passages 93
DESCRIPTION
Bimonthly newsletter of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA),TRANSCRIPT
Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers, Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and Beyond
Number 93 November/December 2011
Newsletter of thePennsylvaniaAssociation
for SustainableAgriculture
PassagesSustainable Food and Farming Systems
Cultivating Resilience:Permaculture at the Conference
The 2012 conference theme points to“versatility” and “resilience” as hallmarks ofsustainable agriculture. These concepts areembodied in the design science of permacul-ture, a systems-based approach to creatingliving landscapes to foster sustainablehuman habitat. Conference attendees willfind a wide selection of permaculture pro-gramming, including two pre-conferencetracks and numerous workshops.
On Wednesday, February 1, a day-longpre-conference track titled Introduction toPermaculture Principles & Concepts willguide participants through the core princi-ples of permaculture. Join Darrell Frey(Three Sisters Permaculture Farm), JulietteJones (Pittsburgh Permaculture) and DaveJacke (Dynamics Ecological Design) as theyfocus on the basic design principles, includ-ing integrated systems design, intensive foodproduction, energy conservation and storageand biodiversity enhancement. Participantswill come away from this track with a gen-eral overview of permaculture and inspira-tion for further study.
On Thursday, February 2, Applying Per-maculture Design to Urban & Rural Land-scapes will explore the applied design ofpermaculture through a series of case stud-ies. This track is intended to continue theconversation began on Wednesday, but forthose who are experienced with the princi-ples of permaculture design, you will becomfortable stepping right into this session.Frey, Jacke and Jones will be joined byMelissa Miles (Permanent Future Institute& Eastern PA Permaculture Guild), JoelCahalan (Wild Meadows Farm) and PhilForsythe (FoodSource Philadelphia) todemonstrate how the principles of perma-culture can be applied to any environment,
Join us for an unforgettable event, our 21st annual family gathering, that
will energize and educate you to get back in the fields for another year of
growing the sustainable agriculture movement. A new schedule allows for
more learning with 12 tracks to provide you in-depth knowledge that will
send you home ready to try new techniques and over 100 workshops to
inspire you to find creative ways to grow your business or garden. It also
allows for more time to network with vendors in our TradeShow and with fel-
low conference goers. On Friday afternoon we have an open hour in the
schedule for networking and we are providing space for conversations
around a variety of topics, including farm bill impacts, disasters and farming,
equipment for vegetable and livestock farms (bring your favorite catalogs),
and Work Seekers / Seeking Workers.continued on page 3
PRE-CONFERENCE PREVIEWBy Zach Hawkins21st Annual Farming for the Future Conference
Breaking Ground for a New AgricultureCultivating Versatility and Resilience
February 1 to 4, 2012Penn Stater Conference Center, State College PA
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Passages STAFF & OFFICEEditor: Michele Gauger
BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident: Kim Seeley, Bradford County
Vice President: Jennifer Halpin, Cumberland CountySecretary: Mary Barbercheck, Centre County
Treasurer: Louise Schorn Smith, Chester County
Sara Baldwin, Adams County Roy D. Brubaker, Juniata County
Jerry Brunetti, Northampton CountyMelanie Dietrich Cochran, Cumberland County
John Jamison, Westmoreland CountyJeff Mattocks, Dauphin County
Susan Miller, Chester CountyJamie Moore, Allegheny County
Brian Moyer, Berks CountyRita Resick, Somerset CountyHeidi Secord, Monroe County
At-Large Board MembersDave Mortensen, Centre County
Stephanie Ritchie, Maryland
PASA STAFFPASA HeadquartersPhone: 814-349-9856
Brian SnyderExecutive Director
Lauren SmithDirector of [email protected]
Cassie MarshDevelopment [email protected]
Jean NajjarAuction Associate
Kristin HoyConference Manager/
BFBL Centre County Chapter Coordinator [email protected]
Michele GaugerDirector of Membership
Ted PaladaMember Communications Assistant
Megan EplerBusiness Outreach Coordinator
Rebecca RobertsonFarm Based Education Coordinator
Lisa DiefenbachHuman Resources Manager
Amy TaylorOffice Manager
Susan Beal, DVMAg Science Advisor
Dan ZettleBookkeeping [email protected]
Community OutreachHannah Smith
Community Outreach [email protected]
Eastern RegionPhone: 610-458-5700
Marilyn AnthonySoutheast Regional Director
Ann McGinnisEastern Region Program Assistant
Billy TempletonMember Services Assistant — Northeast
Western Regional OfficePhone: 412-365-2985
Leah SmithMember Services Manager
Alissa MatthewsWestern Program Assistant
Contributing Writers & Photographers
Jane Bollinger, Megan Epler, Zach Hawkins, Kristin Hoy,Dave Lefever, Alissa Matthews, Ann McGinnis, Gayle Mor-row, Kim Seeley, Hannah Smith, Lauren Smith, Brian Sny-der, Billy Templeton.
Note to our Readers — If you are moving, please contactPASA to update your mailing address. Several of our publi-cations are sent via bulk mail service, which is not for-warded via the USPS. Contact [email protected] call 814-349-9856 to make an update.
Do you have a great article idea for Passages? — Wantto share a farming practice with members? We’d love tohear from you. Please contact the newsletter staff atnewsletter@ pasafarming.org.
Reproduction of Newsletter Material — please contactthe PASA office before reprinting or distributing materialscontained in this newsletter.
Deadline for January/February 2012 Issue: January 9, 2012
Advertising Sales: Ted PaladaPASA office, [email protected]
Layout: C Factor
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable AgricultureP.O. Box 419
Millheim PA 16854-0419Phone: (814) 349-9856 • Fax: (814) 349-9840
www.pasafarming.org
PASA’s Mission is…Promoting profitable farms which produce healthy food for
all people while respecting the natural environment.
PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvania land-scape. We are seasoned farmers who know that sustainability isnot only a concept, but a way of life. We are new farmers look-ing for the fulfillment of land stewardship. We are students andother consumers, anxious to understand our food systems andthe choices that must be made. We are families and children,who hold the future of farming in our hands. This is an organi-zation that is growing in its voice on behalf of farmers in Penn-sylvania and beyond. Our mission is achieved, one voice, onefarm, one strengthened community at a time.
Find Us on Facebook — http://pasafarming.org/facebook!
PASA is an Equal Opportunity Service Provider and Employer. Some grant fundingcomes from the USDA and complaints of discrimination should be sent to: USDAOffice of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Passages is printed on recycled paper
November/December 2011
Page 16
Page 1
Page 18
1 PASA Conference Preview
6 Director’s Corner
7 PASA Board Perspective
8 Sue’s View — From Over Here
11 Food Alliance
12 Regional Marketing
16 Business Member Profile: Eagles Mere Inn
18 Fundraising
20 Buy Fresh Buy Local Update
22 Membership Update
24 Community Outreach
26 PASA’s Wayne County Advisory Group
29 Classified Ads
30 Calendar
31 Membership Form
ships between elements of a healthy sys-tem. Conference-goers interested in fur-thering their knowledge of permacultureare encouraged to piece together thesepre-conference tracks and workshops tobuild an understanding that is sure to begreater than the sum of its parts.
n Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? To Get to the PASA Conference!Poultry Programming at Farming for the Future
The 2012 conference promises plentyfor poultry farmers, whether you’ve beenat it for years or are starting from scratch.
On Wednesday, February 1, roll upyour sleeves for Hands-On Poultry Pro-cessing & Marketing, a pre-conferencetrack designed to assist farmers in bring-ing market weight birds from the pasturepens to the customers’ hands. Lest you
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at any scale, from dense urban settle-ments to individual homes, from farms toentire regions. The day will begin with anoverview of the movement’s history, fol-lowing it from its origins in Australia inthe 1970s to its subsequent dissemina-tion to sites around the globe, includingthe Mid-Atlantic region of the UnitedStates. The rest of the track will be spentexploring case studies of permaculture asapplied on farms, urban sites and indi-vidual homes.
During the main conference, atten-dees may choose from a wide selection ofpermaculture workshops, from a two-part exploration of “Gardening Like theForest” to a session dedicated to the useof mycotechnology to regenerate pol-luted land.
Permaculture design places specialimportance on the synergistic relation-
feel cooped up at the conference center,this track will travel to “Poultry Man” EliReiff’s 56-acre farm in Mifflinburg.Reiffhas over 30 years of experience pro-cessing poultry and is president of theAmerican Pastured Poultry ProducersAssociation (APPPA). He’ll be joined byveteran poultry farmers Daniel and SheriSalatin (Polyface Inc.), Brian Moyer(Green Haven Farm) and PeterBurns(Heritage Farm). During the busride, the group will discuss methods toprotect pastured birds from predators.On the farm, track participants will splitinto groups and spend half of the day intwo sessions. In the first, Reiff, Burns andDaniel Salatin will lead a hands-on pro-cessing lesson. They’ll help you to honeyour knife skills while discussing sitedesign, equipment selection and otherconsiderations regarding your processing
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Join us on Friday morning for ouropening session as Brian Halweil ofEdible East End and Senior Fellow at theWorldwatch Institute.
Brian has traveled and lived in Mex-ico, Central America, the Caribbean,and East Africa learning indigenousfarming techniques and promoting sus-tainable food production. In college, heworked with California farmers inter-ested in reducing their pesticide use, andset up a 2-acre student-run organic farmon the campus of Stanford University.
He writes from Sag Harbor, NY,where he and his family keep a homegarden and orchard, and raise oysters.
PASA-bilities Plenary Main SpeakerLast conference, we heard
inspirational words from folkswithin the PASA family —Mary Howell & Klaas Martensand Ned MacArthur. We willonce again present these awardsand hear from the recipients —but we’ll be hearing from themSaturday morning. In additionto hearing from those leadersselected to receive the PASA-bilities Leadership Awards, we will be joinedby Shannon Hayes, who will be the PASA-bilities main speaker.
Shannon writes and farms with three generations of her family on SapBush Hollow Farm in West Fulton, NY, where she grew up. The familyraises all-natural grass-fed lamb, beef, pork and poultry. She holds a BA increative writing from Binghamton University, and a Masters and PhD inSustainable Agriculture and Community Development from Cornell.
Shannon is the author of several books including The Grassfed Gourmet,Farmer and the Grill, and Radical Homemakers, and her research and writ-ings have appeared in several publications and blogs. Shannon’s newestbook, Long Way on a Little: An Earth Lovers’ Companion for Enjoying Meat,Pinching Pennies and Living Deliciously, is due out in 2012.
PASA thanks Kimberton Whole Foods for their sponsor-ship of the 2012 PASA-bilities Award Series & Speaker.Their dedication to sustainability and community involve-ment has had a tremendous impact on the food shed.PASA also wishes them continued success as they celebrate 25 years of business.
Friday Keynote Speaker
FEATURED CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
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facility. In the second session, Moyer andSheri Salatin will cover what happensonce the birds are busy chilling on ice,including regulations for bagging, label-ing and storing birds, and effective strate-gies for marketing your finished product.
On Thursday, February 2, poultryfarmers from any position in the peckingorder can sign up for Pastured Poultryfor Meat Production for Beginning &Advanced Farmers. To start the day,Daniel Salatin (son of pastured poultrypioneer Joel Salatin) will give the insidescoop on how poultry is done on Poly-face Farms. Afterward, the “spring chick-ens” of the group will sit down withSalatin and Peter Burns (Heritage Farm)for an introduction to starting a pasturedpoultry operation. (Fun fact: Burns wasan intern at the Salatin farm whenMichael Pollan visited while researchingThe Omnivore’s Dilemma, and is men-tioned in the book.) Experienced partici-pants will join Jeff Mattocks (FertrellCompany) to discuss the nuances ofpoultry nutrition and health. In the after-
n A Holistic Approach to Planning Your Finances
Holistic Management is a systems-based approach to managing resources. Itis designed to help farmers, ranchers,public land managers and developmentorganizations to engage in practices thatimprove the “triple bottom line” of eco-nomic, environmental and social sustain-ability. In Planning & Ensuring YourFinancial Success Using Holistic Man-agement™, track participants will learnhow to use a holistic approach to ask theright questions about the financial healthof their operations.
