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The Vanishing Small Farm

Everywhere, all over the country, all around the world, small farms are disappearing. According to a USDA report, after peaking at 6.8 million in 1945, U.S. farms fell sharply until the early 1970s; by 2002, only 2.1 million farms remained. If you’ve lived long enough, chances are you remember a few of these small farms, perhaps fondly.

But why is this happening? Exactly what forces are at play here? And is there any cause for hope?

Part of the blame can be laid upon farmers’ children’s unwillingness to take over a business that requires them to work up to 16 hours a day during the growing season, while making a fraction of what they could make elsewhere. That plus the modern social stigma associated with farming—toiling in the dirt just isn’t as glamorous as practicing law or medicine—have lead to an overall decreased interest in farming.

But an even larger factor is the ever-increasing expenditures associated with farm ownership. Since 1984, production expenses skyrocketed to $197.5 billion, or 88 percent of gross cash income. And the cost of just living on a farm—healthcare, electricity, heat, etc.—now exceeds an average of $47,000 per year, often less than net income.

The rise of supersize factory-farms presents another obstacle. As more and more farms consolidate and incorporate, involving themselves in distribution, processing, and storage procedures, smaller farms are squeezed out. Add to that Wall Street speculator’s recent zeal for farmland ‘investment’—buying up large swaths of land, driving up prices—and it’s easy to see why small farms are on the decline.

And then there’s subsidies. Taxpayer-sourced monies paid to industries to produce goods at artificially cheap prices (to suppress social unrest and encourage export competitiveness) have had a devastating effect on small farmers, forcing them to sell their goods at unsustainably low prices. Subsidies are also to blame for chronic overproduction which further drives down prices.

Though this trend does not show any immediate signs of reversing, the rise of organic farming—both small and large scale—has helped soften the blow. Indeed, as a recent Mother Jones piece concludes, organic farming is now more profitable than conventional. The fact that consumers are willing to pay more for a premium product is good news for small farmers everywhere who are looking to keep doing what they love.

By admin|July 3rd, 2015|News|Comments Off

Powered by Bicycle: The Future of Sustainable Farming

Everyone knows bikes are a great way to exercise, enjoy the outdoors, or even commute. But did you know bikes can be converted into useful agricultural tools and machines? From weeding, harvesting, planting, threshing, shelling, winnowing—bikes can do it all. And without greenhouse emissions and expensive repair bills. The following are a few ways that show the awesome power of pedals!

Hauling, as every farmer knows, is essential to agriculture. This pedal powered winch does the work of a tractor or horse. ( A winch is a hauling or lifting device consisting of a cable that winds around a horizontal drum, turned by a crank.) Harrowing, seeding, raking, and cultivating are just a few of the jobs that a pedal-powered winch can perform.

Planting, transplanting, and weeding can also be facilitated by cycle power, as demonstrated by this ingenuous pedal-powered machine developed by Rob Rock and Andrew Crawford of the Arethusa Collective Farm. Farmers using this device saw a 28% decrease in hand weeding, and a 9% decrease in transplanting.

Pedal-powered devices can even be used for threshing, winnowing, and shelling. Threshing is the process by which the grain is removed from the plant, and winnowing is the process of removing the grain from the chaff. This particular design can even be quickly reconfigured to function as a traditional bike!

Doubtless the future holds many more such sustainable pedal-power inventions as these!

By admin|June 19th, 2015|News|Comments Off

The Mysterious and Fascinating Life of Roots

When we think of roots, most of us think of pale, fibrous, slimy-looking tubes whose only purpose is sucking water out of soil. If we’re gardeners or farmers, we also think of roots as food. But roots do much more than siphon water and provide food—they’re the cornerstone of plant function. And in many ways they are more fascinating than the leaves, blossoms, and fruits they help produce.

Of course, roots’ main job is to deliver water and minerals. They are, in essence, the starting point of the plant’s vascular system. But roots also serve as a plant’s anchor; act as a repository for carbohydrates, sugars, and proteins; and ensure the plant’s survival during the long cold winter months.

