May-June 2009 Passages Newsletter, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

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Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers, Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and BeyondNumber 78 May/June 2009

Newsletter of the

Pennsylvania

Association

for Sustainable

Agriculture

PassagesSustainable Food and Farming Systems

is now focused on making quality cheese With the milk from eight cows, Lori anhusband Rex Knepp are making fine cheesein an on farm facility licensed and inspectedby the Pennsylvania Department of Agricul-

ture (PDA).Lori generally only uses 45% of the milk

the Jersey herd produces for cheese, soinstead of dumping the rest, she is experimenting with raising veal calves and is considering custom calf-raising, since the lefover milk quantity isnt enough for a co-opto pick up.

Currently, all of our cheeses are madewith raw milk. As such we are required toage them for a minimum of sixty days(Research has determined that cheeses agedfor 60 days will not contain harmfu

pathogens.) Our milk is tested routinely andmeets all of the standards set for licensingrequirements. Small batches and careful processing create a flavorful cheese that we canoffer with pride, said Lori.

Producing raw milk cheeses is just simpler, said Lori. It is great to skip a step[pasteurization] and I think we end up witha better tasting product. I am learning moreabout all the opinions out there about rawmilk and we think this may be another niche

Among the rolling hills of BedfordCounty you will find the familyfarm of Lori Sollenberger. Lori grew

up on the farm, and returned to form afarming partnership with her brother andparents after she earned a dairy sciencedegree from Penn State in 1981.

Loris family developed a herd of Jerseycows that were nationally recognized forhigh production and superior genetics. Jer-seys have called this farm home since 1955,Lori mentioned.

Our first attempt at cheesemaking wasback in 2000 when we bought a Pladot sys-tem, an Israeli-produced dairy system,which offered training and design of a cheesefacility. It unfortunately didnt really workfor us and the market for the fresh cheeseswe were producing didnt exist in this area,Lori continued.

In 2005 there were a lot of changes onthe farm, the main barn was destroyed afterthe original structure and the addition sepa-rated causing a floor to collapse. It was alsoa very dry year, mentioned Lori, so we

were already feeding hay early in the season.

Left to right:Lori Sollenberger, son Bradley,

husband Rex Knepp and daughter Morgan.

Below:The Jersey dairy cow breed has called

Hidden Hills Dairy home since 1955.

So to recoup some percentage of the losses,the herd was dispersed at public auction.

Today I milk 810 cows instead of 50,remarked Lori. From April through Octo-ber, our cows enjoy the wide open spacesand superb nutrition made possible byintensive grazing. During the wintermonths, the ration is based on our ownhomegrown grass and alfalfa hay. We do notfeed any fermented feeds or use rBST. Thequality of our cheese begins with qualitymilk from contented, stress free cows.

With 225 acres at Hidden Hills, there isno flat acreage, I thought it was importantto keep the rolling hills on the farm covered,so we arent growing any row crops, insteadit is all planted in hay for the Jerseys and toearn additional income, she said. I willadmit I still have a lot to learn about pastur-ing, and we are not certified organic. I douse some sprays on the forages. But I am abig advocate that agriculture in generalneeds to be more aware of how much isbeing used and limit use of chemicals.

The same care and attention that, for

years, went into developing the cow genetics

FARMER PROFILE

Lori Sollenberger Hidden Hills Dairy/Jerseys

continued on page 3


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1 Farmer Profile

4 Buy Fresh Buy Local Update

6 Directors Corner

7 PASA Board Perspective

8 PASA News

9 Conference Update

10 Draw Them In, Keep Them Engagedand Get Them to Come Back

12 Educational Outreach

14 Regional Marketing

16 Business Member Profile

18 Fundraising Update

21 Founders Fund

22 Confronting Issues in Farm andRanch Land Access,Succession,Tenure and Stewardship

23 Penn State Launches CommunityGarden

24 Prosperous Partnership:Two youngfarmers share their inroduction tofarming

26 The Grapevine

27 Membership Form

28 Classified Ads/Employment

30 Calendar

31 A Few Scenes fromSummer Farm Start

32 2009 Educational OutreachCalendar

Passages STAFF & OFFICE

Editor: Michele Gauger

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident: Kim Seeley,Bradford County

Vice President: Brian Moyer, Berks CountySecretary: Mary Barbercheck,Centre County

Treasurer: Louise Schorn Smith,Chester CountyJerry Brunetti, Northampton County

Melanie Dietrich Cochran, Cumberland CountyJennifer Halpin,Cumberland County

John Hopkins,Columbia CountyJohn Jamison,Westmoreland County

Don Kretschmann,Beaver CountyChristopher Lent,Luzerne County

Jeff Mattocks,Dauphin CountySandra Miller,Cumberland County

Susan Miller,Chester CountyRita Resick, Somerset County

At-Large Board Members

David Bingaman,Dauphin CountyJamie Moore,Allegheny County

PASA STAFFPASA Headquarters

Phone: 814-349-9856

Brian SnyderExecutive [email protected]

Matt SoccioDirector of [email protected]

Lauren SmithDirector of [email protected]

Carrie GillespieDevelopment Program Assistant

[email protected]

Allison ShaugerEducational Outreach Director

[email protected]

Rachel SchaalEducational Outreach Associate

[email protected]

Michele GaugerDirector of Membership

[email protected]

Brandi MarksOffice Coordinator/Bookkeeper

[email protected]

Teresa McFeelyOffice Manager

[email protected]

Consumer OutreachPhone: 412-246-0990

Chris FullertonDirector of Consumer Outreach

[email protected]

Southeast Regional OfficePhone: 610-458-5700

Marilyn AnthonySoutheast Regional Director

[email protected]

Kendra AndersonAssistant Program [email protected]

Western Regional Office

Phone: 412-697-0411

Greg BoulosWestern Regional Director

[email protected]

Mia FarberOutreach Associate

[email protected]

Contributing Writers & Photographers

Marilyn Anthony, Liz Carollo, Lisa Diefenbach, Chris

Fullerton, Kristen & Nate Johanson, Chris Lent, Jeff

Mattocks, Dana Morrison, Gayle Morrow, Kim Seeley,

Allison Shauger, Lori Sollenberger, Brian Snyder, Lau-

ren Smith, Elaine Tweedy, Kelly & Sean Weinberg,

Dreamstime (back cover photos)

Note to our Readers If you are moving,please con-

tact PASA to update your mailing address. Several of

our publications are sent via bulk mail service,which is

not forwarded via the USPS. Contact [email protected] or call 814-349-9856 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 [email protected].

Deadline for July/August 2009 Issue:

July 6,2009

Advertising Sales: Michele Gauger,

PASA office, [email protected]

Layout: C Factor

Pennsylvania Association

for Sustainable AgricultureP.O. Box 419

Millheim PA 16854Phone: (814) 349-9856

Fax: (814) 349-9840www.pasafarming.org

PASAs Mission isPromoting profitable farms which produce

healthy food for all people while respecting the

natural environment.PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvania land-

scape.We are seasoned farmers who k now that sustainability is

not only a concept, but a way of life. We are new farmers look-

ing for the fulfillment 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 organi-

zation that is growing in its voice on behalf of farmers in Penn-

sylvania and beyond. Our mission is achieved, one voice, one

farm, one strengthened community at a time.

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 Office of Civil Rights,

Washington, DC 20250-9410.Passages is printed on recycled paper

May/June 2009

Page 24

Page 10


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market for us. We recently qualified for araw milk permit to sell fluid milk. Ourinspector from PDA has been good, and

we keep that relationship on good termsby keeping things extremely clean andfollowing the guidelines.

We currently sell our cheeses at afarmers market in Somerset; in additionto mail order from individuals andrestaurants; local grocery and naturalfood stores; a distributor in the Balti-more, Maryland area that sells to restau-rants; and Penns Corner Farm Alliance,

Lori commented.

A favorite cheese at the farmers mar-

ket includes theAllegheny, which is basedon a recipe for an Italian style cheese tra-

ditionally made in the summer in the

plateau region of the Dolomites. Hidden

Hills version is adapted to their winter-

time whole milk in the rolling foothills ofthe Alleghenies. Others include the

Havarti-style Ivory Lace; Boltonfeta, aGreek-style feta (which won a bronze

medal at the 2008 World Jersey Cheese

Awards); Gouda Gold; Old Gold; Tempta-tion, a smooth, creamy cheese recom-mended to be enjoyed with a gingersnap;

and Tye, a Romano style cheese. I

For more information contact:Lori Sollenberger

1980 Ritchey RoadEverett PA 15537

[email protected]

www.hiddenhillsdairy.com

What is unique about your farm?

Actually it doesnt feel as though we are

very unique among the PASA circles! I

dont think of things we do that are dif-

ferent or inspiring, probably because so

many of the things we do came from

hearing about other PASA members.We

are unique among neighborhood farmsin that we grow only hay (no row crops)

and sell value added products. We likely

have the smallest dairy herd in several

counties and are the only cheesemaker

in Bedford County.

How has your operation evolved?