Byron Shelton, Landmark Diversified& Holistic Management™ Instructor,will guide attendees in creating a firstdraft of a financial plan for 2012 usingthe Holistic Management Decision-Mak-ing and Financial Planning processes.After two days of intensive study, farmerswill have the tools to complete their plansupon returning home.
Financial planning is not accountingor record-keeping. Rather, it is a processto plan for the future. In this track par-
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Support for the tracks comes from theAmerican Pastured Poultry ProducersAssociation (APPPA).
Can’t make it to a pre-conferencetrack? Don’t let it stick in your craw!Main conference attendees will find a fullschedule of poultry programming on Fri-day and Saturday. Just crack open yourprogram book for everything from a ses-sion on holistic poultry husbandry to aworkshop about using a flock of chickensfor garden tillage and insect control. Iffowl is your fancy, the conference poultryprogramming is certain to give you some-thing to cluck about.
If we are serious about “farming for the future,” wemust equip the next generation of farmers, gardeners andeaters with the tools they require to produce food sustain-ably and choose food sustainably produced. The Youth inFarming pre-conference track is designed to introducemiddle school and high school students to small-scale foodproduction practices they can take home.
Students will get the dirt on saving seeds from TimMountz of Happy Cat Organics while working to preparethe seed swap table for the main conference. They’ll alsothink about how a garden can fit into an educational set-ting, and imagine how they might initiate a gardening pro-gram at their own schools.
Students will also spend part of the day learning aboutraising animals for food. First they’ll get the buzz on keep-ing bees for honey. Then Daniel Salatin from PolyfaceFarm will talk to the group about raising rabbits. Danielstarted a rabbit enterprise when he was seven-years-old andhe still raises them today, in addition to over-seeing theday-to-day workings of Polyface. He’ll share with thegroup what is was like to start a business raising food as ayoung boy.
As teachers know, middle school and high school stu-dents are fond of asking, “How do these lessons apply tothe ‘real world?’” PASA-bilities main speaker ShannonHayes, (see bio, page 3), will visit the group to talk about
the social, political, and ethical importance of having ahand in producing the food you eat.
Throughout the day, students will be encouraged todraw connections between the various presentations anddetermine what pieces they’ll be able to take home andstart using on their own. At the end of this track, middleschool and high school students will leave with the know-how to start producing food and the inspiration to gettheir hands dirty.
n The Future of Farming: A Pre-Conference Track for PASA Youth
continued from page 3
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ticipants will clarify the direction theywant to move their farms and assess theirprogress by examining financial informa-tion from 2011. Using a gross profitanalysis, members of this track will lookat each enterprise comprising their oper-ations and determine what it will con-tribute to the overall financial picture in2012. At the end of the track, partici-pants will leave equipped to monitortheir financial plans for the remainder ofthe year and apply the Holistic Manage-ment Financial Planning process for yearsto come.
This track is appropriate for both thenovice and the experienced financialplanner. Registrants are required to bringincome and expense records from 2011,but no private financial information willbe shared. Registration is limited to 20farms with up to 3 people per farm.
Byron Shelton owns LandmarkDiversified based in Buena Vista, Col-orado, a three-part venture. LandmarkHarvest produces and markets grass-fin-ished, land-improving, beyond-organicbeef. Landmark Management leases andmanages farms and ranches for healthyland and profits. Landmark Decisionsprovides facilitation and training inwhole farm planning using HolisticManagement™ Decision-Making,Financial Planning, Ecosystem ProcessesManagement, Grazing Planning, Biolog-ical Monitoring, Land Planning and Pol-icy Analysis and Development in family,business, agricultural and naturalresource settings.
raise $7,700 at its first annual BenefitAuction.
Many PASA members, friends, busi-nesses, and organizations, have joinedthese first donors over the years to buildthe success of the Benefit Auction — todate the Auction has raised close to$190,000. These significant funds havegone to support sustainable agricultureand local food systems in the Pennsylva-nia and the mid-Atlantic region.
In 2012, PASA’s Benefit Auction willbe back in Deans Hall, with an amazingcollection of over 170 items including:farm products, getaway packages, fine-dining experiences, hand crafted jewelryand furniture, books, tools, and more. Asalways, our “three in one,” fundraiseroffers opportunities for everyone to par-ticipate in supporting sustainable agricul-ture. There are raffle tickets to buy for achance in the Bag Auction. There are bidsheets for placing bids in the Silent Auc-tion. Finally, there is the fun and excite-ment of live bidding at Friday evening’sAwards Banquet.
Calling all conference attendees! Thefun starts the evening of February 2ndand continues through Saturday after-noon. Come to Deans Hall to get yourraffle tickets and place your bid for sus-tainable agriculture at the 21st annualFarming for the Future Conference.
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n PASA’s Annual Benefit Auction— 10th Anniversary
This February PASA will host the10th Annual Benefit Auction at theFarming for the Future conference.Maybe you were among the first biddersback in 2003 when the Auction featureda timber frame donated by Hugh LoftingTimber Framing Inc? Constructed on-site as part of a timber-framing work-shop, this item was the mega-centerpieceof the Auction, helping to kick-off thisgreat fundraising tradition. Hugh wasone of 35 donors that year, helping PASA
Our annual Bag Auction is a favorite of conference attendess. This “game of chance” event lets manypeople, including Sue Walker-Moyer, try their luck at winning.
Friends of the ConferenceFarming for the Future is an extremely important event for the PASA
membership. It’s our chance to learn from and network with interestingpeople and field experts, and gather new ideas for improving our busi-nesses and lives. The 2012 conference will be no different, and we want toensure that everyone can participate by keeping the registration feesaffordable.
Please consider becoming a Friend of the Con-ference. Your tax-deductible contribution of$100 enables the conference to flourish. Yourgift will be acknowledged at the conference,on the website, and in Passages newsletter.Please indicate your contribution on the con-ference registration form or call Ashlee at PASAheadquarters.
Conference preview continued on page 9
Become
a Friend of the
2012 Conference
Today!
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Dir
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Co
rner ground that somehow eliminates the
need for more immoderate attitudes.That same situation is true in the
political arena when discussions turn tothe Farm Bill, which is passed by Con-gress every few years with much apparentcompromise. What’s really happening isthe establishment of an uneasy “coexis-tence” between widely divergent opin-ions regarding what the Federalgovernment should be doing to supportfarmers and serve consumers of farmproducts (i.e. all of us!). As a result, agri-cultural lobbyists trade off about two-thirds of the whole pile of money forhunger programs in order to maintain athird for themselves. And within thatthird, a tiny fraction — perhaps a percentor two of the entire Farm Bill — is givenover to the advocates of sustainability inorder that we not complain too loudlyabout crop subsidies and other industrialcrutches.
We have to stop this misguided farmpolicy merry-go-round before more dam-age is done and a lot more people gethurt! There is no constructive way for-ward in assuming some kind of evolu-tionary transition from an industrial tosustainable model in agriculture, and it’shigh time we stopped pretending other-wise. It may be that a great diversity ofideas and approaches would be involvedin a sustainable Farm Bill, but there isonly one way to get there, and that is ulti-mately to scrap the status quo and startout with a new vision of how we wantour food systems to work.
Problem is, if you ask Americans rightnow what they want farms to look like inthe future, you will find that far toomany are under-informed, misinformedand/or generally confused about theoptions, and millions of dollars of PRmoney invested on behalf of preservingindustrialism is not helping matters. Butneither are efforts to propagate the heresyof compromise, especially when it comesto considering what works in terms offeeding the world, reversing climatechange and saving our children from thechronic effects of obesity.
With a perfect storm of circumstancesgathering all around us, it’s high timethat we mean what we say when it comesto asserting and living a true and reliablepath to a more sustainable food systemfor us all, before it’s too late. n
You see, the movement away from geo-centrism and toward the heliocentric ideamay have taken a long time, but therewas never any possibility for compromiseof the two views — they were contradic-tory; only one could stand in the end.
Such is the case with the movementaway from an industrial model of agricul-ture toward the sustainable alternative.There are many efforts underway rightnow, sponsored by the USDA and othergroups, to find common ground in agri-culture, as though one could meld theindustrial and sustainable models into ahybrid approach of some sort.
While laudable in some respects, theseefforts will ultimately fail, because thetwo ideas have at heart radically differentassumptions about the way the worldworks. To wit, all forms of the industrialrevolution emanate from a guiding prin-ciple that nature is the enemy, a set ofrandom circumstances to be overcomewith each advancing discovery or techno-logical development. In stark contrast,the current sustainable revolution holdsthat nature is not merely random, butcontains the guiding principles that mustbe followed for any progress to occur.
The worldview of the industrial revo-lution prevails whether we are talkingabout the removal of a mountaintop toaccess the coal beneath, or the manipula-tion of microscopic genes in order todefeat the natural tendency toward diver-sification inherent in any ecosystem. Andanyone who stands against this prevailingview is often considered an unreasonableactivist — or worse — because few in theindustrial world can perceive the alter-nate paradigm by which others under-stand reality.
Industrialists talk about “sustainabil-ity” quite a lot…they even appointadministrators within their ranks as sur-rogates for a set of values that otherwiseseem quite foreign to them. They hangplacards in hotel rooms explaining whyour assistance in allowing them to lay offhousekeeping staff will also help saveexotic creatures in some tropical region.
The sustainable worldview holds thatnature is never the enemy, but a force tobe reckoned with, understood and evenmimicked as a method for achieving thedesired ends. The two points of view arenot reconcilable — no amount of negoti-ation or compromise will find middle
In my last column I asserted that it is“Time to Say What We Mean,” specif-
ically in terms of making credible claimsabout food and farming systems that aresustainable and engaged. It was inevitablethat the other shoe needed to drop, lead-ing now to the converse assertion.
It would be nice if there was time tofigure out all the definitions and strate-gies to achieve the food systems of ourdreams, but that’s a luxury we can’talways afford. This is especially truewhen large amounts of money are beingspent to counter our efforts. It is there-fore also now time to insist on what weknow to be true, and to promote thatvision as a top priority.
Going back three newsletters, in thecolumn entitled “Retrograde to a Sus-tainable Revolution,” (May/June 2011) Italked about the Copernican Revolutionin astronomy and how it took civilizationnearly 300 years to transition from aninterpretation that the sun moves aroundthe earth to the opposite notion. I alsotalked about how the current sustainablerevolution in agriculture is analogous,though would probably not take so long,given our newfound proficiency withcommunication.
But the analogy can be taken furtherto suggest how the public discussion offood and farming systems must proceed.
By Brian Snyder, Executive Director
Time to Mean What We Say
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PASA
Bo
ard
Per
spec
tive showed how rising oil costs would force
our country to change if we didn’tchange our energy policies.
Raj Patal (2009) provided graphicdetails of social inequality and prophesiedabout the consequences of failing toaddress world social consciousness.
As I recall all of the wonderful confer-ence moments from the many years my family has attended, I firmly believethe reason our farm has survived and sustained our community is because ofthe knowledge, friendships, and network-ing we have gained by belonging to thePASA family. I encourage any of youwho have never experienced a conferenceto make this year your first. For any of you who have felt the sustainable spirit while attending the annual Febru-ary event, make it a point to facilitate a new member to go who hasn’t had theopportunity.
Our conference provides the resourcesnecessary for beginners and veterans aliketo share experiences, to learn sustainableideas, and renew annual friendships,which are the catalysts for future success.PASA staff and committee membersannually revisit a planning process forimproving conference logistical layouts.They constantly strive to add more diver-sified workshops, while always findingways to continue making the conferenceaffordable. My hat is off to our sponsorswho see the need to provide financialsupport to this special event. There are somany volunteers as well, who provide thehuman energy necessary for accomplish-ing the multi-day event.
If you know of someone who wouldbenefit from attending our conferencebut may not think they can afford it,remember to tell them about our scholar-ships (see page 9) and other financial helpthat may be available in their region.
