Sustainable Food and Farming Systems

Passages

Newsletter of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers, Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and Beyond Number 89 March/April 2011

Small Farm Central:

Helping you make online marketing easy
By Nicole Muise-Kielkucki, Chatham University In early February, Simon Huntley of Small Farm Central presented a workshop on online marketing for small farms at PASAs Western Regional Office. Small Farm Central specializes in online, smallfarm marketing, and represents over 400 farms nationally. Online marketing, you ask? Why would you want to market online when you already have a perfectly functional farm business up and running? That sounds dull and difcult! As it turns out, there are many reasons to turn to online marketing. And it doesnt have to be boring or hard. As Simon will tell you, online marketing is not a burden, its an opportunity. He says his mission at Small Farm Central is to empower farmers to create a personalized marketing system that is both fun and easy. So, why online marketing? For one, reaching customers online is a fast and simple way to build strong relationships with both potential and existing customers. Your website can help bring your customers closer to you and your product. Furthermore, your website, especially when linked to an online newsletter, can be used to educate people about your operation, as well as explain when something goes wrong. Beyond that, having a website can enable you to feature more interesting or unusual products, justify charging higher prices, and gain validity, especially among younger customers who generally dont trust a business unless they are online. Creating a website can also help you achieve your goals. These dont have to, but can, be economic goals. As someone who grew up on a small farm that wasnt necessarily always protable, I see economic sus-

Above: The goal of Small Farm Central is to empower farmers to create a personalized marketing system that is both fun and easy. Left: Small Farm Central founder Simon Huntley

tainability as a key part of sustainable agriculture, said Simon. After all, he continued, at the end of the day, you have to be able to make enough money to do it all again next year. Do you want to attract more customers? Build a mailing list? Increase your CSA shares? Make this your websites goal and tailor your web content to that end.
continued page 14

INSIDE

PASAs Upcoming Educational Programs

See what events are coming up this year on pages 16 & 17.

Passages STAFF & OFFICE Editor: Michele Gauger BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Kim Seeley, Bradford County Vice President: Rita Resick, Somerset County Secretary: Mary Barbercheck, Centre County Treasurer: Louise Schorn Smith, Chester County Jerry Brunetti, Northampton County Melanie Dietrich Cochran, Cumberland County Jennifer Halpin, Cumberland County John Hopkins, Columbia County John Jamison, Westmoreland County Don Kretschmann, Beaver County Christopher Lent, Luzerne County Jeff Mattocks, Dauphin County Susan Miller, Chester County Jamie Moore, Allegheny County Brian Moyer, Berks County At-Large Board Member Stephanie Ritchie, Maryland PASA STAFF PASA Headquarters Phone: 814-349-9856 Brian Snyder Executive Director brian@pasafarming.org Lauren Smith Director of Development lauren@pasafarming.org Carrie Gillespie Development Associate carrie@pasafarming.org Jean Najjar Auction Associate jean@pasafarming.org Kristin Hoy Conference Manager/ BFBL Centre County Chapter Coordinator kristin@pasafarming.org Michele Gauger Director of Membership michele@pasafarming.org Ted Palada Member Communications Assistant ted@pasafarming.org Rebecca Robertson Farm Based Education Coordinator rebecca@pasafarming.org Lisa Diefenbach Human Resources Manager lisa@pasafarming.org Amy Taylor Ofce & Conference Development Assistant amy@pasafarming.org Susan Beal, DVM Ag Science Advisor susan@pasafarming.org Dan Zettle Bookkeeping Associate dan@pasafarming.org Matt Soccio Information Technology Consultant matt@pasafarming.org Community Outreach Hannah Smith Community Outreach Coordinator hannah@pasafarming.org Southeast Regional Ofce Phone: 610-458-5700 Marilyn Anthony Southeast Regional Director marilyn@pasafarming.org Denise Sheehan Member Services Associate denise@pasafarming.org Western Regional Ofce Phone: 412-365-2985 Leah Smith Member Services Manager leah@pasafarming.org Alissa Matthews Program Assistant for Marketing alissa@pasafarming.org

March/April 2011
1 3 4 6 7 8 9 Small Farm Central PASA Board News Conference Review Directors Corner PASA Board Perspective Sues View Food Alliance
Educational Opportunities, page 16

11 Fundraising Update 12 Regional Marketing 15 Buy Fresh Buy Local Update 16 Educational Opportunities 18 Grant from Colcom Foundation Awarded to PASA Western Region 19 Membership News 22 Business Member Prole 24 PASA Opinion 25 Classied Ads 26 Calendar 27 Membership Form
Business Member Prole, page 22 Conference Review, page 4

Contributing Writers & Photographers Marilyn Anthony, Susan Beal, Lisa Diefenbach, Gayle Morrow, Nicole Muise-Kielkucki, Jean Najjar, Ted Palada, Rebecca Robertson, Kim Seeley, Lauren Smith, Leah Smith, Brian Snyder, Ruth Tonachel Note to our Readers If you are moving, please contact PASA to update your mailing address. Several of our publications are sent via bulk mail service, which is not forwarded via the USPS. Contact michele@pasafarming.org or call 814349-9856 to make an update. Do you have a great article idea for Passages? Want to share a farming practice with members? Wed love to hear from you. Please contact the newsletter staff at newsletter@ pasafarming.org. Reproduction of Newsletter Material please contact the PASA ofce before reprinting or distributing materials contained in this newsletter. Deadline for May/June 2011 Issue: April 29, 2011 Advertising Sales: Ted Palada PASA ofce, ted@pasafarming.org Layout: C Factor

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture P.O. Box 419 Millheim PA 16854-0419 Phone: (814) 349-9856 Fax: (814) 349-9840 www.pasafarming.org PASAs Mission is Promoting protable farms which produce healthy food for all people while respecting the natural environment. PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvania landscape. We are seasoned farmers who know that sustainability is not only a concept, but a way of life. We are new farmers looking for the fulllment of land stewardship. We are students and other consumers, anxious to understand our food systems and the choices that must be made. We are families and children, who hold the future of farming in our hands. This is an organization that is growing in its voice on behalf of farmers in Pennsylvania and beyond. Our mission is achieved, one voice, one farm, one strengthened community at a time. Find Us on Facebook Friend Us on Our New Facebook Page!

Passages is printed on recycled paper

PASA is an Equal Opportunity Service Provider and Employer. Some grant funding comes from the USDA and complaints of discrimination should be sent to: USDA Ofce of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20250-9410.

PASA Board News

Results of Board Election Announced

PASAs 2011 Board of Directors election process began at the annual conference in early February and continued through March 5th with our absentee balloting system. We are pleased to announce the winners with their biographies included below. Board members are elected to a three-year term and may serve three, three-year terms. We also strive to have representation on the board from all sectors of agriculture and all regions of Pennsylvania, so that our board truly reects the diversity of the membership it serves. For the past few years, PASA has also been developing regional advisory committees made up of members who are very active in the sustainable farming community and help PASA to do the best work we can in their particular region. It is our hope that most board candidates will come from these regional committees in the future. To nalize the slate of candidates, the president of the board selects the Nominating Committee, which includes at least two members who are members of the board and at least two who are not. This committee carefully considers each candidate and makes sure that all procedures were followed in attempting to nd and select candidates for election. Most importantly, and as determined by our bylaws, all elections are indeed competitive, because each and every director elected to the board must individually receive a majority of the vote cast. clubs that she belonged to while at Penn State. Sara joined PASA in 2002 and both enjoys and benets from attending eld days and the PASA conference. I am passionate about sustainable farming and the important work of PASA. Our farm is dedicated to PASAs mission and I would be honored to be a member of the board.

ural Resources as the district forester for the Michaux State Forest. Before that, he spent seven years in the Planning and Ecological Services Section in Harrisburg working on statewide forest management policy and planning issues. Roy has hosted PASA eld days and has been involved for the past several years on the PASA Conference Committee. He is particularly interested in enhancing PASAs forestry related offerings. Id like to serve on PASAs board because I have yet to nd a network of people that I am prouder or more enthusiastic to be a part of. I hope that over the coming years, PASA can consistently nd that self-renewing sense of community and conviviality that has empowered its past, even as it encounters new complexity and challenge in its mission.

Melanie Dietrich Cochran

(incumbent) Cumberland County Melanie grew up milking Jersey cows on her parents farm. She returned to the farm after graduating from Va Tech, and helped to milk while working off-farm. Her rst PASA conference introduced her to cheesemaking, and in 2001 she began making cheese and farming full-time. Melanie, along with her husband and mother, milk 45 registered Jersey cows and make 21 varieties of aged, raw milk and fresh cheeses, yogurt and chocolate pudding. They sell their cheeses at farmers markets in Washington, D.C. and Carlisle, PA and to stores and restaurants from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. Melanie is a strong supporter of PASAs educational programs and feels that they are a great resource for farmers. She serves on the PASA Conference Planning Committee, has been instrumental in developing the Cheese and Value-added Dairy tracks, has hosted two eld days and teaches a 3-day Beginning Cheesemaking class. Melanie serves on the board of the Farmers on the Square Market in Carlisle and has served on the Takoma Park Farmers Market board. PASA has given us the inspiration and the tools to make positive changes on
continued on page 20

Sara Baldwin
Adams County Sara farms with her family, who owns and operates Oylers Organic Farms. She is the 6th generation to farm the same land. Sara and her family are committed to producing nutrient dense, certied organic food. Their 360 acres are farmed with soil and plant health in mind. They grow 21 acres of certied organic apples and have multiple young apple and peach varieties planted. Their apples are marketed through a CSA, farmers market, farm sales, and several wholesale venues. They have 130 acres of a polyculture forage and grassbased beef cattle with Rotokawa Devon genetics. Sara graduated from Penn State Universitys College of Ag Sciences, with a B.S. in Agroecology and minors in Horticulture and Agronomy. Her lifetime involvement with agriculture includes an active commitment with 4-H and leadership positions in two of the agricultural

Roy D. Brubaker
Juniata County Roy is co-owner and operator of Blue Rooster Farm, a grass based livestock farm in southern Juniata County. Together with his wife and daughters, Roy raises and direct markets beef, lamb and pork. They use border collies and draft horses in their farming operations and also produce registered Black Angus cattle, North Country Cheviot sheep and Berkshire hogs for breeding stock. Roy works for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Nat3

Conference Review

PASA Gives and Wins!

