October 9, 2017 Get Big or Get Out
There are plenty of people out there that believe the ideas of Mr. Butz, “Get big or get out”, “From fencerow to fencerow” farming, and his never ending encouragement for farmers to produce more and more have led to the obesity of America and more. I may not go so far as saying that today … I’m no scientist … but, he did make some radical changes in farm policy that are still with us and effecting us today.
– Not sure of author
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Dear Friends,
I stumbled across this photo from many years ago and it stimulated memories of the early years when I became a ‘farmer’. They were exciting and energizing times – farmers markets had just started, Slow Food and it’s message of good local food was catching on, there were plenty of eager workers (a whole other topic), the press were eager for coverage and there was a whole world of seeds and plants that as a regular gardener I had never grown. The thrills and expectations are still with me with every seeding and planting and the journey is far from over.
‘Organic’ best described how we grew (and still do) our crops. Not a new word, but certainly not the one that is now controlled by the federal and state governments with all their squabbling and eagerness to take a part of gross income. It was so new, that the main farmer’s market delayed our attendance when they first opened because as I learned later, “they were afraid that because I as a woman and ‘organic’ I might be some ‘hippy’ chick that would breast feed in front of the public”! Seriously. Ah, the stories I could tell.
Anyway, this is a photo of me in the middle (business clothes with jeans) and two friends that too had committed to producing food. One a citrus grower and the other eggs and specialty crops. Between us we were cultivating about 30 acres intensely with incredible production. Both women, like Suzie’s Farm recently, had to close down for the same financial reasns but not from trying for years.
Almost every day I field phone calls and emails from good people that want to come and ‘see’ the farm, ‘you pick’ crops, show their children ‘how food is grown’, bring their visiting grandparents who used to have a farm and fresh, eager enthusiastic young people that want to be farmers with all the independence they dream goes with it. We do what we can to accommodate but mostly refer them to the San Diego County Farm Bureau for alternatives. The problem is, I don’t know of any remaining small farms to refer them to and the larger ones won’t do it.
So what’s the point? To say Thank You to our shareholders that keep us going and in particular to one (RM) that is working in the background to find a base to give the farm true sustainability for the future.
May our food this week nourish, comfort and sustain you.
Stephenie
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DELIVERY ITEMS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 9th, 2017
*Please note that some substitutions may apply from time to time
Take a stroll through our Facebook page for links to recipes using some of this week’s ingredients.
Shop our Green Store for other healthy products.
Do you have a friend or neighbor looking to make better food choices? Recommend Seabreeze, and for every new member you refer, you’ll both receive a $10 Green store credit.
Thank you so much to all of our loyal supporters. We sincerely hope we have helped your health and well-being with our food and brightened your day with our flowers.
Enjoy in good health,
Stephenie
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