good Food Neighborhood at no cost, PASA farms and

other business members must pay a separate annual fee in

order to use the trademarked Buy Fresh Buy Local brand and

receive other benefits of a BFBL Partnership.

I Why is the program internet-based only? Independent

research indicated that most consumers potentially interested

in this program were also likely to have internet access, either

at home,at work or through a public source like a library. Oper-

ating online translates into tremendous resource savings,

which means the Good Food Neighborhood will be a highly

efficient way to involve consumers across the state in the over-

all PASA community.

IWhat if I dont live in Pennsylvania? At this time, the Good

Food Neighborhood is designed just for consumers in Pennsyl-

vania, since it is tied to our statewide Buy Fresh Buy Local

work.

IWhat can I do to help? An online social networking system,

such as weve created with the Good Food Neighborhood, will

only be as useful and interesting as its members make it. We

know that the PASA membership includes passionate,

informed and energetic people who are already local food

experts in their regions. Were counting on all of you to seed

the Good Food Neighborhood conversation about eating well

with local foods.You can craft an online comment about a local

food provider you love, start a discussion group or local action

Good Food Neighborhood Q&AFor further questions or details,please contact Chris Fullerton, 412-246-0990.


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Conference Sneak PeakBy Allison Shauger

4

Pre-Conference ProgramsThis year weve expanded our Pre-Confer-ence again to include 13 daylong tracks there are certainly plenty of options! Sever-al tracks are offered at facilities specifically

geared towards hands-on learning in theappropriate environment. Spend the day inthe woods, in the lab with a microscope, oradjusting equipment to eradicate weeds. Nomatter the topic, you can expect to go homewith resources, valuable contacts, and skillsto augment your efforts in the field and in

your community. For full track details, visitwww.pasafarming.org.

PRE-CONFERENCE TRACKS

Wednesday

Weed School: Managing Through

Identification and Mechanical Methods

Wednesday & Thursday

Beginning Cheesemaking

Advanced Cheesemaking

Grass-fed, Grass-finished Beef:

Positive Impacts & Superior Meats

Sustainable Forestry

Thursday

Green Learning, Green Living for

High School Students

Advocacy and Regionalism: Organizational

and Individual Actions for Policy Change

21st Century Victory Garden: Growing Your

Food & Energizing Your Community

Farmers Market Success for Producers

Farmers Market Success for Managers

Hands-On IPM and Bio-Controls

Improving Vegetable Production,Quality,

and Marketability

Innovative Cover Cropping Systems for

Organic Vegetable Production

CONFERENCE UPDATE

PASAs 18th AnnualFarming for the Future Conference

The Worldwide Search for Food Sovereignty:

Finding Your Foodshed

February 57, 2009 State College, PA

Main Conference ProgramOn Friday and Saturday of the main con-ference, pick-and-choose from 77 work-shop sessions carefully crafted by thevolunteer conference committee. Experi-

enced farmers and educators will share theirknowledge on thirteen sustainable agricul-ture and related themes. We offer work-shops on season extension, soils andcompost, renewable energy, fiber produc-tion, livestock, farming without owningproperty, community economic develop-ment, and much more!

Here is a glimpse of some workshophighlights:

Livestock Production: teaching your

cows to eat weeds, understanding fencing

options,planned grazing, pastured poultry,using guard dogs with your herd, farrow-

ing hogs, lambing, and parasite control.

Fruit/Vegetable Production: strategies

for early harvest, innovative row covers,

reduced tillage, organic pest management,

farmscaping,crop rotations, and over-

wintering blackberries.

This year, the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture

Working Group (NESAWG) is proud to hold itsannual meeting and Resource Harvest at the PASAconference. NESAWG is a network of organizations(including PASA) and individuals working to pro-mote a more sustainable and secure food system forthe Northeast 12 states from Maine to West Vir-ginia. Since 1992, NESAWG has fostered local andregional food systems, built public awareness andpromoted supportive public policies. NESAWGstwo conference sessions on policy advocacy and

regional value chains will help empower farmers, families and organizations. Learnmore about NESAWG, their projects, publications and members at www.nesawg.org,and visit their exciting new social networking site www.nefood.org.

Welcome NESAWG!

Value-Added & Marketing: steps for on-

farm milk bottling, meat-goat co-op mode

and sales, breeding for wool and natural

plant dying of fibers, charcuterie, on-farm

restaurants,farmers market management,

and certification options.

Energy: strawbale construction, solar ener

gy how-to, the scoop on natural gas,and

electrical deregulation policy.

Policy and Community: legislation issues,working with interns and migrant workers,

writing public policy, local food distribu-

tion centers,fighting genetically modified

seeds,and international sustainable devel-

opment.

Soils,Compost, and Forests: profitable

small grains, remineralization and nutrient

dense crops, on-farm composting,silvo-

pasturing, integrated forest management

and creating stream buffers.

CONFERENCE BROCHURESFull conference brochures have been

mailed to the membership and are

available for the asking. Call the PASA

office or go online to request the 2009

brochure. You can request multiple

copies for sharing with friends, family

and community groups or businesses.


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offering a winter market; will be covered byLiz Anderson, a founder of the PhoenixvilleFarmers Market. A different Liz, Liz Carol-lo, publicity and promotions manager foNYCs Greenmarket, will help participantexpand their markets customer basethrough onsite wireless EBTs, marketingcommunity outreach, festivals, and more.

The final speaker of the day will once

again be Bernie Prince, who will help man-agers better understand their market performance by tracking information such anumber of market days and market hourscustomer and volunteer growth; number ovendors; vendor sales volume and growthcommunity involvement; food donations tofood banks and gleaning programs; andredeeming WIC farmers market checks.

The market manager workshop will con-clude with a panel discussion of market sustainability factors that will be facilitated byStacy Miller.

Attendees will leave the program with market toolbox filled with hands-on tooland take-home resources to build, enhanceand sustain their farmers market experience. This pre-conference is offered withsupport from the Farmers Market Coali-tion and the Wallace Center at WinrockInternational with funding from USDARisk Management Community OutreachProgram and AgrAbility for Pennsylvanian with funding from USDA Risk Management Education. More info and registration

is available at www.pasafarming.org.

Conference Sneak Peak

Whether you are a producer wanting toestablish a presence at an established farm-ers market, or a market manager trying tocreate a new and profitable venue forregional farmers, then the Farmers MarketPre-conference is where you want to be onThursday, February 5. This all-day trackpromises to help create a profitable marketexperience for all. The days presentations will be led by an outstanding group ofspeakers with extensive knowledge of theirsubject areas. Louise Smith, program organ-izer, explains, These two tracks are chock-

full of valuable information being presentedby farmers market experts from Pennsylva-nia and throughout the U.S. She alsonoted that the focus is inclusive weinvite those representing brand new andestablished markets; small town as well asurban markets; and producers that are largeand small, long time and new.

Farmers market producers will explore a wide variety of topics, beginning withBernie Prince, co-founder and co-directorof FRESHFARM Markets, who will helpattendees determine if farmers markets are

right for them. Both dynamic and deeplydedicated to food and farming issues,Prince will address market options; marketmanager expectations; goal setting; groupdynamics; responsibilities of a market man-ager; and identifying the right market.

Bob Pierson, director of Farm to City an organization that helps local farmersmarket their crops directly to consumersthrough farm markets, buying clubs, andCSAs will discuss farm business riskmanagement and financial planning. Histopics include: liability insurance; licenseand permit regulations; budgeting; financialinformation; and safety responsibilities ofthe producer.