By Jean Najjar, Auction Project Associate

n the evening of February 3rd, the doors opened in Deans Hall at the Penn Stater Conference Center and attendees to the 20th annual conference were greeted with an awesome display of PASA-style generosity. In just two months, PASA supporters donated over 180 items for this collection worth over $24,000, raising $25,027 for PASA. It is worth pointing out that the philanthropic rule of thumb for this type of charity auction, is that they typically raise half the retail value of the auction collection. Way to go PASA bidders, for matching the generosity of PASA donors and proving that some rules were meant to be broken! Among the donations were chances to win big-ticket items like a weekend getaway to the premier Pennsylvania resort destination The Hotel Hershey. There were unique experiences offered at Longwood Gardens, the Palmer Museum of Art, and the Chaddsford Winery to name

a few. And in true PASA fashion there were works of art, beautiful crafts and jewelry, juxtaposed to sturdy farm tools and supplies. From agricultural products to beautiful arts and crafts, from vintage Ball jars to fresh out of the box WilliamsSonoma dishware, our annual Benet Auction was a testimonial of community wide support. Auction Stories Each item in our auction has a personal story that adds value and meaning to this fundraising event. It is heartwarming and humbling to act as facilitator of such enthusiastic generosity. It is a pleasure to share a few of my favorite stories. Enchanting everyone at the conference, Hebert the Hedgehog was a mother and daughter creation from Shared Earth Farm. Hebert made his rst appearance in an email from Amy Leber in mid-January. She and her mother Sheila Coulston were in the process of

Hebert the Hedgehog

creating a wonderful collection of felted slippers and toys for the auction. Im not sure how many hours these women dedicated to this work but I do know that their enthusiasm for supporting our Auction fundraiser was a great source of encouragement and their creativity raised over $200 for our organization. The ladies of Shared Earth Farm are not alone in making auction giving a

Benet Auction Donors

INDIVIDUALS: Teena and Michael Bailey Chef Willy Benedetto Jo Ann Bevilacqua Lee Bixler Janice and Brian Burger Mary Barbercheck Linda and Tim Blakeley Don Brubaker and Family Sabine and Tom Carey Moie and Jim Crawford Kristin Curtis Family Ross Conrad Janet Dean Maueen Diaz Flora Eyster Rebecca Francis Lamonte Garber Jo-Ping Lee and Steve Gaskey Family Michele Gauger Elody Gyekis Gary Gyekis Todd and John Hopkins Susan and Joel Hubler Carl Hursh Greg Judy Rolanda Ritzman and Gary Kendall Becky and Don Kretschmann Cindy Law David Lembeck Dawn and Don Levan Bobby Hineline and Tom Ljungman Tracy and Jeff Mattocks Becky and Steve Marks Brian Magaro Maryann and Dennis Mawhinney Diane and Kim Miller Bill and Debbie Murphy Ray and Jean Najjar Joan and Drew Norman Patti Olenick Claire and Rusty Orner Ann Seltzer Pangborn Michael Pollan Eli

Reiff and Family Anthony Rodale Sue and Don Sauter Barbara Kline and Rhanda Shannon Lauren and Ian Smith Louise Schorn Smith Marjorie Smith Paula and Brian Snyder Leah and John Tewksbury Bob Vernon Barbara and Mike Wahler Sandie and John Walker Lucy and Rob Wood Roz and Jim Yannaccone BUSINESSES: Aaronsburg Pottery Acres USA Adams County Winery AgGrand Agri-Dynamics Inc American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) Brushwood Farm Byler Goat Dairy Chaddsford Winery Cheesetique Chicken Tractor Clover Creek Cheese Cellar Cocalico Cassettes CompostCritter.com Cottage Rose Interiors CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley Dairyland Sales and Service Demeters Garden/Lost Hollow Honey Dickinson College Farm Dream Thyme Farm Dripworks Earth Tools East Branch Ginger East End Food Cooperative Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery Efes Common Scents Elk Creek Caf and Aleworks Farm to Table Farmers Market Coalition Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund Fasta & Ravioli Company Fedco Seeds Fertrell Company Field and Forest Products, Inc. The FruitGuys Full Circle Farms Games2U Garden Dreams Urban Farm & Nursery Gatski Metal Glynwood Center Green Heron Tools, LLC The Greenhorns Hahn Natural Foods Hardwick Beef Harrisons Wine Grill and Catering Herwigs Austrian Bistro High Mowing Organic Seeds Holistic Orchard Network The Hotel Hershey House in the Woods CSA Farm Indian Orchards Jamison Farm Jerry Jackson Fine Pewter Johnnys Selected Seeds Karen Sandorf Fine Art Prints Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm Kimberton Whole Foods The Land Institute Laurel Vista Farm Leona Meat Plant Longwood Garden Inc. Marushka Farms McGeary Organics Inc. Mid-Atlantic Alpaca Association MAPACA Misty Dell Farm/ Pen and Thread Monogram Centre Moon Kat Eclectic Designs Moyers Chicks, Inc. The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle Natures Best Organic Feeds/Kreamer Feeds Natures Pantry Neptunes Harvest New Trends Publishing Nina Planck & Real Food The Organic Mechanics Soil Company, LLC Ottos Pub & Brewery Over the Moon Farm PA Certied Organic PA Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation PA College of Technology PA Native Plant Society Palmer Museum of Art The Penn Stater Conference Center and Nittany Lion Inn Phillips Mushroom Farms Phoenix Organics, LLC The Pipers Peck Plowshare Produce Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living Red Wiggler Community Farm Rocks and Relics by Lucy Schafer Fisheries Inc Seeds of Change Seedway Vegetable Seed Shared Earth Farm Signature Art Ware Slow Food Pittsburgh Small Dairy.com SoJourney Farm Solair Energy, Inc. Sonnewald Natural Foods SPIN Farming LLC Spiral Path Farm Spoutwood Farm Center Steam Valley Fiber Farm Stocks on Second, Inc. Tait Farm Foods Tamarack Farm Theresa Shay Tri-Yoga Turner Dairy Farms Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative Vollmecke Orchards & CSA Watershed Agricultural Council Websters Bookstore Cafe Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Whats Organic About Organic? Whole Foods Market Wild for Salmon Wiscoy Pet Food Co. Wood Prairie Farm Yellow Springs Native Plant Nursery, LLC

Conference Review

Organic Mechanics gear and supplies were among the fabulous prizes available in our Bag Auction.

with a generous sampling of their raw milk products. These stories of enthusiastic giving are not the exception in our community but shining examples. A Special Thanks to Volunteers and Staff As our donors were leaping tall buildings in a single bound, our volunteers were racing locomotives at the speed of sound. Perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I cant overstate my gratitude to the volunteers and staff members who jumped in to help make the Benet Auction work. Moving into Deans Hall, unpacking and sorting the auction items, selling bag tickets, and closing down and packing up from start to nish volunteers made it happen. My special thanks to: Efe, Carlos, Becky, Anne, Anna, Bethany, Zoe, Kevin, Lura, Linna, Gillian, Michele, Leah, Alissa, Dan, Ted, and my wonderful husband Ray. I also want to especially thank Brian Magaro. Brian is an auction donor who has volunteered his professional services as Auctioneer for many a PASA Live Auction. This year the Live Auction raised over $6,000. Thank you, Brian! I

family affair. Chef Mike Ditcheld of Pennsylvania College of Technology, recruited his son to help harvest the wood of an ancient oak tree and craft a beautiful coffee table for PASA. They began this project months earlier, with our Auction in mind. The result was a gorgeous table that garnered an amazing bid of $2,400 in the Live Auction. Wow! And as the auction was coming to a

close on Saturday, and things were starting to get a little crazy, I got a call from James and Darla Byler of Byler Goat Dairy. They were trying to deliver their donation of raw milk and cheese before the close of the Auction. They spent a good part of Saturday stuck in bad weather and trafc and taking detours. They arrived at the Penn Stater just in time with a beautiful green basket lled

Conference Food A Program We Can Grow Together!

By Lauren Smith Lucky us! Our conference has great food everywhere! Its an element that many contribute to and even more look forward to enjoying. Everything from the organized Farmers Market Caf where one can shop for healthy alternatives, to the simple continentals and social hours provided to attendees there is food that was raised and prepared with care, in abundance. Our popular Thursday Evening Winter Picnic has become one of the favorite meals of the conference and for good reason, and the Cheese Tasting is a special time to socialize leisurely with friends. I wanted to pay homage to those who raise the food for our meals. PASA brought in over $20,000 worth of food to the conference center this past February, and over half of it was donated. Beyond these savings
continued on page 10

Chef Mike Ditcheld (left) from Pennsylvania College of Technology, and Chef Ken Stout (center) and Chef Willie Benedetto of the Penn Stater are enthusiastic advocates for fresh local food. Pictured here, they take a bow during the Friday Banquet.

Directors Corner

The Sustainable Farm Bill Paradox

By Brian Snyder, Executive Director

is the season once again, and the recurring nightmare that comes every ve years or so, though doesnt ever seem to leave us completely, has returned i.e. the Farm Bill. PASA will be asked to play an important role in determining the next version of this most convoluted but critical piece of legislation, not only because of the size and effectiveness of our organization, but also because of our geography. This time around the Farm Bill merry-go-round promises to be more interesting than the last two occurrences, especially since money is short at the federal level (not to mention just about everywhere else), and change with respect to the status quo in agriculture does indeed seem to be in the air. But what change we will see is the question, which is why I want to pause for just a moment and ponder the situation. Anyone who has celebrated over the past decade each time the sustainable agriculture community experiences a Farm Bill win might not be aware that each of these apparent gains comes at a price. We have been told in rather indirect, though no less certain ways that we will get our programs through usually with less funding than requested so long as we accept the co-existence of many of the commodity support (i.e.

subsidy) programs that so many of us despise. Such tradeoffs have occurred because we do believe that a whole array of conservation practices are important, as are programs aimed at supporting beginning farmers and those doing innovative things on their farms such as developing value-added products and new market venues for a whole variety of direct-toconsumer foods and other services. In short, were only too glad when the federal government puts its money where its proverbial mouth is located with regard to saving the planet and getting healthier foods of all kinds to the general public. But, can we afford the price of the tradeoffs, particularly when they often tend to undo, or at least work in a way that is contrary to the sustainable practices we hold so dear? To tell you the absolute truth about whats in my heart on thisI think theres a strong case to be made that we actually lose ground every time an apparent gain for sustainable farming is achieved through the Farm Bill. Make no mistake, words like this get me quickly sidelined in a lot of policy discussions with my colleagues across the country. I even doubt myself sometimes, especially when I see the various sustainable-related Farm Bill programs come rolling out, often just in the nick of time. Heck, I really dont even know what we would have done without the SARE program to support our Farm-Based Education programs over the years. Despite the times when federal grants seem to perform exactly as they were intended, I always come back in my mind to the underlying reality, however, that we are paying for a lot of unintended consequences elsewhere to get the bit of assistance where/when we want it. It leaves me thinking there is an unresolved sustainable paradox at the center of this whole Farm Bill debate that goes something like this. I believe the following two points to be absolutely true beyond much question: 1. A truly sustainable system of agriculture cannot by its very nature be dependent on outside, government nancial support in order to succeed. 2. A truly sustainably-minded govern6

ment would invest what funds it has available for agriculture to pay farmers for various services that help to restore the environment or make its citizens demonstrably healthier, and preferably both. The question really is, if you believe these two statements as I do, where do we go from here in assessing our Farm Bill strategy? Or maybe the better question is how we get from point #1 to #2 without giving up the farm, literally! Actually, I dont think the answer is all that hard to gure, just awfully hard to accept and implement. I think we may need to give up, at least for now, all the Farm Bill programs aimed at supporting sustainability and concentrate instead on totally eliminating the subsidies that distort the free markets we really need for our farms to be viable. To put it another way, we will never be able to redesign the federal pie as currently formulated unless were willing to step up rst and renounce our sacred piece of it. You see, I told you I am often quickly sidelined in national discussions of such matters, and now you know why. And heres something that will make me even less popular in some of those same circles: Whenever we do get the ship turned around, and the feds interested in focusing their largesse on compensating farmers for their veriably sustainable practices (in accordance with clearly established national goals), I believe we will be better served by a comprehensive system of tax credits as opposed to the issuance of grant monies in response to complicated application procedures that are subsequently followed by protracted payment schedules. Think of it maybe well yet see the day when very little federal or state income tax has to be paid on sales of healthy food provided by farmers directly to friends, neighbors and other community members within, say, a 25-mile radius. Or maybe farmers selling products more widely distributed can get a similar deal on food grown on land where the organic matter increases in a measurable way by a prescribed increment each year. Some of my friends will still say Im nuts, but if you think about it, can we really afford to do this any other way? I

