[getsmart-l] [Discover Local Food] The small-farm revival

[John O'Gorman]

"Coming up with an innovative business plan is essential for farmers to succeed, Shook said.

"We can't go back 100 years," he said. "We need new paradigms for how families can farm."

That includes things like forming marketing co-operatives, which have some members selling everyone's produce rather than each farmer competing with a separate booth at a farmers' market."

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Discover Local Food 
To: Discover Local Food 
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 7:08 AM
Subject: [Discover Local Food] The small-farm revival


The small-farm revival

 

Local program equips young people for careers in livestock, agriculture

 

MAGDA KONIECZNA

Guelph Mercury

August 22, 2007

             
           

           
            DAVE CARTER, GUELPH MERCURY 
           
            Tarrah Young, 30, a participant in the Ignatius Jesuit Centre's FarmStart program, feeds her pigs on the property she rents -- at a subsidized rate -- at Ignatius.
           

     

     
 

GUELPH, Tarrah Young knows that most kids don't dream of growing up to be farmers.

But this 30-year-old from the suburbs is about to make that leap.

She admits it's an unusual career choice in an era of factory farms. But the idea came to her in an epiphany, via a fourth-year organic agriculture class at the University of Guelph.

It's been a long and winding road. Next growing season, Young will quit her day job and set out as the first graduate of the FarmStart program at Ignatius Jesuit Centre.

This year has been spent under the wings of the program, which mentors young would-be farmers through up to five growing seasons so they can learn the trade.

Young had about 100 turkeys, five pigs and some chickens on the property she's renting -- at a subsidized rate -- at Ignatius.

As far as organizers know, it's the only program of its type in Canada. And they do it out of a deep-seated belief in the importance of local food.

"We're here for two really serious concerns: the death of the family farm . . . and Ontario's food security," said Mike Shook, FarmStart's program manager.

Shook argues industrial agriculture -- with its reliance on chemical farming -- is not sustainable.

He figures that in the long-term, small-scale farming will eventually make a comeback.

He's also concerned about the viability of transporting food over long distances.

"If we're trucking in 80 per cent of produce, we know when we hit peak oil that's going to become much more expensive and even impossible," he said.

"It puts our kids and grandkids at risk," said Shook, who just welcomed a new granddaughter into the world earlier this month.

"I don't want that child to ever be hungry in her life and if we continue (with industrial farming), that's what will happen."

Young has similar concerns about the future, but when it comes down to it, she farms because she loves it.

"There are a lot of jobs where you work hard all day and then it's hard to grasp what you did," she said. "In farming you can say 'I did this. I'm a steward of this land.' I can feel good about what I do to help people eat better."

But she realizes she's picked a tough career. And that's why she's spent much of her year with FarmStart, figuring out how her business can be better.

And next season, she and her partner will be making that vision a reality at their 50-acre farm in Ayton, just over an hour northwest of Guelph.

Their plan is to start a community-supported agriculture farm, or CSA -- in which members of the community buy a share early in the season and receive fresh produce throughout the summer.

That means further branching out into a variety of vegetables and livestock.

Coming up with an innovative business plan is essential for farmers to succeed, Shook said.

"We can't go back 100 years," he said. "We need new paradigms for how families can farm."

That includes things like forming marketing co-operatives, which have some members selling everyone's produce rather than each farmer competing with a separate booth at a farmers' market.

And while Young said watching the downturn in farming is "sobering," she figures her experience -- including time spent farming in the cold climate of the Yukon -- will serve her well.

"My biggest hope is I can do things and at the end of the day have time to relax and enjoy what we're doing."

mkonieczna at guelphmercury.com

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Discover Local Food is for those interested in the growing number of celebrations, projects and initiatives in support of local food in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. The list circulates invitations, announcements, news releases and project summaries that relate to local food in the GTA and throughout Ontario. The list is dependent on readers for suggesting items. Send yours now. Discover Local Food is a project of the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee: www.gtalocalfood.ca. GTA AAC staff moderate this list.

 

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