Following a lunch encouraging network-ing with the market manager track partici-pants, Cheryl DeBerry will lead attendeesin a discussion about creating a strong pres-ence at market. She will also discuss how tokeep customers interested week after weekby using innovative, full, and colorful dis-plays; eye-catching signage; and kid friend-ly areas. DeBerry serves as Agriculture

Marketing Specialist for Garrett County,

MD. In addition, she and her husband farm810 acres of fresh produce, including over50 types of vegetables, melons, herbs,gourds, and berries.

Rounding out the presentations will be Janet Chrzan, a nutritional anthropologistand lecturer at the University of Pennsylva-nia, and founder of the Oakmont FarmersMarket in Philadelphia. She will help farm-ers understand how to increase market salesthrough means such as season extendingtechniques; value added products; and salesto nearby businesses.

The afternoon will conclude with anextensive question and answer session withthe presenters that will be facilitated byMarilyn Anthony, PASAs SoutheastRegional Director.

Running consecutively to the producertrack, farmers market managers will be par-ticipating in an extensive exploration ofsubjects related to their vocation. Leadingthe first session will be the highly qualifiedDiane Eggert, Executive Director of theFarmers Market Federation of New York.Eggert will discuss how to gauge the poten-

tial for a new farmers market to make thedifficult Go/No Go decisions, as well asthe many topics related to market gover-nance, communication, conflict resolution,and funding sources.

Following Eggert, the workshop willhighlight market risk management issues,including liability insurance; vendor licens-ing, permits, and certificates; governmentalregulations (particularly related to foodsafety); budgeting; and tracking financialinformation. This session will be led by

Janet Chrzan and Louise Smith, CPA,PASA Board Member, and president ofCountryside Consulting, Inc.

Following these two dynamic womenwill be Stacy Miller, executive secretary ofthe Farmers Market Coalition. Miller plansto cover some of the many facets of marketmanagement; as well as lead a discussion onmarket manager responsibilities fromrecruitment and promotion to enforcementof market rules and problem solving.

The critical nature of market diversity,including a range of products; a variety of

producers; a diversity of customers; and

A PRE-CONFERENCE TRACK THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Farmers Market Pre-Conference Tracksfor Producers and Managers


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Plantation near Quepos (rainforest-spices.com). Both of these operationsoffer spectacular tours in an informalatmosphere dedicated to values that arevery familiar to sustainable ag enthusiastsanywhere.

I was also very impressed to find an

entire university devoted to agriculturalsustainability and the development ofyoung leaders to serve all of Latin Amer-ica. EARTH University in Gucimo isreally a world unto itself, with around8,000 acres of land on which to conductresearch on agricultural systems, environ-mental management and natural resourcerehabilitation. With 400 students and 40faculty at the heart of a carefully designedcommunity, EARTH leaves one wonder-ing what if land grant institutions inthe United States used their base of land

and other resources in such an intention-al way. You can read more about it at theEARTH University Foundation website,earth-usa.org.

Costa Rica is everything people say itis in terms of natural beauty and ecologi-cal richness. Also, with its abundance oftourism venues and recreational options,it is an ideal destination for anyone look-ing to get away from it all for anylength of time. But in a very real sense,anyone who visits there with a heart foragriculture will find a microcosm of the

challenges found back home. How do wekeep producing food for a growing worldpopulation without destroying the envi-ronment? How do we keep those farmerswho know best how to care for it on theland? Where will we find the next gener-ation of farmers once the current oneshave cashed in their chips?

But the most dramatic lesson for mein my encounter with this land of won-ders is that all of us must eventually cometo terms with the distinction between what we need and what we want,especially as it relates to people in coun-tries where the economic balance is evenmore tenuous than it is in the UnitedStates. In many respects, the success ofCosta Rica, and other small countriesthroughout Latin America, in maintain-ing agricultural sustainability will deter-mine our own fate in that regard. I

Editors Note: Please see page 31 for selected

photos of Brians trip to Costa Rica.

siegenot by armed militia, but by anarmy of mostly absentee landownersfrom other countries, principally theUnited States.

As I traveled around the gorgeouscountryside, it seemed to me everythingwas for sale. One tour guide I hired was

particularly intrigued to hear I work withfarmers because, as he confessed, his sec-ond job was as a real estate salesman whohelped farmers, by finding foreign buy-ers for their farms. He seemed less inter-ested in getting to know me when hefound that my idea of helping farmerswas to keep them on the land.

One very knowledgeable ex-patriot inthis tropical paradise explained thatCosta Rican farmers who had struggledall their lives to barely make a living werean easy target for anyone waving around

enough money for their families to live inrelative comfort for, say, ten years. Prob-lem is, the money usually goes faster thanexpected, leaving such farmers with noth-ing left to pass to the next generation,except maybe the dream of somedaybeing able to farm. Any of this soundfamiliar?

Much of the farmland lost thusly isapt to become a private retreat or home-stead for wealthy foreigners realizing theirdream of living in paradise, but havingno real interest in farming. Some of this

land is destined to be part of upscaletourist resorts. But among many suchexamples were several I found to the con-traryfolks who were working to assurethe sustainability of Costa Rican farmingin all respects economic, environmen-tal and social.

One of the best examples of such for-ward thinking is a community of Quak-ers that had settled in Monteverde in1951 in response to conscription in theUnited States for the Korean War. Com-

bining efforts to restore pristine cloudforests and develop viable farming coop-eratives for cheese and sustainable coffeeproduction, this relatively small tourismcenter is difficult to reach bet well worththe effort. You can read all about it atmonteverdeinfo.com.

Smaller farms of note I visited thatalso use tourism to remain viable whileteaching the lessons of sustainabilityinclude Finca Luna Nueva Lodge in SanIsidro de Peas Blancas (fincalunanueval-odge.com), and the Villa Vanilla Spice

By Brian Snyder, Executive Director

Directo

rsCorner

As anyone who has travelled abroadwill know, leaving home or familiarsurroundings for awhile forces one toreassess, which can lead to greater appre-ciation, sharper criticism or some of bothwith respect to the place you left behind.I had a tremendous opportunity to dosome of this type of thinking over the

summer when I travelled to Costa Rica aspart of my mini-sabbatical after sevenyears at the helm of PASA.

Traveling in July to a country muchcloser to the equator than Ive ever been,my assumption was that I needed mini-mal clothing, especially not anything likea jacket or sweater. If I had studied thatmap ahead of time, I would have seenthat many of the attractions in this rela-tively small country (especially to an agri-culturalist) occur at relatively high

elevation. I spent at least one night shiv-ering through temperatures in the singledigits, Celsius that is, at an elevation ofabout 9,000 ft.

Aside from such surprises, though, thebiggest lessons I learned on my trip wereabout agriculture, land use and the risktaken by any society that does not takesteps to secure a broad base of highlydiversified agricultural production for thefuture. While Costa Rica is well known asa country existing peacefully without amilitary, it is indeed a country under

Agriculture

in Paradise


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about changing Pennsylvania agriculturefor the better. We are proud to note thatour positive influence has spread evenmore broadly since we started.

As far as our government relationshipsare concerned, PASA is now invited to bepart of the decision making process

because no longer can anyone ignore ourmission or our growing membershipranks. Remember milk labeling?

Penn State University, with many out-standing faculty and staff, has also takennote of our growth. Their mission is care-fully spelled out as a land grant institu-tion. The current search for Dean Steelesreplacement should be interesting. WillPenn State boldly pursue sustainablesolutions that our members and cus-tomers are demanding?