PASA Board Perspective

I appreciate all of the positive feedback I have gotten from so many of you because without honest communication, both ways, we sometimes dont know how well we serve. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of representing PASA while we defend our food systems On a recent beautiful spring morning, I was reminded to thank all of you for voting and electing our newest board members (see page 3). Our volunteer board is a reection of our entire region,

dene the PASA family. Each of you need to personally reect on how important you are, for the beliefs you hold dear and the sustainable work you do! In the coming year, more needs to be done. Every day new threats and challenges to our local food systems will arise, while new opportunities and relationships will sprout and need cultivation. PASA has survived because of vision, determination, faith and the individual-

Remember How Important You Are

By Kim Seeley, PASA board president s PASA Board President I sometimes forget the details of my job description. Recently I reviewed some of my previous Board Perspective newsletter columns and realized I sometimes (often) get personally caught up in defending dairy farmers, attacks on organic and sustainable farmers, and my own farms survivability against regulators and attempts to undermine local food systems. When my parents started our farm store back in 1962 they could work hard and see rewards at the end of the year. Today the business world has become so legalistic and ooded with unnecessary paperwork, I nd myself struggling to have enough time to do the real work of producing food. The many battles I have encountered filter through in my columns while I serve on the board of directors. It can be said that our struggles help dene us. Our reactions show what we are made of. Throughout the time I have been a PASA member, I have become energized and reconnected with kindred spirits across our region. With encouragement from many of you, I have become empowered to tackle the tough problems, and unafraid of the constant personal challenges we encounter. The PASA family stands above all organizations as a support network.

PASA has survived because of vision, determination, faith and the individuality of all of us. Our farms, gardens and businesses dene us.
with representation of diverse occupations and a multitude of entrepreneurial backgrounds. This year we had to replace a few board members leaving because of term limits. The membership, including myself, had an extremely tough choice of choosing between highly qualied candidates. For those running for the rst time, please know that next year more term limits will take effect and the board Leadership Committee is already reaching out to potential candidates for the 2012 election. PASA is a rare example with so many young leaders accepting their role for the future. How different our country would be both politically and corporately if we could remove stagnant leadership, which has been propagated by lack of term limits. The laziness and greed could be replaced by energy and fairness. Having been involved with plenty of organizations over my adult life, I am so appreciative to all of you for supporting PASA throughout the years. Your efforts include activism and advocacy, generosity with our fundraising needs, and responsible service to our organizations mission. As we grow and thrive, PASA is an especially unique group, with unparalleled human diversity, as well as a strong moral compass. These traits, combined with the necessary social consciousness, are necessary to protect our world from the shortsighted, reckless undermining of our worlds food, water and air availability. Your actions and mine are what
7

ity of all of us. Our farms, gardens and businesses dene us. Our fruits, vegetables and animal by- products nourish us. Our sustainable educators and researchers honestly present the truth and consequences of the intricate interaction of living eco-systems from both good and bad farming practices. Our network of sustainable support businesses, which have chosen to build sustainable models, need your continued support as they provide PASA members with the necessary infrastructure for food processing, availability of farm products, equipment and technical expertise. As the entire sustainable network matures, our communities now recognize our efforts, and respond to our sustainable methodology. What a powerful voice we have to speak with, when cumulatively we show the credible, successful, healthy models we all can take credit for supporting. In the days and months ahead, remember to encourage newcomers to attend a Farm-Based Education or regional Master Class event (see page 16). Next time you meet a struggling farmer or gardener, remind them about PASA, and our broad diversity of grass-roots knowledge encourage them to join the organization or perhaps even consider passing on a gift membership to them. PASA members have proven agricultural change is necessary, and can be proud that our organization leads the way to a better food future. I

Sues View From Over Here

By Susan Beal, DVM

pring has sprung. It is always interesting and amazing to me to see how the re-emergence unfolds. Here in the mountains of west central Pennsylvania coltsfoot and skunk cabbage preceded the peepers and now the grass is beginning to get green at the base of the tufts. This is certainly a time of change and upheaval literal and gurative, local and global. I had the opportunity to travel to the Innovative Farmers of Ohio meeting last month to make a presentation at their annual conference: The Business of Farming an Entrepreneurial Approach. This is a small group but man, do they have some collective energy! Below are some excerpts from my speech. These snippets seem appropriate as each one of us navigates our world, wondering how something that is so connected can often appear to be lled with such disconnect.
[It] seemed appropriate that I talk about some of my experiences as a holistic veterinarian and sustainable/thriving farming coachThe basis of a healthy farm community lies in the health and balance of the components of that community the soils and the animals, be they the animals of the farm (two legged, four legged, winged) or the animals of the soil/ecologyThis living ecology, vibrant

and vital soils, forages, plants and stock is the basis for all which comes after: foods and crops, meats, nurtured vital families with a sense of heart felt purpose and direction, and thriving community bases. In the very real practice of and participation in holistic medicine, just as in ecological farming and civil agriculture, folks actually think differently. Holistic medicine is a philosophy; a way of thinking and being that is not dened by a modality or choice of treatment or particular tool in the toolbox. In the holistic paradigm, all things are related. Not only is everything that might be happening within/to an individual body related but everything in that individuals world in related. We look at relationships and patterns in individuals, in situations, over time food, family dynamics, housing and stewardship, air and water qualitythe whole. Everything that affects the part affects the whole. Everything that affects the whole affects the part. There is nothing nothing in isolation. Everything is integral, everything is integrated. This sense of the whole extends beyond the thought process of how one might view illness or disease, and becomes part of how one view BeingRelating In traditional Chinese medicine, people see a magical link between man and the landscape. (This is not unique to traditional Chinese culture and medical philosophy, but is shared by many cultures.) The traditional Chinese medicine men would talk about invasions of wind (which is why you need to cover the nape of your neck, since wind (and the other pernicious evils) can enter here) or damp or heat. They talk about how organs like to be how, for example, the spleen (whose Traditional Chinese medicine function it is to digest food and to hold organs in their place) likes to be warm and dry and doesnt like being cold and damp. When that happens, spleen function is compromised and things droopHence the pear shaped folks who complain they eat salad and cannot loose weight, some steamed veggies and a happy spleen! Nature reacts to any change and that reaction resonates in man. The world and man are considered as part of a sacred metabolic system in which everyone pulsed with life. Everything depends on 8

everyone else. When the earth is healthy and prospered, man thrived; when the balance is destroyed, they suffered. So it made sense, from the traditional Chinese medicine sense, to enhance the environment rather than to harm or deplete it. Same is found in the teachings and life practice of the Native American culture. Some of the roots of traditional Chinese medicine grew out of the agrarian way of life. Man was bonded with the whims and cycles of heaven and earth, was vulnerable to nature and hence kept watch. I propose that some of that link has been severed as man and farming have become more and more manipulative and domineering. We have lost that sense of right relation.

A little later in the presentation I talked about the process of how folks come to realize that they need to make a change in their way of being and relating, using my experiences coaching veterinarians who are making the transition from the conventional paradigm to that of holistic practice.
These seemingly disparate groups of people farmers and veterinary clinicians have much in common, thats for sure, as they move through this universal pattern of birthing a new way of being (or discovering an old way of being) Were not stuck trying to solve old problems and discontents using the old patterns those that got us here in the rst place. But, one of those things that can slow us down is using a yardstick that doesnt suit their needs and the manner in which they are working/being. They are measuring new ways with outdated and inaccurate tools. Lets not fall into that trap, it no longer serves us. It seems to me that instead of simply dollars and adoption of best management practices, our new yardstick needs to be marked in measures of integrity, energy investment, environmental repercussions, water quality and availability, real stewardship of resources and habitat, and the answers to those deep and significant ponderings about how we want it to be. Farming, like medicine, is not a one-size ts all venture. I

Food Alliance

Sunnyside Farm Receives Food Alliance Certication for Poultry

Food service company incentive program helps cover costs
Food Alliance, in partnership with PASA recently announced that it has certied Sunnyside Farm. The certication sets a precedent for other poultry producers in the eastern U.S. Located in the Interstate 83 corridor in York County, Sunnyside Farm (www.sunny-side-farm.com), owned and by Dru Peters and Homer Walden, has been around since 2009. Dru and Homer previously leased land since 2002, and today they run a pasture-based, intensive grazing operation for poultry (chicken & turkey), beef and pork. PASA members since 2005, Dru and Homer utilize heritage breeds and only use GMO-free feed for their livestock. Sunnyside Farm has received Food Alliance certication for their poultry and egg production on a total of 13 acres. This certication recognizes that we use heritage varieties of vegetables and breeds of livestock, as well as our efforts to monitor our native plant and wildlife populations, conserve water resources and even our community outreach to teach others all we know, said Peters. Food Alliance certication standards for farm operations address a range of social and environmental issues including safe and fair working conditions, reduction of pesticide use and toxicity, soil and water and energy conservation, reduction of waste, and protection of wildlife habitat. The certication requires continuous improvement in social and environmental management practices. Sunnyside Farm is a current vendor for the Bon Appetit Management Company (BAMCO). BAMCO recently offered nancial assistance to offset the cost of certication for vendors. According to Peters, BAMCOs incentive was a huge inuence in our decision to pursue certification. We respect BAMCO and all they do in the food service market we believe they are moving standards forward like no other business. She continued, Although not really well known on the East Coast yet, I believe that those of us who garner Food Alliance certication early on will serve as champions. Our established customer bases will help spread the word about the certication program.
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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 articial ingredients Ensure healthy, humane animal treatment, with no growth hormones or non-therapeutic antibiotics Continually improve practices

PASA Executive Director Brian Snyder said, We are excited to have Sunnyside Farm be one of rst farm operations to receive Food Alliance certication in the Mid-Atlantic. Dru and Homer have shown dedication to being good stewards of the land, and also a strong commitment to consumer education. They surely will be great ambassadors of the Food Alliance label. I

Conference Review

Conference Food
continued from page 5

to the organization that we are in turn able to pass on to attendees, I wanted to honor those who have committed to raising the food. Some is raw ingredients and some is processed, and all is truly appreciated. We gather sustainably, organically, and regionally raised foods from over 45 PASA members and friends. Please see our list below and thank these folks when you see them. Each fall when we begin to assemble the ingredients from which to design the conference menus, we regret not reaching out to you producers earlierin the growing season! Well we are doing that now. In fact this past January when I was lamenting with Leslie Zuck that I couldnt get the regional ngerling potatoes I was able to in the past, she remarked. How many pounds do you need Lauren? How about I plan on growing those

for the PASA conference this summer to supply you with them next winter. It can be our PASA potato patch! And that is exactly what Leslie is doing. Recently she remarked, I have the seed potatoes ordered. We can watch

the progress of this crop all summer! For anyone else who would like to grow in anticipation for the conference meals, just give me a call. Depending on your commodity, we just might be able to plan a dish around it! I

