Getting $tarted with Your Own Farm Business
Pointers on Starting A Farm
Have you ever thought about starting a farm?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Monday, October 18, 2010
Do You Have What it Takes to be a Farmer? Find Out!
By Taylor Reid
What follows is a 25 question quiz meant as a way for people to begin thinking about whether they have what it takes to be a farmer. It is meant to be fun as well as instructive.
It is based on my own limited observations of ‘successful’ farmers I have known. So it can't possibly judge with complete accuracy a person’s ability to succeed in farming. No exercise like this can. The recommendations based on individual scores are also meant to be anecdotal and fun, to make you think more than to give you actual advice.
So please understand in advance that it may not be the best judge of your own ability: that scoring well will certainly not guarantee success, and that scoring poorly shouldn't stifle your dreams.
Answer each question on a scale of 1-5 where:
1 = No, definitely not, this does not describe me at all.
2 = This is not really, or at least not usually true about me.
3 = I’m okay with this, but not totally, not all of the time, and/or not with everything.
4 = Yes, this is basically true of me in general.
5 = Absolutely, this describes me perfectly.
1) I prefer to work outside no matter what the weather is like.
Answer_____
2) I’m not scared of bugs, fungus, slime, or other things that a lot of people think are gross.
Answer_____
3) I am good at identifying what needs to be done and prioritizing tasks in order of importance.
Answer_____
4) I like financial planning, and am good at taking notes, crunching numbers and evaluating expenditures.
Answer_____
5) I am a good observer, and generally see details that a lot of other people miss.
Answer_____
6) I like tinkering, building things, and am mechanically inclined.
Answer_____
7) I am financially savvy, thrifty, and tend make due with what I have rather than buying new things.
Answer_____
8) When I do buy things, I seldom regret the purchases I’ve made, and tend to use the things I buy.
Answer_____
9) I’m not easily frustrated, and don’t get too upset when stuff doesn’t go my way.
Answer_____
10) Making money is less important to me than accomplishment, and I don’t mind not being ‘rich’ as long as I am happy with the work I do.
Answer_____
11) I don’t tend to wallow in failure. Instead I simply consider it as a lesson and try to do it better the next time around.
Answer_____
12) I like hard, physical work, and don’t mind being tired at the end of the day.
Answer_____
13) I am not easily bored, restless, or frustrated by mundane tasks.
Answer_____
14) I am good at giving direction, and explaining to others how I expect things to be done in a precise and tactful way.
Answer_____
15) I’m better at doing a lot of different things pretty than at doing only one or two things extremely well.
Answer_____
16) I don’t mind being alone, and am happy working by myself for long periods of time.
Answer_____
17) When something breaks I usually try to fix it myself before taking it to a shop.
Answer_____
18) I tend to ‘roll with the punches’ and can accept when things don’t go ‘according to plan’.
Answer_____
19) I like to get up early, get going with my day, and don’t tend to stop until I feel like I’ve accomplished all the things I wanted to get done.
Answer_____
20) I’m comfortable taking risks, and accepting that not everything is within my control.
Answer_____
21) I am constantly looking for new information, and trying to understand how to do the things I do more effectively and efficiently.
Answer_____
22) I don’t need people to tell me I’m doing a good job to be satisfied with the things I accomplish.
Answer_____
23) I am a big picture person, and can see how lots of different small things are related to one another.
Answer_____
24) I’m a good long-term planner, but am comfortable changing my vision when necessary.
Answer_____
25) I love growing plants and/or taking care of animals, and am generally good at keeping them alive and healthy.
Answer_____
TOTAL SCORE _______
EVALUATING YOUR SCORE:
25-50:
Farming probably isn’t right for you. But this means you should appreciate the people who do it, and try to support them by buying food from your local farmers at markets, roadside stands, or through community supported agriculture program.
51-70:
Farming might not be the best career choice for you, but maybe you should learn more about it by visiting some local farms and talking to farmers at your local markets. And you’d probably really enjoy growing some of your own food in your backyard, or better yet, your front yard. And Please support your local farmers.
71-100:
Maybe you are ready to try growing food on a modest scale. You could probably handle a big garden, a few chickens, and maybe even a couple of goats or sheep for milk or meat to provide as much of your own food as possible. You might even try selling a little on the side, to see if you like it.
100-115:
You seem to have what it takes, so maybe you should think about exploring farming as a career option. If you are interested in that, start slow by taking beginning farmer classes, signing up for an internship, or starting to produce crops or livestock on your own land or land owned by a relative or neighbor.
116-125:
You are an exceptional candidate, and you definitely have what it takes to farm. If you choose to consider farming as a career choice, you should begin exploring the steps it will take to get started at http://beginningfarmers.org, with your local extension agent, through a training program, or an apprenticeship. Your choices about where and how to start of will depend on your current knowledge and resource level. Be careful to move slowly and deliberately in order to minimize your risk. Recognize that it won’t be easy, and that success is not guaranteed. But if you are interested in going for it, it's likely that you will find it rewarding and well suited to you.
