The number of family farms may be shrinking, but there’s hope in the number of young people who are becoming new farmers. A story carried on WNYC out of New York City covers small farming operations in the American Northeast.
REPORTER: US Department of Agriculture census figures show the number of people under 35 who are operating small and medium-sized farms increased 14 percent between 1997 and 2002, the latest year data was available. In a less scientific fashion, Greg Swartz has noticed the youth wave, too, at his group’s 26th annual conference. Swartz is the executive director of NOFA, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York.
SWARTZ: We broke a really great record in the past year with more than 1,000 attendees. and historically, the attendees were gray…gray haired. We saw an amazing number of younger folks that were interested in becoming farmers, that were beginning farmers already and that were interested in activist and advocacy roles that are needed to build a local food system.
The story focuses on Kaycee Wimbish, a former school teacher, and her business partner Owen O’Connor who together run Awesome Farm, 90 miles north of the city. They learned the ropes working for several seasons at an already working farm, then secured their own land next door and went independent.
O’CONNOR: We’ve got a lot of inspired models of people that are making a living off farming…we’re not talking about fortunes, but are making a living off farming, are feeling good about it, are not running themselves into the ground in the process
WIMBISH: I kinda feel we’re in a groove now and are on top of things, and there are fewer surprises. but in the beginning it was just like…’whaaat?’ Sorta like my first year of teaching!
Wow, there’s hope out there for people like me!
For those in the Midwest check out the farmbeginnings program through the Land Stewardship Project.
For those in the Northwest, let me know if there is anything to help me get started, especially with an urban focus to cut transportation/delivery costs and make sustainable bike delivery a reality!
Trevor
dude, farmvetco.org neeeds to get a facebook/myspace page so we can spread the word. i just heard your bit on the California report and what you’re doing is fucking great! i’m a 27 year old, 5th generation farmer up by Chico, have been opposed to the war from the beginning, and think this is exactly the sort of thing that needs to happen. Whether one supported the war in Iraq, or opposed it, the point of people going into the armed forces is that they’re equipped with the skills to succeed once they get back and serve their country in the process. it really pisses me off how we train our soldiers for war psychologically, but don’t offer the same service to them when they return and have to fit back into society, just like nothing happened. Cheers, and well wishes to all of you!!