This really matters!

I spent my day yesterday in Corvallis with a group of 60 farmers from all over the state of Oregon coming together with a common voice to advocate for our selves on major and critical issues with the guidance of Friends of Family Farmers. It was a thrilling day and totally inspiring that we can and will change agriculture. I was left knowing small farms matter and can make our voice heard with the help of this act! Read more at the FofFF web site and watch this video!

We 60 farmers volunteered our time and passion after coming to one of many local small community meetings that Fof FF organized all over the state to start to get their arms around the issues and roadblock we are facing. The 'delegate' farmers represent tiny producers like me to family owned and operated 'Organic Valley' dairy - IT was a huge cross section of produce and livestock small and medium farms old and young veteran and freshman... very powerful!!

a statement from the Fof FF web site they said it better than I did : ) -

On February 28th, was the Farmer Delegation in Corvallis, where a cross-section of family farmers will come together to establish a statewide platform for food and family farming. Through this process, the Agricultural Reclamation Act for Oregon will be written. Our combined strength, represented through this document, will put family farms first, and ensure that public officials hear and understand the needs of farmers who are practicing a type of agriculture that respects the land, sustains rural communities and contributes to the state’s economy.

Thank you Friends of Family Farmers for you hard work passion and job done so well!!

Blog For Food

we can all do a little!! So Big Table Farm will be making a food drop at Vino tomorrow and if you are in Portland I'd encourage you to do so too and heck buy a bottle of wine for yourself while you are there as a treat!

There is an amazing campaign called Blog for Food, and there's one week left to go.

In addition, several bloggers have volunteered their businesses for food drop-offs:

• Saraveza, 1004 N Killingsworth
• Vino, 1226 SE Lexington in Sellwood
• Gilt Club, 306 NW Broadway downtown
  

The amount isn't important - almost anyone can afford to donate $5 or a can of something - but it is important to help your neighbors who can't afford food for their families. Click here to donate and, when you make your donation, please remember to enter "blog for food" in the tribute section on the donation page so that it counts towards our campaign. Thanks in advance for doing your part!

slow food

Went to Portland Last night with some new friends from Square Peg Farm and Gaining Ground Farm - they where on the Slow Food Terra Madre Italy trip and where speaking last night about the convention and there trip. It was a very interisting evening I'm learnign so much and finding the food comunity in Portland is very close knit - it was really neat to experience. After the talks the 4 of us went out to Park Kitchen with Scott (owner/Chef) and had an amazing feast! Thank you Scott - That dinner was so enriching on all levels - I was in full learning mode although I'm know I talked more than I should have - a bunch of super knowledgeable farmers/food advocates and a restaurant owner talking about farmers markets, farm tax status, grain prices, greens in winter, the snow, growing stuff, delivery animals, where to buy baby chicks, cured meats, and hearding cats it's was all out there - man that was quite the evening! I feel so luck y to have landing here in Portland with such a great community. Thanks for welcoming me in!