2011 CONFERENCE MEAL CONTRIBUTORS

The ingredients for the meals served during the conference were gathered from supportive farmers, processors and distributors. Please thank these providing farms and businesses.
Beiler Family Farm Spring Mills, Centre County Ground Beef Breezy Hill Farm Doylesburg, Franklin County Red Beets & Carrots Country Time Farm Hamburg, Berks County Ground Pork Country View Farm Spring Run, Franklin County Watermelon Radishes Cow-a-Hen Farm Mifinburg, Union County Cured Ham, Grass-fed Burgers Delaware Valley College Doylestown, Bucks County Fresh-Pressed Apple Cider Eberly Poultry Stevens, Lancaster County Fresh Whole Chickens Four Seasons Produce Ephrata, Lancaster County Organic Produceand lots of it! The FruitGuys Sharon Hill, Delaware County Snacking Apples Furmano Foods, Inc. Northumberland, Northumberland County Tomato & Bean Products Hardwick Beef Old Lyme, CT Pennsylvania Grass-fed Beef Inn To The Seasons Canton, Bradford County Goat Milk Ricotta Journeys End Farm Newfoundland, Wayne County Maple Syrup Kettle Foods Salem, Oregon Assorted Snacks & Peanut Butter Landisdale Farm Jonestown, Lebanon County Sweet Potatoes Leidys Natural Pork Souderton, Montgomery County Bacon Leraysville Cheese Factory Leraysville, Bradford County Assorted Pennsylvania Cheeses Matre Manoeuvre Farm Fort Littleton, Fulton County Whole-Hog Sausage McGeary Organics Lancaster, Lancaster County Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Milky Way Farms Troy, Bradford County rbST-free Milk, Ice Cream, Heavy Cream Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms West Grove, Chester County Organic Button Mushrooms Natural By Nature West Grove, Chester County Half & Half, Sour Cream, Butter, Whole Milk, Brown Sugar Whipped Cream Natures Pantry State College, Centre County Natural Sodas New Morning Farm Hustontown, Huntingdon County Apple Support Old School Snacks Cairnbrook, Somerset County Wild Rice & Sesame Snacks One Straw Farm Whitehall, Maryland Canned Tomatoes Organic Valley Family of Farms LaFarge, Wisconsin Half & Half, Provolone, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Cream Cheese, Stringles, Yogurt Beverage, Summer Sausage Perrydell Family Farm York, York County Ice Cream Phillips Mushroom Farms Kennett Square, Chester County Portabella, Shiitake & Other Exotic Mushrooms Phoenix Organics Spencer, West Virginia Tofu Porter Farm Elba, New York Red and Yellow Onions & Cabbage Roaring Spring Water Roaring Spring, Blair County Drinking Water Rodale Institute Kutztown, Berks County Apple Butter Seven Stars Farm Phoenixville, Chester County Biodynamic Yogurt Snyders of Hanover Hanover, York County Assorted Snacks Spring Bank Acres Rebersburg, Centre County Pennsylvania Cheese Stone Meadow Farm Woodward, Centre County Swiss Cheese Stonyeld Londonderry, New Hampshire Oikos Yogurt Sunny Ridge Farm Spring Run, Franklin County Heirloom Carrots Tait Farm Foods Centre Hall, Centre County Lemon, Herbal Balsamic, Ginger & Raspberry Vinaigrettes, Assorted Chutneys & Fruit Shrubs Three Springs Fruit Farm Aspers, Adams County Canned Peaches Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative Hustontown, Huntingdon County Bounty from many of their organic cooperative farms! Triangle Organic Farm Aaronsburg, Centre County Red & Yellow Onions Village Acres Mifintown, Juniata County Fresh Eggs Wild For Salmon Bloomsburg, Columbia County Wild Caught Salmon Windy Knolls Farm Doylesburg, Franklin County Celariac

10

Fundraising Update

PASAs 3rd annual Summer FARM START Takes Shape

Just a few years old, Summer FARM START has become a season of its own, with exciting events happening statewide. Starting in May and ending on the Summer Solstice, it is a celebration of the return of farmers markets and an opportunity to shine a light on the signicance of family farms and local food systems in Pennsylvania. The Summer FARM START has a goal of increasing awareness of the signicance of agriculture and local food systems in our region. This years FARM START events are just beginning to take shape. Members have been calling the ofce to get their events slated on the calendar and sponsors are beginning to step up to the plate and offer their support. For more information on how the FARM START works and how you might be involved, visit www.pasafarming.org/farmstart for complete details.

Among the festivities planned for this years Summer FARM START will be our next GreenGoods Auction. Our GreenGoods Auction brand debuted last fall with our rst online auction and raised $10,000. Now were going to use this new fundraising venue to promote Summer FARM START on the World Wide Web, with an online auction focused on family farms, home gardens, local food systems, and green goods of all sorts. Build the Auction Donate goods and services to support PASA! The Summer FARM START Auction is a great opportunity for web-based businesses and others to promote their green goods and support sustainable agriculture at the same time. Our goal for this auction is to showcase 100 items ranging in value from $25 to $2,500. Each donation to our Summer FARM START Auction will have its own page within our site that will include an image and description accompanied by the donor link and logo. We would love to feature your donation in our Summer FARM START Auction. If you are ready to donate, visit our GreenGoods homepage with the link above and click on the Donate Items tab in the left hand column to complete the donation submission. PASA staff will be in touch with you to conrm your donation and thank you for your support. If you have questions email jean@pasafarming.org. Shell make this as easy as picking a tomato of the vine!

Grassroots Promotion Share your link! Success of our auction is dependent on grassroots promotion. We are asking everyone with a computer to help us by sharing the link to our GreenGoods auction site with friends, family, and professional contacts. It will only take minutes to send our link in an email or post it on a social network, but every time you share our link you expand the potential success of this fundraiser. So help us

build support for our Auction and the Summer FARM START with this grassroots promotion! Its easy! Our URL is: www.biddingforgood.com/pasafarming Log onto your computer and visit our Auction Homepage by using the URL above. You can also get to our Auction by clicking on the GreenGoods toolbox on PASAs homepage. Once there, you can refer friends and post our to Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. Or simply copy the URL into your email or post it on your website. Email jean@pasafarming.org and she will send you the jpeg image of our GreenGoods logo to use as a link. Join this grassroots fundraising effort by promoting and donating! If you have any questions feel free to contact Jean Najjar, Auction Project Associate at 814349-9856 ext.24.

TREK for PASA! In early April, Steve and his 13 year-old son Randy will climb
to Mt. Everest Base Camp, an elevation of 18,500 feet, to raise funds for PASA. At 13, Randy will be one of the youngest people to ever attempt this climb. Steve and Randy are going to incredible heights for PASA, and for this climb to be a success theyll need the support of many sponsors and donors. Please consider pledging your support today by visiting www.pasafarming.org/trek. You will have the option of pledging a set amount, or you can trek vicariously with Steve & Randy by pledging by the foot and really be a part of the climb! We hope many are inspired to support this incredible journey.

Join the Fundraising Team! PASA Staff & Board Members work diligently
throughout the year on a wide variety of fundraising projects to raise the necessary revenue needed for the Annual Fund. Would you like to lend a hand too? There are tasks of varying sizes that wed like to share with members who might like to participate. Contact Lauren Smith at PASA headquarters for more details.

Our Annual Fund The PASA Annual Fund is the collective effort to raise unrestricted funds for the organization on a yearly basis. The revenue raised through the Annual Fund impacts nearly every program and service provided by PASA. It is comprised of direct contributions, general operating grants, monies generated through special projects sponsored by partnering businesses, and revenue raised at auctions, fundraising dinners and other special events. To donate visit www.pasafarming.org/donate.

11

Regional Marketing

SOUTHEAST REGION

The Academy of Natural Sciences and PASA present a three-part series highlighting cutting-edge issues on food and farming. Whether balancing the needs for food and energy, nding new ways to grow more with less, or just getting safe, sustainable food on the table, agriculture faces a brave new world. This lecture series entitled Feeding the Future: Food, Agriculture and Land Use in Uncertain Times covered the impacts of Marcellus Shale drilling on PA Agriculture back in March, where PASAs board president Kim Seeley spoke. Other upcoming lectures will be April 28 Innovative Agriculture for the 21st Century, which will include a Food Alliance discussion with Karen Lewotsky, certication director, and on May 23 Local Food-Safe Food: Bringing it to Market, which will feature Brian Snyder, PASAs executive director as one of the speakers.

All programs are in the Auditorium, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia PA 19102. Programs will start with a reception and information exchange at 6:00

p.m. and presentations begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information, please call 215-299-1108 or visit www.ansp.org/ environmental.

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Materials reviews Quarterly Organic Matters Newsletter Workshops and eld days
Contact us for a free info pack or to speak to one of our certication specialists.

ASSURING the INTEGRITY of ORGANIC PRODUCTS

106 School Street, Suite 201 Spring Mills PA 16875 814-422-0251 pco@paorganic.org www.paorganic.org

12

Regional Marketing

DVRPC Unveils Comprehensive Plan to Strengthen Greater Philadephia Food System

Agency Announces $500,000 in Grants, Presents Plate of Distinction Awards
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) recently unveiled a comprehensive plan to strengthen the food system that feeds the Greater Philadelphia region and announced nearly $500,000 in grants to help implement the plan. Eating Here: Greater Philadelphias Food System Plan is the result of a twoyear collaborative effort to identify opportunities and provide recommendations to increase the security and economic, social and environmental benets of the regional food system. How we grow, package, transport and distribute our food are signicant factors in the health of our economy, our environment and our community, said DVRPC Executive Director Barry Seymour. This plan is designed to help

strengthen our complex food system so it sustains the Greater Philadelphia region for decades to come. The plan is organized around six core values farming and sustainable agriculture, ecological stewardship and conservation, economic development, health, fairness, and collaboration and outlines more than 50 recommendations to improve the Greater Philadelphia food system. DVRPC also announced nearly $500,000 in grants, made possible with funding from the William Penn Founda-

tion, and presented the Plate of Distinction Award to seven local organizations already working to achieve the recommendations laid out in the plan. These organizations are: The Common Market, Fair Food, Greensgrow Farms, Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA), SHARE, Weavers Way Community Programs and PASA.

Visit PASA online at www.pasafarming.org

REGIONAL CONTACTS & DISCUSSION GROUP ADDRESSES

Discussion 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.

