From the Farmer’s Journal – March , 2010

Last year, during April through December, the focus was on motion.  Get it planted, get it thinned, get it cut, dug, picked, or fed  and the never ending chorus, “THEY NEED IT IN THE KITCHEN!”   During January and February the “KITCHEN” is closed…no pans banging, radio blaring and best of all no produce supply emergencies!  It was finally a time to reflect, renew and plan.  This process is always aided by commiserating with fellow farmers at our winter organic and sustainable farming conferences, and by quiet afternoons in the woods clearing and cutting firewood, warmed by a branch fire.

The result of all this winter reflection and warming were the same this year as they have been in the past 27 years of farming Elderberry Pond.  From the conferences came a great feeling of being part of a revolution in agriculture.  Organic farming remains the fastest growing agricultural segment in both the State and in the Country.   QUALITY, TASTE, HEALTHFULNESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP are replacing convenience.  The planned reduction of government farm subsidies, and ever rising fuel, energy and chemical fertilizer costs are all at work against giant factory farm and giant agribusinesses. Smaller regional farms require less off farm inputs to both produce and distribute their food.  In addition,  in 2010 the FDA finally affirmed that the food produced in mass production has greatly reduced nutritional value compared to that produced by low input sustainable and organic farms.

For our part, we are planning to continue to increase the diversity of produce and meats that we raise for the restaurant and the store. We are buoyed by the best ever growing season that we had last year and by the positive response from our customers here at the restaurant and at the country store to our fresh organic produce.

So there will be more cutting, digging, picking than ever in 2010,  but after our 2 month reprieve, we are all  looking forward to it.  Again we thank you for supporting our vision of a local, sustainable agriculture system and in particular our farm store and restaurant.

The Legos