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Downloaded at Fresh, Buy Local Campaign the · Practical Farmer A Newsletter of Practical Farmers of Iowa I Vol. 19, #2 I Summer 2004 Buy Fresh, Buy Local Goes Statewide •.•••• I Pg. 4 Natural Dairy Coming to SE Iowa .......•.•.•••. I Pg. 6 The Joys of Eating Local Meat .......................................... , Pg. 14 On-farm Research: Jeff Klinge & Deb Tidwell •.••••..••..•••• ..•• , Pg. 17 Reflections: Provincial Is Not a Bad Word ..••.•••....•••.•••.••••• I Pg. 25 --"'- Contents ·-~i : Opinion ............................................................... 3 On-Farm Research ....................................... 17-19 New Projects ....................................................... 4 Calendar ...................................................... 20-21 Policy Update ...................................................... 5 Resources .................................................... 22-23 Profile: Naturally Iowa .......................................... 6 Member Perspectives: What Is Sustainable Ag? .... 24 Staff and Program Updates .......................... 10-12 Reflections ........................................................ 25 Member News .................................................... 13 PFI Merchandise ................................................. 26 Focus on Food: The Joys of Local Meat .... .. 14-16 Join PFI .............................................................. 27 Cover photo by Todd Kimm: Steve Williams with heifers he's preparing for his Naturally Iowa milk processing venture (see story pg. 6) PFI Board of Directors Tom Wahl, 13882 I Ave., Wapello, lA S26S3-9449. Fred Iutzi, (S IS) 294-8512, [email protected] (319) 729-S90S. [email protected] Corresponde11ce to the PFI directors' addresses is Membership Services and Office Manager always welcome. Advisory Board Sandra Trca-Black (101), District 1 (Northwest): Ken Wise, 3S66 280th St., Dick Thompson, 2035 I 9oth St., Boone, lA [email protected] Lytton, lA SOS61-7S74. {712) 466-2473. S0036-7423. (51S) 432-1560. CommW'lications Specialist Leo Benjamin, 17636 Birch Ave., Whiting, lA Larry Kallem, 12303 N.W. 1S8th Ave., Madrid IA, Todd Kimm {108), [email protected] Sl063. (712) 4S8-2001. SOlS6. SlS-79S-2303. Youth Program Coordinator District 2 (North Central): Mark Tjelmeland, PFI Staff Brad Meyer ( 109), [email protected] PFI Vice President, 12461 6SOth Ave., For general information and staff connections, McCallsburg, lA 501S4-8026. (51S) 434-2440. call (SIS) 232-S66 1; individual extensions are Program Assistant [email protected] listed in parenthesis after each name. Bill Marti n ( 105), [email protected] Nina Biensen, 2454 Binford Ave., State Center, lA S0247. (641) 483-2292. Director The Practical Farmer is published three times a [email protected] Robert Karp ( 102), [email protected] year by Practical Farmers of Iowa at 300 Main St., Box 349,Ames, Iowa SOOlO; SlS-232-S661. A free District 3 (Northeast): Walt Ebert, 1273 12oth Associate Director subscription is provided with each PFI member­ .. St., Plainfield, !A S0666-9647. {319) 276-4444. Rich Pirog (114}, [email protected] ship (see page 27). Sample copies and back issues [email protected] are available. Food Systems Eric Franzenburg, 6925 19th Ave., Van Horne,lA S2346. (319) 228-87S8. Gary Huber (103), gary@p racticalfarmers.org Newsletter Editor: Todd Kimm Original Template: Michael Nash [email protected] Rick Hartmann {104), Additional Design: Mary Sailer District4 (Southwest): Angela Tedesco, 10743 [email protected] NW 142nd Sr., Granger, lA S0109. Andrea Wold ridge (I 07), (SIS) 278-4S22. [email protected] [email protected] Yerian VanWyk. 1S844 S. 88th Ave. E, Searsboro, lA 50242. {641) S27-2927. Farming Systems Rick Exner, (51S) 294-S486, DistrictS {Southeast): Susan Zacharakis-Jutz, [email protected], Room 2104, Agronomy PFI President, S02S 12oth St. NE, Solon, lA Hall, ISU, Ames, Iowa, SOO 11 52333-9ISS. (319) 624-30S2. [email protected] 2 r. :~:. · Opinion ;, Restore the Balance of Crops and Livestock By Dick and Sharon Thompson, with Robert Karp This article was originally published in Iowa Farmer Today s it possible that a farm is not really a farm without In our push to get bigger and better, and make life easier a balance and integration of soil, crops, livestock physically, we have changed the physical anguish of the past I and family? into the mental anguish of the present day. This kind of stress Is it possible that we tamper with a wise and intelligent plays an important role in our modern day diseases, such as order of things when we separate out the crops from the live­ heart trouble, cancer, arthritis and so on. stock as we have in recent years? This over-aggressive competition does not build good Think about it. relationships with other people. The situation is typified in Since we lost the cow-since we lost animals and live­ bidding against your neighbor and paying $4,250 per acre stock as an integrated part of the farm-the fabric of rural for additional land, or trying to cash-rent land for $175 