Conversations

Has anybody leased farmland to solar energy developers?

Here is some info on how to determine how valuable your land is.

https://www.telkes.org/make-money-from-pv-land-lease

Reach out to telkes@telkes.org to tell us about your experience combining agriculture with solar energy.

Howdy Farmers,

I am looking for specific tractor models, old or new (manufacturer, model, and year) that veggie growers have really liked, so that I can search them used on TractorHouse. Our situation is this...

My partner and I are tooling up to break ground on a 6-8 acre, diverse vegetable CSA in Sebastopol. We are researching tractors, and deep into the classic "one tractor conundrum". With the ability to only afford one tractor, we would like to have a versatile one. We'd like it to be able to do primary tillage, as well as has have properly spaced and thin enough tires to get it into our shaped beds to help renovate beds for second-plantings (to undercut, disc, rototill, or spade), to weed the furrows and to possibly flame-weed (if we can find a 60" tractor mounted flame weeder). We will cultivate in-row manually the first years.

Our requirements are: ~50 horsepower, 4WD, 60" center-to-center tread

Howdy Farmers,

I am looking for specific tractor models, old or new (manufacturer, model, and year) that veggie growers have really liked, so that I can search them used on TractorHouse. Our situation is this...

My partner and I are tooling up to break ground on a 6-8 acre, diverse vegetable CSA in Sebastopol. We are researching tractors, and deep into the classic "one tractor conundrum". With the ability to only afford one tractor, we would like to have a versatile one. We'd like it to be able to do primary tillage, as well as has have properly spaced and thin enough tires to get it into our shaped beds to help renovate beds for second-plantings (to undercut, disc, rototill, or spade), to weed the furrows and to possibly flame-weed (if we can find a 60" tractor mounted flame weeder). We will cultivate in-row manually the first years.

Our requirements are: ~50 horsepower, 4WD, 60" center-to-center tread spacing with thin <13" rear tires, a front end loader, and gearing or a transmission that can go slow enough to run a spader. We could pay ~$30k for the right machine.

This tractor does exist new. It is the Kubota M7060 outfitted with a creeper gear and thin 12.6" rear tires. Shone Farm in Santa Rosa and New Family Farm in Sebastopol have this tractor. But at $50k, this is outside of our budget, and is too much tractor for our site and scale.

I have looked at cheaper new Kubotas (L and MX series) and John Deeres (5E series), but while some of them meet many of the requirements, one key element is missed. For example, the John Deere 5055E is the right horsepower and size, 4wd, can have a loader, but it's lowest gear is a touch fast at .9mph, and right now our dealer is essentially saying "not possible" for thin rear tires.

I'm seeking advice, and if farmers could share specefic model numbers and years, of any "Goldilocks" tractors they have used and loved @60" spacing, with low gearing.

Thank you!

David

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about urban agriculture in Santa Clara County, then check out the newly released 2019 Crop Report! This year’s report not only includes data about crop trends in the county overall, but it highlights several urban agriculture organizations in the area and their journey to provide food access and improve community resilience in the urban communities that need it most. These organizations work tirelessly to not only improve food access within the city, but to also educate, unite, and revitalize their communities. Learn more about their work and impact by reading the 2019 Crop Report here.

Survey link. Small-scale farms throughout the US grow a diversity of produce, including many culturally important crops. New food safety regulations could impact these farms, especially immigrant and refugee farmers. Produce that is usually eaten raw, like lettuce, has stricter requirements for farmers to follow, while produce that is almost always cooked, like potatoes, could have fewer requirements. The FDA has a list of crops that are almost always cooked before eating, and these crops are exempt from federal food safety regulations. However, this list is mostly mainstream crops and does not include many types of produce consumed by diverse cultural communities in the US. This means that although some culturally important crops are hardly ever eaten raw, they are still subject to regulation because the FDA does not have data from US consumers to show that they are usually cooked.

We are conducting a

Survey link. Small-scale farms throughout the US grow a diversity of produce, including many culturally important crops. New food safety regulations could impact these farms, especially immigrant and refugee farmers. Produce that is usually eaten raw, like lettuce, has stricter requirements for farmers to follow, while produce that is almost always cooked, like potatoes, could have fewer requirements. The FDA has a list of crops that are almost always cooked before eating, and these crops are exempt from federal food safety regulations. However, this list is mostly mainstream crops and does not include many types of produce consumed by diverse cultural communities in the US. This means that although some culturally important crops are hardly ever eaten raw, they are still subject to regulation because the FDA does not have data from US consumers to show that they are usually cooked.

We are conducting a survey that asks consumers whether they eat each vegetable or herb as raw, cooked, or both. Based on this information, additional crops could be added to the FDA’s “rarely consumed raw” list so that these crops can be exempt. Having the right crops on the list could help small-scale farmers to avoid unnecessary paperwork, costs, and inspections. If you consume any produce that is not already on the rarely consumed raw list, we would appreciate your help in finding out which crops could be added, and upon completion of the survey, you earn a chance to win 1 of 10 $50 gift cards!