What follows is a 25 question quiz meant as a way for people to begin thinking about whether they have what it takes to be a farmer. It is meant to be fun as well as instructive.
It is based on my own limited observations of ‘successful’ farmers I have known. So it can't possibly judge with complete accuracy a person’s ability to succeed in farming. No exercise like this can. The recommendations based on individual scores are also meant to be anecdotal and fun, to make you think more than to give you actual advice.
So please understand in advance that it may not be the best judge of your own ability: that scoring well will certainly not guarantee success, and that scoring poorly shouldn't stifle your dreams.
Answer each question on a scale of 1-5 where:
1 = No, definitely not, this does not describe me at all.
2 = This is not really, or at least not usually true about me.
3 = I’m okay with this, but not totally, not all of the time, and/or not with everything.
4 = Yes, this is basically true of me in general.
5 = Absolutely, this describes me perfectly.
1) I prefer to work outside no matter what the weather is like.
Answer_____
2) I’m not scared of bugs, fungus, slime, or other things that a lot of people think are gross.
Answer_____
3) I am good at identifying what needs to be done and prioritizing tasks in order of importance.
Answer_____
4) I like financial planning, and am good at taking notes, crunching numbers and evaluating expenditures.
Answer_____
5) I am a good observer, and generally see details that a lot of other people miss.
Answer_____
6) I like tinkering, building things, and am mechanically inclined.
Answer_____
7) I am financially savvy, thrifty, and tend make due with what I have rather than buying new things.
Answer_____
8) When I do buy things, I seldom regret the purchases I’ve made, and tend to use the things I buy.
Answer_____
9) I’m not easily frustrated, and don’t get too upset when stuff doesn’t go my way.
Answer_____
10) Making money is less important to me than accomplishment, and I don’t mind not being ‘rich’ as long as I am happy with the work I do.
Answer_____
11) I don’t tend to wallow in failure. Instead I simply consider it as a lesson and try to do it better the next time around.
Answer_____
12) I like hard, physical work, and don’t mind being tired at the end of the day.
Answer_____
13) I am not easily bored, restless, or frustrated by mundane tasks.
Answer_____
14) I am good at giving direction, and explaining to others how I expect things to be done in a precise and tactful way.
Answer_____
15) I’m better at doing a lot of different things pretty than at doing only one or two things extremely well.
Answer_____
16) I don’t mind being alone, and am happy working by myself for long periods of time.
Answer_____
17) When something breaks I usually try to fix it myself before taking it to a shop.
Answer_____
18) I tend to ‘roll with the punches’ and can accept when things don’t go ‘according to plan’.
Answer_____
19) I like to get up early, get going with my day, and don’t tend to stop until I feel like I’ve accomplished all the things I wanted to get done.
Answer_____
20) I’m comfortable taking risks, and accepting that not everything is within my control.
Answer_____
21) I am constantly looking for new information, and trying to understand how to do the things I do more effectively and efficiently.
Answer_____
22) I don’t need people to tell me I’m doing a good job to be satisfied with the things I accomplish.
Answer_____
23) I am a big picture person, and can see how lots of different small things are related to one another.
Answer_____
24) I’m a good long-term planner, but am comfortable changing my vision when necessary.
Answer_____
25) I love growing plants and/or taking care of animals, and am generally good at keeping them alive and healthy.
Answer_____
TOTAL SCORE _______
EVALUATING YOUR SCORE:
25-50:
Farming probably isn’t right for you. But this means you should appreciate the people who do it, and try to support them by buying food from your local farmers at markets, roadside stands, or through community supported agriculture program.
51-70:
Farming might not be the best career choice for you, but maybe you should learn more about it by visiting some local farms and talking to farmers at your local markets. And you’d probably really enjoy growing some of your own food in your backyard, or better yet, your front yard. And Please support your local farmers.
71-100:
Maybe you are ready to try growing food on a modest scale. You could probably handle a big garden, a few chickens, and maybe even a couple of goats or sheep for milk or meat to provide as much of your own food as possible. You might even try selling a little on the side, to see if you like it.
100-115:
You seem to have what it takes, so maybe you should think about exploring farming as a career option. If you are interested in that, start slow by taking beginning farmer classes, signing up for an internship, or starting to produce crops or livestock on your own land or land owned by a relative or neighbor.
116-125:
You are an exceptional candidate, and you definitely have what it takes to farm. If you choose to consider farming as a career choice, you should begin exploring the steps it will take to get started at http://beginningfarmers.org, with your local extension agent, through a training program, or an apprenticeship. Your choices about where and how to start of will depend on your current knowledge and resource level. Be careful to move slowly and deliberately in order to minimize your risk. Recognize that it won’t be easy, and that success is not guaranteed. But if you are interested in going for it, it's likely that you will find it rewarding and well suited to you.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Planning a New Farm, Farm Expansion, or Diversification
By Taylor Reid
For aspiring and beginning farmers, the process of choosing what to produce and planning how to begin is an essential essential aspect of developing a successful farming operation. This may seem like a no-brainer, but for many the process can be confusing and challenging. And the careful planning that needs to be taken to maximize your chance of success when developing, expanding, or diversifying a farm is often overlooked and undervalued. The following is a list of free web publications available for those undertaking this process which are designed to make it easier by discussing the many factors that need to be considered.
