Support the Next Generation of Sustainable and Organic Farmers and Ranchers!
Tell USDA to Stop Delaying Implementation of the CRP Transition Option
for Beginning and Minority Producers!
Change happens at the transition.  An aging farmer population, a new generation of farmers desperate for access to land, 4.2 million acres of land about to come out of the [...]

FARRMS Grant
This grant can be used for a variety of projects or expenses, but should be directly related to the farming operation, including but not limited to: fencing, computers, seed, irrigation, equipment, etc. The program is available to farms that are certified organic or actively transitioning into organic production; Non-certified projects on the organic [...]

A Food Chain Meeting  that will take  place early the morning of July 16th in Bellville. It will  be at the Dutch  Heritage Restaurant just off of Interstate 71 (four exits  north of Polaris).  This bi-monthly meeting has proved to be a great networking  opportunity for  growers, processors, buyers, and others to meet. The topic  [...]

“So, the question is: how can we plausibly increase the amount of farmers? The answer seems to be to take farming to where most of the people are at: in the cities.” –Sam Rose

I very much agree. In bringing farming to cities, we face two major obstacles, neither of which are insurmountable.

Urban Chickens are gaining in popularity as more locavores seek alternatives to industrially grown food. Municipalities are seeing more pressure from residents who want to keep backyard chickens, bees or even a mini-goat.
“Whether from tighter food budgets or local-eating ideals, more and more people are petitioning their cities to allow small animal husbandry.
City dwellers are [...]

Metro Farm blog site is discussing Chickens in the City
They will have a podcast this saturday on the topic. If you miss it at 9am they have archives where you can hear them anytime by clicking here.
The forum on their site has some interesting discussion on this topic.

The analysis below clarifies what the bill will and will not do.  Mentioned is HR.759 which can cause some issues for small farmers including recordkeeping requirements for farms and safety standards for fresh produce.
Link to HR.759 PDF

Link to HR.875 PDF

Food & Water Watch’ s Statement on H.R. 875 and the Food Safety Bills
The dilemma [...]

Web Video of the Week: What is the National Animal Identification System & Why It Should Be Rejected.
Part 1:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu9oKmqQpD4&hl=en&fs=1&border=1]
Make sure you view Part 2 here

Here are couple of good resources for starting Community Gardens. These are also useful if you are starting your own personal or market garden.
The Get Green Columbus Community Garden Manual Guide The guide is published by the City of Columbus and has information on getting access to land plots, borrowing tools and other resources to [...]

An interesting concept at community food bank in Arizona that runs community gardens and farmer’s markets in underserved areas. They have  a program where home gardeners and local farmers can sign up and drop off produce at the stand to be sold on consignment.  No resold produce all must be grown locally by the participant. [...]