Western PASAWestern-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Leah Smith 412-365-2985 leah@pasafarming.org Southeastern PASAsoutheast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Denise Sheehan 610-458-5700 x317 denise@pasafarming.org Southcentral PASAsouthcentral-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Jenn Halpin 717-243-5996 halpinj@dickinson.edu NorthCentral/Eastern PASAnorthcentralEast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Leah Tewksbury 570-437-2620 tewks1@aol.com Delmarva Region http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PASADelmarva Western

NorthCentral/Eastern

Southeast Southcentral

Marcellus Shale Group http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/PASAMarcellus Out of State discussion group addresses: States North and East of Pennsylvania PASAOutofStateNortheastsubscribe@yahoogroups.com States South and West of Pennsylvania PASASouthandWest-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

13

Small Farm Central

continued from page 1

At the workshop, Simon shared some of his strategies that help make marketing successful, fun and easy. Here are Simons ve main principles of online marketing: Be authentic. Simon explains, We want farmers to love their website, and to see it as an extension of themselves. This means have fun, be yourself, and dont overreach and try to become something youre not. For one, its tiring and hard to keep up with. Second, new customers will see that something is not right, and repeat customers will see right through you. It is much easier and more fun to just be yourself! Promote! The easiest way to do this is to add your website to your email signature or footer, so that people are encouraged to check out your website every time
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you send an email. Other ways to do this are to run sweepstakes on your site, like holding a drawing for a free CSA share, for example. Also, make sure your farm and website are listed in web-based farm directories, such as BuyLocalPA.org and AgMap. Lastly, think about joining social media outlets, like Facebook and Twitter. While these are great ways to reach out and promote to potential customers, remember the st principal and only do what feels right for you. Otherwise you will spend too much time and energy trying to keep up with something you dont really like to do, which is not fun. Clean Navigation. Use navigation words that are common to all websites, like about and contact us so that your subscribers know where to go to nd certain types of information on your site. Keep it Fresh. Update often, and make it easy to do this. Uploading photos is a fun way to noticeably change the

content of your site without having to do much work! Not only are photos pleasing to look at, but more than likely, your farms subscribers visit your website in order to get to know you better. Showing them picture helps them to do this. Also, make sure your product lists and contact information are kept up to date. Your story is interesting! Remember, most of your customers are not farmers. Many of them subscribe to your CSA or follow your website to learn about you and your farm. Things you do on a daily basis that you think of as old-hat might be extraordinary to other people. Tell people these stories: your story is interesting to strangers and customers alike. So, ready to start, but not sure how? Let Simon help you. Sign up for a free, 30-day trial on Small Farm Central. https://sfc.smallfarmcentral.com/scripts/ billing/trial/freetrial.php. And be sure to visit some of their featured websites. I
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14

Buy Fresh Buy Local Update

Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapter Updates

NORTHERN TIER CHAPTER

PENNSYLVANIA BUY FRESH BUYLOCAL 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 making it easier for Pennsylvania consumers to nd, choose and appreciate great local foodsand 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 coordinators listed below. For information on Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters and activities outside of PA, visit FoodRoutes.org.
I Fayette & Greene Counties Fay-Penn Economic Development Council Chapter Coordinators Bob Junk bobj@faypenn.org 724-437-7913 x227 or Jessica Steimer jessicas@faypenn.org 724-437-7913 x222 (New chapter in 2010) I Greater Lehigh Valley Nurture Nature Center Chapter Coordinator Lynn Prior lynnprior@verizon.net 610-703-6954 or lynnprior@verizon.net Serving Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties I Lancaster County Local Steering Committee, with the assistance of the Local Economy Center, Franklin & Marshall College Chapter Coordinator Linda Aleci 717-291-4293 or 717-380-7280 linda.aleci@fandm.edu I Northeast Region The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center Chapter Coordinator Maria Montenegro 570-941-7588 or montenegrom1@scranton.edu Or: Lisa Hall 570-941-7588 or lisa.hall@scranton.edu Serving Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne Counties I Northern Tier Chapter Coordinator Northern Tier Cultural Alliance info@northerntierbfbl.com 570-265-7455 Serving Bradford, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming Counties I Philadelphia Fair Food Chapter Coordinators Christina Dowd christina@fairfoodphilly.org 215-386-5211 x106 or Ann Karlen ann@fairfoodphilly.org 215-386-2511 x101 I South Central Cheryl Burns Chapter Coordinator scbfbl@capitalrcd.org 717-241-4361 Serving Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Juniata, Perry and York Counties I Southeastern Pennsylvania (including Chester Countys Chapter) Chapter Coordinators Denise Sheehan denise@pasafarming.org 610-458-5700 x317 or Marilyn Anthony marilyn@pasafarming.org 610-458-5700 x305 Serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties I Valleys of the Susquehanna (including Centre Countys Chapter) Chapter Coordinator Kristin Hoy kristin@pasafarming.org 814-349-9856 x11 Serving Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties I Western Pennsylvania PASA Chapter Coordinator for Southwest PA: pasawest@pasafarming.org for Northwest PA: nwpabfbl@gmail.com 412-365-2985 Serving Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland Counties I York County York County Agriculture Business Council Chapter Coordinator Brandi Miller yorkbfbl@yahoo.com 717-858-8152 I Statewide Program Coordination Contact: consumeroutreach@pasafarming.org For website support contact: info@buylocalpa.org Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters in Pennsylvania are coordinated by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, on behalf of their national partner, FoodRoutes Network. To explore your region's food system further, hear about upcoming events and nd more ways to get involved, please visit our website www.buylocapa.org or contact one of the folks listed above.

Submitted by Ruth Tonachel The Northern Tier chapter coordinators and volunteers have been working hard on the next edition of their Guide to Local Foods. They hope to have the print edition back for distribution in early April and will put it online at their website (www.northerntierbfbl.com). It will be at least 16 full color pages and contain over 130 listings. Also on the website only will be an updated listing of local producers of non-food items such as ber, owers, soaps and lotions. The chapter has developed a set of 50 different full color Food Fact Cards which are currently being used in three elementary schools in Bradford County in various ways. Each card features a food that can be grown locally and gives information about its history, growing needs, storage and other educational tidbits. There is also a list on each card of local sources for that food (many of the sources are our BFBL chapter members). There are photos of the food in its growing state and in a consumable form to help children connect what they eat with the plant or animal that is its source. The chapter has begun selling full sets of the cards to the general public and is looking into additional ways to utilize the cards in schools and in conjunction with the Northern Tier Guide to Local Foods. To order a set of the cards ($12.75 plus shipping & handling), contact Kathy Joyce at the North Country Artisan Center and Store in Towanda (570-268-5055).

Get on the map at buylocalpa.org

Thousands of eager eaters each month use the mapbased search tools on our website to nd local foods near them in markets, stores, restaurants and direct from local growers. Shouldnt they also nd your business there? Even if you have your own website or Internet listings elsewhere, you dont want to turn down the additional exposure youll get through a prole on our site the online home of the Pennsylvania Buy Fresh Buy Local program. Signing up is quick and easy: visit www.buylocalpa.org/getonthemap.

Be sure your prole is up to date.

If your business is already listed on buylocalpa.org, check to make sure that your information has been updated and you are using all the available tools.

What is Buy Fresh Buy Local?

Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) is a national marketing campaign coordinated by FoodRoutes Network (foodroutes.org) to connect consumers with locally grown foods. PASA is working with FoodRoutes to coordinate 13 existing chapters in Pennsylvania. PASA members and nonprot associates coordinate several of these regional chapters. If you are interested in learning more, contact the chapter representative in your area (see box at right).

15

Education Opportunities

FARM-BASED EDUCATION What are Field Days & Intensive Learning Programs?
Field Days are typically hosted on a farm, include a farm tour and utilize a farmer-to-farmer teaching model. Events typically run from 10am-4pm and include a meal. Field Days are listed in the annual Farm-Based Education Calendar and are open to the public. Intensive Learning Programs (ILP) are statewide educational events that often have a participation limit to facilitate hands-on, focused learning. They are often hosted at farms, or in a classroom setting. ILPs may vary in length from day-long to several days, and the fee for participation is driven according to the market, materials used and experience level of the program. At press, sponsors, contributors & nal details were being added. Visit pasafarming.org/farmbasededucation for updated information. Event calendars will be mailed in April. June 15 Field to Fleece to Market: Incorporating Natural Fiber Products into Your Operation Bearlin Acres Farm, Franklin Co.
In collaboration with Future Harvest-CASA

July 23 Energy Efcient Organic Farming: A Success Story Fox Haven Farm, Frederick MD
In collaboration with Future Harvest-CASA

July 28 Exotic Mushrooms from PA Fields & Forests Quiet Creek Herb Farm, Jefferson Co.
In collaboration with PA Women in Agriculture Network (PA WAgN)

AUGUST
August 3 Mid-Season Business Management: Am I Having a Good Year & Where do I go from Here? Southeast PA, Location TBA August 11 Raw Milk Dairy & Educational Farm Bookamer Family Farm, Crawford Co. August 22 Hands-on Specialized Equipment for Vegetable Production The Seed Farm, Lehigh Co.
In partnership with the Seed Farm; funds provided by EPA, region III

APRIL
April 15 Hands-on Urban Farming: Sustainability & Prots in Small Spaces Fairgreen Neighborhood Garden, Youngstown, OH
In partnership with Grow Youngstown, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) & National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT); funds provided by EPA, region III

June 28 Growing & Adding Value to Ancient, Modern & Heritage Grains Weatherbury Farm, Washington Co.
Funds provided by EPA, region III

MAY
May 9 Transitioning to Organic in an Apple Orchard ONeills Orchard, Wayne Co.
In collaboration with Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA); funds provided by EPA, region III

June 30 Today's Decisions, Tomorrow's Successes: Managing Soils, Weeds & Pests in Organic Cropping Systems Rock Springs Research Station, Centre Co.
In partnership with Penn State University; funds provided by EPA, region III

August 26 Niche Farming in Diverse Times: The Role of Kunekune Pigs on a New Farm Black Valley Farm, Bedford Co.

May 2325 Intensive Learning Program Mob Grazing with Ian Mitchell-Innes Kananga Farm, Westmoreland Co.
In collaboration with the PA Womens Agriculture Network (PA WAgN); sponsored by the North American Devon Assocation (NADA), the Environmental Fund for PA, and the PA Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative

JULY
July 19 Woodlot Pork: Raising Pigs in their Natural Environment Forks Farm, Columbia Co.
Sponsored by The Fertrell Company

SEPTEMBER
September 8 Sheep: Nutrition, Handling & Health Concerns Owens Farm, Northumberland Co.

May 27 Mob Grazing Workshop for Educators Spring Wood Farm, Lancaster Co. May 28 Mob Grazing for Dairy & Beef Farmers Spring Wood Farm, Lancaster Co.
Sponsored by Organic Unlimited, Inc.

JUNE
June 7 A Goat of Many Uses Adding Value with Goats for Homesteaders, New & Beginning Farmers Always Somethin Farm, Tioga Co. 16

Education Opportunities

September 10 Growing, Harvesting & Marketing Ginseng Western PA, Location TBA
In partnership with Shavers Creek Environmental Center

OCTOBER
October 7 Soil & Soil Preparation for Fallow Fields The Rodale Institute, Berks Co.
Sponsored by The Fertrell Company; funds provided by EPA, region III

NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER 910 Intensive Learning Program Intermediate Cheesemaking Stone Meadow Farm, Centre Co. NOVEMBER 14 Intensive Learning Program Hands-on Beef Butchery Jamison Farm, Westmoreland Co.

September 13 Late Season Care for Bees Two Gander Farm, Berks Co.
Funds provided by EPA, region III

October 14 & 15 Intensive Learning Program Home Cheesemaking for Beginners Quiet Creek Herb Farm, Jefferson Co. October 17 Protable Farmer Innovations Sunnyside Farm, York Co.
In partnership with Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE)

September 28 Briars to Bovines: Reclaiming Abandoned Farmland Provident Farms, Tioga Co.
Sponsored by The Fertrell Company

DECEMBER
December 3 FarmFutures Program Chester Co. Economic Development Center Ofces, Chester Co.

What are Master Classes?

Organized by PASAs Western and Eastern regional staff, Master Classes are shorter, regionalized educational and/or networking events. They typically utilize the expertise of knowledgeable area producers and local businesses and are shorter in length than Field Days. Master Classes are typically scheduled on a month-to-month basis.
WESTERN REGION

Cost: $12.00 Pre-Registration Required: contact Leah Smith at 412365-2985 or leah@pasafarming.org April 30 MASTER CLASS Creative Conservation: Funding Conservation Practices and Developing a Diversied Farm 10am12noon Red Barn Farm, Greene Co. Pre-Registration required: contact Alissa at 412-365-2987 or email Alissa@pasafarming.org
SOUTHEAST REGION

April 2 MASTER CLASS Farmers Market Success: A Workshop for Farmers Market Managers and Vendors Presented by PASA and Penn State Cooperative Extension 10am1pm (Please Bring a Packed Lunch; Beverages and Dessert Will Be Provided) Venango County Fairgrounds, Auditorium in Franklin.