Until 2005 the farm was a typical small-

scale commercial dairy farm raising corn

and hay and breeding nationally recog-

nized, high indexing registered Jerseys

while leaning towards the fringes of

sustainable agriculture. The farm has

been in continuous no-till since the 70s

and we began pasturing in the early

90s.We tried cheesemaking in 2000 but,

for a variety of reasons, that venture

failed. Then in 2005 several things hap-

pened the necessitated selling the herd

and it seemed like an opportune time to

try cheeses again on a very small scale.

Since then we have converted the entireacreage to hay production and have

also begun to experiment with raising

veal calves. Marketing continues to be

our greatest challenge and the goal is

still to find a combination of products

that will make the farm profitable.

Why did you join PASA?

I joined PASA for very pragmatic reasons

I wanted to attend the conference

and it simply made sense to join! But I

have stayed because of the wealth of

information, support, networking and

friendships that come with the territory.

What do you see as some of the criti-

cal issues concerning agriculture

today?

I think the whole umbrella of economics

is the most critical issue facing agricul-

ture today. Too many farms of all types

are looking at red ink. We need to findways to make farming profitable that go

beyond niche markets and specialty

foods. Its easy to see that industrialized

agriculture is not sustainable, but we

need to also develop viable alternatives

that will recognize the need for afford-

able food in mainstream markets along

with protecting our health and environ-

ment and providing a reasonable

income for our farmers.

3

Editors Note: On TuesdayThursday,

August 1820, PASA & Hidden Hills

Dairy will be hosting an Intensive

Learning Program on Advanced

Cheesemaking with Peter Dixon. Visit

www.pasafarming.org for details on

how to register or look in your copy of

the Field Day calendar, which was

mailed to members in May.

I N T ER V IE W W I T H

LORI SOLLENBERGER

Farmer Profilecontinued from page 1

All cheeses are made with raw milk and aged for a minimum of 60 days. Hidden Hills currently sells their cheeses at the farmers market in Somer-

set, mail order, local grocery and natural food stores,a Baltimore distribu-

tor and Penns Corner Farm Alliance.


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Buy

FreshBuyLoc

alUpdate

I Centre County

Kristin Leitzel (Chapter Coordinator)

[email protected] or814-349-9856

I Chester County

Claire Murray (Chapter Coordinator)

Inverbrook Farm

[email protected] or 610-563-3116

I Greater Lehigh Valley

Lynn Prior (Chapter Coordinator)[email protected] or 610-438-3950

Serving Berks, Lehigh and Northampton

Counties

I Lancaster County

Janna Weil 717-380-7280 or

[email protected]

or Linda Aleci 717-291-4293 or

[email protected]

I Northeast Region

Elaine Tweedy (Chapter Coordinator)


Serving Carbon,Lackawanna,Luzerne,

Monroe,Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne Counties

I Northern Tier

Ruth Tonachel (Chapter Coordinator)Northern Tier Cultural Alliance

[email protected] or

570-268-5055

Serving Bradford,Potter,Sullivan,

Susquehanna,Tioga,Wyoming Counties

PENNSYLVANIA BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL How to Plug InThe Pennsylvania Buy Fresh Buy Local program has been celebrating the abundance found in our Commonwealth for the past seven years,

with the aim of making it easier for Pennsylvania consumers to find, choose and appreciate great local foodsand to support the farmers

and lands which produce them. Currently there are 10 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 explore your regions food system further, hear about

upcoming events and find more ways to get involved, please visit www.BuyLocalPA.org or contact one of the folks listed below.

I Philadelphia

Fair Food at White Dog Community Enterprises

Ann Karlen/Joanne Pernick

(Chapter Coordinators)

[email protected], 215-386-5211 x101 or

[email protected]

I South Central PA

Susan Richards (Chapter Coordinator)

Capital RC&D

[email protected] or

717-724-009

Serving Adams,Cumberland, Dauphin,Franklin,

Lebanon,Juniata, Perry & York Counties

I Southeastern Pennsylvania

Kendra Anderson 610-458-5700 x317 or

[email protected]

Or Marilyn Anthony 610-458-5700 x305 or

[email protected]

Serving Bucks,Delaware and Montgomery

Counties

I Valleys of the Susquehanna

(including Centre Countys Chapter)

Kristin Leitzel (Chapter Coordinator)


Serving Centre,Clinton, Columbia,Lycoming,

Mifflin,Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and

Union Counties

I Western PennsylvaniaMia Farber (Chapter Coordinator)

[email protected] or 412-697-0411Serving Allegheny,Armstrong, Beaver,Butler,

Clarion,Crawford, Erie,Fayette, Forest,Greene,Indiana,Jefferson, Lawrence,Mercer,S omerset,Venango,Warren,Washington and Westmore-

land Counties

I Statewide BFBL CoordinationChris Fullerton, PASA Consumer [email protected] or 412-246-0990

PASA coordinates Buy Fresh Buy Local pro-gramming in Pennsylvania on behalf of our

national partner, FoodRoutes Network. Forregions not covered by a local chapter,contactPASAs Director of Consumer Outreach, Chris

Fullerton: 412-246-0990 [email protected] questions about orassistance with the BuyLocalPA.org website,

send an email to: [email protected] infor-mation on Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapters andActivities outside of PA, visitwww.FoodRoutes.org.

Our work is made possible in part by fundingfrom the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

and by contributions from individuals and busi-nesses throughout the state.

products indicative of their regionalhome. They are helping manage regionalinformation on the BuyLocalPA.org web-site and launching an e-newsletter. Theyplan on having a regular presence at theScranton Farmers Market.

In August the chapter will host an

event at Millers Farm Orchard in Lack-awanna County, featuring chicken BBQfrom Millers farm-raised poultry, vegeta-bles provided by local farmers, music andeducation. Check the Events Calendar at www.BuyLocalPA.org/Northeast formore details as they come together.

I Greater Lehigh Valley

This chapter has been busy lately withseveral projects. Besides the regularupdating and distribution of a local foodsguide, the chapter is collaborating with

three local universities on a study of thelocal food economy in Lehigh Valley.

to our Buy Fresh Buy Local network.This SBDC has earned a reputation fordelivering great business advice to localgrowers, so starting a BFBL chapter was anatural complement to their existing work. Even before they were officiallyapproved, staff members and local volun-teers were tabling at local events to spreadthe gospel on locally grown foods. Theyplan to work with the SBDC at WilkesUniversity to cover their seven-countyterritory (see sidebar for details).

The new chapter has already devel-

oped a unique version of the Buy FreshBuy Local label, customized to feature

Compiled by PA Chapter CoordinatorsThe buzz about local foods is get-ting louder every day! Lucky for Pennsyl-vania consumers, there are ten active BuyFresh Buy Local chapters serving near-ly every corner of the Commonwealth.Here are some updates on our chapters aswell as highlights of what lies ahead forthe rest of 2009:

I Our Newest Chapter:

Northeast Region

The Small Business Development

Center (SBDC) at the University ofScranton is hosting the newest addition

PA Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapters areReady to Celebrate Another Great LocalFoods Season


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events. In addition to an outreach pres-ence at many local events, they also planto hold a matchmaker event for growersand buyers on Monday October 26 atPenn Tech Colleges Wellsboro campus.

I Western Pennsylvania

As of the beginning of May, the West-ern PA chapter had signed up over 40local food providers as BFBL Partners,well on they way towards their goal of 50.Partners receive signs, window clings,sourcing support and promotion in amonthly e-newsletter currently going outto over 5,000 subscribers. The chapterhas plans to update and re-publish a localfood guide for Western Pennsylvania,along with specific brochures coveringlocal farmers markets and farms withCSA programs.

Along with numerous tabling eventsand presentations, theyre hard at workplanning their Third Annual SummerFarm Tour on July 18, featuring 22 farmsacross the Western region. They are alsolooking forward to expanding their annu-al Local Food Week in September to awhole Local Food MONTH, and help-ing support the development of a newlocal chapter within their region, focusedon Fayette County.

Covering the Commonwealth

There are still two regions of Pennsyl-vania without an official Buy Fresh BuyLocal chapter:

An area weve dubbed SouthernMountains includes the following coun-ties: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton,Huntingdon and Somerset. Anotherpiece of the map, comprised of Cameron,Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKeancounties, is designated Pennsylvania

Wilds on BuyLocalPA.org (not to beconfused with the official Pennsylvania

Wilds region as defined by the Pennsylva-nia Wilds Tourism Marketing Corpora-tion, which covers more territory).

If youre located in either area, andknow of a local organization or agencythat might want to host a Buy Fresh BuyLocal chapter, please contact ChrisFullerton, PASAs Director of ConsumerOutreach (see sidebar for contact info).To successfully host a local chapter, anorganization needs to have the capacity torun a program of public outreach and

nesses, restaurants, markets, and more,produced with support from LancasterLIVE and financed by a grant from theCommonwealth of Pennsylvania,Department of Community and Eco-nomic Development. This guide, alongwith the movie they produced last season

(Buy Fresh, Buy Local, by Lancaster)are part of the launch of Lancasters 21-Day Challenge, an initiative to raise con-sumer awareness and promote greaterconsumption of locally grown foods.Events and related activities can be foundat www.lancasterbfbl.org. This chapter isalso pleased to welcome Janna Weil as itsoutreach coordinator. Janna has beencoordinating the production of the LocalFood Guide, and will be handling part-nerships (see sidebar for contact info).

