I think we keep getting closer and closer back to discussing the biggest
obstacle to sustainability on American farms--Profits--especially on a small
scale. In the midwest pigs and dairy were always a good way for farmers to
support a family. Up until the last couple of years it didn't even require
any marketing skill. I'm afraid those days may be over. They may not be
though too. The jury is still out. (I still think the sustainable ag
community needs to be more vocal on the need for competitive markets as
sustainable farmers can compete with these corps head to head if we choose
to but that is another post for another day.) Pastured poultry, rabbits,
and beef look awful encouraging for anyone with marketing skills. I've
never been informed on the whole market garden concept but I know of a
handful of organic/and or sustainable vegetable farmers supporting
families. I would like to think it as easy as Lion has stated but I can't
for the life of me find the real farms that are making $40K/acre. I'm
tickled to death with 1% of that for returns per acre in this agricultural
climate. I'd like to see some more discussion on these high grossing
operations and how we can actually see more family supporting sustainable
farms out here on the land.
Best wishes,
Greg Gunthorp
-----Original Message-----
From: Michaele Blakely <mjb@premier1.net>
To: sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu <sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu>
Date: Sunday, April 09, 2000 10:47 PM
Subject: Re: Re:Lion's Micro-farming fairy tale
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Alex McGregor <waldenfarm@sprintmail.com>
>To: <sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu>
>Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2000 8:44 AM
>Subject: Re:Lion's Micro-farming fairy tale
>
>
>> Andy & Lion,
>>
>> Interesting! I've enjoyed reading your debate on the feasibility of
>> micro-farming. You have both touched on some important points. I would
>> like to
>> add to the discussion, based on my experience in this area and some
>> knowledge I
>> have of other operations.
>
>****I as well
>>
>> First, let me say that I micro-farm- 30 family CSA
>
>I also micro-farm, although I had not really thought of what I did in such
>terms until this thread. I've been doing this for a little over ten years
>(farming/ranching most of my life on and off again), but a while back
>decided I wanted to test just how little land I could use and still make a
>decent living. I've added and subtracted land as my experiments have come
>and gone. I started out on a very small scale initially, growing as ideas
>formed and developed.
>
>Although when I started this experiment I did not have to realize an income
>as my husband was providing enough for us to get by, I also did not invest
>in equipment, fertilizers and other such things that a lot of farmers find
>themselves getting into debt over. As I made money I re-invested that
money
>into the farm enterprise and stayed out of debt. Just before I started
this
>we sold our properties and have bartered our land and house. We are no
>longer land owners which plays significantly into my being able to do what
I
>do where I do it.
>
>In the last year I have been talking about how much land I use, although I
>have actually never paced it off. I did last night and was surprised at
how
>little land I used last year with the amount of money that came in. I
>usually estimate my actual land usage at between 21/2-3 acres for vegetable
>and berry production. In actuality I used just 1 1/4 last year with
>vegetables and berries and meat birds and another 3/4 of an acre with the
>laying flock. The largest piece of farm equipment I have is an 8 hp
>rototiller. Almost everything is done by hand, with the management of the
>chickens, intercropping and covercropping building the soil. I have done
>this by myself, but I'm fast and it does make for long hours during certain
>times of the season. I choose not to do that anymore. The last three years
>I have had an apprentice and we work 40 hour weeks always with the emphasis
>on labor saving means to an end. I supply a 50 member CSA and 3 farmers
>markets and my tables are very full.
>
>With all that said I want to say that I have valued Lion Kuntz's essays as
>stimulation and food for thought. There have been many good and valuable
>ideas collected and put out. I appreciate that and have never felt that
his
>contributions to a sustainable life on this planet have been fodder for a
>compost pile. But of course I am biased, this is why I have chosen to live
>and work the way that I do. I find some of his combinations a little too
>overwhelming for me to be able to pull off though. Someone else just might
>be able to do it.
>
>As I have read his essays (although I haven't had time to thoroughly go
>through each one) I have placed them in a folder for reading at a later
time
>in the season when I have time to reflect and perhaps apply these ideas to
>my farm. That is what I have felt them to be--ideas, as everything written
>as a how-to is.
>However, I do feel that it is important to realize that trying to make a
>living on a small piece of acreage is very difficult to do. I had
>everything going for me; another income to support me as I developed my
>business, a lifetime of experience, parents and grandparents as teachers
>when I was a child, an ability to do with very little, and I'm a very fast
>worker! Doing something like this is feasible, but I would hate to see
>anyone sink their all into it and it become a make it or break it kind of
>thing.
>
>The amount of money bandied about that can be made is achievable. I know it
>can be done. But in the scope of our society, it really isn't that much
>money for the amount of work that has to be done to be successful.
>Sometimes I contemplate what I would do if I no longer had that second
>income. Would I be able to make it? Yes I could, but I don't want to!
>
>Nevertheless, I want to leave the places I have been healthier than when I
>arrived, and I will take any thoughts and ideas along to help me do this.
>
>Sincerely,
>Michaele Blakely
>Growing Things
>Carnation Wa
>
>
>
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