As you can tell, I am already excitedfor the 2012 conference. It will be my lastconference as President of the BoardDirectors, but it will not diminish mydesire for continuing the work you and Iwill do to support our organization.
I look forward to the challenges youand I will face…look forward to seeingyou in February! n
many of our members do every day.Like many of you, I admit, I some-
times need a mental uplift, or I prefer“spiritual renewal”, to overcome chal-lenging daily duties when sometimes wecan become inundated with work andforget to reflect and renew. During thesecycles we must interject education,debate, discussion, deep thinking anddeveloping friendships back into ourschedules. Where can all of these befound in the company of the world’smost visionary folks? The PASA confer-ence in February becomes my spiritualrenewal, because I am able to accomplishall of the above with many of you! It is inthese periods of reflection that we cansoar to the highest level of sustainablesolutions and ultimately satisfaction.
If you have never had the opportunityto attend, the PASA conference is a worldshowcase for sustainable talent (see frontcover for details). Our keynoter speakersevery year educated me about the worldwe live in. The topics they address some-times are unpleasant, but they are allhonest testimonials about how we mustwork together globally to sustain ourplanet. Several past speakers have articu-lated the many worldwide issues todaythat have been fanning fires of socialunrest for years. Let me share a few per-sonal recollections, which allowed me tobe prepared, but not happy, about ourcurrent economic mess.
Vandana Shiva (2000) discussedglobal financial imbalances and corruptcorporate financial manipulation manyyears ago, at a time when we could haveheaded off a worldwide economic melt-down. She emphasized “wealth withouthonest work is cancerous.”
John Ikerd (2002) spoke aboutimproving our economy by demandingresponsible capitalism based on prof-itable, sustainable family farms. Hechronicled his life experience as a risingstar of land grant agricultural economistspreaching“get big or get out” to collegestudents and farmers only to discover hewas misrepresenting the truth.
William McDonough (1999) chal-lenged the PASA audience to continuethe noble work we were doing, and totest our design models to see if the out-comes “loved all the children”.
James Kunstler (2007) described theworld’s current energy addiction, and
I will soon be leaving PASA’s Board ofDirectors because of term limits. My
time on the board has been an excitingand challenging journey in my life, and Ihave found it inspiring to be connectedwith all of you through the growth of theorganization. So much has been accom-plished, yet our work is ongoing. We allrealize our responsibility to guarantee ourchildren have sustainable choices in food,fiber and quality of life.
Since joining the PASA Board, I havenever had any regrets about the meaning-ful work we do. I constantly try to getmember feedback about how they thinkPASA is serving them. I have talked withmany of you about the need to financiallysupport our many activities. This is anecessary part of maintaining our organi-zational sustainability. I remember acomment, “Kim, you have a thanklessjob.” I quickly told this wonderfullybenevolent man that I have never felt myyears of volunteerism have been thank-less. It makes me proud to representPASA anywhere I go.
The credibility that PASA has earnedhas been based on honesty, openly shar-ing information and our constant focuson farm-based education, which relatesto the success of our farmers. Our successis only possible because of all of your sus-tainable work on your farms and busi-nesses, and in the public work that so
By Kim Seeley, PASA board president
Sustaining Ourselves
By Susan Beal, DVM
Sue’s View —From Over Here
8
lation and balance is not the same in aforest as it is under grassland — and thereis continual move toward successionunless something is done to change thatpace. Rumens work because there arepopulations of organisms that can adaptto the diet and surroundings, allowingthe animal to gain nourishment throughthe manner in which they digest and
It’s certainly not as flashy a story as thefolks whose home washed down the river,but it touched me in a very real manner.Perhaps that’s because it’s a very tangibletale, one to which I could relate, one of amagnitude around which I can wrap mymind. A freezer full of spoiled food is farmore “understandable” than trying tocomprehend acres of fields entirely
transform the forages eaten. Communi-ties work because folks with pumps comeand help their neighbors who don’t havea pump or whose pump has been over-whelmed, because folks with some spaceoffer it to the stock of those whose homefarm is underwater, because people cometogether to help replace a culvert andrepair the washed out road so they cantravel through their narrow and isolatedvalley.
It’s going to be interesting to observethe recoveries from these natural events.Already it’s evident that the lands held inwell-managed pasture and under certaintypes of crops are recovering at a morerapid rate than those under intensive cul-tivation or held in monoculture. Thewater recedes or the rains/snow comesand those lands seem to pick up — andperk up — at a more rapid pace thanother holdings. It also seems that they(and their occupants) are more resilientto bacterial contamination and are rebal-ancing relatively more quickly than landwithout the relative health and stabilityof soil health and structure.
Naturally the significance of that iswide — the ability to more immediatelyuse the acreage rather than have the sea-son (or many seasons) be a wasted effort,the relative health and stability of the soilunder grass. From the reports that arecrossing my desk the more diverse thestock and the less the management inwhich they are held resembles a CAFO,the better they are doing. The more flex-ible and diversified the farm and farmer— or the householder — the better weseem to be handling these events. n
stripped of their topsoil, roads carved andreconfigured, waterways remodeled,herds of cattle floating downstream, theneed to relocate an entire dairy (for thesecond time this year!) because floodwa-ters removed fields and feed. And thecows are still milking. As are the dairy-men.
And while the spoiled food from thefreezer will make compost that isn’tgoing to put beans and chickens andberries into the larder until next season.
In a time when there is increasingdesire to view events and people in reduc-tionist manners, the events of these pastmonths really serve as a reminder that weare all interconnected — and what affectsone part really does affect the whole.Everything is connected. Nothing is inisolation.
In spite of a health care system thatmoves to isolate not only organs andorgan systems with the increase in spe-cialized medicines, and fractionate peopleand their communities during assessmentof need, to a food safety system in whichsome players find it difficult to realizethat one cannot speak of a specific organ-ism without considering how that organ-ism relates not only to other organismsbut to the health and function of theecology in total, to a communitydynamic in which some would stratify“us” and “them” — the events of the dayto day continue to remind us that thenatural way is to work in interactive com-munity.
Soil “works” because it is alive andthere is a balance of living organisms thatare unique to that dynamic. That popu-
In a time when there is increasing desire to viewevents and people in reductionist manners, the eventsof these past months really serve as a reminder that we are all interconnected — and what affects one part really does affect the whole.
Previous months have certainly pro-vided a myriad of experiences, from
earthquakes and hurricanes throughdroughts, fires, floods and early heavysnows — and for those in the region whoare dealing with Brown Marmoratedstink bugs the list of events includespestilence too.
In many ways the topsy-turvy naturalevents echo the general topsy-turvy thatabounds nationally as well as internation-ally.
I’ve heard tales of exceptional loss andamazing resilience as stories about lostcrops and stock (some drowned, somedead in the drought — an ironic juxta-position), eroded fields, contaminatedwells, ruined homes and water-loggedequipment have filtered in from through-out the region and from across the coun-try. I’m touched by those stories andshake my head in wonder and amaze-ment.
The recent words of a PASA memberwho spoke of having their family’s foodspoiling in their freezer because snow-laden trees have disrupted power to theirhome for over a week touched me. Thiswas their winter stockpile, the meals forthe cold time, food grown on and har-vested from their own land, a testamentto both their self-sufficiency and theirdedication to their own personal foodsecurity.
We are proud to acknowledge thePASA-bilities and Patron conferencesponsors, including our Media Partnerin this issue of Passages. We invite youto review the entire list of sponosors inthe brochure, online at pasafarming.org and in the January/February post-conference issue of this newsletter.
Farming for the Future Carpools!Encourage Green Travel
*Conference ride, room & flight match*
*Carpools to cultural events & rallies**College rideshare systems*
Your nonprofit can use our toolsto recruit at festivals
Technology for Communities*Nonprofit membership networking*
*Custom database & web devel.**Community websites*
Tell us your technology dreams or woes and we may be able to help
Join us! Tell event organizers about us!www.SpaceShare.org/newsletter
n Register online to help us cut downon paper consumption. You’ll save onthe emissions it takes to get your regis-tration to PASA…and use one lessstamp!
n Carpool! How many people can youget into that hybrid vehicle? Share theride and you’ll significantly cut yourcarbon costs. Don’t know of anyonecoming from your area? Check out ourSpaceShare site and maybe you’ll find acompanion or three for the drive.
n Use public transportation. Busesarrive at the State College bus terminalfrom cities including New York,Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Or takethe train — Amtrak stops in Lewistownand Altoona, each a mere 30-minutedrive from the Penn Stater.
Greening Details:How to Green Your Conference Experience
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Created in 2001, this scholarship fund is designed to foster the interest ofdeveloping farmers by providing financial support to attend the conference.As the fund grows over the years, so has the list of people who have benefitedfrom scholarships. Last year forty-three individuals received support from theBrownback Scholarship Fund. As our ability to offer this opportunity tofarmers has grown, so have the number of farmers seeking to attend the con-ference through the scholarship program. If you would like to donate toBrownback Scholarship fund, send a check payable to PASA with “Brown-back Scholarship” in the memo section. Scholarship applications will beavailable this fall; more information will be posted on www.pasafarming.org.
Arias M. Brownback Scholarship Fund
continued on page 10
PASA-BILITIES SPONSOR
PATRONS OF SUSTAINABILITY
MEDIA PARTNER
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
n Flying? Lighten Your Load! By packing prudently, you will help toreduce the weight of the airplane to make for a lower-impact take-off.The bonus: you’ll save on checked baggage fees!
n Buy Local Snacks. What better way to travel than with your ownhealthy, delicious and local provisions to get you through? Find yourlocal food source through your local Buy Fresh Buy Local® chapter.
n Share a Hotel Room. It’s a two-for-one deal — all the energy costs ofoperating a room can be shared between two. You’ll get extra savingsfor tripling or quadrupling up. Check out SpaceShare and find a room-mate.
n Do not disturb! Tell the hotel staff that they don’t need to vacuum orreplace your towels by placing the “do not disturb” sign on your door.You’ll save water and electricity.
Manager
Kristin Hoy
Program Assistant
Zach Hawkins
Director of Development
Lauren Smith
Development Assistant
Ashlee Shelton
Registration Associate
Patty Neiner
Auction Associate
Jean Najjar
Farming for the Future Conference Planning Staff
Greening Detailscontinued from page 9
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for the poultry and pigs are a crucial partof the operation. For example, mobilestructures for the pigs are built to be thewidth of a vegetable row. The porkers tillthe soil as they voraciously root and for-age for food, preparing the ground forthe next crop. No rototiller or tractor isused on the farm, unless you count theanimals.
Another resource-saving system is therow of rain barrels lining each side of thehoophouse where carrots, peas, lettuces,tomatoes and other vegetable crops grow.The barrels are connected to drip tapeirrigation lines that automatically waterthe vegetable beds. Walden has plans to
add a second tier of vegetables abovethose growing on the ground to maxi-mize the use of space in the hoophouse.
Walden learned from other pioneersand their methods, including Joel Salatinand his well-known mobile poultry pens,but refined them with his own designsthat he believes make them more effi-cient. He wants his systems to be easy forchildren and older people alike, not justfarmers in prime physical condition.
“I’m a 57-year-old who just startedfarming,” he said. “I hope to be doing itas an old man. I also want a 10-year-oldto be able to do it.”
Walden would love to see his methodsapplied around the world, includingdeveloping countries where women andchildren are often saddled with hard farmlabor.
Peters handles marketing and moneymatters for the farm. Walden credits a lotof their success to her making sure hedoesn’t spend too much but rather main-tain a “low-input high-output” opera-tion. The farm sells its meat andvegetables through a 30-member CSA(community supported agriculture) aswell as farmer’s markets in Baltimore andlocally.
Walden and Peters decided to applyfor Food Alliance certification this pastspring as an alternative to organic certifi-cation, which they believe has too many
Homer Walden leads turkeys to fresh grass inthis pen he designed for easy moving.
By Dave LefeverYou don’t have to spend more than a
few minutes with Homer Walden on hisfarm before you realize he’s having thetime of his life.