per life has been steadily unraveling. acre, or painting cattle in order to win a prize. What a farmer When we lost the cow, we stopped planting oats and hay, won't do to beat his neighbor by one bushel an acre! This we lost our crop rotations and we lost the best source of our kind of lifestyle is violent and exploits our inner being, our soil fertility-animal manures. We gained costly inputs, erod­ fellow man and last, but not least, our environment. ing soils and impaired waters. Balanced, integrated and sustainable farming practices When we lost our animals, we turned our grass, our pas­ are the only common sense solution to the problems facing tures and our meadows over to row crops. We gained lower agriculture. If we don't make this approach the foundation grain prices, greater weed and pest pressure and a Jess diverse of agriculture, no amount of value-added products or farm and resilient landscape. subsidies \"Vill save our farms, no amount of regulations or When we lost our livestock, we lost much of the hard buffer strips will save our environment and no amount of work of the farmer, we lost chores for the kids and we lost a positive thinking or economic development will save our ru­ cooperative spirit with our neighbors. We gained outside jobs, ral communities. aimless youth and the need to gobble up our neighbors' farms Today we have information and technology overload, to stay in business. which has brought on new problems we are trying to solve When we lost the balance of crops and livestock, we lost without considering the human dimension. Commodities a farm that needed a whole family to work together. We gained do not make communities; it takes people to make commu­ farms that could be run by one person and lots of equip­ nities. We are going to have to learn to say no and learn how ment. We gained boredom and fragmentation of the family. to sort the good technology from the bad. Instead of talking When we concentrated the livestock, farms began to struggle about a higher standard of living, we need to learn a new economically, we began to lose more and more farms and we term: appropriate living. lost the vitality of our small communities. We gained boarded This calls for a change in lifestyle, a change that starts in up main streets, empty churches and consolidated schools. the heart. A healthy heart-and mind-is necessary before When I was a boy I attended Jordan school, one of three we can have a healthy agriculture. Now is the time to change in the Boone area. After we lost the cows-and the chickens our priorities. Now is the time to listen to a different drum­ and the pigs, and the goats and the lambs-those three mer. Now is the time to give to the land rather than take schools consolidated into the United Community School from the land. District. Now we are told there are not enough kids for It's not about going backwards; it's about going forward United, so it may need to close too. Some people think we with greater wisdom- the wisdom of soil, crops, livestock need one school per county. and family integrated and in balance. So!! 3 ~ew Projects . -.:·-~- • .-i:li Coming to a Town Near You Buy Fresh, Buy Local goes statewide any of you have certainly •Access to the Buy Fresh, Buy heard about the Buy Fresh, Local marketing materials that include M Buy Local campaign that stickers, price cards, truck magnets, PFI is running in central and NE Iowa and more. An initial set is provided in partnership with Drake University free with membership to farmers. and the University of Northern Iowa •Access to electronic versions of respectively. You may also have seen Buy Fresh, Buy Local images for the the attractive artwork that is featured purpose of making customized mar­ in the campaign marketing materials keting materials and/or for use on and such. web sites. What you probably haven't heard •Expanded listing on the Buy is that, based on popular demand, we Fresh, Buy Local statewide website. have decided to expand the campaign • Farmers must sell the majority • Farmers and other businesses in statewide so that anyone across Iowa of their food within a 100-mile radius local campaign areas can also be listed can participate. It will take us a month of their farm or business. in Buy Fresh, Buy Local directories, and or two to get this organized, but stay • Farmers markets must not allow newspaper and radio advertisements, tuned for a mailing. In the meantime, resellers, or they must have/make a and in some cases receive direct sup­ the below should answer your ques­ commitment to limit them. port in market facilitation. tions. Don't hesitate to call for more ·Restaurants, hotels and institu­ •:• How much does it cost to details. tions must be buying from farmers join the campaign? within a 100-mile radius, must be lo­ •:• What is Buy Fresh, Buy Local? For farmers who are already PFI A statewide marketing program cally owned and operated, and must members, the cost to join the cam­ designed to increase sales among demonstrate a commitment to ex­ paign is $10.
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