Often a root system occupies a larger space than the plant it supports, comprising up to one-third a plant’s overall mass, it’s total length reaching into the hundreds of miles! There are, generally speaking, two types of root systems: tap and diffuse. Tap systems are those with many smaller rootlets branching off a single, main root. (Think carrots and dandelions.) Diffuse systems are comprised of many thin roots which draw from even thinner and smaller rootlets (corn and rye).

Root health is in large part determined by soil quality. Roots require biologically-rich, well-aerated soils. Excessively waterlogged or compacted soils, or soils that are otherwise oxygen deficient, can lead to shallow root growth.

Roots also have an intriguing relationship with microorganisms. Rhizobium, a well-known soil bacteria, converts atmospheric nitrogen into an organic nitrogenous compound that acts as a fertilizer. These bacterial clusters present themselves as nodules on roots.

Some more fun root facts:

Roots grow from their tips, but only in warm weather.
By splitting rocks into smaller pieces, roots contribute to soil-creation.
Each root is covered with tiny hairs through which water and minerals are absorbed
The roots of a South African wild fig tree can exceed depths of 390 feet!
Eighty percent of all plant disorders are caused by root/soil problems.

By admin|June 5th, 2015|News|Comments Off

T’is the Season for Spring Mix

The growing season is ramping up, and you know what that means: spring mix! Each year around this time, we see our first delicious harvest of this delicious crop. The variety of fresh tastes and textures are welcome after a long and cold winter. But just what is spring mix? And where does it come from?

Believe it or not, spring mix is a relatively new creation. It originated in Provence, France in the early 70’s under the name ‘Mesclun.’ (Europeans still refer to it as such, as do many American chefs). Traditional blends consist of chervil, arugula, dandelion, and endive. The term comes from the Provencal, ‘mesclar’ which means ‘mixture’. Farmers around Nice would each bring their own unique blend to local farmer’s markets, where they would be sold to the public.

In North America, Mesclun first appeared at farm stands back in the early 1980s. Here, the mix is generally comprised of baby lettuces and herbs, including red and green oak leaf, romaine, frisee, tatsoi, box choy, arugula, spinach, mizuna, mustard, or more.

At Blue Moon Acres, we use romaine, kale, mizuna, mustards, and chards in our spring mix. It’s a delicate, flavorful, colorful, and dynamic blend that not only makes for a delicious salad, but also goes great with sandwiches and wraps.

But don’t take my word for it—swing by one of our markets today and try some for yourself!

By admin|May 22nd, 2015|News|Comments Off

What are Phytonutrients?

Spend enough time reading health blogs and you’ll probably come across the word, ‘phytonutrients’. It’s a term that’s often used in conjunction with physical fitness and nutritional health. But what are phytonutrients? How do they work? And why should you care?

Phytonutrients are actually a little difficult to pin down. Google defines them as ‘a substance found in certain plants which is believed to be beneficial to human health and help prevent various diseases.’ Other websites describe them merely as nutrients that have been scientifically proven to provide health benefits. What is known about phytonutrients is that they are not related to fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and they provide huge health benefits.

Plant foods can contain more than 25,000 phytonutrients. Carotenoids, ellagic acid, flavonoids, resveratrol, glucosinolates, and phytoestrogens are just a few of the better known ones. Some act as antioxidants, some aid in immunity and eye health, some protect against cancer, some reduce risk of asthma and heart disease, and some have anti-inflammatory and neuro-protective properties.

Nearly all plant foods contain phytonutrients, but some contain more than others. Fruits and veggies that have a deep, rich color—blueberries, blackberries, red cabbage, collards, and spinach—are good sources. But so too are certain off-white vegetables: garlic, onions, and leeks have loads of phytonutrients. As do red and pink fruits and veggies—tomatoes, guava, and watermelon.

To increase your uptake of these important nutrients, add extra fruits and vegetables to your salads, stews, pot roasts, and chili. Drinking a green smoothie with kale, cherries, spinach and almond milk also helps. As does the regular consumption of plant-based protein shakes mixed with blueberries.

The bottom line is this: the more phytonutrients you consume, the healthier you’ll be and feel!

By admin|May 8th, 2015|News|Comments Off