While that might be a common expe-rience for enthusiastic teenage or 20-something farm interns, Walden is aretired applied physicist who used tobuild space shuttle parts for a living. Nowhe spends his days applying his ingenuityto the farm’s animal-plant “mosaic,” ashe calls it, making it as efficient and pro-ductive as possible. He’s having a blast —and modeling some down-to-earth meth-ods that he is eager to share with anyoneinterested in farming.
Walden and his wife Dru Peters farmcame to 12.5-acre Sunnyside Farm, innorthern York County about two yearsago, after a brief stint of farming “prac-tice” on some rented land outside of Bal-timore, where they lived at the time.
The farm is home to meat chickens(about 3,000 per year), turkeys (150 peryear), layer hens (200), pigs (14 — plentyfor tillage chores as well as offering somepork for customers) and beef cattle (6cows), all pasture-raised, along withabout an acre of intensive vegetable plots.
“The first time we tasted one of ourown chickens, we almost had tears in oureyes, it was so good,” said Walden, whohad spent his life to that point eatingmostly conventionally raised food.
Specifically designed moveable pens
continued on page 15
This structure is designed to fit between vegetable rows, where the pigs act as weeders and tillers.
Small-Farm Innovator ModelsEfficiency, Aces Food AllianceCertification
Small-Farm Innovator ModelsEfficiency, Aces Food AllianceCertification
Learn more about SunnysideFarm in February. Walden andPeters will present at the mainconference.
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Southern
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REGIONAL CONTACTS & DISCUSSION GROUP ADDRESSESDiscussion groups are open to PASA members only to join and discuss issues related to sustainable agriculture.
To join the group in your region, send an email to the appropriate address provided.
[email protected] Leah Smith412-365-2985 • [email protected]
[email protected] Marilyn Anthony610-458-5700 • [email protected]
South [email protected] Jenn Halpin717-243-5996 • [email protected]
North [email protected] Leah Tewksbury570-437-2620 • [email protected]
Delmarva Regionhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/PASADelmarva
Marcellus Shale Grouphttp://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/PASAMarcellus
Out of State discussion group addresses:
States North and East of [email protected]
States South and West of [email protected]
n This Little Piggy Went to Market
As consumers learn the facts aboutAmerica’s industrialized meat productionsystem, they increasingly seek betteralternatives for their meat supply.Responding to that need, MarilynAnthony and a host of panelists featuringAnn Karlen (Fair Food); Dr. ThomasParsons (Penn State’s New Bolton Cen-ter); Philip Horst-Landis (Sweet StemFarm), Sean Cavanaugh (John J. JeffriesRestaurant), Bruce Arndt (Stoney PointFarm Market), Jay Smucker (Smucker’sMeats) and Jason Belleau (Whole FoodsMarket) presented an in-depth look atthe supply chain for local, humanelyraised pork from piglet to plate. The“This Little Piggy Went to Market”event was held twice in October, with arotating panel of experts, to enthusiasticaudiences of about 65 attendees at TheDelaware Valley Regional PlanningCommission and later in the month atThe Academy of Natural Sciences.Philadelphia-based photographer AlbertYee exhibited prints from his “HandsThat Feed Us” collection at both events.
EASTERN REGION
PASA, in collaboration with theScranton Small Business DevelopmentCenter (SBDC), has been awarded aUSDA Specialty Crop Block Grant toexpand the market for specialty vegetablecrops in Northeast Pennsylvania. Thistwo-year project has been designed todevelop a “Food Hub” in the region thatwill increase production and sales oflocally grown vegetables. In addition tobuilding consumer demand through var-ious outreach efforts, producers will betrained to supply new markets anddevelop the infrastructure needed for sus-tained success. Project partners haveidentified farmers in Northeast Pennsyl-vania as having the potential to become aspecialty crop production center for over11 million eaters in communities fromNew York to Philadelphia.
n PASA & NRCS Field DayIn mid-October, over twenty PASA
members and interested individuals metat Upland Lawn Farm in SusquehannaCounty for a unique, co-sponsored fieldday by PASA and the Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS) to learn
NORTHEAST REGION how to sustainably pasture cattle whileconserving and utilizing existing naturalresources on the farm most effectively.
Mike and Jo-Ellen Greene guidedattendees on a tour of their 100-plus acrefarm and explained how the NRCShelped them create and implement acomprehensive plan to maximize usage ofthe natural resources on site. Grazing spe-cialist, Theresa Heebnergave an overviewof the many different land improvementmeasures that the NRCS provides farm-ers through the Environmental QualityIncentives Program (EQIP) and the Con-servation Stewardship Program (CSP).
Mike and Jo-Ellen, both retired Navalofficers, explained that they came tofarming with little practical experience orknowledge and that with the help andguidance of the NRCS and PASA theywere able to build a strong infrastructure,including a solar watering system, heavyuse animal walkways, and multiple pas-tures for grazing. The Greene’s award-winning herd of Red Poll cattle (whosestatus is listed as “Threatened” by theAmerican Livestock Breeds Conservancy)serves to protect and restore this heritagebreed as one of the Northeast’s importantand suitable dual-purpose cattle.
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Regional Advisory Committee UpdatesPASA’s Eastern and Western regions continue to
utilize the skills and knowledge of volunteer membersthat comprise our Regional Advisory Committees(RAC). Regional PASA staff and board members workwith these volunteer advisors to help strengthen pro-grams and strategic vision in the regions.
PASA Members in the Newsn Robert E. Ambrose of Ridgeview Acres Farm in Ligonier has
won the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Local HeroesAward. The award honors those who further the association'smission to protect farms, natural resources and waters of thecommonwealth. Along with Ridgeview farm, he managesfarms in Nebraska and Iowa.
n Frankferd Farms Foods, based in Saxonburg, PA, is one of theoldest organic farms in Western Pennsylvania. In June theybegan powering the farm, flour mill and family home with a10-kilowatt system of solar panels. Recently an additional 16-kilowatt 100% American made solar array will be ready topower their food production warehouse as well.
PASA thanks those volunteers currently serving on theWestern RAC:
• Lynne GelstonDream Thyme Farm, Mercer Co.
• Lucinda Hart-Gonzalez Paradise Gardens & Farm LLC, Jefferson Co.
• Mark Harvey-Smith(Pittsburgher Highland Farm, Allegheny Co.
• Art KingHarvest Valley Farm, Butler Co.
• Becky KretschmannKretschmann Farm, Beaver Co.
• John ParkerEdible Earth Farm, Forest Co.
• Maggie RobertsonM&M Robertson Farms, Clarion Co.
• Lori SandsSilver Wheel Farm, Butler Co.
• Neil StaufferPenns Corner Farm Alliance, Allegheny Co.
• Nigel TudorWeatherbury Farm, Washington Co.
• Emily StevensonPleasant Valley Farm, Forest Co
• John WheelerButler Co.
PASA thanks those volunteers currently serving on theEastern RAC:
• Gary BlossJosie Porter Farm, Monroe Co.
• Jane BollingerWayne Co. PASA Group, Wayne Co.
• Jennifer BrodskyGreener Partners, Montgomery Co.
• Aimee & John GoodQuite Creek Farm/CSA, Lehigh Co.
• Lisa HallUniversity of Scranton Small Business DevelopmentCenter, Buy Fresh Buy Local, Lackawanna Co.
• Stephanie RobertsSkoloff Valley Farm, Susquehanna Co.
• Laura StrattonStratton Family Farm / Wynnor Farm, Chester Co.
EASTERN REGION
WESTERN REGION
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loopholes and costs too much money.An inspector for the Food Alliance
certification program visited the farm andasked them questions on a range of top-ics, from their water and soil conserva-tion practices to chemical use to wildlifehabitat and worker treatment. Not onlydid they pass the certification test, theFood Alliance person went away saying“we should be the model for how farmingshould be,” Walden said.
“Food Alliance certification recognizesthe environmental benefits from our useof heritage varieties of vegetables andbreeds of livestock, as well as our effortsto monitor our native plant and wildlifepopulations, conserve water resourcesand even our community outreach toteach others all we know,” said Peters.
(Admittedly, the worker treatmentpart of Food Alliance certification doesn’tapply to Sunnyside Farm becauseWalden and Peters are the only workers.)
How far does Walden believe his type
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Small Farm Innovatorcontinued from page 11 FOOD ALLIANCE
CERTIFICATION
STANDARDS INCLUDE:
• Protect and improve soil resources
• Protect and conserve water resources
• Protect and enhance biodiversity
• Conserve energy, reduce & recycle
waste
• Reduce use of pesticides, and other
toxic and hazardous materials
• Maintain transparent and
sustainable food supply chains
• Support safe and fair working
conditions
• No GMOs or artificial ingredients
• Ensure healthy, humane animal
treatment, with no growth
hormones or non-therapeutic antibi-
otics
• Continually improve practices
of farming can go in offering a significantalternative to the industrial food system?
“As far as people think it can,” he said.And it’s not an option for more people toapply their will and imagination to thekind of farming that sustains people andthe earth for the long run. According toWalden, “It’s imperative.”
Sunnyside Farm hosted a PASA fieldday in October. Walden and Peters alsohost school field trips and welcome other vis-itors interested in farming. For informationon the farm, visit www.sunny-side-farm.com. To learn more about FoodAlliance, see http://foodalliance.org
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By Gayle MorrowToby Diltz is not a farmer but he has
seen one of the age-old elephants in thecorner of farming’s living room: Farmersare so busy farming that they don’talways (read seldom) have time to markettheir product, add value to it, deliver it,or even talk to someone about how todelegate those duties.
Toby Diltz is, however, a chef, theoperating owner of Eagles Mere Inn inSullivan County, and he is willing tohelp. He’ll make the trek to the farmer toget the best and freshest products for hiskitchen. He’ll add a dash of this or that tothose products to bring out all theirinherent goodness (they’re great on theirown, he says, and need only a smidgeonof enhancement rather than a slatheringof sauce). He’ll talk to his own customersabout the importance of buying fresh andlocal. And, he’ll pay the premium for theprivilege of having those straight-from-the-grower raw ingredients with which tocreate a sustainable and amazing meal.
It’s a match made, if not in heaven, intwo places very close to it — a kitchenand a farm.
Diltz came to his “appreciating farms”mindset by spending time on his great-grandfather’s farm. There he experiencedthe “genuine care and love” for the ani-mals and crops on the farm, attitudes thatpaved the way to his passion for sustain-
able cooking and what he characterizes as“the joys of local products.” Growing up,he also learned about food preservation.
Diltz never went to culinary schoolbut, nevertheless, was managing restau-rant kitchens by age 23. He started out atthe Eagles Mere Inn in 2003 as a chef. Atthe time, he said, his bosses were notinterested in procuring products fromnumerous local farmer/vendors. Theywanted to deal with one delivery truck,write one check. By 2009, however, hehad become the operating owner and wasin a position to “start doing the things Iwanted.” That included buying vegeta-bles, meats, and dairy products fromplaces and businesses which are no doubt
familiar to PASA members — ForksFarm, Wild for Salmon, TewksburyGrace Farm, God’s Country Creamery,Milky Way Farm, Northern Tier Greens,and more. Diltz also has his own “chef’sgarden,” one that this year produced abumper crop of heirloom tomatoes. Hesaid he does what he can to try to getother restaurants “on board” but thinkspeople “don’t know how to get started”or are afraid of the higher prices. Theprice problem is actually not so much ofone for him, as he believes the money hesaves by not having to put a lot of addi-tional ingredients into his cooking(remember, the freshness and quality ofthe products allow them to really shinewithout much adornment) kind of offsetsthe premium he pays the farmer/pro-ducer.
“I look at the extra I spend as market-ing money rather than food costs,” hesaid.
And market he does, to guests, to “bigagriculture lobbyists” who happen to beguests, and to others in the business.Early in the spring, he spoke at the Mid-Atlantic Innkeepers Conference in Lan-caster and also catered a meal there (for275) completely using food sourcedwithin 80 miles of the event, includingfood which had been preserved at the Innfor use there. It was an eye-opening,mouth-watering experience, one thatshowcased the possibilities of sustainableinn-keeping.
