Grounded Finance

The fact that the "value" of the land is no longer connected to its ability to produce, but rather as a place upon which other things are built is fundamentally off.  Woody Tasch has spawned a movement that is bringing many people together around the idea that our wealth should grow only as fast as our food.  Poetic.

"The problems we face with respect to soil fertility, biodiversity, food quality, and local economies are not primarily problems of technology. They are problems of finance." – Woody Tasch

 http://blog.slowmoneyalliance.org/

Filling the Freezer

We need a truck.  This became so obvious last week when my husband returned home with 20 chickens in the trunk and 4 ducks in the back seat of our silver Jetta.  I am sure the guy who did the 24-point inspection on my car two days later was dying to ask about the chicken shit and feathers that remained in the trunk.  It seems the first step to owning a farm, is owning a truck.

The poultry who lost their lives that day were part of our "community-enabled agriculture" project.  A group of five folks raised 60 birds to be butchered for meat.  They lived on the acre leased by a larger group who is farming it for vegetables. 

Now, let's just say, if you are going to perform decidedly rural activities in the city - it's best if you get along with your neighbors.  We are blessed that ours are willing and even proud of us for this work - being that it would be difficult to count the number of code violations.

We are self taught, and consequently slow.  It took 14 hours to catch, transport, kill, de-feather and gut the 24 lovelies that were divided up among the 5 members.   However, at least two of those hours were spent sharing meals - an essential part to any collective project. 

Also, the big learning this year is that ducks are probably considered a gourmet food because their little downy feathers make plucking an absolute night-mare.  You see, we believe in learning the hard way.   Next we will learn what turkeys have in store as the five beautiful birds enjoy the pen all to themselves for the next few weeks. 

There and Back again

All over the world, farmlands are being left for the big city. From India to Indianapolis the educated, the poor, and the upwardly eager are saying good bye to a life where success is tied to the land on which they live. The consequences include a multi-cultural shift away from fundamental know-how that has given humans the ability to live on the earth thus far. Food. Shelter. Water. These are now relegated to specialists in our global economic engine.

While its easy to sit back and judge the world's farm youth for having bigger dreams than the cow barn. I have to admit that for me it was Solid Gold (for those under 30, that was a dance show that was popular in my formative years) that made my future too bright to fit on the 100 acre apple farm in Michigan where I was raised. A trip to New York for a dance competition, and another to Washington DC to study civics whetted an appetite that sent me around the globe. I always did well in school and never doubted college. I went as far as my parents would allow from home to the University of Colorado, then on to Seattle and eventually New York City for four years - a place I often referred to as Urbanity.

Yet, for the past 4 years, my husband and I have been trying to figure out how to get "back to the land." This return trip is harder than one might imagine. Several macro-level phenomenon have arisen since my parents started their farm in the 70's. #1. Land is expensive. In our case we would like to live within an hour of a major urban center because that is where the market is. Well, here in Oregon, wineries and wealthy mcmansioners looking for farm tax subsidies by having 10 cows for lawn ornaments to their 6,000 square foot homes have made real estate values so high, that no discerning vegetable or poultry operation could dream of paying the mortgage. #2. We love urban amenities. From options for educating our son, to relishing an exquisitely poured espresso - it is not easy to look at small towns without seeing a bit of sacrifice.

Joel Salatin in his book "You Can Farm" strongly encourages a new farmer to have a few years of living expenses saved after the investments in buildings and equipment needed to run an operation. It seems I will either have to win the lottery or launch the next hottest iPhone app to have the money to live on what I can grow or raise. Or..... we can get smarter. Living in the food mecca of Portland, OR we are studying the markets and food trends that might sustain a farm operation in the future. We are also working with friends and potential co-creators to teach ourselves how to farm on a significant scale, and potentially share the cost. Also, code be damned, we are finding ways to live a rural lifestyle in an urban center.

In the weeks and months ahead I intend to quote Wendell Berry, noodle on the technical know how and business savvy that will enable us to be relevant, successful and connected to the land, and even try to make some sauerkraut. Lucky for me there are lots of small farmers who are finding away to make a decent living in the face of agribusiness, global produce markets, and land prices. There is a place for our dreams out there somewhere and I won't rest until I find it.