Wow, two posts so far in summer! What's up with that? Well, in today's NYT (8/1/2010) there was an article showcasing an iconic feature of our region's agriculture that has thrown in the proverbial towel- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/opinion/01sun2.html?th&emc=th
This article has touched something rather sensitive and VERY telling to me.......
The Tuttle Farm of Dover, NH- a vibrant farm that I considered emblematic and inspirational, as an example of a successful family farm, is calling it quits. They've been in existence since 1632. Yes, you read that right- over 300 years ago! I have studied farms like the Tuttle's that have persisted over the generations and was looking to see how they did it. A common thread is direct marketing with a diverse product base. Most to all the farms I studied (that still stand today) have done this. And now, the model is not as rock solid as I once thought. One can burn out, drain the coffers and for a sobering kick to the head, not come up with an option to move forward. Game over, no more options.......Argh......
Why my treatise on this subject? It strikes a note that strums through my head lately. You can't run like you used to.....and no matter how hard you work, you cannot make enough money to support a year-round payroll to get the help to keep the ferris wheel turning.
Other parallels come to mind that have strong correlations to our collective pickle. I run our town's food bank and we routinely distribute food from the USDA to our needy. OUR USDA and our tax money. Canned fruit from China. Dried pasta from Egypt. Canned veggies from South America. I'm not sure where the meat comes from as food labeling laws don't require country of origin to be posted. Currency devaluation, budget woes....Hmmm....A multi-generation, "older than dirt" business and farm in NH goes under and Chinese peaches are feeding our people.
The Tuttle's decision to quit is due to overwhelming forces. Fiscal, monetary, economic and social forces are pushing VERY hard now. We feel them, too. Boy, do we feel them!
Stay tuned to learn how we are going to deal with these forces...........
Change is something we can all count on regardless of the times.......count on that!
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So sad. We were noting that just yesterday... so many things from China, it almost seems that the USA has become an entity to support China.
It has to stop. With cancer rates as they are, it's obvious that we are being poisoned.
We will keep local farms alive! Eat local, buy local, support your neighbos!
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