On a positive note I had a meeting with our local FSA Rep and it sounds like one of the loans they make available for beginning farmers is going to be the best option for us at this point. Now to research and compile data to come up with some hard numbers for a balance sheet and projected income, write a farm experience narrative and then collect the supporting documentation to complete the application. When I get a clearer idea of our farm plan I’ll lay it all out here. What I will say is that we are taking a LONG look at aquaponics. Nearly year round production in USDA zone 3 sounds interesting.

On a positive note I had a meeting with our local FSA Rep and it sounds like one of the loans they make available for beginning farmers is going to be the best option for us at this point. Now to research and compile data to come up with some hard numbers for a balance sheet and projected income, write a farm experience narrative and then collect the supporting documentation to complete the application. When I get a clearer idea of our farm plan I’ll lay it all out here. What I will say is that we are taking a LONG look at aquaponics. Nearly year round production in USDA zone 3 sounds interesting.

First, a little about the extended hiatus. Last summer as I excitedly worked my first real job in over three years at a reputable advertising agency here in Minneapolis my youngest daughter developed eczema as a result of some nasty FOOD ALLERGIES. At the same time the eldest daughter became violently ill with Lyme’s Disease. It took six weeks and five doctor visits to find this out. AND THEN I came down with shingles! Uber stress I guess. So I decided I was going to stay home for awhile and get things in order. Shingles and Lyme’s are treatable and were nipped in the butt within a couple of weeks. Food allergies on the other hand are a real nightmare. 9 months later we are still adjusting our family diet and have found an herbal remedy that has helped immensely with her aczema, at the recommendation of our acupuncturist. We still don’t get much sleep at night with the poor little girl, now 1yr, rolling around and itching at all hours; but things are greatly improved from the days when her skin literally bled day and night.

Instead of pursuing my working career at full steam I’ve opted to enroll in graduate school. Something I’ve always wanted but thought was a few years down the road, oh well. In hope that my wife could stay home with the kids we have been brainstorming ideas for extra income. A few have come and gone but one lingers nagging us on. Starting a small farm. After some research we have found that there is an abundance of help for people who wish to start farming. And get this, a lot of it is from the good ole USDA! WOW! Beginning farm loans! Business planning resources! Classes! Everywhere we look this is a positive for us, the planet, and profit. We are truly  amazed and are excitedly attempting to start a business plan. Tough with only a couple weary hours of production time available. We’ll get there.

So it seems this will be our contribution to County Fare. We will document as much of the process as possible and post it for the community as a resource. Hopefully it will be useful.

If anyone has relevant information please post it here. I’m currently looking for current accurate data regarding sales prices for berries and mushrooms (these are my lead crop contenders). I have a meeting with our local FSA person in a few days and hope to get some of this data for my region.

Sorry about the sloppy post and writing. What can you expect with an average of 4 hours of sleep for months. This ship will only get tighter as time goes on. I’m very much looking forward to it.

Dustin

Behind the scenes I have been working on a new layout and tighter integration with some of my other web activities. This new layout and integration should make the site more functional as a publication as well as more aesthetically pleasing. I nearly have the information architecture complete and am obsessing over color schemes at the moment. Next, the content strategy will be redefined. I will try to update here a little more frequently in the near future as things come closer to completion. I also have a few things I really need to write about in the mean time as they are very important.

till then,

Dustin

a dissertation on plant’s rights

Ladies and diners I make you
A shameful, degrading confession.
A deed of disgrace in the name of good taste
Though I did it, I meant no aggression.
I had planted a garden last April
And lovingly sang it a ballad.
But later in June beneath a full moon
Forgive me, I wanted a salad!
So I slipped out and fondled a carrot
Caressing its feathery top.
With the force of a brute I tore out the root!
It whimpered and came with a pop!
Then laying my hand on a radish
I jerked and it left a small crater.
Then with the blade of my True Value spade
I exhumed a slumbering tater!
Celery I plucked, I twisted a squash!
Tomatoes were wincing in fear.
I choked the Romaine. It screamed out in pain,
Their anguish was filling my ears!
I finally came to the lettuce
As it cringed at the top of the row
With one wicked slice I beheaded it twice
As it writhed, I dealt a death blow.
I butchered the onions and parsley.
My hoe was all covered with gore.
I chopped and I whacked without looking back
Then I stealthily slipped in the door.

Read more at:

Baxter Black

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As a few of you know my wife and I had our second child a little while ago. This combined with me working on finishing a degree in web design and interactive media leave little time to keep expanding and organizing our little food media experiment County Fare. But fear not many exciting things are happening at this time and we will soon be able to translate them into this blog. In the mean time if you have something to contribute feel free to do so. I have set this up as a community resource for us to exchange information that will help support local food supplies as well as the health that this can translate into in terms of ourselves and our local economies.

Dustin