All Colleges are being forced to cut

budgets and think about falling enroll-ments. Where will the money comefrom? The temptation to continueaccepting corporate research money inexchange for technological endorsementswill become more blatant. Funding deci-sions will need more ethical scrutiny.PASA members need to demand sustain-able curriculums and a research agendathat reflects the social contract implied inthe land grant mission.

Sustainable vision regarding food-induced health problems will need to be

a priority. Solutions need cooperationand sharing of data from all departments.For example, professors from HumanNutrition, and Culinary Arts should reg-ularly be networking with leading expertsin Agronomy and Animal Science. Foodsecurity is not one-dimensional, butincreasingly we are seeing research agen-das espousing a very narrow viewpoint.This is where the Good Food Neighbor-hood, backed by Food Alliance certifica-tion, may have its greatest impact.

Our many meetings with PDA andPenn State have not always been cozy. Ibelieve that is because our agenda is moremission-driven than politically charged.PASA has everyones attention right nowbecause of our members successes andcommitment to the food system. Thereare many good people who comprisePASA, working together toward sustain-able solutions and systems, not miracles.

Some will say we are trying to accom-plish too much. Unfortunately there isstill too much to be accomplished. I

PASABoardPerspective

elected the board of directors to representyou. It is always reassuring to get feed-back, pro or con, about the decisionswe make on your behalf. Praise is always welcome, but criticism is also necessaryto challenge us to study what we havedecided and reflect on the outcomes.

Healthy debate ensures democraticdecisions. Our lives are journeys thatintroduce us to people from all walks oflife. People with extremes in behavior anddeep seated personal beliefs comprise ourmembership. Sustainability is notextreme, it is balanced. Sustainable view-points need to be cultivated from diversethinking, open dialogue, and trust.

PASA always attempts to bring youthe truth, good or bad. We must live inreality while we work for solutions to theproblems of our daily lives. That is sus-

tainability. PASA farmers move forwardcreating new models, continuing whatmany of us have been doing for the lastcouple of decades living within ourmeans, growing healthy foods and recre-ating communities.

If you havent read the PASA missionstatement lately, now is a goodtime promoting profitable farms that produce healthy food for all people whilerespecting the natural environment. Twonew, exciting initiatives will help usachieve that mission.

First, the Good Food Neighborhoodis connecting many new friends to thePASA family. Food relationships matter.PASA continues to lead the way towardfood and farming justice, as a facilitatorof relationships, which is good for every-ones neighborhood. All of you need tohelp promote this within your familiesand extended communities. Take a looksometime at the website (www.buylocal-pa.org), and see why we are so proud.

Our second initiative is working with

the Food Alliance, to bring sustainablecertification to farms and processors whomeet their criteria throughout the Mid- Atlantic region. As markets increase,greed and deception can slip into theprocess. PASA and Food Alliance willcollaborate to protect the market sharewe all have worked so hard to build.

Much other work is ongoing in PASA.You should know that you are represent-ed by a very diverse and impressive boardof directors. We are still a very youngorganization that from day one dreamed

By Kim Seeley, Board President

The recent fallout of Wall Streetsfinancial deception leaves manypeople wondering whats going on andhow we got into this mess. By and large,farmers have seen it coming for years.Greed and waste are prime factors, andmany of our conference keynote speakersover the years have forecasted the result

we now see.I remember Vandana Shiva in particu-

lar, who called unsustainable growth byour American companies an economiccancer. She was right. As our leadersbounce between saving the economy andcontemplating solutions for the worldsshrinking supply of energy, everyonehopes for a miracle.

We need miracles in life. However,right now I am hoping for solutions withstronger roots and deeper insights ideas

we can relate to, and hold up for scrutinyon an international stage.I have never been prouder to call

myself a PASA member. As the worldaround us swirls with uncertainty, ourorganization moves ahead with a well-defined strategy and countless successstories are the result. Each issue of thisnewsletter introduces more businessesand members who epitomize sustainablefarming and living in general.

PASA is your organization, and wecount on you to communicate to us. You

Mission

before Miracles


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Conference CoordinationMany staff, board members and volunteers

are involved with organizing our confer-

ence.if you have specific conference related

questions, please contact the staff mem-

bers below at PASA headquarters. We will

work to make your conference dealings

efficient and pleasurable!

Conference Coordinator

Lauren Smith [email protected]

Program Coordinator

Allison Shauger [email protected]

Conference Planning Assistant

Kristin Leitzel [email protected]

Registration Coordinator

Patty Neiner [email protected]

Auction Coordinator

Sara Eisenfeld [email protected]

Mercantile Coordinator

Lisa Diefenbach [email protected]

Job Fair Coordinator

Rachel Schaal [email protected]

Kids Program Coordinator

Dwayne Murphy

[email protected]

Youth Program Coordinator

George Vahoviak [email protected]

PASA Headquarters 814-349-9856

ing systems, and more.Chick Debach, butcher and co-owner o

Leona Meat Plant, will give a visual presentation of a beef carcass breakdown to helpfarmers translate beef on the hoof to the finished product. Additionally, Ridge ShinnBakewell Reproductive Center, SteveReichard, 5R Cattle Co, and Bill Roberts12 Stones Grassland Beef, will offer insight

into the intricacies of form and functionwithin the herd, and their relationships toboth product and income. Despite a fulslate of knowledgeable speakers, there wilbe ample time for discussion, interactionand networking. Dont miss it!

A PRE-CONFERENCE TRACK

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Green Learning,Green Living forHigh School StudentsNew this year! A Pre-Conference Trackspecifically designed for high school students interested in sustainable agricultureand a sustainable lifestyle. If you are ateacher or are friends with a teenager whohelps on your farm, or if you are a highschool student yourself, check out the con-ference brochure or www.pasafarming.orgto learn more about this special pre-conference track to be held on Penn States Uni-versity Park campus.

Proudly Presenting Our KeynotersFor the 2009 conference, keynote speakers Raj Patel and Bernard Sweeney (full

biographies were printed in Passages #74) will offer their unique perspectives on

the theme, The Worldwide Search for Food Sovereignty: Finding Your Foodshed.

An author, researcher, activist and scholar, Raj Patel draws

on broad experience in his examination of the intersection

of food, hunger, and globalization. In his latest book,Stuffed

and Starved,he discusses the global food system, looking to

understand why one billion of the worlds population is

overweight while 850 million starve.

As Director, President, and Senior Research Scientist for

the Stroud Water Research Center, Bernard W. Sweeney

oversees pioneering research performed by interdiscipli-

nary research teams. Current projects include water quality

monitoring in conservation, the effects of global warming

on stream ecosystems,and the role of streamside forests in

the structure and function of stream and river ecosystems.


A PRE-CONFERENCE TRACK WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 & 5

Grass-fed, Grass-finished Beef:Positive Impacts & Superior Meats

Are you seeking success in grass-farmingto produce flavorful and nutritionally supe-rior beef? Do you want to acquire the nec-essary skills to improve soils andwatersheds, as well as increasing the seques-

tration of carbon? Are you interested in cul-tivating markets for finished product,custom grazing, feeders and/or seed stock?Are you looking to manage your pastures ina way that ensures a continuous supply offeed for the type of cattle on your farm?

These two days will provide a rare

opportunity to interact with and learn prac-tical no-nonsense strategies from nationallyrecognized grazers.

Kevin Fulton, a competitive weight lifterand custom grazing specialist, owns and

operates a 2,800-acre farm in CentralNebraska. He raises and sells his own grass-fed beef, and has done custom grazing forsix different, branded grass-fed beef pro-grams. A regular speaker at grazing confer-ences around the country, Kevin will

discuss matching the right livestock genetics with your particular grazing environment.Kevin will also cover custom grazing and

grass finishing livestock for other people, aplan that can generate cash flow and mini-mize the risks of ownership. Learn how toavoid the typical pitfalls you mightencounter establishing this type of business.

Greg Judy is a holistic management

practitioner and author of two books: NoRisk Ranching, Custom Grazing on LeasedLandand most recently, Comeback Farms:

Rejuvenating Soils, Pastures and Profits withLivestock Grazing Management. He prof-itably manages over 1,100 head of cattle onmore than 1560 acres in Missouri. Judysarticles have been featured in StockmanGrass Farmer, the Holistic ManagementInternational newsletter, and various other

industry must-reads. He brings to this pre-conference track vast experience on custom,multi-species grazing, high density plannedgrazing or mob grazing, water and fenc-


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Local FoodThe PASA conference meals are famous forgathering regional foods from farmers andproducers around the state. Not only is thisfood grown for taste and nutrition, but alsoit didnt burn up loads of fuel to get to yourplate! In addition, well ensure our confer-ence attendees have as many local foodoptions as possible through the FarmersMarket Caf, which will provide an alterna-tive low-budget, quick-grab style of eatingand gives folks another way to connect totheir farmers and food.

Compostable Containers

In an effort to manage our waste moreresponsibly, the Farmers Market Caf ven-dors will use compostable containers for thefoods they are selling. Well collect thesebiodegradable containers and food scraps inbio-bags, and deliver this organic waste tobe composted at the Penn State CompostSite. Isnt it great that our garbage can berecycled back to the environment!

CONFERENCE INVESTS IN CARBON OFFSETSThis year, we wanted to take an important step in greening the conference by looking

seriously at the carbon emissions created by simply convening our audience. We will

mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions caused by all transportation to and from the

conference center as well as by energy and electricity used during the event. To these

ends, we are purchasing carbon offsets

equivalent to the emissions associated

with the conference. A carbon offset is a

financial instrument representing a

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

PASA is working with the Environ-

mental Credit Corporation (ECC) on this project. ECC creates environmental assets

through long-term greenhouse gas reduction projects (visit www.envcc.com).Our conference emissions will be offset by investing in a landfill methane avoidance

project, which creates carbon credits by diverting organic materials from landfills and

utilizing them in composting operations.The high-quality, independently verified,addi-

tional credits derived from this protocol are registered and traded on the Chicago Cli-

mate Exchange the worlds first voluntary, legally binding, rule-based greenhouse

gas emission reduction and trading system.

The emissions associated with the conference will be calculated based on travel of

participants,energy consumption at the Penn Stater Conference Center and hotel guest

rooms utilized during the conference. Emissions will be calculated utilizing emission

factors from The Environmental Protection Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change.

ect now transforms food waste, landscapedebris, and animal manure into composfor use in campus landscaping projects, athletic field maintenance, and agriculturaresearch and demonstration projects. Whabegan as a 10-week demonstration projecis now handling food waste from seven dining commons, two campus hotels and thePenn Stater Conference Center. PASA i

delighted that this program is strong year-round, and not just done when were in thebuilding!

Going Eco with Printing

In an effort to be sensitive to pollutionlandfills, and our valuable forests, PASA iusing soy-based inks on chlorine-free, postconsumer recycled paper for printed materials. Weve also increased our electroniccommunications, further reducing the needfor paper.

Ride & Room Share You can help make Farming for the Futuregreener by traveling to the conference witha neighbor or sharing a room. Have an extraseat in your car? Save gasoline while meet-ing someone new by offering a ride. Livenear the conference and have a spare roomBe a local hero and offer someone a place tosleep. PASA is partnering with SpaceShareto help out-of-towners connect with fellowtravelers to share rides and rooms, and toconnect with Centre County residents withspare rooms on the SpaceShare network

Visit our website at www.pasafarming.orgto join the network and find another way tobe sustainable.

RecyclingOf Course!We are committed to Reduce, Reuse, andRecycle. Well collect the name badge lan-yards at the end of the conference, for reusenext year. The Penn Stater does a great jobof using glass and ceramic drinking vessels whenever possible, and when disposablecans and bottles are inevitable, they willdutifully collect and recycle them. PennStater Event Coordinator Delyn Walkersaid, We have attractive new recycling con-tainers that are used throughout the facilityyear-round. But when PASA comes in, we

get out the big bins! Your group is reallyserious about recycling!

Food Waste Goes Back to the Land

Over a decade ago, a group of concernedstudents and Penn State employees askedthe university, Why not compost cafeteriawaste and use the product in the universityslandscaping activities? Their inquiryreflected the gaining popularity of compost-ing as a waste disposal alternative. The proj-

Farming for the Future Carpools!

Encourage Green Travel

*Conference ride,room & flight match*

*Carpools to cultural events & rallies**College rideshare systems*

Your nonprofit can use our toolsto recruit at festivals

Technology for Communities

*Nonprofit membership networking**Custom database & web devel.*

*Community websites*

Tell us your technology dreamsor woes and we may be able to help

Join us! Tell event organizers about us!

www.SpaceShare.org/newsletter


Greening the ConferenceWeve made great strides in turning our footprint green!


10/3210

Friends of the Conference

Farming for the Future is an extremelyimportant event for the PASA membership.Its our chance to learn from and network

with interesting people and field experts,and gather new ideas for improving ourbusinesses and lives. The 2009 conferencewill be no different, and we want to ensurethat everyone can participate by keeping theregistration fees affordable. Please considerbecoming a Friend of the Conference. Yourtax-deductible contribution of $100enables the conference to flourish. Your giftwill be acknowledged at the conference andin Passages newsletter. Please indicate yourcontribution on the registration form.Thank you for being a Friend!

Please consider donating to this importanfund when you register for the conferenceby indicating your contribution on the registration form. If you wish to apply for ascholarship, please find the scholarshipapplication online at www.pasafarming.orgor contact Patty Neiner at PASA.

Benefit Auction

We are busy organizing our seventh annuafundraising auction and are looking fosome terrific items to include. Through oumembers generosity, we will showcase over130 items, featuring original artworkunique gift baskets, farm tools, vacationget-a-ways and more. If you have contribu-tions for the auction, please contact us by

January 9, 2009. We are looking for itemin all price ranges. Call PASA or [email protected].

Calling Talented Friends!

The FarmArts project at the conferenceincludes inspirational quotes for the walls, a

beautiful exhibit and sale

of farmland art, and adocumentary film. Ialso includes ways foyou to get involved with performing limusic or contributing tothe photo exhibit. CalPASA or [email protected] you are interested.

Got General Information?

Conference attendees look forward tobrowsing in the General Information areaas a way to learn about new resources andstay connected with the agricultural com-munity. If you have information you wantto share with conference goers, bring it tothe conference! Posters and flyers are wel-come. Magazines, catalogs, newspapers andother reading materials are welcome as well,but please provide no more than 900

copies. Materials can be mailed prior to theconference to PASA or the Penn StaterConference Center for a $25 contribution.To share information in the General Infor-mation area, please call PASA or [email protected].

Help Gather Local Foods

We gather sustainable, organic and region-ally raised foods for the conference mealsfrom over 50 PASA members and friends.We welcome contributions; its a great wayto be a part of the conference! All of theproviding farms and food producers will beacknowledged in our menu guide and Pas-sages newsletter. Call PASA or email [email protected].

Arias M. Brownback Scholarship Fund

The scholarship fund provides educationalopportunities for aspiring farmers, regard-less of financial circumstances, to increaseaccess to the sustainable agriculture tech-niques and methods necessary for success.


Get More Involved!There are many opportunities to get involved in

Farming for the Future behind the scenes! Read on

We Need Volunteers!Volunteers fuel Farming for the Future.

At the outset, the Conference Commit-

tee meets throughout the summer to

design and develop the program and

speakers. Then the conference staff

kicks in to pull all of the elements and

pieces together. There are lots more

volunteers needed in the weeks lead-

ing up to and following the confer-ence, as well as at the Conference

Center during the event. Help assure a

smooth-running conference by being

a volunteer. Call PASA or email

[email protected] to get

involved!


11/3211

group or upload some favorite recipes.

PASA has always derived a lot of its

strength from grassroots organizing and

local networking; our hope is that our

members will help to accelerate the recon-

struction of local food systems across the

state by using these new online tools!

But perhaps the most important way

you can help make the Good Food Neigh-

borhood a success is by beginning a con-

versation with PASAs Consumer Outreach

Department about how we can introduce

this program to other groups of con-

sumers. If you run a farm, can we put the

Good Food Neighborhood in front of your

customer list or CSA-subscriber list? If you

send out a newsletter or catalog for yourbusiness, can we get a mention there? If

youre a member of another group, or a

church, ask yourself whether your fellow

members might be interested in being

Good Food Neighbors, and what would be

the best way to ask. Another way you can

help is to encourage your friends and fam-

ily to join the Good Food Neighborhood.In

fact, this would be a wonderful holiday gift

to give this year!

I Centre CountyKristin Leitzel (Chapter Coordinator)[email protected]

I Chester County

Claire Murray (Chapter Coordinator)Inverbrook [email protected] or 610-563-3116

I Greater Lehigh ValleyLynn Prior (Chapter Coordinator)[email protected] or 610-438-3950

Serving Lehigh and Northampton Counties

I Lancaster CountyLinda Aleci (Chapter Coordinator)Local Economy Center,Franklin & Marshall [email protected] or 717-291-4293

I Northern TierRuth Tonachel (Chapter Coordinator)Northern Tier Cultural [email protected] or 570-268-4093

Serving Bradford, Potter,Sullivan,Susquehanna,Tioga,Wyoming Counties

I PhiladelphiaJessica Cronin-Connolly (Chapter Coordinator)White Dog Community Enterprises215-386-5211 x109 or [email protected]

I South Central PASusan Richards (Chapter Coordinator)Capital RC&[email protected] or 717-724-0009

Serving Adams,Bedford, Blair,Cambria, Cumber-land,Dauphin, Franklin,Fulton,Huntingdon,Lebanon,Perry & York Counties

The goal of PASAs Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) programming is to make it easier for

Pennsylvania consumers to find, choose and appreciate great local foodsand to

support the farmers and lands which produce them.

I Southeast PennsylvaniaMarilyn Anthony (Chapter Coordinator)[email protected] or 610-458-5700 x305

I Valleys of the Susquehanna

Trish Carothers (Chapter Coordinator)[email protected] or 570-522-7259

Serving Centre,Clinton, Columbia,Juniata,Lycoming,Mifflin,Montour, Northumberland, Snyder andUnion and Wyoming Counties

I Western PennsylvaniaMia Farber (Chapter Coordinator)[email protected] or 412-246-0990

Serving Allegheny,Armstrong,Beaver, Butler,Clari-on,Crawford,Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest,Greene, Indi-ana, Jefferson, Lawrence,Mercer,Somerset,Venango,Warren,Washington and WestmorelandCounties

I Statewide BFBL CoordinationChris Fullerton, PASA Consumer [email protected] or 412-246-0990

Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters in Pennsylvaniaare coordinated by PASA, on behalf of ournational partner, FoodRoutes Network (www.foodroutes.org). To explore your regions foodsystem further, hear about upcoming eventsand find more ways to get involved, pleasevisit our website www.buylocalpa.org orcontact one of the folks listed above.

Our work is made possible in part by fundingfrom the Pennsylvania Department of Agricultureand by contributions from individuals and busi-nesses throughout the state.

Membersh

ipUpdate Membership

Renewal ReminderTo all PASA members who pay yearly dues

to the organization, our 2009 membership

renewal campaign is underway! You may

have noticed the last few issues of the

newsletter have included your membership

expiration date above the mailing label andyou should have received your personalized

renewal materials a few weeks ago. PASA

invites you to renew your membership now

to take advantage of discounts on confer-

ence registration rates, as well as continuing

to help build your organization as a power-

ful voice for sustainable food and farming

systems. You can visit www.pasafarming.org

to renew online, remit the personalized pre-

viously sent or call headquarters at 814-

349-9856 x207.

Good FoodNeighborhood Q & A

continued from page 3

Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapters in PA

PASA Staff and Board Would Like

to Welcome Our Newest Business

Members as of November 14, 2008

American Organic Seed Co.

Warren,IL

The Book Squirrel

Carlisle,PA

Natures Yolk

New Holland, PA

www.naturesyolk.com

Redtail Land Co. Inc.

Stahlstown, PA

Schuylkill Center for

Environmental Education

Philadelphia,PA

PASA Staff and Board Would Like

to Thank the Following Volunteers as of

October 31, 2008

Tom Carey

Eileen Clark

Sandra & Bill Felker

Brigid Ferkett

Steve Frey

Sarah Galbraith

Lamonte Garber

Bob Gillespie

Tom Hricik

Melody Joaquim

Barbara Kleyman

Claire Murray

Patty Neiner

Patti Olenick

Lynn Prior

Caroline Shauger

Ian Smith

Walt Whitmer

New Business Members Volunteers


12/3212

collectively: sustainability in pricing, sus-tainability in market supply and demand,sustainability in long-term planning, andsustainability in the way we regard eachother. Ive since read many definitions ofsustainability, written by people far morequalified than I, but our own definition

remains much simpler and easier to applyevery day to truly treat others the waywe want to be treated as the lens throughwhich we evaluate all our actions and ourdecisions, including the care of our ani-mals and soil.

In 2002, we formed our feed and seedbusiness, Lakeview Organic Grain,around this concept. We are committedto supplying New York organic dairyfarms with as much New York organicgrain as possible, so the wealth of theopportunities and markets stays in our

own community and benefits everyone.We work with our farmers to improvetheir cropping success and soil health,diversify their rotations, and improvetheir pastures/forage. We provide a reli-able market for as many crops as possibleto encourage healthy crop rotation. When people have questions aboutorganic farming, they know they can callus for information, networking or just asympathetic ear. At times it certainlywould be far easier (and cheaper) to orderrailcars of corn from the Midwest rather

than to spend hours drying small lots ofcorn as it is harvested off multiple farms.But thats not the point! These farmersare our friends and our neighbors, andthe extra work allows us to offer anotheremployee a decent, well-paying job.Without a doubt, we have a great groupof employees at Lakeview and on thefarm they, too, are our friends, and itis ourprivilege to be working with them.

In the early 1990s, we were part of thegroup of organic grain and dairy farmers

that formed New York Certified Organic.We have now been meeting regularly dur-ing the winter for nearly 15 years to shareinformation and help each other becomebetter farmers. At each meeting, wespend most of the time sharing our weedcontrol strategies, crop rotation ideas,agronomic challenges, equipment ideas,and market information, and always, weenjoy a lengthy dish-to-share lunch.

Few of us are eager to seriously con-sider the question if I wasnt here on thisfarm, would it still be organic? This goes

Farmer&BusinessProfile

What do you see as some of the criticalissues concerning agriculture today?

Our first contact with PASA came inthe late 1990s when we wrote an articleforAcres USA (which, unfortunately, wasnever published) about a group of farm-ers near Pittsburgh who were growingorganic vegetables for restaurants. Theconcept really caught our imaginationbecause creating balanced, cooperativepartnerships between farms and buyers based on mutual respect made somuch senselong before the termlocalvore became popular.

The idea fit well with our core valuesas a family and as individuals thatcooperation and sensitivity to eachothers needs is necessary for long-termstability of supply, financial security,product quality, and a sense of communi-ty. This still remains the most criticalissue that should face us as organic farm-ers, processors and consumers today: howdo we best work together to build a stablecooperative marketplace in a changing

world that will benefit everyone withoutone group succeeding at the expense ofanother?

For much of our history, Americanagriculture has celebrated and rewardedsimultaneously the independence offarmers and their exploitation byagribusiness. Through government subsi-dies, university programs and expensiveadvertising, it has promoted the heavyuse of expensive farm inputs, a shrinkingrepertoire of crops, and the commodityproduction of cheap food products thatsupport neither good health nor goodquality. There are increasing numbers ofexperts who are now beginning to seethe flaws in this system that have been soapparent to us in alternative agriculturefor a long time.

As I gathered information for the arti-cle, I remember asking the Pittsburghfarmers to define the word sustainability it sounded great, but I wasnt exactlysure what that meant. Their answer wasmainly agronomic, and while this isessential, I feel very strongly that sustain-ability should be a key focus that perme-ates the entire industry, individually and

Mary-Howell & Klaas Martens are pioneer organic farmers in the Finger Lakes

region of New York, with about 1400 acres of organic corn, soybeans, small

grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, triticale), field peas, winter peas, dark red kid-

ney beans, edamame soybeans and other things too.They have been farming

organically since 1993,and also started an organic feed business in 1996 which

has expanded to supply more than 300 organic farmers in central New York.

They were the 2008 SARE Patrick Madden award winners in the Northeast,and

also raise organic heifers,pigs, chickens,and most importantly,three children

Peter, Elizabeth and Daniel.

For more information about Lakeview Organic Grain, call 315-531-1038, email

[email protected] or write Box 361, Pen Yan, NY 14527.

An Interview with Mary-Howell &Klaas Martens Lakeview Organic Grain

I N TER V I E W WI TH

MARY-HOWELL MARTENS


13/32

er! Since then, we have matured as acommunity and as individuals. That earlyheady enthusiasm and confidence havebeen tempered by remarkable success,hard reality and increasing complexity.Throughout this, we admire PASA forcontinually promoting a strong sense of

community, shared responsibility, andcreative intellectual growth.

How has your

farm & feed business evolved?

Our first organic crop in 1993 wasone field of wheat. We are currently farm-ing about 1400 acres of organic corn,soybeans, spelt, wheat, barley, oats, triti-cale, red kidney beans and hay. In thepast, we have grown organic cabbage forsauerkraut, and snap beans and sweetcorn for freezing. Some of our crops are

grown for seed production, and we havea spelt dehuller that produces food-gradespelt grain, much of which we export. Wealso participate in numerous researchprojects with Cornell University, PennState University and the Rodale Institute organic no-till, field corn breedingand variety trials, weed control equip-ment trials, small grain seed production,and cover crop and forage variety evalua-tion. Our daughter, Elizabeth, raisesorganic heifers; we have pigs, chickensand a family milk cow, and we raise most

of the food we eat year round.During this past summer, one of our

chicken feed customers offered to puttogether a Lakeview website for ourapproval. We hadnt thought we wanted awebsite; we actually resisted the idea fiveyears ago when our oldest son suggestedit, but it is turning out to be a remarkablyuseful tool. Now www.lakevieworganic-grain.com is becoming a great way toorganize feed and seed lists and pricinginformation, articles and other agronom-ic resources about organic farming, newsof upcoming events, links to other usefulsites, maps, and even home-groundorganic grain recipes!

In 1991, when we were splitting offfrom a conventional dairy farm partner-ship with Klaas two brothers (with onesmall child and another on the way andnot really enough money to start our ownfarm), we certainly didnt anticipate thatin 15 years, we would be here. Talk aboutevolution! We just wonder what the next15 years will bring!. I

sustainability is not a static state, no mat-ter how healthy your soil is. Agile adapta-tion to change can be tough, butessential. It is tempting to succumb tothinking but we had such a good thingstarting, why does it have to changenow? but we cant take that luxury.

External factors are changing rapidlythese days, and to the best of our ability, we must try to anticipate and change with them. Adapting to change, whilestill trying to shape its direction in accordwith our core values, will likely determinethe success and sustainability of ourfarms and the organic industry.

Why did you join PASA?

We joined PASA in 1999 because wesaw that something exciting was happen-ing south of the border. It was the potent

combination of people and vision, theshared strong belief that as a state, Penn-sylvania could build a cooperative,strong, interactive community of alterna-tive farmers, processors, and consumers. We still remember being in the PASAkeynote speech in 2001, given by thearchitect, Dr. William McDonough, andfeeling a tangible surge of energythroughout the room the brilliantclarity of his ideas combined with thou-sands of people sharing the same vision.It was a rare moment filled with the

power of we can do it, if we work togeth-

13

to the heart of whether our commitmentto sustainability can outlast our own per-sonal influence. Creating a farm environ-ment that nurtures young people toparticipate and accept leadership isimportant both on the farm and regionallevel. We are happy that our oldest son,

Peter, now finished with college, has cho-sen to work with us on our farm as hebuilds his separate farming enterprise. Wealso believe that developing a supportivenon-farming local community thatunderstands and values agricultural sus-tainability is vital.

The organic industry has experiencedunprecedented rapid growth over the past10 years, but with the current economicslowdown, we all will be forced to adjustto a rapidly changing market. While thedemand for organic food is not likely to

disappear, the particular products indemand may change. Luxury foods maybe harder to sell, while the demand formore basic food items like milk, meatand unprocessed produce is likely toremain strong, as long as they are pricedwithin our customers range.

In these uncertain times, we may berequired to make serious changes on ourfarms to keep pace with the changingmarketplace and consumer economicability. We may even have to think abouthow we can continue farming organically

if the price premium shrinks. Long-term


14/32

Another Great Seasonfor EducationalOutreach

14

eral in each of PASAs four regions. And

Id be remiss if I didnt mention the factthat allof this seasons lunches includedlocally grown and produced foods sev-eral of the lunches were provided by thevery PASA members hosting the events!

We sincerely hope you enjoyed thisseasons programming and took valuableinformation away with you. Planning iswell underway for the 2009 season, and itpromises to be another bellringer. Thankyou, and we look forward to seeing youagain in the field and on the farm.

Small Ruminant Producers!As part of our NE SARE Diversifying

with Small Ruminants for Profitabilitygrant, were organizing regional meetingsfor this winter. Our goal is to get produc-ers together for informal networking,exchange, and discussion of diversifica-tion, sustainability, and profitability innew and expanding small ruminant farmoperations. Take this opportunity to con-nect with other new and expanding smallruminant farmers and be included inPASAs online Small Ruminant Directo-ry. More info coming soon. I

Educational

Outreach

By Rachel Schaal,Educational Outreach Associate

Were you one of the over 600 peoplewho came out to a PASA field day thisseason? If so, you had the opportunity toshare with farmers and producers explor-ing and expanding the frontiers of sus-tainability and profitability on the farm.PASA continued to offer programmingon Integrated Pest Management (IPM)strategies, looking specifically at examples

of greenhouse and high tunnel applica-

tions. And with four certified kitchenprograms offered, over 150 people tookthe first step toward developing value-added dairy ventures to diversify farmbusinesses and revenue streams.

Our educational outreach season alsoincluded two farm-scale composting fielddays, a tour of a robotic milking facility,a workshop for managers of farmers mar-kets, and a hands-on demo of a mobilepoultry processing unit. These events

were held all over Pennsylvania, with sev-

Another Great Seasonfor EducationalOutreach

Participants in this years field day programs

learned about a myriad of topics, including

small goat dairying as pictured here from

Spotted Hill Farm in Pottstown,PA.

A D V E R TI S E M E N T


15/3215

RegionalMarketing

The Western Regional office recentlyheld one of two potluck meetings. Thefirst was held on Dec. 17th in Erie andthe second meeting is coming up on Jan.10th from 11am3pm at the CranberryMunicipal Center in the Council Cham-

bers. For more information or to RSVPcontact Julie Inman, 412-697-0411 [email protected].

Terra Madre Experience

By Greg Boulos,Western Regional Director

The closing ceremony of Slow FoodsTerra Madre Conference hosted a grandfinale of native musicians from 15 differ-ent countries all playing together onstage. This harmonizing of cultures wasapropos of the conference, bringing 150countries together to discuss sustainable

agriculture, food access, governmentalpolicy and international support. Thisglobal sharing of ideas had the cama-raderie and spirit of the PASA conference a community celebration of all thingssustainable, mixed with sharing of foodand information. My wife, Jen, and I were fortunate enough to have beenselected to represent Southwestern Penn-sylvania at the gathering. We made greatconnections to regional, national andinternational leaders in the sustainablefood movement, and are looking forward

to developing those relationships throughPASA and bringing ideas, initiatives andperspectives back to Pennsylvania!

WESTERN

Southeast Regional Advisory

Committee Convenes

On Nov. 18, 30 interested PASAmembers turned out for a meeting at theChester County Economic Developmentoffice. We were delighted to welcomemembers from seven of the eight countiesof the southeast. Bucks County, wemissed you!

Regional Director Marilyn Anthonyprovided a brief summary of the distribu-tion of PASA members in the region. Shechallenged those present to focus theirvolunteer efforts on Energizing theMembership for 2009. Specifically,attendees were encouraged to sign apledge for one year of active participationas an Advisor, and to select one area of

personal involvement: member retention,recruitment, or development/fundrais-ing. Twenty pledges were made withnearly equal distribution in each area. Allvolunteers will receive additional infor-mation later this year as we begin todevelop our membership initiatives.

Marilyn will make a similar presenta-tion at the regional breakout session atthe PASA conference. If you were unableto attend the November meeting butwould like to join the Advisory Commit-tee, youll have another opportunity in

February, or you can contact Marilyn([email protected]) to expressyour interest.

SOUTHEAST

The South Central Regional AdvisoryCommittee held a potluck on Nov. 18 torecruit new members to work on plan-ning educational, social, and outreachprograms for 2009. This one-year, volun-teer position promises to be fun andrewarding! For more info contact JennHalpin ([email protected]) orMelanie Dietrich-Cochran ([email protected]).

Ideas proposed for 2009 for ourregions farmers and food lovers includeeducational workshops on food preserva-tion, chicken processing and cookingclasses. If you have an interest in leadingor attending a workshop of this natureplease let us know!

We plan to use our regional discussion

group (see box below) as a venue forcommunicating group canning parties orother tasks made lighter by many helpfulhands. If you are a seasoned canner orfood preserver and are interested in shar-ing your knowledge, let us know!

More social potlucks were also indemand! If you are interested in playinghost to a fun group of people, we want toknow!

The South Central Advisory Commit-tee will meet in late February to beginplanning the upcoming season for our

region. Again, if you are interested inbeing a part of this planning group,please let us know!

SOUTH CENTRAL

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 provided.

Western

[email protected]

Greg Boulos

412-697-0411 [email protected]

[email protected]

Marilyn Anthony

610-458-5700 x305 [email protected]

Southcentral

[email protected]

Jenn Halpin


NorthCentral/Eastern

[email protected]

Leah Tewksbury


Out of State discussion group addresses:

States North and East of Pennsylvania

[email protected]

States South and West of Pennsylvania

[email protected]


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finish cooking over indirect heat. If youare oven roasting, lower the temperature. When heat is applied quickly, musclefibers in the meat contract quickly. Whenmeat is not heavily marbled, there is littlefat for insulation to slow the muscle con-traction, and your dinner will be chewy.Also, since the fibers are not contractingquickly, less of the juice is lost, resultingin a more moist piece of meat. Thus, low-

ering the cooking temperature is yourinsurance policy to protect tendernessand juiciness. Next, use a meat ther-mometer to gauge doneness. Over-cook-ing the meat will contribute to dryness.Also, in most cases, I advise that reliably-sourced grass-fed meats be removed fromthe oven or grill with lower internal tem-peratures than those recommended bythe USDA. This helps to preserve morejuice, reduces the sacrifice of those nutri-tious (CLA and Omega-3-rich) fats tothe flames, and enhances the overallnutritional value of the meat. For a quickresource on this, check out the DontOver-Do It refrigerator magnets atgrassfedcooking.com they list theideal internal temperatures for grass-fedand grain-fed meats. Also, look carefullyat the meat before you cook it. If it is asteak, is it the same thickness that you areused to, or that is called for in the recipe?Is it well-marbled? Lean? If it is thinner,cook it for less time. If it is thicker, beprepared to go a little longer. If it is lean,

Consu

merNews

By Shannon Hayes,www.grassfedcooking.com

Pasture-based farmers who direct-markettheir meats are forever answering the

same questions from new customers:What, exactly, are the differencesbetween conventional meats and grass-fed? Most of us have a bevy of replies onthe tips of our tongues: We launch intolectures about the environmental devasta-tion caused by the factory farming indus-try, we give in-depth explanations aboutcarbon sequestration and how good graz-ing reduces global warming. We defineCLAs and Omega 3s and quote nutri-tional studies verbatim. We expound onpeak oil and demonstrate graziers

reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Wepreach about the value of local economiesand our role in rebuilding sustainablecommunities. We bear the simple (albeitnoble) title farmer, but to do our jobswell, weve evolved into chemists, biolo-gists, sociologists, nutritionists, environ-mentalists, animal rights activists andpreachers. Whatever our explanations ofthe differences may be, the next questionwe almost always hear following our dia-tribes is, But its tougher, right? No.

More than ever before, folks are will-

ing to try bringing grass-fed meats homefor their families. Yet still, the myth pre-vails, even among grass-fed advocates,that the eating just wont be the same asthe good ol grain-fed days.

Itll be better. In my experience, unlessthere has been a serious managementproblem on the farm, grass-fed meat isnot tougher than grain-fed. In fact, whenI wrote The Grassfed Gourmet, I teamedup with Cornell Meat Scientist Dr.Denny Shaw, and we spent a day cooking

up a storm, then running Warner-Brat-zler shear tests comparing local grass-fedbeef with grain-fed Certified Angusbeef from the grocery store. In nearlyevery test we performed, the grass-fedmeat received the better tenderness score.While this was only preliminary research(I lack the finances to conduct a full-blown study), I have not yet seen anyother studies confirming the grassfed istough myth (if any of you readers knowof any, please forward them along).