I South Central PennsylvaniaThis chapter aims to hold a bigger,

better Bike Fresh Bike Local ride in2009 (after getting rained out in 2008),continue distribution of their Local FoodGuide, and work with area newspapers tofeature weekly stories on local foodproviders.

They worked with Dickinson Collegeto support another successful LocalFoods Dinner on April 4th.

I Centre County

The Centre County group will holdits sixth annual Local Foods Week fromAugust 3rd through 8th. The week willfeature fun events at local markets, andconclude with the fourth annual FarmTour on Saturday August 8th.

I Valleys of the Susquehanna

This is a transition year for the Valleyschapter, with the reins being passed fromlong-time coordinator SEDA-Council ofGovernments back to PASA. Staff mem-

ber Kristin Leitzel (also coordinatingCentre County Buy Fresh Buy Localactivities) is looking for any fresh faces who want to be a part of the ValleysChapter Steering Committee.

I Northern Tier

This chapter continues to distributelocal food guides (with a plan for anupdate in early 2010) and manages a website, www.northerntierbfbl.com, which is continually updated with infoabout regional farmers markets and

They were also awarded a grant earlierthis year to reproduce Buy Fresh BuyLocal outreach materials in Spanish.

On Sunday, September 13th, thechapter will hold its second annual Tasteof the Lehigh Valley. Chefs from theLehigh Valleys finest restaurants will

gather at MELT to offer tasty creationsfeaturing locally-grown foods. Chaptercoordinator Lynn Prior is looking forhelp with this event. If you would like tovolunteer or get more information, con-tact her (see sidebar for contact info).

I Philadelphia

The Philly chapter is managed by theFair Food Project of White Dog Com-munity Enterprises, one of the foundingmembers of the national Buy Fresh BuyLocal movement. Theyve been busy

pulling together their annual Philadel-phia Local Food Guide, which is pub-lished as an insert in the PhiladelphiaCity Paper. The guide is a consumerhandbook containing over 150 listings offarmers markets, CSA opportunities,restaurants, cafes, stores, and institutions.This guide has a circulation of 70,000throughout Philadelphia and is aninvaluable resource for consumers, as wellas an important place of advertising forall of the businesses that are listed. Theguide was scheduled to be out by mid-

May, so copies should be available now!

I Chester County

This chapter, led by volunteer coordi-nator Claire Murray, will begin distribut-ing over 20,000 copies of its new ChesterCounty Feed Ability Guide, a com-bined local food directory and farm mapin June. This project was completed incollaboration with FoodRoutes (thenational organization behind the BuyFresh Buy Local brand) and the

Chester County Agricultural Develop-ment Council.They also hope to roll out a BFBL

Partner program this year, celebrate a buyfresh buy local food week in mid-July,and help promote PASAs second annualsoutheast region Bike Fresh Bike Localride in Chester County in September.

I Lancaster County

June 6th is the official release of theLocal Food Guide for Lancaster County,a listing of nearly 100 farmers, retail busi- continued on page 22


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By Brian Snyder, Executive Director

A Message toPublic Officials

on Food Safety

6

and marketing systems, and a necessaryframework for any successful effort tofurther regulate food safety and security:

Farm-direct This includes farmstands, farmers markets, communitysupported agriculture (CSA) programs(e.g. subscription farms) and other inno-

vative strategies where the relationshipbetween individual farmers and con-sumers is immediate and understood.

Identity-preserved This involvesdistribution patterns on a regional scale where the farmer and consumer do notnecessarily meet, but the identity of thefarm is preserved on products all the waythrough the system, from field to fork.

Commodity stream This representssales where no direct relationshipbetween farms and consumers exists. Thefarm identity is vague or lost altogether,

sources are aggregated and distributiontends to be widespread, including foodexported to other countries.

Taking them one at a time, we believethere should be minimal intervention bythe government in regulating practices inthe first tier, with respect to private trans-actions occurring between individualfarms and consumers. This means neitherthat food safety issues are irrelevant atthat level, nor that regulatory officialsshould be prohibited from taking actionand even shutting down farm-direct

operations demonstrated to be makingpeople sick. It just means that problemsarising here can quite naturally be tracedquickly and addressed effectively withoutassociated threats to any broad segmentof the population.

With the second tier, it is most impor-tant to understand that the governmenthas a tremendous opportunity to takeadvantage of the good things currentlyhappening out there. The goodwill andpositive business practices of farmers,processors and retailers who are alreadyparticipating in local and regional foodsystem initiatives are ensuring a signifi-cant degree of traceability that should besupported in any way possible.

Let me say this as plainly as possible.The government has every right to setreasonable standards for food quality andsafe production practices. Nonetheless,farmers with their names and reputa-tions listed on every package of foodshould have options to work on a volun-

preventable deaths by 5,000 annually,which of the above statistics should gar-ner the most attention? But it is anotherpositive sign to note that few farmers orfood processors wish to rest on their lau-rels, and most would agree that anydeaths whatsoever from eating food

should be avoided if at all possible.Now let us consider the desire folks ingovernment have to devise a legislativesolution for the problems of food safety.This is a legitimate, albeit politicallyexpedient concern. It is the acknowl-edged job of government to protect us tothe extent possible from negligence andpreventable forms of injury and/or death.But it is distinctly NOT the job of gov-ernment to attempt to eliminate risk inlife altogether, nor to impose expecta-tions that may impinge unnecessarily on

the free enterprise activities of the citizen-ry without a clearly understood benefit.

More than anything else right now, weneed some plain talk on the real issuesinvolving the safety of our food supply.With good science available on all sides,there is widespread disagreement about what matters most and why any of usshould care.

We at PASA believe quite simply thatthe most important thing anyone can doto reduce risk in the food system is tomake it as locally-based as possible. A safe

food system is built on trust, and trust isbuilt on actual human relationships.Such relationships are harder to maintainthe larger and more diffuse the food sys-tem becomes.

Furthermore, we contend that thegreatest risks to food safety occur whentwo systemic factors are combined: a)food anonymity and b) geographicallybroad distribution patterns. The mostbasic strategies for achieving a safe foodsupply, therefore, are not only to keep the

distribution patterns as local and/orregional as possible, but also to put thefarmers faces back on the food. In anideal scenario, both strategies wouldoccur. Whatever else is said about specif-ic practices on a farm or in a food pro-cessing facility, these two factors shouldbe acknowledged as priorities and proper-ly rewarded by the regulatory authoritiesright up front.

With this in mind, the followingthree-tiered structure seems both to bethe current reality in food production

Directo

rsCorner

It seems everyone in elected office thesedays wants to do something about foodsafety. Who can blame them, given thatthe headlines on any particular day mightcarry news of the latest food poisoningscare? It is supreme paradox that, whileall of us must eat in order to survive, foodcan also become an instrument of death.

As a community of farmers, we must alsocome to terms with the fact that harmfulpathogens occasionally present in foodcan originate on farms in various waysthat at times defy easy explanation.

However, before anyone moves aheadtoo fast with regulations that could havefar-reaching, unintended consequencesfor farmers of all stripes, a little addition-al perspective may be in order. While theCenter for Disease Control estimates thatas many as 5,000 deaths in this country

are caused by food-borne pathogens eachyear, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is ecstatic to report thathighway deaths last year dipped to aforty-eight year low only 37,313 were killed in motor vehicle crashes in2008.

Since many more of our citizens eatevery day, as compared to the numbers who travel on the highways, there isclearly some reason to be proud of foodsafety in this country in the broadestsense. I mean, if one wanted to reduce continued on page 9


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True sustainabilty isnt politically cor-rect talk, it must be our lifes dailywalk. No matter the obstacles, if we workhard enough and honest enough it is lifespath to forever. This reflection came tome in a pasture on May 3, 2009.

That Sunday I lost my father. Really, Ihave concluded, I have not lost him but

he has completed his earthly walk andnow is allowed to rest. The many memo-ries he left behind are the strength andguidance for the living. His teachings andmentorship are now sustaining me and others I would find out in the com-ing days. I dont think he knew howmuch his community had paid attention.

That Sunday, before going to the hos-pital, I arose earlier than normal to gath-er the milking herd from a farawaypasture and drive them the mile long

walk from one of our furthest pastures tobe milked. While observing the sun risingon a stellar spring morning and trying topull myself together to face the sadnessthat had a grip on me I was consoled bythe cows. You see our herd is an extendedfamily.

The grass was especially good so thecows were not excited to leave and walkto the barn. Only the farmer would know which ones were the leaders and whichones would finally follow. Workingtogether with my dad since I was old

7

communities around us.In the days following his passing, my

family has heard from hundreds of peoplewho have been inspired and touched insome way by his lifes work. Many wouldsay the same thing, Your father alwaystook time to have an interest in my life.

A local dentist closed his office for anhour because all of his employees wantedto come to the church with him to pay

PASABoardPerspective

enough to be allowed to go to the barn atabout the age of 6, enabled me to under-stand and appreciate my cows. Our old-est cow Blackie (17), like my father isstrong and smart, and walks and worksevery day as hard as she can.

