“I was in Corvallis, Oregon, last week, to talk at the Oregon Small Farms Conference. There were close to 800 people there, and I’d guess about three quarters of them were farmers, and the vast majority of those farmers were under the age of 35. This is the conference’s 12th year, the organizers told me, and it has gotten bigger each year, and this year’s event was the biggest ever. If you need evidence that we’re all part of a vigorously growing movement, there you have it. I met several farmers who have started or are considering starting a CSA much like ours [Essex Farm], where they will strive to supply a full diet, year round to their members.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, Mark, Courtney, Ashlee and Rob sorted the beef herd again, to castrate two bulls that slipped through the first time, and to catch cows so that Dr. Brooke could preg check them. Mark was full of praise both for Brooke and the handling equipment, which we bought last year, brand new, at retail price. You know how unusual and painful that is for us tight-fisted farmers, but the equipment is proving its worth…” [Continue reading.]

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