If you eat ethnic vegetables such as bok choy, amaranth greens, daikon radish, and others please complete this survey. Your input is much appreciated. Thank you.

Are you farming in a fire-prone area and overwhelmed by the “new normal” of wildfires? Wondering how to adapt?

Are you farming in a fire-prone area and overwhelmed by the “new normal” of wildfires? Wondering how to adapt?

This (free) online coursewas made for you.

Drawing on decades of training small-farmers amidst climate change, Farmer Campus in collaboration with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), brings you a self-led online course that will give you the toolkit needed to reduce human, production, financial and legal risks from wildfires.

Create actionable solutions, deepen your knowledge of wildfire risk and emergency preparedness, and carry-out a hands-on fire resilience plan to help you and your farm face a future with fire.

Learn more and Enroll Here to start building fire resilience today.

"2020 has been a wild ride. A national pandemic, a looming recession, a racial injustice reckoning, and now unprecedented wildfires sweeping through CCOF’s hometown of Santa Cruz, California and across Northern California.

But, despite it all, CCOF is stronger than ever before. We implemented successful emergency preparedness strategies, including securing our company and member data to ensure as little interruption in services as possible. Additionally, our skilled remote workforce ensures stability when staff and members experience geographic-specific natural disasters.

We are also adept at helping our members through rough times. When disaster strikes, we quickly implement fee waivers and extend deadlines for certified members. Once the immediate dangers have passed, our Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund is available to any organic producer in the nation facing any hardship. Since 2007, we have given

"2020 has been a wild ride. A national pandemic, a looming recession, a racial injustice reckoning, and now unprecedented wildfires sweeping through CCOF’s hometown of Santa Cruz, California and across Northern California.

But, despite it all, CCOF is stronger than ever before. We implemented successful emergency preparedness strategies, including securing our company and member data to ensure as little interruption in services as possible. Additionally, our skilled remote workforce ensures stability when staff and members experience geographic-specific natural disasters.

We are also adept at helping our members through rough times. When disaster strikes, we quickly implement fee waivers and extend deadlines for certified members. Once the immediate dangers have passed, our Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund is available to any organic producer in the nation facing any hardship. Since 2007, we have given away $210,000 to farmers in need.

Our incredible family of staff, inspectors, governance, and members continue gathering virtually to share experiences and resources. As you can imagine, hosting meetings via Zoom is not a farmer’s favorite pastime. Nonetheless, the CCOF Board of Directors members and CCOF chapter leaders still found ways to connect and spearhead record donations to our Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund because they wanted to help other producers in need.

Our programs and services are backed by our people-first work culture. CCOF offers generous leave policies, flexible schedules, and other assistance. Not only is it the right thing to do, but we also know that our staff need to be personally secure before they can best serve our members and our mission. Company policies aside, what really sets our culture apart is how we come together as a community with empathy and support.

Of course, we are not perfect. You may experience delays in service as our largest group of staff and home office in Santa Cruz County navigate evacuation orders and even loss of homes from the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Like many of you, our staff are balancing childcare, remote school, and the many other impacts of COVID-19.

Moreover, we always want to do more to support organic producers in need, including farmworkers who are among the hardest hit in our agricultural community. We also have tough conversations ahead as CCOF continues our racial justice and equity learning journey.

But I am deeply grateful to continue improving our services and programs with you as we work together to advance organic agriculture for a healthy world. CCOF’s resilience is directly attributable to the courageous organic farmers, handlers, retailers, and restaurant owners who have poured their passion into our organization and our mission. Thank you for helping us continue developing resilience through a challenging but strength-building year.

Sincerely,

Kelly Damewood
CCOF CEO"

View newsletter online: https://mailchi.mp/ccof/resilience-2020?e=a2db0e6827

CCOF main site: https://ccof.org/

New piece published today! In the time of COVID-19, The Moment for Food Sovereignty is Now: From panic planting to cooperative gardens, farmers focused on equity and food justice know that ‘if you can feed yourself, you can free yourself.’

https://civileats.com/2020/04/02/the-moment-for-food-sovereignty-is-now/

Hi all,

Are you overwhelmed thinking about how to face a future of intensifying wildfires? Join our newest 7 week online course: “Farmers Build Fire Resilience, Feb 13-March 26 2020” to help you face a future of fires. Free to farmers and ranchers, though anyone interested may join as well. By the end of the course, you’ll have built your own Resilience Plan specific to your site that you can start applying right away.

Last Call - Sign up and Reserve your Space

Feel free to reach out with questions to fires@mesaprogram.org. We look forward to learning with you!

Topics Include: Land Management for Fire Preparedness & Mitigation Emergency Response Preparing Your Home, Farm Crew, Family & Livestock Community Preparedness & Organizing for Recovery Fires & Finances Health & Food Safety Understanding Fire Ecology

Katie Brimm and the Fires Resilience Team