Coincidentally the first cow to leave

the paddock and show the way to thebarn was a daughter of the oldest. In themiddle of the long line of cows, were

tribute and to tell me this story. I wantyou to know that your father inspired meto take the risk and start my own den-tistry practice. Your father told me whenhe started selling milk at the farm, howeveryone tried to talk them out of it. Hedared to follow his heart and had thecourage to work as hard as it took to suc-ceed. He convinced me that I could alsobe my own man and I treasure havingknown your father. He was my mentor.The community is a better place because

of him. Are our communities a better place

because of the work and courage thePASA family has? Dont all of you followyour heart and do the hard work to teachsustainability? Will we work together todefend right from wrong? Do we all mat-ter in the ecosystem of life? You know theanswers.

My father proudly hung the PASAPioneer award plaque we received behindthe counter where he spent 47 years talk-

ing to his community. He never realizedhow many people would remember allthe little things that were his lifes work.He wasnt proud of how our society haslost its way. At 88 he had traveled fromthe horse age to the jet age. My dad hadpracticed sustainability without needinga definition. He survived as a farmerwhen so many havent. As his days wanedhe told us how important his family wasto him. He had, like Blackie on May 3,taught and watched over his family andwas pleased. I

many grandchildren and a grandson,each with their own individuality, butultimately with the same persona. Ayoung cow had calved in the night andBlackie stood guard beside the youngmother and was pleased. As the 70 cowsfiled out of the pasture, Blackie finallydecided she could leave, and followed theprocession. This oldest cow has kept theherd in check and shown the way tomany young herd mates.

Blackie as a youngster was the most

likely not to succeed. I saw something inher back then, and she has since taughtme many things about sustainable animalhusbandry and survival. Her work ethicand strength remind me of my father. Shehas always been smarter than the averagecow. She eats stinging nettles when shefeels a need, as the younger animals lookat her, wondering how she got so smart.She has been a teacher to all who have wanted to learn the sustainability ofthe animal kingdom at its very finest.

In life we can have good teachers, but we also need good students, to pass onsustainable practices. You and I, at sometime in our lives, are both the studentand then the teacher. Our lives proudlymatter if we live and die for the PASAmission.

Why do PASA members understand when so many today dont? That ques-tion, is why our work is not finished. Thelife we choose, like my father before me,is about working hard to produce healthyfood to nurture our families and our

By Kim Seeley, Board President

Lifes

Teachings

You and I, at some timein our lives, are both the student

and then the teacher.


8/328

PASANews

PASA Staff Changes

By Lisa Diefenbach

PASA Staff Departure

PASAs Director of Educational Out-

reach, Allison Shauger announced herdeparture effective in May. Allison start-ed with the organization over 4 years agoas a volunteer for the Farming for theFutureConference, then as seasonal stafffor the conference registration team. Forthe past two years, Allisons hard workand dedication as Director has resulted inphenomenal Field Day and Conferenceprograms and incredible outreachthroughout Pennsylvania and beyond. Allison has decided that it is time toexplore other interests, but will remain

part of the PASA community. The staff,board, and members will all miss Allison,but look forward to crossing paths in thefuture.

Allison wanted to pass on this mes-sage, After four rewarding years of work-ing with PASA in various capacities, I havemoved on from my position as Director ofEducational Outreach to explore otherinterests. Ive found my work to be fulfillingand I am grateful for the opportunity Ivehad to work with such dedicated members,colleagues, and board of directors. I thank

the membership for teaching and inspiringme the past few years and I look forward toremaining a part of the vibrant PASA com-munity in the future.

PASA Hires Director of Operations

PASA would like to welcome Directorof Operations, Matt Soccio. This newposition, based in our Millheim office,will work with our Membership, Educa-tional Outreach, and BookkeepingDepartments and coordinate all of thework that they do that is so vital to our

members. Among his other skills, Mattstechnical prowess will help PASA managethe vast amount of information, commu-nication, and internal operations thathave developed over the past 19 years.Matts business acumen and passion forspreading the sustainable message willhelp PASA continue to grow and thrivein a rapidly changing world. Join us in welcoming Matt to the PASA family [email protected]. Stay tuned for aprofile of Matt in a future newsletter.

Two New Faces at PASA

Headquarters This Season

Welcome our Interns!

We are pleased to welcome Kirstin

Miller to the Educational OutreachDepartment and Katie Poppiti to theMembership Department as interns thisseason. One or both of them will likely bepresent at field days this season, so be sureto say hello and thank them for their con-tributions to member services and pro-gramming.

I Kirstin Miller grew up on her fam-ilys Wolf Lake Farm in Western PA andattended many PASA conferences in heryouth with her parents Kim and Dianne

Miller. A recent graduate of Colby Col-lege with a major in Psychology, Kirstin will bring to the field day season her

experience coordinating educational

events for all ages and in many different

fields from American Sign Language to

mathematics to environmental educa-

tion. Kirstin will be working with Rachel

Schaal to execute field days.

I

Katie Poppiti will be supplement-ing her summer research in the Dept. of

Ag Economics and Rural Sociology with

an internship with Michele Gauger to

assist with Passages newsletter, maintain-ing the PASA website, archiving photos

and articles, and coordinating event out-

reach activities. Katie will finish her

degree in Community, Environment, and

Development in the College of Ag Sci-

ences in December. Her experience with

horses, the mushroom industry, and

mobile 4-H educational programs lendgreat perspective to the jobs shell be

doing.

Bella Sera & Grecos GourmetCanonsburg PAwww.grecos-bellasera.com

Northwest PA Growers CooperativeHarrisville PAwww.nwpagrowers.com

Steel City Soils LLCPittsburgh, PAwww.steelcitysoils.com

Indian Valley Farmers MarketTelford PA

Nitya Akeroyd

Andy Andrews

Teena Bailey

Ashley Brister

Eileen Clark

Amy Crystle

Dan Dalton

Steve DeBroux

Aaron DeLong

Fred DeLong

Sara Eisenfeld

Mena Hautau

Lyla Kaplan

Shannon Knepper

Warren Leitzel

Claire Murray

Patti Olenick

Andy Porter

Jack Ray

Kelly & Sean Weinberg

Tarrah Young

Good Eatz Green CafWest Reading PA

Camp Hill Gardens

Laughlintown PA

Persun & Heim, P.C.Mechanicsburg PAwww.persunheim.com

PASA Staff and Board Would Like to WelcomeOur Newest Business Members as of May 4, 2009

PASA Staff and Board Would Like to Thank

the Following Volunteers as of May 4, 2009


9/32

PLANNING We are already planning for the 19th Annual Farming for the

Future Conference! We began our volunteer conference planning commit-

tee meetings in late May. This group of conference program organizers is

comprised of approximately 30 volunteers, board members, and staff.We

will continue to meet throughout the summer to develop and eventually

finalize the conference theme, keynote speakers, kids programming, pre-

conference tracks, and workshops. Anyone who has been to the confer-

ence can attest that this volunteer committee does a phenomenal job

creating diverse educational programming and inviting high quality

speakers. We are eager to be on track for 2010 thanks to the committees

efforts.

SPONSORSHIPS Our conference sponsors are a very special part of

Farming for the Future. Not only do these generous and valuable compa-

nies and agencies provide the necessary revenue to bring our member-

ship a cutting edge program, but they also stand proudly by PASAs side in

presenting this nationally recognized event. Sponsorship materials and

information for the 2010 conference are currently being developed and

will be mailed to our business partners in August. If you are not currently

on the mailing list to receive these materials but would like to be, please

contact Lauren Smith at PASA headquarters.

tary basis with independent, third-partyentities of their choosing in meeting suchstandards. Such partnering entities mightinclude certifiers of organic, sustainable ornatural products, farm cooperatives, breedassociations and other trade organizations with a direct interest in supporting bestmanagement practices on the farms theyserve.

The third tier represents the vast majori-ty of food product consumed in this countryand almost all that is exported to others. Theneed here for clearly stated and enforcedquality and safety standards is obvious andshould be a central priority of any food-related legislative agenda in the immediatefuture. A majority of folks involved with ournations food system would, I believe,acknowledge this point, so I will not go onabout it at length. Suffice it to say that trace-

ability and accountability must either bebuilt right into the core of a farming opera-tion from the start, or these principles mustbe imposed from the outside.

The essential element here is not thatthere is some theoretical distinction betweengood and bad farmers, but a firmacknowledgement that SOME farmers havechosen to stand behind their products, byname and reputation, all the way to thepoint of final consumption. This is also notfundamentally an issue of big farms vs.small farms, though it appears unavoidablethat vocal contingents on both sides of thatdivide will try to make it so.