Additional events will be scheduled. Visit pasafarming.org/ southeastregion for up to date information.

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17

Grant from Colcom Foundation Awarded to PASA Western Region

PASA to host trainings throughout Western Pennsylvania addressing the impacts of Marcellus Shale Natural Gas drilling on the agricultural community PASA has received a $50,000 grant from the Colcom Foundation to develop action-oriented tools and trainings throughout western Pennsylvania to help farmers, rural land owners, and other citizens make informed, holistic decisions, understand legal issues, and engage in environmental monitoring and organizing efforts related to Marcellus Shale Gas issues within their communities. PASA, in collaboration with partnering organizations and experts, will coordinate a series of informative and empowering workshops entitled Marcellus Shale Choices: Information into Action to be hosted in four locations chosen within the main watersheds of western Pennsylvania: the counties of Greene, Allegheny, Jefferson, and McKean. Partners in the year-long project include Ross Pifer of the Penn State Agriculture Law Resource and Reference Center, Byron Shelton, Certied Holistic Management Educator, the Dickinson College Alliance of Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) and the Mountains Watershed Alliance, and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Healthy Environment and Communities. Workshop topics within the series include Farm Based Decision Making, Legal Aspects of Marcellus Shale, Citizen Environmental Monitoring Training, and Community Organizing Training. A similar educational series will also be developed for the February 2012 PASA

Farming for the Future Conference in State College, PA. PASA is in a unique position to connect agricultural communities with the tools and knowledge they need to move from information to action regarding land, water, and community issues related to deep gas drilling. Farmers and rural landowners are a key group impacted by the Marcellus Shale gas development, and we want to bring their voices into the debate and support them as they continue to steward their land in the complicated environment of Marcellus Shale gas play. The Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture shares the Colcom Foundations commitment to foster a sustainable environment to ensure quality of life for all Americans, and is pleased to receive the support of the Colcom Foundation for the workshop series Marcellus Shale Choices: Information into Action. Workshops are anticipated to begin in May. I

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18

Membership News

PASA Expands into Social Media with Facebook and YouTube

By Ted Palada, Member Communications Assistant PASA has been active with social media by using Facebook and most recently YouTube to help reach a broader audience interested in sustainable agriculture. Since the launch of PASAs Facebook page in July 2010, as of mid-March we have over 1,960 fans and the number is consistently rising. Our page has helped promote education, events, membership, share important news and post links. There is also a tab on the page that links to our online membership store so folks can join directly from Facebook. In February we launched our YouTube channel to share videos and continue to help reach a broader audience. PASA will continue to add more video content in the future such as the 2011 PASA-bilities Leadership Award Series, the 2011 Farming for the Future Conference and other videos on education. So stay tuned! Membership Renewal Reminder & Help Us Meet Our Goal! Just a reminder to all those yet to renew your membership for 2011 please look at your mailing label on the back of this newsletter to recall when your membership expires. You can renew online at pasafarming.net/membership, call 814-349-9856 or return the form you recently received in the mail. Also PASA staff and board are working toward a goal of 6,400 members by the end of June 2011. Help us reach this goal by considering purchases of gift memberships for a friends or colleagues, suggest to a friend or neighbor they join and attend a eld day, or just pass on good words about the organization to help us grow our member roster! Most of our members nd us by word of mouth so continue to spread the word and help us reach our membership goal! Moving? If you are moving, please contact PASA to update your mailing address. Several of our publications are sent via bulk mail, which is not forwarded via the USPS. Contact ted@pasafarming.org or call 814-349-9856 x25 to make an update. Membership Survey Results In the fall of 2009, PASA distributed our rst biannual comprehensive member survey, and during the 2010 Farming for the Future Conference we attempted to gather additional responses. Data collection ended in March 2010, as written responses were entered into our survey tool. In upcoming issues of the newsletter and on our website, we will be reporting various results of the survey a full summary report is available upon request. In Passages 88 we detailed some demographic and occupational information, here we highlight results about our members educational interests. Member Education Interests PASA members have a diverse range of education interests. Over half of PASA members who responded to the survey indicated an interest in Renewable Energy/Energy Efciency and also Soils and Compost. Hoophouses and Season Extension were also rated highly. Other topics of interest receiving more than 35% of responses include, canning/ preservation, weed management, CSA, vegetable production, cooking with local food, fruit production, health and nutrition, regulations, seed saving, and poultry. See Table 1 below.

TABLE 1. MEMBERSHIP EDUCATION INTERESTS

Topics PASA Members are Interested in Learning More About Answer ( n=641)
Agricultural Policy Aquaculture Business Planning & Management Biodynamic Production Canning or other Food Preservation Techniques Chemical Reduction / IPM Community Supported Agriculture Cooking with Local Foods General Dairy Forest Farming/Woodlot Management Fruit Production Getting Started Farming/Land Access/Business Planning Health and Nutrition Hoophouses, Greenhouses & Season Extension Livestock: Grazing & Beef Livestock: Pastured Pork Livestock: Poultry Livestock: Small Ruminants Livestock: Horse Marketing Skills Permaculture Regulations ie. On-farm processing, direct sales, wholesale accounts Renewable Energy / Energy Efciency Seed saving Small Grain Production Soils/Compost Succession Planning (Passing on the Farm) Value-Added Dairy Vegetable Production Water Management/Irrigation Weed Management None of the Above Other (please specify) 38.2% 12.3% 28.7% 22.6% 39.2% 17.8% 34.3% 38.2% 16.7% 25.0% 38.5% 22.6% 35.1% 49.8% 26.2% 23.1% 39.0% 23.9% 7.5% 30.6% 24.6% 36.5% 54.4% 38.1% 22.9% 52.3% 15.4% 16.2% 43.7% 22.9% 40.7% 3.4% 12.8%

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Board Election Results

continued from page 3

our family farm and I would love the opportunity to continue serving such a dynamic organization.

Susan Miller (incumbent) Chester County Sue is a rst generation dairy farmer milking 80 cows with her family at Birchrun Hills Farm. Sue makes raw milk cheeses and direct markets the cheese through farmers markets, restaurants and specialty cheese shops. Sue is committed to working with farmers to promote educational opportunities in sustainability, marketing and adding value to their agricultural products. Sue is a 4-H leader and is a member of the Pennsylvania Farmstead and Artisan Cheese Alliance, American Cheese Society, Pennsylvania Holstein Association, Chester County Holstein Association and PA Women in Agriculture Network. Like many farmers across

Pennsylvania over the past ten years, Sues family farm has found it difcult to earn a fair living in the dairy industry. Through her involvement with PASA, her farm has been able to thrive. I believe food production is truly a partnership between the farmer, the chef, the store owner and the conscious eater, with PASA at the center working to orchestrate relationships in food while guiding farmers to protable businesses. Farmers who can relate their experiences and successes to the industry will set an example for other farmers to make positive changes on their farms; a mission PASA and I both share.

Heidi Secord
Monroe County Heidi Secord, along with her husband, owns and operates the 48-acre Josie Porter Farm. Using biodynamic growing methods, the farm supports a 100-member CSA on land leased from a local municipality. Heidi earned a degree in Business Management and joined the Peace Corps where she worked

with subsistence farmers and womens gardening cooperatives in Africa. Upon her return, she began organic farming and direct marketing including: growing and selling heirloom tomatoes for Union Square Greenmarket, managing Glasbern Inns vegetable garden, interning at the Rodale Experimental Farm, and managing a garlic farm in the Poconos. Heidi is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership (RULE) Program. Heidi has presented at past Farming for the Future Conferences. She is Chair of PA Women in Agriculture Networks Steering Committee and a farmer Director on the board of the Monroe County Conservation District. Heidi credits PASA for providing inspiration, motivation and key relationships that have been critical to her success. More than ever communities will be turning to the farming community for leadership; and within that community PASA provides the vision, voice, and actions critical to guiding the successful realization of healthy food for all people while respecting the natural environment. I welcome a chance to serve with such a strong grassroots organization. I

PASA staff and board would like to welcome these new business and nonprot members as of March 16, 2011
Agrisystems International Bangor, PA www.agrisysintl.com American Native Nursery Quakertown, PA www.americannativenursery.com Bella Terra Farm New Ringgold, PA Beverly Hall Corporation Quakertown, PA Brandywine Valley Wine Trail Lewisville, PA www.bvwinetrail.com Center for Eye Care / Mifin Co. Community Surgery Lewistown, PA Erdenheim Farm LLC Lafayette Hill, PA Federation of Neighborhood Centers Philadelphia, PA www.federationnc.org The Hardler Farm Honesdale, PA Jamison Publick House Zionsville, PA www.jamisonpublickhouse.com Kitchen Incubator of CTTC Carbondale, PA www.4cttc.org Land Stewards Quakertown, PA Messiah College Community Garden Grantham, PA Mon Valley Initiative Homestead, PA Organic Equipment Technologies Byron, NY Orion Industrial LLC Okemos, MI www.orion5000.com Peace Tree Farm Kintnersville, PA www.peacetreefarm.com Pennsylvania Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association Bradford, PA www.paoba.org Pennsylvania Service & Supply Inc Biglerville, PA Perdue AgriRecycle LLC Seaford, DE Pittsburgh Distilling Co. Pittsburgh, PA Rotokawa Cattle Company Hardwick, MA www.rotokawacattle.com Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, PA Thanksgiving Farm/ Center for Discovery Harris, NY www.thecenterfordiscovery.org Welsh Garden Rixeyville, VA West Virginia Food & Farm Coalition Beckley, WV www.wvhub.org/ foodandfarmcoalition

PASA staff and board would like to welcome these new Lifetime Members as of March 16, 2011
Tracey Coulter & Chip Mefford Boalsburg, PA Sloane Six Family Quarryville, PA

PASA staff and board would like to thank the following volunteers as of March 16, 2011
Ann Docken Cristin Mitchell Anna Smith