For more information about EaglesMere Inn, visit www.eaglesmereinn.com,or call 570-525-3273.
Eagles Mere Inn — sustainable eating at its finest
The Eagles Mere Inn, located in Sullivan County PA, strives to source fresh, local ingredients for themenus put together by operating owner, Toby Diltz.
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n What is unique about your busi-ness/organization? We are an inn and a restaurant, so
not only do we get to showcase thequality that Pennsylvania farms have tooffer with our cuisine, we can alsospend more time educating ourguests about sustainable ag and the joysof local products. We provide informa-tion in each guestroom on all of thefarms we work with, as well as the ben-efits of buying local. I am also able tospend time answering questions, refer-ring guests to farms and giving sugges-tions on how to utilize local ingredients.
We make almost everything fromscratch, from our breads, crackers and jellies to house-madebacon, sausage, scrapple and more. We only serve local sustain-ably raised meats, including beef, pork, veal, lamb, duck,chicken and anything else I can find, all processed in-house.
n What does the term “sustainable” mean to you, and howdo you incorporate that into your business/organization?To me, the term “sustainable” applies to more than just
farming practices. I like to think of the group of small localfarms and businesses we work with as our own little sustainableeconomy in itself. Whether it’s the local hardware store, farm ormicrobrewery, the idea is to support those businesses with whichyou have the common goals of providing a quality product, withlong-term viability, while keeping our money in our communi-ties.
I look for sustainable farming practices, as well as positiveattitudes toward sustainable business relationships, when choos-ing farms with which to work.
I apply the idea of sustainability in dealings with other busi-nesses, my employees, food product or when composting ourkitchen scraps for my “chef’s garden”.
n What do you see as some of the critical issues facing ag andag-related businesses today?One critical issue I’ve witnessed is that a large group of con-
sumers are not exposed to the knowledge surrounding sustain-able ag. It seems that although consumer awareness is growing,there is still a higher value associated with speed over quality. Itis imperative to reach the younger generations before they arebrainwashed with mass-marketing and mass-production.It’s hard to compete with huge marketing budgets, tractor trail-ers and lobbyists, while small local farmers are spending all oftheir energy personally tending to production, often timesunderstaffed or alone.
If we (local businesses as a whole) can educate the public witha united front, with a focus on what is best for the future ofthe planet and the individual, we can hopefully create a “thinksustainable” attitude as a standard consumer thought process.
sustainable agriculture.
n Why did you join PASA?I joined PASA because it is one of few associations working
solely toward the betterment of all inhabitants of the Earth(specifically, the often overlooked plants and animals) whileremaining uninfluenced by greed, ego or politics.
Also, the basic philosophy behind sustainable agriculture, ifadapted to all areas of local business, could solve several of thebiggest problems we consistently encounter as a society. Wewould have stronger local economies, healthier inhabitants ofthe community (putting less stress on the need for health care),and it would create quality employment opportunities and workenvironments, while reducing dependence on fuel and energy.
Special Events at the Inn
The Eagles Mere Inn hosts an annual fall Food and
Wine tasting weekend every fall and spring. The fall event
was held in mid-November, and this two-day themed
affair amounts to two delicious dinners made with local
ingredients and paired with complimentary wines. It’s a
collaborative effort between Chef/Owner Diltz and local
wine expert Ken Phillips. Be sure to visit www.eaglesmere-
inn.com to check out the spring 2012 event!
The Inn also hosted a family style dinner on Thanksgiv-
ing day, featuring all the freshest meats and vegetables
that our local farms have to offer including Turkeys
from Forks Farm, a house cured and smoked Tamworth
Ham from Berryfields Farm, and Jamison Farm Lamb. Of
course, this very special meal was finished off with some
fresh made pumpkin and apple pies.
Interview with Toby Diltzn What do you see as the connection
between sustainable ag and the consumer?I think, today, the biggest connection is
obviously still local farmers markets. In thefuture I’d like to see more restaurants workingtoward educating the public and utilizinglocal products, while promoting the farms onmenus and documentation. We have a uniqueopportunity to familiarize consumers with aquality and variety of farmed products thatthey may have never seen, and can’t get at thegrocery store. If enough emphasis is put onthese farms and sustainable practices, while wehave their attention, consumers wouldbe made aware of which farms have productsavailable and would be more likely to pur-chase raw product that they have tried andliked, creating more awareness and support of
Members of the JohnsonMatthey corporate team getting in the Bike Fresh spirit.
By Ann McGinnisOver 500 riders from across the Mid-
Atlantic region met at Victory BrewingCompany on September 25th, to partici-pate in PASA’s 4th Annual Bike FreshBike Local ride. Event Partner VictoryBrewing Company provided the start andfinish line for what was great day ofcycling through beautiful farmland.
Local food enthusiasts donned theirspandex to join like-minded cyclists onthe ride that was recently touted as“cycling heaven” and one of the bestroutes in the Philadelphia area, in a newpublication called “Where to Bike —Philadelphia.” The piece reported ourride as notable for its pastoral scenery andalmost car-free roadways.
“Our riders consistently tell us thatthis is one of the most beautiful routesand that our refreshments are unsur-passed,” said Marilyn Anthony, PASA’sEastern Regional Director. “We are for-tunate to partner with Victory Brewing, alongtime sustainability advocate, and ofcourse, a fantastic brewer!”
Riders chose from among the 25-mile,50-mile or 75-mile route we offered, alldesigned by the talented cyclist andPASA-supporter, Dr. Eduardo Ruchelli.Corporate teams, like the folks fromJohnson Matthey (pictured above), gath-ered for team photos before setting off.
For the cost of registration, riders par-
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Bike Fresh Rolls Through Chester Countyticipated in the ride, enjoyed a tastylunch featuring locally grown ingredientsand award-winning beer provided byVictory Brewing Company, and receiveda 10% discount on purchases in Victory’sretail store. Pre-registrants received BPA-free, fully biodegradable water bottlessporting the PASA logo.
Bike Fresh is a major fundraiser forPASA and has raised over $70,000 in itsfirst four years. Funds raised support ourwork to provide affordable educationalprogramming, marketing and businesssupport, community outreach and advo-cacy for a sustainable food system.
PASA’s Bike Fresh event is “volunteerdriven” and we’d like to acknowledgemany who supported the event. Oursponsors (see side bar) lent financial sup-port, helping underwrite the costs of theevent. Along the ride, cyclists weretreated to amply stocked rest stops fea-turing baked goods donated by studentsat Philadelphia high school culinary pro-grams. Whole Foods Market and Albert’sOrganics also contributed to the healthyfare to keep cyclists’ energy in check.
Volunteer SAG teams, orchestrated bylongtime PASA supporter and LaSalleUniversity chef Royer Smith, marked theroutes, manned the rest stops and evendrove support cars to ensure rider safetyalong the way. Mechanics from Tri
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Bike Fresh Bike Local Sponsors
EVENT PARTNER
SAG SPONSOR
ROAD WARRIOR SPONSORS
TEAM CHALLENGE PARTNER
continued on page 24
GOAL#445
$ 1 2 1 , 7 7 3
GOAL$300,000
throughout the year with fresh local ingredients, while raisingfunds for the campaign. The culinary mastery of Chef Mark pre-sented a host of dishes that were pared with Elk Creek Micro-brews. The dinner raised $330 for BFBL. Thanks Elk Creek!
l APRIL 2012 — PASA member Steve Marks and son Randy of Bloomsburg, Columbia County, will be climbing Mount Everestfor the second consecutive year in a Trek for PASA. These twoexceptional supporters are going to incredible heights for PASA.For this climb to be a success we’ll need the support of manysponsors and donors. Stay tuned for the campaign for support,coming this winter!
Ongoing WTG Activities
l The Steel Fork is donating 5% of the sales of their steel wordsigns made with recycled farm machinery to PASA. Visitwww.thesteelfork.com to see these delightful hand crafts!
l Compost Critter is offering a 5% discount on the purchase ofa greenhouse, and that 5% will be matched as a donation to PASA.Visit www.CompostCriter.com for complete information.
l Kimberton Whole Foods is selling the amazing 18 x 24 full-color Mother Nature poster for $15 and half of the purchase priceis being donated to PASA’s Brownback Memorial ScholarshipFund, which helps developing farmers attend the Farming for theFuture conference each year. For complete details visit www.kim-bertonwholefoods.com.
l SEPTEMBER — Yoga For Peace is an annual event organized
to introduce a broader community to yoga and its tenet of pro-
moting peace, starting within. In September, the Centre County
Yoga Teachers’ Association named PASA the beneficiary of their
local Yoga For Peace event, highlighting sustainability and peace.
We were proud and honored to be recognized in such an empow-
ering way. Participants attending free introductory yoga classes
were encouraged to contribute to PASA, and a fundraising raffle
was held as well. The overall support was remarkable, resulting in
a collective contribution of $1,470 to PASA!
l SEPTEMBER — We were excited to celebrate with Katy Wich
and Doug O’Malley’s wedding day as they included PASA on their
wedding registry. By listing PASA, we received a donation in their
honor and in celebration of their special day; thank you and con-
grats to Katy and Doug!
l OCTOBER — A special thanks to Samuel Fox for making PASA
the recipient of a $250 Volunteerism Always Pays Grant by con-
tributing over 24 volunteer hours to PASA’s Eastern Region.
l OCTOBER — Our Western Regional Office participated in the
Pittsburgh Foundation’s annual Pittsburgh Gives Day of Givingon October 4th. Twenty donors named PASA as the beneficiary
during the 24 hour giving period, and the Pittsburgh Foundation
in turn gifted $1,250 to PASA, as well as donated a match of 14.5
cents for every dollar, making the gifts go even further!
l OCTOBER — For a third year running, Elk Creek Café + Ale-works in Millheim held a Local Harvest Supper in October to ben-
efit the Centre County Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapter. This annual
celebration is a chance to honor the farmers that supply the café
Development Dashboard PASA entered its new fiscal year on July 1, 2011 and we are tracking meaningful statistics on our fundraisingsuccesses to share with our members. Watch this chart develop through the year until our fiscal year ends onJune 30, 2012. Current year-to-date figures below were captured 11/15/2011.
PASA’s Fiscal Year is July 1, 2011– June 30, 2012
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What Can You Do?Have a unique idea for a Ways to Give program? Want to hosta house party, tour, movie, or event? Contact DevelopmentAssociate Cassie Caldwell at (814) 349-9856, ext. 12.
Ways to Give 2011The Ways to Give program is an opportunity for members and supporters to get creative and help raise funds for the organiza-tion. From your own backyard to the top of Mount Everest, the opportunities for members to contribute to PASA with their ownunique event or promotion are endless. Ways to Give events are meant to be hands on and offer opportunity for involvementwith PASA, while helping to educate consumers, grow membership and help with community building. We will proudlyacknowledge our Ways to Give partners in this section of Passages.
Sponsorship Revenue Annual Fund Revenue Number of Donors
$ 1 2 3 , 2 5 0
GOAL$136,000
Last Fiscal Year: $123,405 Last Fiscal Year: $250,445 Last Fiscal Year: 445 Donors
1# 9 0
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n Fayette & Greene CountiesFay-Penn Economic Development CouncilChapter CoordinatorDevan [email protected] x 222
n Greater Lehigh ValleyNurture Nature CenterChapter CoordinatorLynn [email protected] or Serving Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties
n Lancaster CountyLocal Steering Committee, with the assistance of the Local EconomyCenter, Franklin & Marshall CollegeChapter CoordinatorLinda Aleci 717-291-4293 or [email protected]
n Northeast Region The University of Scranton Small Business Development CenterChapter CoordinatorsMaria Montenegro 570-941-7588 or [email protected] Hall 570-941-7588 or [email protected] Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike andWayne Counties
n Northern TierChapter CoordinatorsRuth [email protected] Kathy [email protected]
Serving Bradford, Potter, Sullivan, Susque-hanna, Tioga and Wyoming Counties
n PhiladelphiaFair FoodChapter CoordinatorsChristina Dowd215-386-5211 [email protected] Vaeni215-386-5211 [email protected]
n South Central Cheryl [email protected] [email protected] Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin,Franklin, Lebanon, Juniata and PerryCounties
PENNSYLVANIA BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL®How to Plug In
The Pennsylvania Buy Fresh Buy Local® program has been celebrating the
abundance found in our Commonwealth since 2002, with the aim of mak-
ing it easier for Pennsylvania consumers to find, choose and appreciate
great local foods…and to support the farmers and lands which produce
them. Currently there are 13 active chapters in Pennsylvania. We create
local food guides (both in print and online) and organize events (such as
farms tours or tastings), among other activities. To learn more about
what's going on in your region, contact one of the local chapter coordi-
nators listed below. For information on Buy Fresh Buy Local® chapters and
activities outside of PA, visit FoodRoutes.org.