The most pressing concern right now isthat, in the rush to do something productiveon the most public aspects of safety andsecurity in the food supply, our public offi-cials might take action that will a) do too lit-tle, for fear of offending some of thepowerful interests involved, or b) do toomuch and thereby inflict real damage ontoone of the most promising trends in agricul-

ture to come along in at least half a centuryTaking these basic considerations into

account right now can assist elected officialin focusing on the real issues involved inmaintaining the safety and security of ourfood supply. They can thereby avoid excessive government intrusion and expense thamight negatively affect the entire Americanfood system, including farmers, eaters andtaxpayers alike. Such consideration couldalso go a long way in helping to ensure thamany of us do not take unnecessary risks onour nations highways this year just to get tomore hearings and listening sessions aimedat reducing the danger of an inherently lessrisky activity, eating food.

But if we can really get this right, avisionary and fresh approach concerningfood safety at local, state and federal levels ogovernment might lead to an agriculturarenaissance in this country that will do asmuch for the economic health of our ruracommunities as it will for the physical healthof our people. I

9

ConferenceUpdate

A D V E R TI S E M E N T

Conference CDs

and DVDs

are available!

Farming for the Future Keynotes andWorkshops are audio recorded courtesy

ofCocalico AudioOrder form for Cds & DVDs is

available atwww.pasafarming.org

Cocalico Audio

187 East Church Street Stevens, PA 17578

Phone: (717) 336-4179

Directors Corner

continued from page 6

19th Annual

Farming for the Future ConferenceFebruary 4, 5 & 6, 2010 State College, PA


10/3210

Draw Them In, Keep Them Engagedand Get Them to Come Back:Get Customers Shopping and Returning to Your Farmers Market

By Liz Carollo, Greenmarket

Editors Note: Greenmarket, a Program of the Council on the Environment of NewYork City, operates 49 diverse and thriving

farmers markets in all five boroughs of NewYork City. Their mission is to promoteregional agriculture by connecting local

farmers with city residents ensuring that allNew Yorkers have access to locally grown,

foraged, caught and baked products. Thisarticle was developed after a presentation atthe 2009 PASA conference.

Buds are opening, farmers are busy

planting, asparagus has finallymade an appearance at market,and 19 Market Managers start training ina weekthat must mean that farmersmarket season is right around the corner!Our markets are as diverse as the city welive in; they range from 7 to 120 stands,are in wealthy neighborhoods, lower-income communities, and everything inbetween. You can hear Spanish, Russian,and Mandarin and about a dozen otherlanguages sometimes just at one market!As a successful market needs to reflect the

neighborhood it is in, its crucial to haveindividual strategies for promoting eachmarket. Good thing we have the wintermonths to plan outreach, events andactivities for the upcoming season beforethe twelve-hour day kicks in and marketsare in full swing. We hope sharing a few

helpful tips from our experience will help

you to promote yours!Draw Them In

First thing is letting people know thatyour market is opening. Although Green-market has 16 year-round markets andmany opening in early spring, most mar-kets in the Northeast operate from July-Thanksgiving, leaving May and June forgetting the word out. Over the winteryou can design (competition can helpand be fun) a fun poster that includespictures of happy market-goers, delicious

produce, farm shots, and a fun quote.Posters can hang in neighborhood shops,on buses and in train stations, in schoolsand health/senior centers. You can alsospeak at neighborhood and local govern-ment meetings about the markets and thebenefits of eating locally, and attend com-munity events like health fairs and springflings where you can perform cookingdemonstrations and hand out literature.This gives you an opportunity not onlyto talk to event-goers, but also to connectwith the other organizations tabling, usu-

ally a mix of like-minded organizationswho you can partner with for cross-pro-motion. Whether its a bicycling advoca-cy group who can teach about bike safetyor a neighborhood association with amile-long mailing list of residents livingnear your market, there is always some-

one there to collaborate with to makeyour market better.

During this time you should start con-tacting neighborhood papers and blog-gers, sending them a short blurb aboutyour market, a list of the farmers/produc-ers who will be attending, and other

details like nearby public transportation.Having a reporter write a story aboutyour market provides much better cover-age than simply sending a press release.Pitch them stories about a special newproducer with unusual product, aboutupcoming events, talk about fundraisersyou have planned, changes to the marketlike a location move, or that EBT is nowaccepted. In smaller markets, radio isoften one of the best outlets for gettingthe word out, whether its a regular morn-ing show where you announce whats in

and what events are happening, or a paidad or Public Service Announcement witha catchy slogan or music that captures thefeel of your market. A radio spot canreach thousands of potential shoppersduring your market day when you wantthem to stop what they are doing andhead to the market.

Ok, youve succeeded with your pro-motions, and its late June, everyoneknows when and where, but whats goingto make them come? Of course the farm-ers and the taste and quality of the food

are huge draws, but how are you going tomake your customers feel like the farmersmarket isnt just a place where they buyfood, but is an integral part of their com-munity where family and friends gather,neighbors mingle and where they lookforward to going each week?

Making your market come alive with fun, educational events and activities is a great way to get your customers talking to their friends and family abouttheir experience at the farmers market. And,most importantly, will make them want to come back!


11/3211

Keep Them Engaged

Ask yourself, what are the other rea-sons why people visit your market?Maybe they need to drop off compost ata collection site youve organized withcommunity gardens, or old clothes theydont want because youre recycling tex-

tiles. Both are great incentives that arenot only good for the planet, but can beused to make money for your marketsell the finished compost or connect witha textile collector who pays by the pound.Maybe theyve registered for a specialevent at your market, like a market tourwith a local chef or a bake-off. Althoughmany of your customers might have anestablished relationship with the farmersalready, some need encouragement andits always a treat to get a behind-the-scenes look with a seasoned pro like a

chef (always be sure to ask the farmersahead of time if you can pull them awayfrom their stands for a few minutes totalk about beekeeping, maple syrup, or totell a funny anecdote.)

Once your customers are there itstime to get them to shop. Start with anenthusiastic and knowledgeable MarketManager who can articulately explain why all your farmers arent certifiedorganic or why you cant find cherries inOctober. Someone who can help the

farmers get situated, make sure the mar-ket is safe at all times, plan and imple-ment an event or activity, perform acooking demonstration featuring season-al produce, and happily answer the same5 questions, rain or shine, with a smile allday long. The Market Managers tableshould have maps of the market layout,literature about the importance of sus-tainable agriculture, recipes featuring theproducts at market that day, and otheritems like reusable bags for sale.

Farmers have to do their part also

thats right, planting, growing, harvestingand driving the food to the market isntenough! Clear and attractive signage, andhaving the farmer or a knowledgeablestaff person working the stand are key,but a little personality goes a long way.Include fun and informative descriptionsof the food on your price signs (what ittastes like and how you should cook it),think about creating a distinctive logoand putting it on everything from bags totrucks to staff t-shirts. Partner with the

market to create colorful signage whichexplains where your farm is, what yourgrowing practices are, and includes aphoto of your farm and a quote aboutwhy you love farming. Keeping up withtrends is important, too. What are restau-rants buying or looking for? What new

varieties could liven up your farm stand?Has the demographic of the neighbor-hood changed? If younger folks are mov-ing in, get a college student to work foryou. If theres a large Latino communitynearby make sure someone at your standspeaks Spanish and that you have cultur-ally appropriate products for sale. Thebest way to remain competitive at yourmarket is to distinguish yourself fromothersdont be afraid to get creative!

Get Them To Come Back

Making your market come alive withfun and educational events and activitiesis a great way to get your customers talk-ing to their friends and family about theirexperience. And, most importantly, willmake them want to come back! Here arejust a few of our favorites

I Sheep to Shawl Day: Complete withwool, spinning wheels and generations ofknitters lining the market.

IMusic: Stick with jazz, folk, kids songs,sing-a-longs or a good country or blue-grass band. No amplification is always

best in a crowded or small market area.

I Meet Your Farmer Series: Get yourhoney producer to bring in a bee suit anddemonstration hive and talk at yourinformation table all day; your cheese-maker to make fresh ricotta; a fishermanto demonstrate filleting a whole fish; or abaker making individual pizzas on grillswith locally grown toppings.

I Cooking Demonstrations and Fea-tured Items: Each week highlight a dif-ferent item and explain how it is grown,

harvested, and what varieties are avail-able.can also spend entire market daysteaching about other items like labelingdescriptions (most people are very con-fused when it comes to terms like natu-rally-grown, biodynamic, pasture-raised,etc), composting, or gardening at home(have a local expert gardener answerquestions and plant basil seeds with kidsfor them to take home). Customers arereceptive to learning about these topicsand will regularly stop by the market

information table to see what is happen-ing week-to-week.

I Seasonal Festivals:A strawberry short-cake eating competition in the spring (agreat Fathers Day activity, encourage thedads to bring their kids to cheer themon), a Summer Solstice celebration teach-

ing about solar energy (this works best ifyou have a solar oven to cook some pop-corn), and a harvest festival with ciderpressing and farm animals.

I Farmer Tan Competition:An end-of-the-summer favorite, simply takeambiguous photographs of the farmerstan lines and let customers vote on whoseis the best.

I Bake-offs: Have customers sign up weeks in advance to ensure you haveenough entrants and find a celebrity

judge (local government officials are per-fect for judging).

I Recipe/Jam/Pickle Swaps: Make surecustomers sign up prior to ensure livelyswapping.