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Business Member Prole

Grazing in Local Pastures

By Gayle Morrow ocal Pastures, like many businesses, has a mission statement: Make locally-raised grass-fed organic beef readily available at all grocery stores, while keeping you connected to the farmers at the Local Pastures website. The Delaware county-based business adds an interesting twist to the concept, however, by putting a bit of onus on its clients/consumers and giving them a mission statement too: Demand your grocer carry locally-raised grass-fed organic beef (as well as pork, chicken, lamb, eggs, milk, cheese, and anything else you can think of). Local Pastures founder Blaise Santianni explains that as a consumer he was frustrated with the lack of availability of local sources of meat and other products. I was in a position to do something original and I said Im going to x this problem. It wasnt exactly voila; there is some choice of several types of meat in the big chain supermarkets, but local products were conned to small specialty stores. There is a market out there, he says, but most people who are interested in these kinds of products and not hardcore, and want things available where they shop and preferably in the volume they want. Blaise rst tried supplying all types of meat and cheeses pork from Country Time Farm, cheese from Birchrun Hills farm, chicken and eggs from several farmers but maintaining relationships and a modicum of consistency over such

a broad range of products was too difcult. I realized Id have to focus on one product, says Santianni. He opted for beef. In a nutshell (or a hamburger bun) what he does is buy sides of beef from farmers (typically with herds not larger than 50 head) who raise their cattle according to the conditions of the Local Pastures label. He works with Smuckers Meats in Mt. Joy on the processing, then with a packer for high-end cuts and nally with the retail outlets. Its incredibly complicated to mar-

ket, buy and sell, he says. People say they want it but they cant afford it. No matter how you slice it, grass-fed is expensive. Part of this real fascinating dynamic is that the farmer trying to manage relatively small herds and processors schedules limits the beef supply. There is also a great deal of non-premium beef he has to market, namely the ubiquitous ground beef. Its all about the ground, Santianni says, explaining that ground beef is typically sold at a loss. You cant target ground beef as the place to make your money. So, hes developed a market for beef sticks a value-added product that uses the same hard-to-sell cuts and trim that usually go into ground. People are buying them, he says, adding that he is feeling optimistic but is trying to gure out how to bring costs down and add more exotic avors. But whether its tenderloin or hamburger, Santianni believes in his farmers and in the quality of their beef. Its a craft product that you buy for a lot of different reasons, he says. Its the equivalent of fancy chocolates. And once you meet the farmers, it totally changes your whole perspective. Its special. For more information visit www.localpastures.com or call 484-3269956. I

INTERVIEW WITH BLAISE SANTIANNI

What is unique about your business/organization? Local Pastures is the only company in Pennsylvania representing PA farmers that brands, markets and sells 100% grass-fed beef to retail outlets in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey and whose label correctly and legally states the following claims raised without added antibiotics and hormones. What does the term sustainable mean to you, and how do you incorporate that into your business/organization? Making a commitment to grass-fed beef is a commitment to sustainability. My farmers only raise cattle that can be fed by the grass and hay that the land they own (or rent) can produce. If they over graze, they cant produce the same amount of quality animals in following years. It is in the grass-fed beef farmers best interest to manage the size of his herd to produce a constant supply of quality beef year after year. What do you see as some of the critical issues facing ag and ag-related businesses today? There are too many small beef farmers all trying to wear too many hats. Farming is what farmers do best. Engaging in marketing, distribution, sales and customer service to maximize their prots is a false promise. They need to produce the best poscontinued next page

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Interview with Blaise Santianni

continued from previous page sible grass-fed beef and leave it up to others who can bring their quality beef into an efcient supply chain. Hundreds of small farmers all competing to sell the same product creates a low-cost model for a product that, by denition, doesnt have low production costs. Locally raised beef cant be scaled by the farmer or processor. Only distribution can be scaled, but that can only have a slight impact on the over all cost of grass-fed beef. The low cost model undermines the craft farmer doing his most to produce quality beef that is properly processed, packed, labeled and distributed. What do you see as the connection between sustainable ag and the consumer? Deliver quality to a consumer and he or she will become unwitting participants in sustainable ag. Convincing them to buy certain foods or support local farmers simply because it may be sustainable only resonates with a small percentage of the buying public, especially when quality isnt guaranteed. Mandates guiding or limiting consumers choices only result in antagonism and turn the whole issue into a political football. Let the believers; the farmers, the purveyors, the health food stores, the advocates etc. convince the consumer with facts AND quality. This, one hopes, forces the consumer to choose between doing the right thing or making the same Faustian bargain we, as a culture, have made with cheap beef.

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23

PASA Opinion

What I Did on My Conference Vacation

By Gayle Morrow ne of the things I really like about staying at the Penn Stater during the annual PASA conference is having the newspaper waiting right outside my door in the morning. The February 5th edition of the Centre Daily Times had a nice little write-up about the conference that was cool. I remember years when I was, as far as I know, the only reporter on scene, and that only after working to convince the paper that coverage was worthwhile (Im going anyway. Cant I please write about it?). Anyway, on the next page in the newspaper was an Op-ed, which serendipitously featured an opinion piece from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack entitled, Proper diet can strengthen our nation. It was mostly a feel-good, common-sense column we all need to eat healthier foods in the right portions, get the kids out to play and run 60 minutes a day, and improving our eating habits and getting more physical activity is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country. But thats OK. You know the conventional wisdom: the best way to get something done is to begin. Thats what PASA did 20 years ago when Tim Bowser and company began having conferences. I wasnt at the rst one, but Ive probably been to 14 or 15 of them. Some Ive enjoyed more than others, but Ive always learned something and Ive always come away feeling energized, ready to get back into the work of helping (or coercing) others understand why the way we raise food and the way we eat is so important. This conference, the 20th, was no exception. There were, as always, a great mix of practical, how-to workshops on subjects ranging from beekeeping to pumpkin production, and an assortment of the food-related policy, political, and philosophical topics that are dear to the hearts of those of us who enjoy pondering the whys and wherefores of life. And since we all eat (at the conference, if you dont eat well its your own fault), it is all applicable. Lets hit the high spots from a couple of the workshops I attended. Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y., was pleasantly surprised that an agriculture organization would invite him, a vegan and a proponent of animal rights, to be a speaker. In his workshop, The Need for Better Accuracy and Transparency in Food Labeling, Baur talked about just that the need for labels to reect reality and the need for changes in laws and regulations so that consumers do not unwittingly support agriculture systems that do not treat animals humanely.

If you really want to know how animals are being treated, get to know the farmer, said Baur. Connecting farmers to consumers is very important, he said, adding things have gotten as bad as it has because that connection isnt there. We have control over our own choices every day, and those choices have signicant consequences, he said. Baur encouraged the practices of eating in a respectful and responsible way, of being a conscientious consumer and of getting to know your elected ofcials, as they are the ones who can legislate the labeling regulations. For those who are considering vegetable production but do not want to purchase fossil-fuel-based equipment and a lot of outside inputs, a human-powered, lowinput production system like the one described by Kenneth Mulder, from Green Mountain College in Vermont, might be just the ticket. In his workshop, Mulder described amazing machines the kind that run on beer, beef, and carrots with amazing abilities to handle Gene Baur speaking at the 2011 conference. close plantings (bio-intenIn production agriculture, there are sive) and aggressive inter-croppings, minsometimes assumptions and beliefs that imize soil compaction, and even need to be challenged, he said, noting appropriate sowing of cover crops. that consumers, if they knew the truth Those amazing machines are, of about some practices, would not pur- course, us, and with a few simple chase animal products raised in those mechanical helpers, like mountain bikes ways. Labels such as natural, for exam- coupled together with a cart in the back, ple, only refer to how the meat is or the creation of spontaneous compost processed after the animal is killed. Nat- piles throughout the garden, we can urally raised doesnt really say anything grow a lot of food and, at the same time, about how the animal is raised; the do good things for the soil and the enviUSDAs certied organic label for live- ronment. stock includes access to the outdoors, He talked also about finding the but what does that really mean? Naturally right tool for the job a particular hoe raised meat means no hormones or or rake that works just the way you need antibiotics but does not address the con- it to. ditions under which the animal lived, A good tool makes you feel powerBaur said. Free range, in USDA terms, ful! said Mulder. Its all about efcienmeans only that the animal had access to cies and economies of scale, he said, and the outdoors. Grass-fed or cage-free having a good life using the resources we does not really speak to the conditions in have. which the animal is actually raised. That pretty much says it all. I

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Classied Ads

A full and up to date listing of classied and employment opportunities is available at www.pasafarming.org.

FARM FIELD WORKER Greener Pastures Community Farm & Market, Collegeville, PA. To learn more visit greenerpartners.org. Please send your resume, cover letter and three references via email to alison.forbes@greenerpartners.org indicating the position title in the email subject line. FARM FIELD WORKER Greener Partners Hillside Farm in Elwyn, PA. To learn more visit greenerpartners.org. Please send your resume, cover letter and three references via email to alison.forbes@greenerpartners.org indicating the position title in the email subject line. ROUTE DRIVERS for Lancaster Farm Fresh Organics, LLC. Dependable, dedicated drivers to pick up organic produce from local farms and deliver it primarily to the Philadelphia, New York and DC areas. We will need to ll one or two fulltime positions, and one or two part-time position. These jobs will not start before late April. Experience driving a 24-foot box truck is preferred, but not necessary. All trucks are non-CDL. This is a physically demanding job with a lot of loading and unloading. For further information contact Ben Kreider by email at ben@lancasterfarmfresh.com, please dont call. Attach a resume, mention that you are responding to the ad on the PASA site, and briey state why youre interested in the job. Check out our website at www.lancasterfarmfresh.com. CSA MANAGER small mid-Atlantic CSA farm seeks CSA manager for day-to-day operation of well-established CSA. Work day starts early & work until done. Some weekends required. Work with farm manager to coordinate harvest. Send resume & 3 references, along with salary requirements & cover letter to organiccelery@yahoo.com. FARMER Wimers Organics is a family run organic vegetable operation consisting of farm, farmers market and 300-member CSA in southeastern PA. We work in conjunction with Paradise Organics, an organic vegetable farm with wholesale customers. Contact us at 717-445-4347 or wimersorganics@ gmail.com PT FARM STAND ASSISTANT Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Contact Vicki Lish at VLish@pittsburghfoodbank.org or 412-460-3663, x.216 DAIRY ASSISTANT Chester County PA. Doe Run Farm is hiring a dairy assistant for the 2011 season. Position is milking cows, sheep and goats in a modern dairy facility. Animal care, feeding and facility maintenance are also duties. Please reply with letter of interest and work history or CV to Doerunfarmpa@gmail.com FARM MANAGER & OPERATOR Green Street Farms is looking for a full-time farm manager and operator for three large hoop houses (2 are 30ft x 148 ft and 1 is 30ft x 128ft) in Cockeysville, Maryland. The farm manager and operator will handle all aspects of the management of the greenhouses from farming to point of sale to local restaurants and grocers. Contact David Warnock, dwarnock@camdenpartners.com, 410-878-6800 or Meghan McGuire, mmcguire@camdenpartners. com, 410-818-6814.

WANTED
WANTED unwanted greenhouses. We are the American Native Nursery in Bucks County and are expanding our propagation operation. We need greenhouses of all types and sizes. If you have a greenhouse or cold frame that youre no longer using, that is in good shape, please contact us at kramlee@att.net. Our website is www.AmericanNativeNursery.com. WANTED Experienced co-op manager seeking new position. I am currently the manager of a sustainable farming cooperative that operates a multifarm CSA and year-round online store. I am hoping to nd a position in northwest Pennsylvania or in northeast Ohio. Please email octaviasbeads@ yahoo.com or call 724-712-3863

FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR The Environmental Charter School at Frick Park is seeking a Food Service Director motivated in fostering a school lunch program that provides healthy, locally sourced meals and snacks to students in a progressive K-8 education setting. To apply, send resume, cover letter and 3 references to ecsemployment@ gmail.com. ECS is an equal opportunity employer. www.environmentalcharterschool.org

APPRENTICESHIPS/ INTERNSHIPS
APPRENTICE WANTED at Salem Mountain Farms a diversied organic (non-certied) farm in Northeastern PA, two and a half hours from NYC. www.salemmountainfarms.com. Please email brian@salemmountain.com with your farm experience history, a couple paragraphs about why you would like to farm, and at least two references. APPRENTICE WANTED at the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm. Applicants should be seeking a hands-on learning experience on a production-oriented farm under the CSA model. We offer apprentices their own room, board, stipend, shared lunches, educational opportunities and involvement in garden festivals in exchange for up to 50 hours of work per week. For more detailed information about the apprenticeship program please see our website (csgatgenesisfarm. com) or call 908-362-7486. APPRENTICES/INTERNS WANTED on organic + biodynamic farm! Detailed information about the apprenticeship can be found at www.woodbridgefarmonline.com INTERN WANTED Food System Planning. Assist with DVRPCs Food System Planning. Intern will be primarily responsible for event planning; completing special case studies on various food system topics, like municipal composting programs, and federal and state agricultural polices; collecting data; and analyzing environmental and economic data sources to track indicators for a sustainable food system. For more information regarding the food system planning, please see: www.dvrpc.org/food.

