The Real Dirt on Farmer

[Guest guest]

Sounds like a chapter from the history of our family involvement in agriculture.

Auction sale, piece by piece sale of property for new housing or a mega dairy,

but never bankruptcy- here. Two brothers forced to quit, three others decide to

expand, and one conversion to organic. I could write a book. We too are seeing

some hope by more direct contact with consumers after building ever more debt

with conversion to organic agriculture. Now, the weakening of NOP standards will

allow the giants from conventional ag to gain market share in all areas where

price is the only factor in choosing which label to purchase. We will not join

the practice of only meeting minimum standards. We have set our standards to

provide for the healthiest animals and their lifegiving crop of pastured,

organic, farm packaged eggs.

We are (this week) finding some help from the area- to cover the task of

packaging (cartons and bulk) our 300 - 400 dozen eggs each day, after working

the 85 to 90 hr weeks (besides the spouses' 40 hr job in town) that allow our

operating budget to catch up with past shortfalls.

Agriculture w/o the handouts of farm programs is really satisfying for me,

but my spouse is tired of being tired. Wants me to choose her and make a change,

get a real job- with benefits. I've had the factory job (for 6 mo- 30 yrs ago @

$3 per hr). I might be single again after 24 yrs of marriage, but I'll still be

farming, the right way. Alvin

Laurel <laurelsings@...> wrote:

Hey everyone!

I just returned from a preview of the film " The Real Dirt on Farmer

" . If you want to understand the plight of farming and

agriculture in the Midwest, SEE THIS FILM! It is funny, sad, thought

provoking, human.... I could go on and on. There are two showings

this Friday, one at Block E and the other at the Regal Crown Cinema in

Brooklyn Center. I know I will be going again.

Info on the film:

http://www.angelicorganics.com/Film/realdirtcontent.php?contentfile=screenings

Laurel

[Guest guest]

Rebekah and I agree that this movie is a MUST SEE. Try to make every effort to

go see it. I

think you will laugh, cry and ultimately feel really good, not only about the

story of Farmer

and his odessey, but of the journey we are all making in our exploration of

the world of

Tradtional Foods. I guarantee you that you'll never see anything like this!

Will

[Guest guest]

>Rebekah and I agree that this movie is a MUST SEE.

We saw the movie at the Regal on Friday night, and agree. Afterward,

representatives from the Wedge Co-op & The Land Stewardship Project

moderated a brief question/answer time. A few folks who run area

CSAs were on hand in the audience. Something that really struck me

is the " heart " of the Wedge (and our local co-op system, in general).

There they were, PROMOTING our area CSAs, something that an ordinary

business would view as promoting " the competition " for the market of

organics.

Go see, & bring your friends.

Jan

[Guest guest]

If you haven't seen this documentary, I recommend it! It traces the story of a

midwest family farm, it's somewhat eccentric farmer, and how it's now one of the

largest organic CSA's in the country, as well as an educational center.

http://www.angelicorganics.com/ao/index.php?option=com_content & task=view & id=148 & \

Itemid=182

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/realdirt/

(Gabi, thanks for the recommendation!)