I Conduct a Question of the Day:With a big piece of paper and some stick-ers you can easily take the temperature ofyour market. Find out where your cus-tomers are coming from, what theyrebuying, how much theyre spending, whythey shop at the farmers market, etc.

I Raffles: A great way to collect emailaddresses for your e-newsletter is to holda raffle every week or month, with thewinner collecting a basket or tote bag fullof donations from the farmers. Be sure totake a photo of your first winner (withtheir winnings) to have on display forfuture raffles.

In addition to the at-market events, besure to stay in touch with your customerswith a monthly or bi-monthly e-newslet-ter that lists what products are coming in,

upcoming events, product features andrecipes. Liven it up with guest colum-nists, book/movie/magazine article rec-ommendations, and farmer and customerprofiles. Have a way to sign up for yournewsletter on your website and a sign-upsheet at the market information table.

Hopefully this information is helpfulto you and will make your market thrive.Just remember, when all else fails, HAVEFUN, BE CREATIVE, AND KEEPSMILING. I


12/3212

tion in how the farm operates in casesomething should happen to the owner.

To develop effective pricing, a success-ful farm operation needs to track thehours spent in certain farm operations,the labor dedicated to them and theprices associated with obtaining materials

for these processes.Examining the core products andservices of the farm is also important.Realizing that a farm may have a compet-itive advantage (what they do better thananyone else), expertise or market niche,aids in looking at the key strengths and

Educational

Outreach

By Elaine Tweedy

In April and May 2009, the Agribusi-ness and Food Specialty Center ofThe University of Scranton Small

Business Development Center (SBDC),set out to share some insight on farmprofitability. The Center developed a full-day training program geared to small andmid-sized farms covering farm businessplanning, recordkeeping, marketing,pricing and thinking strategically.

Farming profitability business skillsprograms were held in Butler, Chester

and Centre counties as a part of PASAsIntensive-Learning Program series. Theintensives provided the opportunity tolearn more about what a farm enterpriseneeded to do to increase its ability to spottrends, track operations, and use variousrecordkeeping forms, and also providedthe opportunity for attendees to networkand learn from each other.

The program was designed aroundone key fact: farmers, who are busy pro-ducing what they do best, often dont putaside enough time to track what they did

best, and how their practices affect theirbottom line.

Without a valuable measuring tool or

a starting point, such as a farm businessplan, it can be nearly impossible to judgehow the farm is doing, how it has grown,and what it needs to change/examine inorder to become more profitable.

Many farm owners know exactly whatsystems (production, livestock, etc.) they

weaknesses of the farm operation, andbuilding a growth plan based on capital-izing on these strengths and overcomingweaknesses. Some farms get off the beat-en path of their core activities, losingsight of the advantages to being the bestin these areas, instead trying to be allthings to all people. Without a written

plan, its almost impossible to measure which farm enterprises contribute themost to the big picture typically coreactivities and which may need to berethought or relinquished.

The Agribusiness and Food SpecialtyCenter training sought to help farmenterprises understand what was mostimportant to the menu of running a prof-itable establishment.

Is the farms pricing point a competi-tive one (one that simply mirrors whatothers in the same market are asking forsimilar items)? Or is the farm differenti-ating its products, describing the unique-ness and benefits of those products,giving the enterprise the ability to place avalue on that unique identity which maybe above a competitive price? Currentlythe SBDC is working on developingExcel spreadsheets that can be used byanyone who wants to do some pricingscenarios, which they plan to offer ontheir website in the near future. To find

use and how their operations run, butmay not have put this into a written for-mat. Getting your systems on paper, sothat you might share this information with employees, family members, andeven lenders if you need additionalfinancing is important to the process ofexamining how well the farm is doing. Its

also important from the standpoint ofknowing that others have a good founda-

Farming Profitability:Business Planning, Recordkeeping, Marketing,

Pricing & Thinking Strategically

The Agribusiness and Food Specialty Center

training sought to help farm enterprises

understand what was most important to themenu of running a profitable establishment.


13/3213

works (sole proprietorship, partnership general or limited, corporation reg-ular or Subchapter S, LLC) with youraccountant is a wise strategy, not only interms of selecting the correct structure forthe type of enterprise you operate, butalso for assisting you down the road when

it comes to tax time. I

models of pricing through case studies,the ATTRA website is helpful. Just do asearch using the word pricing. (For use-ful web links and other suggested SBDCresources see sidebar).

The SBDC developed a partnershipwith The University of Minnesotas Farm

Financial Management operation, andobtained an on-line Ag-Plan tool forPASAs Intensive Learning Programattendees to utilize to help them begin toput descriptions of their operations andcurrent activities into a business plan for-mat. SBDC staff can utilize the web-based program to monitor the plans ofthose who submit them. Through theFarm Financial Management Center inMinnesota, attendees were also given afinancing planning and scenario (what if)development tool called FinPACK. Fin-

PACK acts as a supplement to currentrecordkeeping activities, allowing a farmto project out growth plans, changes inoperation, transitions, and other activi-ties, and to see how such activities might

RESOURCESATTRA link:

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/directmkt.html#pricing.

For recordkeeping information:

http://cropins.aers.psu.edu/Recordkeeping/ProdRecordMgmtSystem.pdf

http://agecon.okstate.edu/farmbook/table_of_contents.asp

www.cffm.umn.edu/Software/FINPACK/index.aspx

www.toolkit.com/small_business_guide/sbg.aspx?nid=P01_4710

The SBDC highly recommends two books for small farm and business planning. TheCenter purchased the books at a PASA conference (one in 2008 and one in 2009). One isMaking Your Small Farm Profitable by Ron Macher, the publisher ofSmall Farm Today.Theother is Building a Sustainable Business:A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms andRural Businesses, which is easily accessible through Amazon.com.

affect the costs of doing business on thefarm. (How to obtain FinPACK isdetailed in the suggested SBDC resourceslisted in the sidebar).

The SBDC always advises that farmenterprises have a good working relation-ship with an accountant and an attorney.

Discussing what form of organization

SARE Grant on Small Ruminant Programming Comes to a CloseFor the past three years, the Educa-

tional Outreach Department hasoffered programming on Diversifying

with Small Ruminants for Profitability,a project funded through a grant fromNortheast Sustainable AgricultureResearch and Education (SARE). Ourwork on this project officiallyended March 31, 2009 and we are pleased to haveachieved our goals resultingin at least 25 farmers success-fully introducing small rumi-nants to diversify their farmoperations or implementing achange to significantly

improve profitability of theirexisting operation and/ordecrease dependence onchemical treatments to ani-mals or fields. A small rumi-nant producers directoryincluding participants in thethree years of programmingand presenters involved isavailable online at www.pasa-farming. org. Over the course

of the grant period, PASA offeredapproximately 10 field days, 20 con-ference workshops, a pre-conference

track, 5 intensive learning programs,and several regional producers meet-ings focused on raising small rumi-nants for profitability. Thanks to NE

SARE and the many PASA memberswho lent their farms, animals, expert-ise, and suggestions for the benefit of

this programming.Just because the grant is over, does-nt mean the programming on smallruminants is over. Check out the

intensive learning programHands-On Care for SmallRuminants offered October23 and 24 in Mifflin Coun-ty. Penn State VeterinariansDrs. Van Saun, DVM and Wolfgang, VMD willinstruct the class on hoofcare and trimming, kidding

& lambing, necropsy, nutri-tion, herd management, andpreventing parasites and worms. More informationavailable in the 2009 fieldday calendar or at www.pasa-farming.org.

Dr.Dave Wolfgang,VMD of PennState University leads a hoof careand trimming workshop.


14/3214

Attention Grass-fed Beef Farmers and Eaters

SOUTHEAST REGION

Thanks to PASA members Chris &

Randy Treichler for recently hosting a

regional potluck gathering at their farm

on June 7th. The South Central Region-

al Advisory Committee is busy coordinat-

ing various regional events and gatheringsin the coming months, so members in

the region should stay tuned for details to

come!

The newly formed North Central

Regional Advisory Committee recently

met in mid-May, and we want to

announce a networking/educational

event coming up on Sunday, July 19th at

Owens Farm in Sunbury (Snyder Co.)from 36pm. The farm is owned and

operated by David and Caroline Owens

with their three children Kyle, Kevin, and

Melissa. The farm boasts 112 acres of

rolling pasture, a traditional red Pennsyl-

vania bank barn, pond, and classic white

farmhouse complete the picture. To learn

more about their sheep camp, feltmaking

classes and more visit www.owensfarm

.com. The farm tour will be followed by

a potluck dinner. Regional members are

invited and bring a friend along to intro-duce them to the PASA family. Direc-

tions and further details will be sent soon.

NORTH CENTRAL REGION

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION

Save the Date for these Events

I Sunday, August 2

Second Annual 100% Grassfed Beef

Cook-off

Glasbern Inn, Fogelsville, Lehigh Co.