Chapter Updates
The Northern Tier Buy Fresh Buy Local® chapter is cur-rently working on two projects funded by the Endless Moun-tains RC & D Council. The Local Foods Initiative project isbringing farmers into classrooms, distributing sets of their 50Food Fact cards and developing curriculum materials for ele-mentary teachers. The Organic Outreach project began witha survey this fall of certified and non-certified organic farm-ers to determine what would be most helpful to them. Pro-gramming will proceed based on survey results.
The Fayette County Buy Local Farmers Markets receiveda Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant for $91,900 toenrich and expand its markets in 2012!
The chapter is wrapping up another exciting year filledwith various outreach activities throughout our regional foodshed. A few highlights include sponsorship of the “Roundthe Valley” bike ride through the Lebanon Valley in August,hosting of “ABC’s of CSA’s” at the “Bee Local” event held atFrederickson Library in Camp Hill in September and work-ing with partners to present a “Closing the Food Gap; Con-necting Communities & Local Food” symposium at WilsonCollege in November.
SOUTH CENTRAL CHAPTER
FAYETTE/GREENE COUNTIES CHAPTER
NORTHERN TIER CHAPTER
n Southeastern Pennsylvania (including Chester County’s Chapter)Chapter CoordinatorMarilyn [email protected] x305Serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties
n Valleys of the Susquehanna(including Centre County’s Chapter)Chapter CoordinatorKristin [email protected] x11Serving Centre, Clinton, Columbia,Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumber-land, Snyder and Union Counties
n Western PennsylvaniaPASA Chapter Coordinatorfor Southwest PA:[email protected] Northwest PA:[email protected] Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washingtonand Westmoreland Counties
n York CountyYork County Agriculture Business CouncilChapter CoordinatorKim [email protected]
n Statewide Program CoordinationContact:Megan [email protected] website support contact:[email protected]
Buy Fresh Buy Local® chapters in Pennsylvania are coordinated by thePennsylvania Association for SustainableAgriculture, on behalf of their nationalpartner, FoodRoutes Network. Toexplore your region's food system fur-ther, hear about upcoming events andfind more ways to get involved, pleasevisit our website — www.buylocapa.org— or contact one of the folks listedabove.
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What is Buy Fresh Buy Local®?Buy Fresh Buy Local® (BFBL) chapters in Pennsylvania
are coordinated by PASA, on behalf of our national partner,FoodRoutes Network. To explore your region’s food systemfurther, hear about upcoming events and find more ways toget involved, visit buylocalpa.org
Be Sure You are Listed — get on the map at www.buylocalpa.org
Thousands of eager eaters each month use the map-basedsearch tool on www.buylocalpa.org to find local foods nearthem in markets, stores, restaurants and direct from localgrowers. Shouldn’t they also find your business there?
Even if you have your own website or Internet listingselsewhere, you don’t want to turn down the additional freeexposure you’ll get through a profile on our site — the onlinehome of the Pennsylvania Buy Fresh Buy Local program.
Signing up is quick and easy: visit www.buylocalpa.org/getonthemap
Already on buylocalpa.org? Be sure your listing is up to date!
If your business is already listed on www.buylocalpa.org,check to be sure that your information has been updated andyou are using all the available tools. Consider uploading apicture of your business to further personalize your profile.
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SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2011
LOCAL FOOD MONTH SPONSORS
Local Food Champion
Eat’n Park Hospitality Group
Fall Harvest Sponsors
The East End Food Co-op
The Fertrell Company
Turner Dairy Farms
Cornucopia Sponsors and Friends of Local Food Month
Bocktown Beer & Grill
Construction Junction
Good Taste Pittsburgh
Pathways to SmartCare
SEEDS Green Printing and Design
Small Farm Central
Table Magazine
War Admiral Press
Whole Foods Pittsburgh
By Alissa MatthewsEvery year the celebration of Local
Food Month in Western Pennsylvaniahighlights sustainably produced foods inour region, which represent the vital
WESTERN CHAPTER
As we move into 2012, outreach willcontinue to be our priority. Speakingengagements, conferences, and prepara-tion for the 2012 Local Food Guide arealready scheduled. In early January, pro-ducers and local food businesses willreceive chapter membership renewalnotices and a request to update contact &farm information for our 2012 LocalFood Guide.
What else is in store for 2012? Wehope that you will help us decide! OurSouth Central PA chapter is forming asteering committee comprised of agricul-tural producers, chefs & restaurateurs,local food business representatives, andconsumers throughout the region todetermine the focus of our chapter for2012 and beyond. The first meeting willbe hosted at the offices of Capital RC&Din Carlisle with date & time to be deter-mined (late 2011/early 2012). If you areinterested in learning more about partici-pating on the steering committee (regard-less of membership status), or if youwould like more information about chap-ter membership, contact Cheryl Burns [email protected] or 717-241-4361.
efforts of our family farmers. The BuyFresh Buy Local® program worked withnumerous community partners to pres-ent over 50 different events and programsshowcasing fresh, local foods and bring-ing more community awareness of localfarmers using sustainable practices.Stretching from the last week of Augustinto the first few weeks of October, thecalendar was packed with seasonal din-ners, film screenings, fall festivals andeducational opportunities. Our annualfarm tours occurred mid-month in Sep-tember, featuring farms all across theregion. Farmer hosts greeted guests fromnear and far, and gave a ‘behind the barn’look at local agriculture. Immediately
after the farm tour in Southwestern PA,farmer Naomi Costello from FriendshipFarms called to share how delighted shewas that so many new people came tovisit her farm in Latrobe, PA. Excited toshow off the calves that had just beenbornearlier that week, Naomi had agroup of city dwellers tromping throughhigh grass and mud to try and get a closerglimpse. Visitors also got to take a tour ofthe Costello’s bakery and their nativeplant nursery that supplies many conser-vation projects in the region.
You can see more pictures from theevent on PASA’s Picasa account athttp://tinyurl.com/PASA-local-food.
A group from the East End Food Co-op visited Friendship Farms in the Laurel Highlands.
We would like to thank our sponsors and all of the people who contributed to make theseevents a fabulous success! And, of course, we could not have done it without the valuabletime and help of our local farmers!
Bookamer Family FarmMeadville, PA
BookamerFamilyFarm.com
Community Garden at Ackerman Farm
Meadville, PA creatinglandscapesfor-families.wordpress.com
Friendship FarmsLatrobe, PA
friendshipfarms.com
Goodell Gardens & HomesteadEdinboro, PA
goodellgardens.org
Harvest Valley FarmsValencia, PA
harvestvalleyfarms.com
Jamison FarmLatrobe, PA
jamisonfarm.com
Kretschmann FarmRochester, PA
kretschmannfarm.com
Lengel Brothers Farm and MarketMercer, PA
Lewis Family FarmRochester, PA
lewisfamilyfarm.com
Mish Farms Meat MarketGibsonia, PA
mishfarms.com
Morris Organic FarmIrwin, PA
morrisorganic.com
Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living
Brookville, PA quietcreekherbfarm.org
Shenot FarmWexford, PA
shenotfarm.com
Soergel OrchardsWexford, PA soergels.com
Triple B FarmsMonongahela, PA triplebfarms.com
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Mem
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on the back of this newsletter.A friend or colleague have a birthday
coming up — or just want to get a rela-tive a gift to let them know you are think-ing about them? Why not buy them aPASA Gift Membership? All levels ofmembership are available — so give thegift of a good food connection today —at pasafarming.net/membership or con-tact PASA headquarters.
n PASA Annual MeetingAttention members — this year due
to changes in our annual conference for-mat, we will be moving the AnnualMeeting to a separate venue and date.This is an exciting change as we will havea full day to focus on organization detailsand include a featured speaker. Once adate is confirmed we will let all membersknow the details!
n Membership Renewals & GiftRemindersOur annual membership renewal
campaign for 2012 is underway. Allmembers that need to renew should havereceived their form in the mail. Pleasetake a moment to complete the form orgo to pasafarming.net/membership torenew today! You can check your expira-tion date by looking at your mailing label
NEW! Member 2 Member Programs
Member 2 Member Referral ProgramHelp Us Grow Our Membership and Receive A Reward!
Share the benefits of PASA membership with your friends
and neighbors, and help build our network. PASA would like
to offer our current members an opportunity and small gift to
thank you for assisting the organization in recruiting new
members. With a verified referral and dues payment by the
referral (new member), you will be contacted by PASA for
acknowledgement and coordination of your reward! Details
of this program were recently mailed to members, to learn
more visit www.pasafarming.org/referral.
Member 2 Member Benefit ProgramThis program is designed to increase the benefits of PASA
membership while giving our business and nonprofit service
providers additional exposure. Offering a Benefit is a great
way to encourage the trial of a product or service, offer dis-
counts and special promotions to fellow PASA members and
grow your business! For more information or to offer a Bene-
fit, please contact Business Outreach Coordinator Megan
Epler, [email protected], 814-574-9077.
Thanks to PASA member LP Bio Ag Feed & Field Inc for offering these fall
specials exclusively to PASA members:
l $25 off a 5 gallon pail of Petrik Laboratories’ BXi, a certified organic soil amendment.
l 10% off of all Nature’s Promise horse feed.
l 15% discount on 34% Calf Pellet,a protein supplement for calves.
LP Bio AgExport, Pennsylvania
724.217.1211 • www.lpbioag.com
Fall specials exclusively for PASA members from
LP Bio Ag Feed & Field Inc.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Aqua-Life Inc/Limestone Springs
Richland, PAlimestonespringspreserve.com
Bucknell University Environmental Center
Lewisburg, PA
Meeting WellYork, PA
Meetingwell.net
Nottingham InnNottingham, PA
Nottinghaminn.com
N.S. Troutman & Sons LLCMiddleburg, PA
Troutmanbeef.com
Northeast Agri Sales ForceMohawk, NY
Nasf.us/index.htm
On the Go Café & CateringHanover, PA
Onthegocafe.net
Bilger’s Rocks AssociationGrampian, PA
Bilgersrocks.com
PA Association of Regional Food Banks
Canonsburg, PAPafoodbanks.org
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR NEWEST
PERMANENT BUSINESS PARTNER:
Glasbern InnFogelsville, PAGlasbern.com
P A S A S T A F F A N D B O A R D W O U L D L I K E T O W E L C O M E
T H E S E N E W B U S I N E S S M E M B E R S
Bruce Arndt
Jason Belleau
Sean Cavanaugh
Jo-Ellen & Mike Greene
Philip & Dee Horst-Landis
Ann Karlen
Melissa McFarland
Dr. Thomas Parsons
Jay Smucker
Albert Yee
P A S A S T A F F A N D B O A R DW O U L D L I K E T O T H A N K T H E
F O L L O W I N G V O L U N T E E R S
Interested in Volunteering?PASA often needs volunteer assistance atevents, in our regional offices, aiding withspecial projects and more. We recognizehow important our volunteer base is to ouroperation and we invite you to getinvolved! Sign up to volunteer at pasafarm-ing.org/get-involved/volunteer today!
County Cycles, Chester County Bicycles andDowningtown Bike Shop were out in force toprovide mechanical support and commiserateover flat tires and squeaky brakes. Veteran andnewcomer PASA volunteers and staff greetedriders at the registration desks and helpeddirect them to the start.
Continuing the sustainability theme, Long-wood Gardens provided composting servicesfor lunch waste and food serving ware. Left-over food was donated to the Lord’s Pantry ofDowningtown.
Bike Fresh Bike Local celebrates its 5thanniversary next year and plans are in theworks to honor this PASA milestone. If you’dlike to get involved through volunteering,sponsorships or have feedback on how toimprove next year’s event, please contact AnnMcGinnis in the Eastern Regional Office.
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Social Media and the Good Food Neighborhood™
More and more, people are usingsocial media to connect with each other.Whether it’s over a Facebook post abouta special offer on a cheese making class, aTweetup about who grew the food youate this week, an SMS alert for a legisla-tive letter writing campaign, comment-ing on a blog post about how to cantomatoes, or scanning a QR code lettingpeople know which farmers market youare visiting, the world today is full of
options for real-time access to informa-tion and opportunity for remote dis-course. Whether the discourse isconstructive or not is up to the user, butlike any other form of communicationwe have the opportunity for this tech-nology-driven approach toserve us and notthe other wayaround. So far, theGood Food Neigh-borhood’s online pres-ence is continuing to
bring people into the PASA fold whomight not typically be interfacing withus.
The Good Food Neighborhood (as oftoday, comprised of over 20,000 PASAmembers, supporters, advocates andfriends) is active in social media. We areon Facebook: /goodfoodneighborhood,Twitter: @goodfoodhood, web: good-foodneighborhood.org. If you haven’tchecked us out already, please do.
Some exciting ventures we are start-ing: a weekly tweetup around who grewthe food you ate this week(#whogrewyourfood) and the integrationof our Community Table blog into ourwebsite with guest bloggers like PASALifetime Member Katherine Watt(springcreekhomesteading.wordpress.com), PASA Farmer Member Dru Peters(sunnysidedru.com, @sunnysidedru) andPASA Board Member Jamie Moore(blog.eatnpark.com/search/label/Sustain-ability). Find out when they will be blog-ging by following us on Facebook orTwitter.
What is Community Outreach:Good Food Neighborhood™?
By C. Hannah SmithThe Good Food Neighborhood™ is PASA’s community outreach program, con-
necting people to their local farm, local foods and each other. It is a community of
people who care about sustainable food systems and is aimed at bringing people
into the PASA fold. The Good Food Neighborhood includes all PASA members,
advocates and friends. While we primarily use social media to communicate the
local foods movement message through this program, bringing people together
for events and workshops that foster the growth of the sustainable foods commu-
nity is very much a priority. Our newest effort are Sustainability Schools — an
annual program of homesteading, homemaking and backyard conservation. For
more information, contact Hannah Smith, [email protected], 717-250-
0725, or @goodfoodhood. Visit us on the web at www.goodfoodneighborhood or
facebook.com/goodfoodneighborhood
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Greg Adams • Susan Adams • Amanda Avery • Tom Brightman • Jennifer Brodsky • Debra Brubaker •
John Derenzo • Bethea Eichwald • Christine Faust • Tom Faust • Elaine Feldman • Dave Finger • Chris Hill
• Bob Ingram • Mike McGettigan • J D Mitchell • Claire Murray • Maria Overdorf • Yvonne Post • Dani Reed
• Darren Romano • Eduardo Ruchelli • Bill Shick • Royer Smith • Denise Sheehan • Rob Swartley • Eric
Theesfeld • Mike Tordoff • Holly Tyson • Mary Whittam • Ken Van Gilder • Jeffrey Warden • Leigh Weber
Bike Freshcontinued from page 18
THANK YOU BIKE FRESH BIKE LOCAL VOLUNTEERS
Bike Fresh is a ‘volunteer powered’ event. The welcome crew at registration included (left to right) Claire Murray, Holly Tyson, Maria Overdorf, Ann McGinnis/PASA Eastern Region Program Assistant, MaryWhittam and Yvonne Post.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
By Jane Bollinger & Billy Templeton
Editor’s Note: For the last several years PASA has seen the value of forming vol-
unteer advisory groups. PASA’s strength as an organization benefits tremendously
from having Regional Advisory Committees (RAC) actively engaged in our PA-
based regions.
As PASA’s membership grows, the role of the Regional Advisory Committee
takes on even greater importance, providing a critical link between PASA’s gov-
erning Board of Directors, staff, our diverse membership, and the potential audi-
ence for new members.
A few years ago an interested and dedicated group of individuals gathered in
Wayne County to take on the task of representing PASA and furthering the sus-
tainable ag mission in the Northeast corner of the state — this is their story.
26
The first official meeting of ourlocal PASA group in WayneCounty was held on April 1,
2009. While there already were severaldozen PASA members in the county,many did not know each other. They hadnever sat down together to break bread orto talk about their work and their sharedpassion for sustainable farming.
On that April Fool’s Day, none of theapproximately 30 people who attendedcould foresee how quickly the groupwould coalesce, take on projects, andhow its members would become ambas-sadors for sustainable agriculture in thelocal community.
PASA — Not for Farmers OnlyTo be sure, there were hands-on farm-
ers in attendance that night, but — truthbe told — they were not in the majority.What drew people from other walks oflife to the table were concerns aboutincreasing the availability of real foodgrown locally, environmental steward-ship, farmland preservation and othermotivating principles.
Among the organizers of the firstmeeting were a restaurateur who featuredlocal, farm-fresh food on his menu, anenvironmentally-conscious minister seek-ing to promote stewardship and a sus-tainable future for the earth as well associal justice for farmers, and a momwith young children who wanted to feedher family real food and who helped herfamily run a small farmstead and CSA.
Also attending was a handful of non-farmers who work hard to promote sus-tainable agriculture: PASA Executivedirector Brian Snyder and staff, alongwith members of Scranton BusinessDevelopment Center and DelawareHighlands Conservancy.
Many of the issues raised at the firstmeeting revolved around the plight ofWayne County dairy farmers, how Mar-cellus Shale gas extraction might impactlocal farms, how to build the connectionbetween local restaurants and farmer/producers and issues concerning CSAsand farmers’ markets.
In addition, from the very first meet-ing, everyone recognized the importanceof networking and getting to know eachother in addition to talking about theserious business of common problemsand wider concerns.
Mixing Business and PleasureOver the next several months the
newly formed group met irregularly —
once in June, once in September, andagain in November. A format emergedthat included a potluck supper followingeach business meeting. Invariably at everygathering someone is heard to say, “Boy!The food is always good here!” In theexperience of our PASA group, servingreal, home-cooked food prepared by ourindividual members is an invaluableorganizing tool that keeps people comingback.
Finally in November 2009, the grouptook two big steps by agreeing to beginmeeting every month and by taking onthe first of what would become severalprojects. One of our first projects was tofacilitate a Meet & Greet event betweenlocal producers and chefs, and begin dis-cussions of how to coordinate local farmfood deliveries to restaurants.
Working Well with OthersAnother project — a public outreach
project — involved partnering with theWayne County library system to host aseries of talks entitled “Food forThought.” In March 2010 (before thefarmers get too busy in their fields), indi-vidual farmer members offered a four-part series of presentations on eatinglocally, navigating food labels, and abook discussion In Defense of Food byMichael Pollan. Thanks to the library’spromotion of the series, these talks werewell attended on four consecutive Satur-day afternoons. The series was continuedin March 2011 and included DIY topicssuch as raising backyard chickens andorganic gardening. Film screenings offood-related documentaries rounded out
Our Story: PASA’s Wayne County Advisory Group — Cultivating an Inspired, Sustainable Community
continued on page 27
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our outreach efforts.We are currently working with our
local Penn State Cooperative Extensionoffice to organize a panel and workshopsfor Ag Day/Diary Day in February 2012.We aim to reach out to conventionalfarmers, recognizing the need for collab-oration to ensure the survival of dairyfarms in our county, to offer them ideasfor sustainability, business models andlabor, while protecting land in ourcounty for the future.
Dreaming BigWe know that including conventional
farmers in our dialog is important for thefuture of agriculture in our area andcooperation is essential if we are to writea strategic plan for agriculture in Wayne
County as we have recently proposed.The Wayne Economic DevelopmentCorporation (WEDCO) has agreed tohost a luncheon if our PASA group canget enough agricultural stakeholders tothe table to discuss how we can keep agri-culture as a major industry here. We planto use our Dairy Day collaboration as aspringboard to identify and intereststakeholders who will join this effort,including members of traditional farmorganizations such as the Farm Bureau.
As a result of our conversations withWEDCO and county commissionersabout farming-as-economic-develop-ment, PASA was invited to send the onlyagricultural representative (so far) to thefirst meeting of a group that proposes towrite the general county-wide strategicplan, alongside representatives oftourism, the Chambers of Commerceand more.
Pursuing OpportunitiesEarly this year, we submitted a suc-
cessful grant proposal to a private foun-dation to fund projects involving localsustainability along with two other com-munity groups: Transition Honesdale(one of the 100 Transition Town initia-tives in the U.S.) and a local energyorganization, Sustainable Energy Educa-tion and Development Support(SEEDS). We each received grants for$20,000 to continue or develop new ini-tiatives.
Through this grant, we have estab-lished a brand to encompass our fledgingregional food and farm network calledWayne County Grown. Its purpose is (1)to support our local farmers/producers bypromoting local farmers’ markets, (2) topromote the idea of farming as a viablevocation/business/lifestyle in our localhigh school, (3) to promote agriculture as
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Wayne County Groupcontinued from previous page
continued on page 28
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an industry in our county and (4) to cre-ate a “go-to” website and online hub forcommunity discussion, consumer educa-tion and information resources for farm-ers, specific to Wayne County. Wedecided to limit our focus to the region inorder to encourage more participationand build relationships by keeping eventsand concerns local.
Several of our grant initiatives focuson involving young people. Grant proj-ects include local high school art studentsdesigning farmers’ market t-shirts (whichare sold to support future projects) anddesigning a proposed agriculture-themedart mural. Students will also attend fielddays and have internship opportunitieson local farms.
Keeping the Discussion Going:Revisiting the Basics
At each business meeting we review
the progress of our various ongoing proj-ects and discuss new ones. We also haveinvited guest speakers to join us for infor-mation, entertainment—or a little ofboth. However, we continually return tothe “big issues” in terms of how to buildour local supply, how to grow demandfor farmers’ products, and what infra-structure investments our local farmcommunity needs for the future. In addi-tion we talk about how to provide practi-cal help to each other — for example, if afarmer needs manpower or assistanceothers pledge to help fulfill these jobs forreciprocity.
All of these projects and our discus-sions serve to inspire our members as we
work together to create a sustainablefarming model for the future, and to pro-vide a sense of community. The impor-tance of the community that hasdeveloped cannot be overstated. We wel-come new members to the table, espe-cially those that had previously felt leftout of the food/farming conversationbecause they are not farmers, or are smallbackyard farmers, or just concerned citi-zens who had not found the appropriatevenue in which to speak up. We are agroup founded in support of farmers, butabove all we provide an opportunity forall members to be involved in creating aprofitable and sustainable food and farm-ing renaissance in our region. n
Wayne County Groupcontinued from page 27
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
All of these projects and discussions serve to inspire our members as we work together tocreate a sustainable farming model for thefuture, and to provide a sense of community.
29
Due to space we are unable to include full
details of all ads. A full listing is available at
pasafarming.org/pasa-classifieds and
pasafarming.org/employment
rience with vegetable cultivation, and base ani-
mal care. Email: [email protected]
Position available — Sweet Stem Farm, a
small sustainable farm in Ephrata specializing in
humanely-raised pork, beef and lamb. We are
looking for an enthusiastic person to work
weekends (Fri–Tues) full time at the farm. You
must have a driver’s license (a CDL is another
plus). Reply to [email protected]:
FOR SALE — Devon Cross Cattle, call 908-459-
4474 or [email protected]
FOR SALE — Grassfed Dairy Cows, call 908-459-
4474 or [email protected]
FOR SALE — 1991 RV, 33’ Sunline VGC, sleeps 6.
Asking $4500, in Schuylkill Co., contact Joe 484-
744-1515 or [email protected]
FOR SALE — 1973 JD backhoe 310a, in
Schuylkill Co., contact Joe 484-744-1515 or
FOR SALE — Tamworth boar, available in Janu-
ary, located in Snyder Co., Call Caroline Owens
at 570-898-6060 or [email protected].
FOR SALE — Grindstone Farm root crop
washer, brand new & never used. $2750, located
in Wyoming Co., contact 570-298-2320 or fer-
FOR SALE — Angus/Devon heifers, contact
814-472-7259.
FOR SALE — Devon bull, contact 814-937-6919
FOR SALE — 1977 GMC dump truck, runs great
$7500, contact 717-589-7748 or farmvaca-
LAND — w/ option to buy, 10.4 acre lot located
in Washington Twp, Schuylkill Co. near Pine
Grove. Contact Mary, mxb [email protected]
WANTED — pasture land, barn/house for cou-
ple looking to expand beef herd. Contact
Megan, [email protected] or call 484-
985-8024.
WANTED — greenhouse space to rent from
Jan-May in Chester, Lancaster, Montgomery,
Delaware or Bucks counties. Contact Hanne
610-883-0435 or [email protected].
LAND — for lease w/ option to purchase in
Susquehanna Co, 15 acres, potential for housing
on or near site & a business plan a must! Contact
WANTED
FOR RENT / LEASE / WANTED
FOR SALECla
ssifi
edA
ds
Innkeeper Wanted — The Central Pennsylva-nia Conservancy has aken over the manage-ment of the Ironmaster’s Mansion located inPine Grove Furnace State Park, in CumberlandCounty. Responsibilities include checking inguests, light housekeeping and lawn mainte-nance. A private, one bedroom apartment andall utilities are provided for the innkeeper. Thereis minimal compensation but the location can’tbe beat! Please e-mail any inquiries to: [email protected]
Intern/Assistant Farm Manager — Gravity HillFarm, located in Titusville, New Jersey is seekingan Intern/Assistant Farm Manager responsiblefor, but not limited to: greenhouse manage-ment, record keeping, harvesting, cultivation,produce marketing, community outreach, andanimal care. Visit www.gravityhillfarm.com formore information about our farm. Send a letterof interest and resume to Jennifer Schmehl [email protected].
Internship — Pennsylvania Certified Organic(PCO) Internship position would assist in allduties associated with office management andorganic certification as directed by the Admin-istrative Team and Certification Team. This is a temporary paid part-time or full-time positionat our Spring Mills, PA office. Visit:paorganic.org/job_openings.htm. Electronicsubmission of application materials is preferred.
Winery Assistant Tasting Room Manager —Candidates must have customer service skillsand be passionate about wine and the tourismindustry. This Assistant Manager works with theTasting Room Manager to ensure the successfuloperation of our retail farm winery store toinclude on-site events, displays, sales, managingstaff members, scheduling, and tours. Loca-tioned South Central Pennsylvania near Gettys-burg email [email protected].
Seeking Farm Manager — We are a small startup CSA located in Telford, PA, with 2011 beingour first year. We are looking for someone whohas a passion for sustainable agriculture to helpmanage our farm/CSA, and investigate otheropportunities to grow revenue such as FarmersMarkets in the 2012 season. This is a paid posi-tion from the funds generated from the CSAmembership fees, Farmers Market sales, anddirect sales to restaurants. Contact Bill Stevens,215-534-3077 or [email protected]
Farm Manager of Seasonal Assistant — Weare seeking individuals with enthusiasm andvarying levels of experience to apply with usregarding the management of ~130 anguscows, calves, and bulls — finished 100% on our300+ acres of pasture in Chester County, PA.Contact Dustin, 215-554-1100 or [email protected].
Farm Position Sought — My name is Roy Holmand I am looking for a paid farm hand positionfor the 2012 season. I have two seasons of expe-
Farm Manager and Apprentices Wanted —Greenbranch Farm, Salisbury, MD. Organic Veg-etables, Pastured Poultry, Grass-Finished Beef,Free-Range Hogs. Direct market farm nowaccepting apprenticeships and managerial posi-tion. Apprentices must be willing to work hardApril — November. Manager must have farmingexperience. Contact Ted Wycall, [email protected], www.greenbranchfarm.com.
Farm Manager — The Farm at Sunnyside,located 70 miles west of Washington, D.C. inRappahannock County, Virginia, produces certi-fied organic fruits and vegetables for salethrough local farmers’ markets, an on-farm CSAand select wholesale outlets. Contact Ellen Pol-ishuk, [email protected].
Farm Assistants — Round Right Farm is a diver-sified vegetable farm following organic prac-tices. We attend three weekly farmer’s markets,have a 150 member CSA and sell to restaurants.We are located near the tri-state intersection ofMD, WV and PA, 10 miles NW of Oakland MD.Email [email protected].
Vegetable Manager — Planting & harvesting,IPM management, work in all weather condi-tions, supervise work crew, familiar with green-house management & production, report toowner, maintain a daily written report on activ-ity. Visit www.scottsyankeefarmer.net, or [email protected]
Farm Manager — Living Hope Farm is a 40 acrediversified farm CSA with room to expand. TheFarm Manager is a regular, full-time position,which will continue to manage and grow theCommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA) andeducational programs. Contact Jill Landes,Director at [email protected].
Farm Manager — Gravity Hill Farm, located inTitusville, New Jersey is seeking a highly moti-vated individual with a minimum of 2 years ofexperience in certified organic vegetable pro-duction and marketing, and a minimum of 1year of experience in a managerial/supervisoryposition. Visit www.gravityhillfarm.com formore information about our farm. Send a letterof interest and resume to Jennifer Schmehl [email protected].
Garden and Event Manager — working posi-tion including planning, ordering and imple-menting production and sales from 2.5 acres,managing a 100 member CSA, and participatingin farmers market. Visit website www.mdsun-risefarm.com Contact [email protected] 410-778-2372
EMPLOYMENT
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Decembern Dec 12–15 • Penn State’s Cheese Making Short Course — Penn StateUniversity — Main Campus, State College, PA (Centre Co.)http://foodscience.psu.edu/events
n Dec 14 • Slow Food Philadelphia Seminar —“Where’s the Beef (and Pork & Lamb)?” slowfoodphilly.org/events/slow-food-seminars
Januaryn Jan 3–5 • Keystone Farm Show — York Fairgrounds, York, PA (York Co.)keystonefarmshow.com Stop by the PASA booth L-203
n Jan 7–14 • PA Farm Show — Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA (DauphinCo.), farmshow.state.pa.us. Stop by the PASA booth in the Main Hall
n Jan 14–15 • Future Harvest — CASA Conference Pearlstone Center andKayam Farm, Reisterstown, MDfutureharvestcasa.org
Februaryn Feb 1–4 • PASA’s 21st Annual Farming for the Future Conference —Penn Stater Conference Center, State College, PA (Centre Co.) pasafarming.org/conference See front cover for details.
For an updated calendar listing — visit PASA online at www.pasafarm-ing.org/calendar-of-events
Below are listed PASA events, in addition to several hosted by like-mindedorganizations/ individuals we thought our membership would like to knowmore about.
Visit PASA online atwww.pasafarming.org
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
31
Card No.
VISA MasterCard DiscoverExp. Date
Cardholder Name
Signature
Join PASA & Become Part of the Good Food Neighborhood ™
— a community of people who care about local food & businesses
Membership & Contribution Form
Please clip this application and return with payment to:PASA Membership, PO Box 419, Millheim, PA 16854
or join online at pasafarming.org
DONATIONS
PAYMENT
Consider lending extra support to these two PASA funds.
The Annual Fund supports PASA’s basic operations.
The Arias M. Brownback Scholarship Fund helps thosewishing to learn about sustainable agriculture attend theannual conference regardless of financial position.
Nonprofit / Business / Permanent Business Partner MembershipPlease list up to two additional people associated with your business to receive individual membership privileges.
FULL PASA MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS
Individual $45
Individual — Two Year RENEWAL Membership (Save $10)
Note: Two year membership options are for current members RENEWING only! $80
Family/Farm Please complete field below $70
Family/Farm — Two Year RENEWAL Membership (Save $10)
Note: Two year membership options are for current members RENEWING only! $130
Sustaining Lifetime MemberPlease complete the Family/Farm Membership field below $1,400
Nonprofit Please complete field below $100
Business Please complete field below $150
Business PatronPASA will contact you for the 12 names of those to receive individual membership benefits. $500
Permanent Business PartnerPlease complete the Nonprofit/Business Membership field below $3,000
Family/Farm or Sustaining Lifetime MembershipPlease list all names for this Family/Farm membership. You may include children between theages of 14–22, and also multiple generations directly involved in the farm.
Check Payable to PASA
Credit Card Complete atright
Total amount due
$
$
$
PASA is a registered 501 (C) 3 organization and contributions are tax exempt. The official registration and financial infor-mation of Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department ofState by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
FULL PASA MEMBERSHIPFULL PASA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
• A subscription to our bimonthly, Passages newsletter
• Discounted admission to our annual conference, field day & intensivelearning programs
• Invitations to other special events, such as membership potlucks & Harvest Celebration dinners
• Event promotion via our website & newsletter
• Free classified ad and discounted display advertising in Passages
• Voting privileges for board of director elections & bylaws
• Membership networking opportunities regionally & via PASA discus-sion groups
• Discounts on Buy Fresh Buy Local® partner fees (coordinated throughlocal chapters)
• Assistance with Food Alliance sustainable certification
• The satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to sustain agriculture in your region
MEMBERSHIP CONTACT INFORMATION Please list the main contact for the membership
Name
Company/Farm
Address
City State
ZIP+4 County
Home Phone Work Phone
Web Address
Are you farming: NO YES — how many acres:
How did you learn about PASA:
PASAPO Box 419 • Millheim, PA 16854
www.pasafarming.org
PO Box 419 • Millheim, PA 16854-0419
PennsylvaniaAssociation forSustainable Agriculture
Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAIDState College, PA
Permit No. 213
• Choose between our 100+ workshops,featuring expert speakers in theirfields.
• Hear inspiring Keynote addressesfrom Brian Halweil & Shannon Hayes.
• Attend one of our 12 Pre-ConferenceTracks for an in-depth look at a topicof your choice.
• Browse and shop our Benefit Auctionwith many exciting items.
• Enjoy conference meals, featuringlocally and sustainably raised foodfrom our region.
• Stroll the TradeShow & MarketPlace.
• Celebrate with live music, SustainableSocializing and more!
Informative Workshops: Learndirectly from experienced growers.Last year, Leslie Zuck of PA CertifiedOrganic & Common Ground OrganicFarm put on her farmer hat to teachhow to trellis vegetables.
Expert Speakers: Last year, past keynote speakerElizabeth Henderson got attendees out of their seatsto bring home the message of our food connections.
Good Food: Our conference meals are designed by Chef Ken Stout (pictured left)and feature ingredients from regional producers. Chef Mike Ditchfield of the Pennsylvania College of Technology brings culinary program students annually(two of whom are pictured here), to provide additional labor and support.
We hope to see you there!Full conference brochures have been mailed to current PASA members.
To learn more visit www.pasafarming.org/conference
MEMBERSHIP EXPIRATION DATE REMINDER Just a reminder to our members that your annual membership expiration date isprinted above your mailing address (see above). Our annual membership renewal campaign for 2012 has begun, so feel free to renew yourmembership via the form mailed to you at the end of September, by using the form on page 31 of this newsletter, or by visiting www.pasa-farming.net/membership. Renewing now will also guarantee you a discounted registration fee to our annual conference in February!
21st Annual Farming for the Future Conference
Breaking Ground for a New AgricultureCultivating Versatility and Resilience
February 1 to 4, 2012 • Penn Stater Conference Center, State College PA