In the last few years, Ive done numer-

ous Farmer and The Grill work-shops, where I show up at demon-stration sites, receive several varietiesof meats from local farms, and face

the challenge of preparing whateverI am handed for all the workshopparticipants to sample. I use onlysalt, pepper, garlic, and a little kettlegrill. I use no fancy tenderizingmethodologies, no space-age culi-nary equipment. Weve never had apiece of tough grass-fed meat yet.Then why do so many folks reporthaving eaten tough meat? The secretlies in understanding one simple dif-ference between grass and grain-fedmeats that many of us, in all our

myriad lectures on grass-fed/grain-fed differences, forget to explain toour customers.

Grass-fed meat is variable. We havegrown accustomed to an industrializedfood system that offers us flavorless, eco-logically devastating, potentially toxic,inhumane, nutritionally deficient meat.But it is consistent. And for nearly 50years, the industrialized food system hasbeen supported by a culinary industrythat has educated us on how to make themost of this consistent meat (consistently

inferior!).Grass-fed meats are a product of their

ecosystem. And every farms ecosystemwill be different. Genetics will vary. Pas-tures will vary. Weather patterns will vary.Individual animals will vary. Farmingpractices will vary. Butchering practices will vary. All of this is evidence of ahealthy, diversified, localized, sustainablefood system. The result will be variablemeat. A grass-fed rib steak for sale at thefarmers market may be 1.2 pounds. Another one might be 0.72 pounds. Itmay grade prime (lots of marbling),choice (a good amount of marbling), orselect (lean). Provided the animals werentmishandled or improperly grazed, withsimple, attentive cooking practices, allgrass-fed meats can achieve the desiredcombination of tenderness, juiciness andflavor.

The key lies in working with the vari-ability. For starters, lower the tempera-tures at which you cook the meats. If youare grilling, once youve seared the meat,

The Difference Between Grain-Fed and Grass-fed

The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook is available online at:

grassfedcooking.com.


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be extra cautious with the flames or oven temperature. Eval-uate your roasts the same way. Bigger pieces of meat will cooklonger than smaller pieces. Remember: Recipes are guidelinesfor preparing foods. They are not legal documents. Just as wefarmers have learned to create food in harmony with ourever-changing ecosystems, where the production of goodfood is the result of daily attention to the environment and

the animals, so too do cooks need to pay attention to ourfood in the kitchen. We do not need to be gourmet chefs. Wesimply need to be attentive.

Finally, start taking more time to enjoy your food. Grass-fed meats take longer to raise up on the farm. Take longer toenjoy them at your table. They have magnificent flavor, andeach piece of meat will taste different from animal to animal,farm to farm, region to region. When we eat with attentionand celebration, these flavors really shine through. Themajority of Americans spend less than 31 minutes around thefamily dinner table. This allows for hardly any time to con-verse, and it is a woefully short period in which to fully tastegood food that was artfully grown and lovingly prepared. So

sit longer, taste more, and enjoy the great food. I

Editors Note: Shannon Hayes is the host of grassfedcooking.comand the author of The Farmer and the Grill and the GrassfedGourmet Cookbook. She works with her family on Sap BushHollow Farm, raising pastured and grass-fed meats, in UpstateNew York.




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We have access to the best foods raisedanywhere so it is only logical for PASAto make the most of this fact and organ-

ize local food feasts as one way to raisefinancial support and awareness. HarvestCelebration Dinners have become a sub-stantial and delicious means to garnergeneral support for the past six years. Ourthree Harvest Celebration Dinners heldin September raised well over $45,000and helped our collective cause gainmomentum!

Our two regional offices each hosted adinner, and PASA headquarters held astatewide event in Harrisburg. Threecities, three dinners, three wonderful col-lections of regional food prepared withpanache that wowed three audiences.

That formula is easy to comprehend,but what makes these dinners possible isthe financial support we acquire from oursponsors. They provide the essential rev-enue that underwrites the expenses of theevents, including much of the local farmfood (although some is donated), whichallows us to raise money through the saleof tickets.

Lady Moon Farms was the title spon-

sor of the Harrisburg Dinner. Owner andPASA founding member Tom Beddardtook the stage that night and delightedthe audience with four Top Ten Listson why he loves farming, hates farming,

loves local food, and supports PASA. Afew of the top reasons on Toms love offarming list included, The love of plant-

ing seeds, the smell of top soil, andwatching crops grow. His top reason wasI love not getting dressed up for work!Some top tens on why he supports PASAincluded The farming community needsa strong voice, they do really good work,and it beats leaving money on WallStreet!

Kimberton Whole Foods supportedboth the Harrisburg event as a Celebra-tion Sponsor and leant support to theirregional event at Longwood Gardens.Company partner Terry Brett stated Wewere honored to provide support to theseimportant PASA fundraisers. We wantedto make a statement and show howenthusiastically our company is behindPASA. The educational and marketingprogramming that PASA achieves under-lies and contributes to the mission ofKimberton Whole Foods. Sustainablecommunities begin with sustainable agri-culture.

Glasbern Inn of Lehigh County sup-ported the Longwood dinner as a Cele-

bration Sponsor. Owner Al Grangerhosted a Harvest Dinner at his beautifulInn a few years back, and has been finan-cially supporting the events since. Itsmy pleasure to support PASA fundraising

18

Fundraisin

gUpdate

Locavores Celebrate the HarvestWhile Raising Money and Awareness

Below Left: Tom Beddard of Lady Moon Farms was the Presenting Sponsor of the Harrisburg Dinner and has been the lead sponsor of thisimportant fundraiser for six years.

Below Right: PASA's Good Food Neighborhood consumer campaign was unveiled at all three Harvest Dinners (see cover story).

Harrisburg Sponsors

Presenting SponsorLady Moon Farms

Celebration SponsorKimberton Whole Foods

Reception Sponsor

Four Seasons Produce

Bounty SponsorWegmans Food Market

Entertainment SponsorChaddsford Winery

Cultivator SponsorsOrganic Unlimited

Harrisburg ProvidingFarms,Vineyards & Breweries

Adams County Winery Birchrun Hills Farm Brok-

N-Bit Acres Calkins Creamery Chaddsford Win-

ery Cherry Valley Vineyards Clover Creek

Cheese Cellar Country Acre Cider Mill CountryTime Pork Dancing Creek Farm Demeters Gar-

den Dickinson College Farm Eberly Poultry

Farms Equal Exchange Four Seasons Produce

Greenbriar Farm Green Heron Farm Hardwick

Beef Farms Hares Valley Growers Harrisburg

Dairies Help From Above Farm Hendricks Farm

& Dairy Jamison Farm Journeys End Farm

Jubilee Organic Farm Keswick Creamery Lady

Moon Farms Landisdale Farm Leraysville

Cheese Factory Lil Pond Farm Long Lane Flow-

ers Mother Earth Mushrooms New Morning

Farm Old Meadow Farm Otterbein Acres Paint-

ed Hand Farm Perrydell Family Farm Phillips

Mushroom Farms Pipe Dreams Rippling Brook

Farm Shellbark Hollow Farm Sonnewald Natur-

al Foods Spiral Path Farm Stone Meadow Farm

Tait Farm Foods Three Belle Cheese ToigoOrchards Trickling Springs Creamery Tregs

Brewing Company Tuscarora Mountain Farm

Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative Twin

Brook Winery Village Acres Vollmecke Orchards

& CSA Wayside Acres Wegmans Food Markets


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dens. Americas premier garden offeredthe perfect backdrop for our guests asthey had the opportunity to enjoy theseasonal beauty of Longwood's Conser-vatory, which boasts 20 indo

nov-dec 2008 passages newsletter, pennsylvania association for sustainable agriculture

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