Cost: $25Contestant registration is due by July 1

& event tickets available at www.pasa-

farming.org

I Sunday, September 27

Bike Fresh Bike Local

Chester County

Cost: $35 advance registration

(includes free t-shirt) /

$40 day of event registration

SOUTHEAST REGION

RegionalMarketing

Western

NorthCentral/Eastern

SouthcentralSoutheast

REGIONAL CONTACTS & DISCUSSION GROUP ADDRESSESDiscussion groups are open to PASA members only to join and discuss issues related to sustainable agriculture.

To join the group in your region,send an email to the appropriate address provided.

Western

[email protected]

Greg Boulos

412-697-0411 [email protected]

Southeastern

[email protected]

Marilyn Anthony

610-458-5700 x305 [email protected]

Southcentral

[email protected]

Jenn Halpin


NorthCentral/Eastern

[email protected]

Leah Tewksbury


Out of State discussion group addresses:

States North and East of Pennsylvania

[email protected]

States South and West of Pennsylvania

[email protected]

Registration details are available atwww.pasafarming.org

I Saturday, October 10Longwood Harvest Celebration DinnerLongwood GardensKennett Square, Chester Co.Event reservations and tickets will be

available at www.pasafarming.org

Save the Date for this Event

I Saturday, July 18thAnnual Summer Farm Tour10am-4pmVarious farms in southwestern PADetails will be available at www.pasa-farming.org and www.buylocalpa.org

WESTERN REGION

Its time to plan for the 2nd Annual

100% Grass-fed Beef Cook Off! This

years date is Sunday August 2, and the

location is once again at Glasbern Inn in

Fogelsville, Lehigh County.

Farmers, we encourage you to submit

your wonderful beef for this friendly

competition and give last years winner,

Harvest Home Meats, a run for thechampionship trophy! Eaters, reserve

your tickets for this delightful afternoon

savoring grass-fed burgers fresh from the

grill, beef stew braised in Stoudts beer,

farm made ice cream, live music by the

Britton Brothers, and a chance to mingle

with the farmers.

In case you missed it, Edible Chesa-

peake magazine devoted much of their

spring issue to covering grass fed beef and

gave prominent placement to the PASABeef Cook Off (BCO). Their Summer

issue will continue the coverage with a


15/3215

RegionalMarketing

different pasturemixes. They will beon hand to discuss theplots.

Presentations on Animal Genetics byRidge Shinn and on

Soil Health by JerryBrunetti of Agri-Dynamics.

At the time of thisprinting, we thankearly event sponsorsincluding GlasbernInn, Kings Agriseeds,The Fertrell Compa-ny, Agri-Dynamics,

Leona Meats and Stoudts Brewery.

Returning as competitors from last yearsBCO are Breakaway Farm, CressbrookFarm, Forks Farm, Natural Meadows,and BCO Grand Champion HarvestHome Meats.

Registration is limited to 14 farms. Tofind out if you qualify, please visit our

website for contestant guidelines andrequirements. Contestant registrationcloses Wednesday July 1st. Eaters, ticketsare limited and very inexpensive ($15 forPASA members) so reserve yours early.The BCO goes off on time rain or shine.

We hope youll join us for a fun,informative, delicious celebration of grassfed beef. For additional information, callMarilyn or Kendra at 610-458-5700 ext305 or ext 317.

A D V E R TI S E M E N T

Last years cook-off judging corps of Diane Stoneback, Food Editor

Morning Call; Renee Catacalos, Editor, Edible Chesapeake; Sean Wein-

berg, Chef/Owner, Restaurant Alba; Tom Sherman, Philadelphia Slow

Food; and Royer Smith, Executive Chef,LaSalle University.

PASAs first grass-fed, grass-finished beef cook-off Grand Champion Harvest Home Meats, operated

by Richard DiFebo and family.

discussion of the actual tastings they con-ducted, beginning with the PASA event.

We hope to have even more media atten-tion for this years festivities.

In 2009 we are introducing a numberof innovations to the BCO such as:

Farmers Tasting Table. Contestantswill be seated together during the judgingand have the opportunity to take part intheir own blind tasting of all the grilledsteaks and rate each entry.

Judges Results. Well provide somesocial time after the judging for farmersand the panel of judges to talk about their

tastings and ratings. Pasture Walk of Experimental Plots.

Kings Agri-seeds has planted a series ofsmall plots at Glasbern demonstrating


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BusinessMemb

erProfile

Restaurant AlbaBy Gayle Morrow

Ah, spring when our collective fan-cies turn to thoughts of love.

Or to thoughts of asparagus and

arugula.Maybe risotto of leeks.Even new peas.At Restaurant Alba, lovers and others

can celebrate spring, or any season, withcontemporary cuisine featuring fresh,locally produced food. Husband and wifeteam Sean and Kelly Weinberg, ownersand operators of the Malvern (ChesterCounty) eatery, believe in food of the

1. What is unique about your business?

We really do deal with a lot of different farms. At theheight of the season we are dealing with up to 12. Buyinglocally has become a trendy thing amongst restaurants, andthat is good, but, as with any trend, there are those whouse the label to promote themselves without actually beingthat committed to it. We are one of a handful of restau-rants in the Philadelphia area at which you can dine know-ing you are being offered as much local product aspossible. And, we bring home the concept of the Europeanrestaurant. We try to stay true to traditional techniques; we

really try to transport people.

2.Why did you join PASA?

We joined because, honestly, I feel like its one of thebest organizations weve come across. And we joined tosupport them. We feel like it is an awesome organization! Another reason is for the contacts and to network withlike-minded people.

3. How has your membership been a benefit to your

business?

Weve actually had a lot of people seek us out and becomecustomers through our membership. PASA members are

going to search out people doing the right thing.4. What does the term sustainable mean to you and

how do you incorporate that into your business?

For me, ultimately, its one nice little local circle. Its theidea of doing a restaurant in Chester County, having peo-ple living here, working here and eating here. There is lessenvironmental impact, and not needing outside sources tokeep things moving.

5. What do you see as some of the critical issues facing

ag and ag-related businesses today?

Suburban sprawl is definitely one, especially for ourarea. Although it brings customers and restaurants to onesarea, it drives up the price of land, etc. for the farmers.It wears on the landscape when you take 30 acres and put80 homes on it. You can look at the way the economy hastanked and see so much growth and wearing on localresources. It feels like farmers are really being pushed out. Also, government interference makes it difficult forsmall-scale farms to maintain traditional artisan techniquessuch as cheese making. [The number of] Quality butchers who care about customers and livestock are shrinkingto the point where you might say it is a dying art. Con-sumer support is also an issue. How many times have you

seen promotional materials for businesses and homes thatclaim to be nestled in the rolling hills of Chester Coun-ty? Well, if you want to maintain that aesthetic, youneed to support the farms that make it so, because it is dis-appearing fast.

6. What do you see as the connection between sustain-

able ag and the consumer?

Consumers hold the key to making sustainable agthe norm. Buying local should be an obligation! It benefitsus all in so many ways. The consumer needs to be educat-ed and the ag community is doing their part. We hope tohelp that effort by raising awareness and getting people to

taste local food and recognize how much better it can bethan food thats been trucked in from so far away. Thereis a good feeling about eating meat that you know wasraised humanely and treated with great care all the wayfrom farm to table. Its amazing how people are willingto ignore the truth about the origins and path their foodgenerally takes. People are so discerning with so manyaspects of their lives, yet they dont get picky when it comesto food they feed their families. Maybe we could getFast Food Nation or one of Michael Pollans books addedto high school curriculums!

area for people of the area and in work-ing the menu around what is available.

Prepare it simply, let it shine, andpeople will walk away happy, says Sean

Weinberg (he is the chef; shehandles front-of-the-houseduties). There is such poten-tial for us to help local farmers.I have an obligation as a chef ina restaurant to support localfarmers. It is really up to us.

The couple is both into theidea of local food, Weinbergsays, and has an extensive and

eclectic history of experience in therestaurant business. Kelly Weinberg hasworked in restaurants for nearly 20 years,including a stint as general manager ofRose Tattoo Cafe in Philadelphia, a facil-ity owned by Weinbergs parents. He hadspent some time in Italy after graduating

Chef Sean Weinberg

I NT ERV IE W W IT H S EA N A ND K EL LY


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BusinessMemb

erProfile

from the Culinary Institute of America; it

was there he became involved with the

Slow Food movement and became enam-

ored with the live fire method of cook-

ing. Restaurant Alba, with its small, open

kitchen and its live hickory and mesquite

wood fire, takes its name from a Slow

Food facility in Alba, Italy, where Wein-

berg worked.About four years

ago, he continues,they came toChester County toopen their ownrestaurant because

we wanted to beclose to our farm-ers.

We thoughtthis would be agreat area to be asustainable restau-

rant, he says, adding, in the city, farm-ers are coming in only once a week. Butnow we can pick up every day.

When its asparagus time, for instance,that much-anticipated seasonal delightcomes to Restaurant Alba daily rather

than languishing in a cooler somewhere.Its never seen a refrigerator. Weve

got three farms within four to five milesof the restaurant, and new farms are pop-ping up every year.

Some of those farms also provide the Weinbergs with the freshest meat avail-able and, again, the customer benefitsfrom the chefs dedication to sustainable

practices and his creative bent (e.g. a slowroasted pork, escarole and Amish cheddarsandwich).

