REDWOOD NEEDLES
REDWOOD NEEDLESPresented by the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Newsletter, The REDWOOD NEEDLES
Return to Article Menu
By Will Stockwin, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)
In an era of large multinational corporate farms, it's easy to forget that small, local farmers have been a cornerstone of American strength and prosperity for hundreds of years.
Not only do many small family farmers act as trusted producers of healthy food; they serve as the stewards of ecosystems and watersheds. Their fields help create town boundaries that discourage urban sprawl, promote sustainable development and protect farmland.
As has been seen around much of California and the rest of the nation, if we cannot keep small family farmers on the land, the land will be permanently lost to housing developments, shopping malls and other urbanized uses.
Farming as practiced by small family farmers is not just managing a business or pumping out food to make a profit. Healthy farming means respecting life, allowing the earth to move toward its own balance through minimal manipulation. Unlike their corporate counterparts, family farmers strive to create and support the life forces linking farmers, soil, food and consumers.
When consumers know the farmer who raises their food, they can have confidence that the food has been grown responsibly and safely. Buying from local producers builds a sense of trust that strengthens both sides of the transaction.
Buying locally produced food also strengthens a community's economy through the multiplier effect that spreads with each purchase, benefiting the farmer, farm employees and the local store where the food was bought. Buying locally keeps more money circulating in the local economy.
When consumers buy locally grown food it helps create a more diverse and resilient local economy, insulated from the disruptions of global capital flights, currency deflations, and recessions.
Each generation of farmers uses the specific knowledge of farming gained the hard way by the preceding generation. When a family leaves its farm, all the knowledge needed to farm in that place leaves with them. And once the family has left the farm, more often than not the land is lost to farming forever. That's why we must not only save the land, but also the families who farm it
------------------------------
Direct From the Farmer
Buying directly from a farmer is the most powerful way to support local agriculture.
Community Supported Agriculture
Become a member of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project.
Participants in CSA programs pay a monthly fee and receive a box of fresh, seasonal produce each week. Work-trades are common at CSA programs, providing an opportunity to work at the farm for food. Call Laguna Farm at 823-0823, Tierra Vegetables at 837-8366, or Orchard Farms at 823-6528 for details.
Farmers' Markets
Head down to your local Farmers' Market. Check the Santa Rosa Press Democrat's Wednesday Food and Wine section for a listing of local farmers' markets. The list tells you which markets are currently open for business, times of operation, and the types of produce you can expect to find. Other counties also have Farmers' Markets.
Other Direct Market Options
Visit a Farm Trails Site near you. Farm Trails members invite you to visit their farm and buy on-site. Call to get an updated guide of Farm Trail sites and times of operation. 571-8288. http://www.farmtrails.org.
Visit nearby farmstands that sell straight from the farm.
Indirect Options to Buy Local
While the direct marketing options above offer the strongest opportunities to support local farmers and know where your food comes from, many stores and restaurants also feature local produce. Look for 'Select Sonoma' products in stores. They are marked with the distinct 'Sonoma Made' or 'Sonoma Grown' logos. For more information call 528-2222 or visit http://www.selectsonomacounty.org.
Ask your grocery stores what is local and encourage them to provide local products. Ask restaurants what dishes are prepared with local food.
Resources to find Local Sources of Food
There are excellent resources that publish more extensive information on local sources of food and where to purchase it. Pick up a copy of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers' (CAFF) California Farm Fresh Guide. It features direct buying opportunities in the North Coast and throughout the state. Call 823-6788 to get an order form or visit the Farm Fresh section of the CAFF website, http://www.caff.org .
Focusing on the North Coast area, The Organic Guide to Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Counties is a resource to find local sources of organic food. Look for it in stores or log on to http://www.healthyworld.org to order a copy.
Buy Local and encourage those around you to do the same!
Return to Article Menu