FOR SALE
FOR SALE Clover Mead Farm cheesemaking business. Rare opportunity to purchase successful artisan cheese business! Clover Mead Farm is a protable, ten-year-old cheese making enterprise in New Yorks Adirondacks. Solid reputation. Great cheeses. Turnkey operation. Owner wishes to retire. Find photos at https://clovermeadcheesefarm. wordpress.com/2011/02/15/clover-mead-farmcheesemaking-business-for-sale/. Contact owners rep: Tracy Frisch, tracyf@fastermac.net or 518-6928242 (no voice mail). FOR SALE Anderson Time/Temperature Chart Recorder. It comes with an extra pen, the instruction manual and a stack of blank charts. $600. I do not want to ship it, would prefer you pick it up but might be willing to deliver or meet somewhere for pick up. Located in Western Cumberland County. Call 717-440-4650. FOR SALE Jersey/Beef calves. We have three Jersey/Beef cross heifer calves for sale. They are half purebred Jersey and half Beef (Angus/Hereford). They were born Feb 6, 12 and 14. They are all polled. They are healthy and eating well. We are in Western Cumberland County. Delivery is available for a modest charge. $350 each or take all three for $1,000. Call 717-440-4650

FOR RENT
FOR RENT mobile processing unit at Sunny Crest Pastures for rent or available to use on the farm located in Ronks, PA. Call 717-768-0101.

EMPLOYMENT
COORDINATOR for Grow Appalachia. High Rocks seeks a highly motivated self-starter with agricultural experience and project management background to coordinate the Grow Appalachia program. Work with twenty families and organizations to grow as much food as possible in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. This position is half time with potential to grow into a full-time job with High Rocks or local foods. Resume and letter of interest to Sarah Riley, HC 64 Box 438, Hillsboro, WV 24946. sarah@highrocks.org, or 304-653-4891 for more info.

OPPORTUNITITIES
FARMING OPPORTUNITY Farming opportunity for the right individuals; we own a small 13-acre farmette in Central Pennsylvania, which has not been farmed or in cultivation for over 25 years. Rustic farmhouse, which could be xed, up and lived in while farming this property. No barn, just the stone foundation, but small chicken coop and small stream on property. This acreage would be perfect for beginning farmer to farm organic produce, goats, chickens, etc. with motivated farmer/homesteader skills. Interested? Email Judi at yeehawfarm@yahoo.com or call 717-834-9667.

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Calendar

*PASA Field Day For more details regarding PASA Field Days visit pasafarming.org/ farmbasededucation or contact Rebecca, 814-349-9856 x20 or rebecca@pasafarming.org

I May 14 Beginning & Advanced Drop Spindling Workshops, Steam Valley Farm, Trout Run PA. Visit steamvalleyber.com I May 14 Allegheny Mountain Green Fest, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstowns Living Learning Center. For more information visit www.ohmonth.com. I May 14 Sheep Camp For Adults at Owens Farm in Sunbury, PA. Visit owensfarm.com. I May 23 The Academy of Natural Sciences and PASA present a three-part series highlighting cutting-edge issues on food and farming. Local Food-Safe Food: Bringing it to Market, which will feature Brian Snyder, PASAs executive director as one of the speakers. For more information, call 215-299-1108 or visit www.ansp.org/environmental. I May 2325 *PASA Intensive Learning Program Mob Grazing with Ian Mitchell-Innes Kananga Farm, Westmoreland Co. I May 27 *PASA Field Day Mob Grazing Workshop for Educators Spring Wood Farm, Lancaster Co.

I May 28 *PASA Field Day Mob Grazing for Dairy & Beef Farmers Spring Wood Farm, Lancaster Co. I May 28 June 3 Complete 7-Day Strawbale Workshop. Blue Rock Station Sustainable Living Farm, Philo, Ohio. Call Blue Rock Station at 740-674-4300 or visit bluerockstation.com.

April

I Apr 16 Fleece Processing & Dyeing Workshop. Steam Valley Workshop 9am 4pm. Visit steamvalleyber.com. I Apr 16 Breaking the Barriers Access to Land, Capital and Equipment for Farm Start-ups. Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA. For details - http://extension.psu.edu/start-farming/courses/breaking-the-barriers-access-toland-capital-and-equipment-for-farm-start-ups I Apr 23 Steam Valley Farm Annual Spring Farm Tour, Trout Run, PA.10 AM3 PM. Visit steamvalleyber.com/. I Apr 28 The Academy of Natural Sciences and PASA present a three-part series highlighting cutting-edge issues on food and farming. April 28 Innovative Agriculture for the 21st Century, which will include a Food Alliance discussion with Karen Lewotsky, certication director. For more information, call 215-299-1108 or visit www.ansp.org/environmental. I Apr 30 PASA Western Region Master Class Creative Conservation: Funding Conservation Practices and Developing a Diversied Farm For details visit pasafarming.org/westernregion or call 412-365-2985. I Apr 30 Pastured Pork Day at Owens Farm, Sunbury, PA. Preregistration is required. Visit owensfarm.com or call 570-898-6060.

June

I June 7 *PASA Field Day A Goat of Many Uses Adding Value with Goats for Homesteaders, New & Beginning Farmers Always Somethin Farm, Tioga Co. I June 15 *PASA Field Day Fleece to Fiber to Market Partner Future Harvest Bearlin Acres Farm, Cumberland Co. I June 28 *PASA Field Day Growing & Adding Value to Ancient, Modern & Heritage Grains Weatherbury Farm, Washington Co. I June 30 *PASA Field Day Controlling Weeds & Pests in Organic Crop Management Partner Penn State University Rock Springs Research Station, Centre Co.

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May

I May 34 Penn State Extension Sheep Shearing School, Doylestown PA. Visit http://extension.psu.edu/start-farming/courses/sheepshearing-school I May 67 Penn State Sheep Shearing School SW PA. Contact Walt Bumgarner, 724-438-011 or wob10@psu.edu. For registration information contact Sharon Dunmire, 724 228-6881. I May 9 *PASA Field Day Transitioning to Organic in an Apple Orchard Partner Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) ONeills Orchard, Wayne Co.

26

Membership & Contribution Form

GOOD FOOD NEIGHBORHOOD MEMBERSHIP
GOOD FOOD NEIGHBORHOOD BENEFITS
Good Food Neighborhood is an internet-based program

Please clip this application and return with payment to: PASA Membership, PO Box 419, Millheim, PA 16854 or join online at pasafarming.org

A subscription to Eaters Digest, monthly e-newsletter on good food news in Pennsylvania (and beyond). A seat at the Community Table, where neighbors connect around local food shopping, cooking and learning. Our Community Table Program helps you make LOCAL connections. Reach out to your Good Food Neighbors to form or join a group to either discuss a local food topic or organize a local foods activity.

Discounts on apparel and other goods purchased from the buylocalpa.org marketplace. The satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to sustain agriculture in your region

Personalized seasonal product updates from local food providers on buylocalpa.org. Insider info on food & beverage tastings, farm tours and other local food events in your neck of the woods. Weekly event & educational news from PASA.

Good Food Neighborborhood Membership

Please enter name and email address of the recipient in the eld
$ 30

PASA MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

PASA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS A subscription to our bimonthly, Passages newsletter Discounted admission to our annual conference, eld day & intensive learning programs Free classied ad and discounted display advertising in Passages Voting privileges for board of director elections & bylaws Annual membership in the Good Food Neighborhood program for consumers (separate online registration required) Assistance with Food Alliance sustainable certication (if applicable) The satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to sustain agriculture in your region

Invitations to other special events, such as membership Membership networking opportunities regionally & via PASA discussion groups potlucks & Harvest Celebration dinners Event promotion via our website & newsletter Discounts on Buy Fresh Buy Local partner fees (coordinated through local chapters)

PASA MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

Family/Farm or Sustaining Lifetime Membership

$ 45 $ 80

Individual Individual Two Year RENEWAL Membership* (Save $10)

Please list all names for this Family/Farm membership. You may include children between the ages of 1422, and also multiple generations directly involved in the farm.

$ 70 Family/Farm Please complete eld at right Family/Farm Two Year RENEWAL Membership* (Save $10) $ 130

Nonprot Please complete eld at right Business Please complete eld at right Business Patron PASA will contact you for the 12 additional names
of those to receive individual membership benets.

$ 100 $ 150 $ 500

Nonprot or Business Membership ($100 or $150 Levels)

Please list up to two additional people associated with your business to receive individual membership privileges.

* Two year membership options are for current members RENEWING only!

DONATIONS
Consider lending extra support to these two PASA funds. The Annual Fund supports PASAs basic operations. $

PAYMENT
Total amount due $ VISA Check Payable to PASA Credit Card Complete at Signature right
PASA is a registered 501 (C) 3 organization and contributions are tax exempt. The ofcial registration and nancial information of Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. Card No. Exp. Date

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The Arias M. Brownback Scholarship Fund helps those wishing to learn about $ sustainable agriculture attend the annual conference regardless of nancial position.

GIFT MEMBERSHIP
In addition to your own membership, you may give PASA membership to a good friend, family member, business associate or other worthy recipient on an annual or lifetime basisa gift that keeps on giving!

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP & PERMANENT BUSINESS PARTNERS

Contributions for Lifetime Memberships & Permanent Business Partnerships will be managed with care, sustaining both the ongoing memberships as well as the long-term future of PASA. There are few things a member or business could do to symbolize their lifelong commitment to sustainability than to place such condence in the value and viability of PASA itself. Sustaining Lifetime Member
Please complete the Family/Farm Membership eld above left
$ 1,400

special extras

Individual Family/Farm Sustaining Lifetime Member SUBTOTAL $

Name(s) Address City State Telephone ZIP+4 E-mail

$ 45 $ 70 $ 1,400

Permanent Business Partner

Please complete the Nonprot/Business Membership eld above left

$ 3,000

SUBTOTAL $

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Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

PO Box 419 Millheim, PA 16854-0419

Non Prot Org. U.S. Postage PAID State College, PA Permit No. 213

Make Your Advertising Dollars Go Farther

Advertising in Passages, So Many Options!

Our publication reaches an audience of farmers, gardeners, consumers, agribusinesses, environmental organizations, food industry representatives, cooperative extension and more! PASA business & nonprot members receive a 10% discount on display ads Advertising is a great way to promote your farm, business, upcoming event or market opening Our readership is approximately 4,000

Ad Rate Details:
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Display ad rates start at $80 special rates apply to PASA business & nonprot members Full, half, quarter and eighth page sizes available Multiple insertion packages include a 20% discount Interested in sponsoring an issue?

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Contact Ted Palada at PASA headquarters or email ted@pasafarming.org.