Re: Support your local Farmer and Michigan REAL FOOD conference

[Guest guest]

I don't disparage anyone for the price that they choose to

charge.Some folks may be in a better situtation to charge much less

than others and still have a profit margin. Before I lost 59 acres

of prime grazing and fresh, pure stream water, i was IF Ihave good

weather (no drought) I clear profit from April to November, and am

in the red from nov through March. It kills me when the farmland

around me is being divided into 21 acre parcels and populated with

McMansions who get to pay land use taxes for having 1 hay cutting a

year, and all that grazng out of circulation. Typically, my husband

has an off-farm job that subsidizes our mortgage, property and real

taxes. When app 83% of farm famly income nationwide is from off farm

jobs, the picture is grim. When, as a nation, we are willing to pay

more for a movie ticket that a gallon of milk, when a pair of " nice "

panties at VS is twice the price, and people are paying a higher

percentage of their incomes gladly for entertainment and eating out

than for home food, I see an eminent clash. Can't afford milk? I

have share owners that barter w/ me their time or labor. I also have

share owners that I have a feeling will balk at this next price

increase for boarding, and probably sell their share. I also have a

share owner that after the fire paid for a used vacuum pump and

motor for me--a totally un-solicited donation. They grew up on farms

in Norway and are very aware people.

This issue of pricing farm products reminds me of the whole

babysitter payment issue. People want to be able to turn their

children over to the absolutely lowest paid person, turn their most

precious for as little as possible, and go out and party at will, or

have jobs that they feel are worth more than their children. People

will spend more on a magazine at the supermarket than they are

willing to pay for an hour of childcare. My daughter went once to a

couple's home to sit for their 3 children, and they were cranky

about having to pay her $5 an hour. Yet she said they had

subscrptions to People, Us, TV guide, and lots of convenience snack

stuff. They also asked her to clean up the kitchen after the

children were put into bed. It was a one time deal. She was not

willing to go back and be patronized. I rarely used sitters---not

only was the money tight==and I would not try and shorthcange

someone doing that kind of amazingly responsible service--but I

traded w/ friends who also wanted a relationship based care. Mostly,

my kids went with me. They helped us when we were in contacting,

they " car schooled " and they developed an understanding of real

life, with people who loved them.

I farm for much the same reasons. And have children who help me in a

real way. As a matter of fact, the only reason that I have time to

post right now, with all the demands after the fire, is due to

hurting my lower back last night. The children are out doing chores

and milking while I am trying to not be in pain. They are not paid

for their work. It is part of the family. What happens as they move

to new things? I will have to either hire labor, or work longer

hours, at the expense of something else. Either way. costs will have

to increase.

I would like to see the farm families in our country actually be

able to make a living on farm, and not dependent on of farm jobs. I

is probably a pipe dream with the population in general not having

respect for REAL FOOD.

A plug here that I have forgotten to throw out..

In Michigan, the Michigan Independent Consumers and Farmers

Association is holding the first annual REAL FOOD conference on

January 26, in the tradition of Farm Food Voices. Sally Fallon, our

own Ted Beals, Gerld Fry, and others will be sharing. For more info

go to www.MIICFA.org and follow the links, or email me.