We purchase the animal whole anduse it all, he says. That shows respectfor the animal and helps the farmer.

For a country and a culture starved forhealthy, regional, delicious food, Restau-rant Alba sounds almost too good to betrue. You can find out for yourself by vis-iting Restaurant Alba in Malvern at 7West King Street. Call 610-644-4009 orgo to www.restaurantalba.com for more

information. I

AD V E R T I S E M E NT AD V E R T I S E M E N T


18/3218

For the second year running, Four Seasons Produce brought PASA an exceptionalgift during Earth Week. Their promotion to help support sustainabilitydonated a per-centage of sales from each case of organic produce sold that week in April, to PASA.Their retail, wholesale, and foodservice customers participated in this promotion inhonor of Earth Day.

Four Seasons Produce, of Ephrata, Lancaster County, is one of the largest inde-pendent produce wholesalers in the country, and they are a very special friend of PASA.Mix that with PASA supporter extraordinaire Tom Beddard of Lady Moon Farms, andyou have a recipe for patronage that is hard to match!

But match is exactly what Lady Moon Farms did, and they too offered a percent-age of sales for every Lady Moon brand case sold that week. As many PASA membersknow, Tom Beddard runs the largest certified organic vegetable operation on the EastCoast. His farm in Chambersburg, Franklin County is coupled with southern farms tomeet winter demand, in Fort Myers, Florida and Bainbridge, Georgia.

We had such a great time with the Earth Week promotion last year, explainedJonathan Steffy, Four Seasons retail and foodservice sales manager, that it felt like areally great thing to do again this April. Then to have Tom Beddard of Lady MoonFarms bring in his match, we were thrilled!

The Four Seasons gift totaled $9,945.75 and the Lady Moon Farm gift totaled

Four Seasons OffersEarth Week Gift to PASA

so pleased that these events are effectiveat demonstrating the importance and rel-evance of supporting local farmsin amost delicious way! And its a great wayto raise money for PASAs Annual Fund.

The evening had a special treat for theguests, which PASA was very proud topresent. A premier auction item Din-ner in Your Home by Chef James Woltman,went to the highest bidder!

Memorial Day weekend is the officialstart of summer and to kick it off in stylethis year over 300 guests strolled thegrounds of Milestone Inn along the beau-tiful Susquehanna River in Harrisburg,and enjoyed our regional farms firstbounties prepared fresh by top chefs.

PA Preferred Chef James Woltman ofStocks on Secondwas the creative geniusbehind PASAs first annual Summer Farm

Start. He began with an exact list of whatwould be in season during the third weekof May to create the custom menu offourteen dishes premiered that night.

PASA has been holding Harvest Cel-ebration Dinners at the end of the farmseason for over six years stated LaurenSmith, PASA Director of Development.Creating a special evening to celebratethe beginning of our fabulous farm sea-son seemed like a natural fit! And Chef Woltmans passion for local food andgenuine interest in preserving our statesagriculture made coordinating the event areal pleasure.

From Grilled Lamb Sliders with Rose-mary Chevre Spread to Kennett Square

Mushroom Wellington, all of the eveningsingredients were sourced from thirtyregional producers. A trio of PatisserieDessertswere provided by Wegmans.

PASAs local food feasts continue toprovide locavoresa meeting place to sharegreat food and company, exclaimed PattiOlenick, volunteer chairperson. We are

Well, to the two highest bidders actu-ally, as Chef James Woltman graciouslyoffered his award winning talents toboth. That evening to remember will beenjoyed by auction bidder State Repre-sentative David Kessler, and also PASABoard President Kim Seeley of MilkyWay Farms, who accepted the gift of thisauction item. (An anonymous group,

represented by Louise Schorn Smith, bidwith the hopes of wining the dinner as asurprise for the Seeley family.) These twowinning bids brought in over $4,300 forthe PASA Annual Fund.

PASAs first Summer Farm Start was awonderful success in many regards. Thedelicious food and drink set to the beau-tiful ambiance of the riverfront location was a real treat. Thanks to those whocontributed and participated! I

(See photos of the eventon page 31 of this newsletter.)

Fu

ndraising

PASA Celebrates Summers Farm Startwith a Local Food Feast

Rob Amsterdam acknowledged the impor-

tant work being done by the South Central

Buy Fresh Buy Local Volunteer Committee.

Their Local Food Guide features over 150

local food entries this year. More info is atwww.buylocalpa.org

continued on page 20


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Fu

ndraising

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

Celebrate these Providing Farms,Producers, Breweries & Vineyards

Summer Farm Start Dinner Partners

Adams County Winery

Orrtanna, Adams County

www.adamscountywinery.com

Varietal Wines

Allegro Vineyards

Brogue, York County

www.allegrowines.com

Varietal WinesAppalachian Brewing Company

Harrisburg, Dauphin County

www.abcbrew.com

Locally Brewed Beer, Root Beer

& Organic Beer

Birchrun Hills Farm

Chester Springs, Chester County

www.birchrunhillsfarm.com

Birchrun Blue (cheese)

Blue Rooster Farm

East Waterford, Juniata County

www.blueroosterfarm.com

Ground Lamb

Brok-N-Bit Acres

Punxsutawney, Jefferson County

www.buylocalpa.org

Whole Hog Sausage

Buffalo Valley Spice Co.

Lewisburg, Union County

Hot Garlic Pickles

Cow-A-Hen Farm

Mifflinburg, Union County

www.buylocalpa.org

Bacon

Creekside Farm

Marysville, Perry County

www.creeksidegrown.com

Arugula, Chervil, Rosemary, Thyme

& Microgreens

Daisy Flour by McGeary Organics

Lancaster, Lancaster County

www.daisyflour.com

Flour

Dickinson College Farm

Boiling Springs, Cumberland County

www.dickinson.edu/storg/sisa

Baby Arugula & Cooking Greens

Eberly Poultry

Stevens, Lancaster County

www.eberlypoultry.com

Chicken Thighs

Groffs Meats

Elizabethtown, Lancaster County

Pork Belly

Sarah & Mark BrabsonPeach Bottom, Lancaster County

Terra & Mike Brownback

Loysville, Perry County

Lura & Al Granger (4 guests)

Fogelsville, Lehigh County

Jim Haigh

Emmaus, Lehigh County

Jan Jarrett

Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co.

Sinan Koont

Carlisle, Cumberland County

Andrea & Daren McCormickHarrisburg, Dauphin County

Sandra Miller

Newburg, Cumberland County

Fitness Fusion

Personal Training Studio (4 guests)

Middletown, Dauphin County

Susan Richards & Rob Amsterdam

Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co.

Ann & Kim Seeley

Troy, Bradford County

Catherine & John Smith

Spring Mills, Centre County

Jessie Smith & George ParrHarrisburg, Dauphin County

Lauren & Ian Smith

Aaronsburg, Centre County

Paula & Brian Snyder

Centre Hall, Centre County

Judy & Jonas Stoltzfus


Sysco Central PA, LLC (3 guests)


Lucy & Rob Wood

Glen Rock, York County

Harrisburg Dairies Inc.


www.harrisburgdairies.com

Natural Teas

Journeys End Farm

Newfoundland, Wayne County

www.journeysendfarm.org

Maple SyrupKelchners Horseradish Products

Dublin, Bucks County

www.kelchnershorseradish.com

Horseradish & Whole Grain Mustard

Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm


www.keswickcreamerycheese.com

Yogurt, Feta & Ricotta Cheese

Laurel Vista Farm

Somerset, Somerset County

www.laurelvistafarm.com

Potatoes

Limestone Springs

Richland, Lebanon County

www.limestonespringspreserve.com

Trout

Long Lane Farm

Coburn, Centre County

www.buylocalpa.org

Natural Floral & Vegetable Arrange-

ments

Natural Acres

Millersburg, Dauphin County

www.naturalacres.com

Grass fed Beef Tenderloins

New Morning Farm

Hustontown, Huntingdon County

www.newmorningfarm.net

Celeriac & Rhubarb

Otterbein Acres


Pecorino Sheeps Milk Cheese

Perrydell Farm & DairyYork, York County

www.perrydellfarm.com

Creamery Fresh Ice Cream

Phillips Mushroom Farms

Kennett Square, Chester County

www.phillipsmushroomfarms.com

Button, Crimini, Shiitake, Oyster, &

Portabella Mushrooms

Pipe Dreams

Greencastle, Franklin County

Goats Milk Chevre

Prescotts Patch

Hellam, York County

www.buylocalpa.org

Strawberries

Rice Fruit CompanyGardners, Adams County

www.ricefruit.com

Apples

Shady Acres

Elizabethtown, Lancaster County

Beets

Snyders of Hanover

Hanover, York County

www.snydersofhanover.com

Pretzels

Spiral Path Farm


www.spiralpathfarm.com

Spinach & Spring Onions

Susquehanna Aquacultures

York Haven, York County

Hybrid Striped Bass

Tait Farm Foods

Centre Hall, Centre County

www.taitfarmfoods.com

Balsamic Vi

May-June 2009 Passages Newsletter, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

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Transcript of May-June 2009 Passages Newsletter, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture