Opportunities

Saturday I made the trek to Rose Creek Farms in Sunset, TX.  The name Sunset makes me think of heading into the horizon...which feels like an adventure.  I was up early and arrived just after 8 a.m.  Pam had the coffee on and snacks as well, so it was shaping up to be a good day!

We had 10 attendees at the first session of our Farmer Education Series, coming from as far away as Austin.  This is information that is needed, and our farmers need opportunities to learn new techniques and just to share information about best practices.

The Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is a statewide non-profit that serves to educate the public on sustainable and organic farming and gardening.  I'm proud to be a member of this organization.  The Texas farmers I've met through TOFGA are truly a wonderful group of people.  They understand the importance of what they do, and don't mind sharing their knowledge with someone interested in joining their ranks.  With the state of Texas agriculture, there is plenty of room for expansion here...in fact, pretty much every farmers market in the state is calling for more farmers, more produce.

Farmers understand food security.  They have it right outside their door.  I read an essay a while back (unfortunately I can't remember where so if it's familiar to you please tag it for me) stating that people used to know how prepared they were by looking at their garden, at the livestock they had, and how much they had "put up" - canned or preserved to be eaten later.  They could touch their food security.  Not many of us can say that now.

There has been a flurry of articles in the media lately touting that organics is just not such a big deal, that there is no difference in the nutritional value of food grown using organic principles and food grown conventionally.  Understand where it's coming from - Proposition 37 in California is an important piece of legislation that will be voted on tomorrow.  GMO labeling has the potential to change the face of American agriculture with a swipe of the pen - California is such a major producer that what happens in California will likely be replicated throughout the rest of the country.  If you know a voter in California, I recommend you contact them and talk to them about this issue, because it affects you too.

So from my visit to Rose Creek Farms for a workshop, to food security, to Proposition 37...what we do is connected.  And so are our farmers.  A big thank you to Pam and Ronny Johnson at Rose Creek Farms, Jay Mertz, founder of Rabbit Hill Farm, Mark and Wanda Chapin of DMS Soil, and Lynn and Cynthia Remsing of Gnismer Farms in Arlington.  We need more farmers, and you are building that vision in our North Texas community.

This is an organically grown sweet potato from Rose Creek Farms.