An excellent set of publications on Enterprise Selection put together by Karen Klonsky, Extension Specialist Department of Agricultural Economics UC Davis, and Patricia Allen, Agroecology Program, UC Santa Cruz as part of the Family Farm Management Series is available HERE.
Larry Lev, from the University of Wyoming has a publication on this issue available HERE.
Penn State University offers a publication called Starting or Diversifying an Agricultural Business.
The University of Kentucky offers a Primer for Selecting New Enterprises for Your Farm.
There is a publication available from the National Sustainable Agriculture information Service (ATTRA) called Evaluating a Rural Enterprise: Marketing and Business Guide.
And the University of Missouri Alternatives center provides a good list of publications on this topic HERE.
For aspiring and beginning farmers, the process of choosing what to produce and planning how to begin is an essential essential aspect of developing a successful farming operation. This may seem like a no-brainer, but for many the process can be confusing and challenging. And the careful planning that needs to be taken to maximize your chance of success when developing, expanding, or diversifying a farm is often overlooked and undervalued. The following is a list of free web publications available for those undertaking this process which are designed to make it easier by discussing the many factors that need to be considered.
An excellent set of publications on Enterprise Selection put together by Karen Klonsky, Extension Specialist Department of Agricultural Economics UC Davis, and Patricia Allen, Agroecology Program, UC Santa Cruz as part of the Family Farm Management Series is available HERE.
Larry Lev, from the University of Wyoming has a publication on this issue available HERE.
Penn State University offers a publication called Starting or Diversifying an Agricultural Business.
The University of Kentucky offers a Primer for Selecting New Enterprises for Your Farm.
There is a publication available from the National Sustainable Agriculture information Service (ATTRA) called Evaluating a Rural Enterprise: Marketing and Business Guide.
And the University of Missouri Alternatives center provides a good list of publications on this topic HERE.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Biography of Maynard Kaufman, an Organic Pioneer and Farmer Educator: Part 2
By Taylor Reid
In this, Part 2 of my biography of Maynard Kaufman, I explore his commitment to organic as not just a system of production, but a way of life; his role in the founding of Organic Growers of Michigan and Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA; http://www.moffa.org); and his latest projects - including his off-the-grid house, and his recently completed book: Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality.
Since its inception, the philosophy and practice of organic agriculture, in the true sense, has been grounded in its progressive, principled, benevolent, and holistic set of moral convictions (Conford 2001). Few people have developed or articulated these elements as reflectively, analytically, earnestly, or purposefully as Maynard Kaufman. In his proposal for the School of Homesteading, Maynard asserts that “the ethos of the new homesteading movement…involves a total re-appropriation of oneself and one’s world, and [that] to this extent it depends upon a change as radical as a religious conversion” (1972). For him it involved the search for authenticity, for a more genuine, integrated way of living and engaging with the world (2004). “My strong feeling is that we have too long perpetuated…a vicious dualism between mind and body, theory and practice, scientific detachment and emotional involvement, so that the strains imposed by these dualism's are reverberating throughout the entire ecosystem. In fact we are not disembodied spirits” he argues, “but spirited bodies; as such we are not detached but involved with each other and with the total environment…” (1972).
MOFFA’s origin is rooted in the history of the Organic Growers of Michigan Cooperative (OGM). Founded in the same year as the School of Homesteading by a group of “organic farmers, fruit growers and market gardeners” dedicated to promoting the production and marketing of organic food (Yaeger 1973), OGM is still in existence today, though struggling to find its role in the new organic landscape. By August of 1973, it had established the second organic certification program in the US, and was regularly attracting well over 50 people to its meetings. Maynard and Sally Kaufman were founding members of the organization, and were among the first group of organic growers certified by OGM that year. Over the next two decades he and Sally remained active members, and served in a variety of leadership roles on both the local and state level, and were regular contributors to the organization’s newsletter. In 1974, Maynard published a four part series of articles entitled "Alternatives to Agribusiness" (Kaufman 1974). Many of the ideas embodied in this work were more famously presented by Wendell Berry in The Unsettling of America (1977) several years later, and it is remarkable how many of Maynard’s observations from this writing remain relevant today. In it he critiques the conventional agricultural system’s focus on productivity, and its environmental and social costs, and articulates the value of small farms, traditional knowledge, and an ecologically balanced, holistic approach to farming.
Sally Kaufman passed away on March 30th of 1990. In an October issue of the Michigan Land Trustees Newsletter (http://www.michiganlandtrust.org), one former School of Homesteading student writes: “Her untimely death is a mystery. I am moved by the strength and beauty of Sally’s and your courage, honesty and simplicity. I have always been moved and uplifted by these qualities in both of you-even when I was too young and inarticulate to realize it...”. Despite the loss of his longtime partner, Maynard continued his work within the organic movement.
In the late 1980’s, OGM had become dependent on the efforts of a few volunteers who were beginning to suffer from burnout and overwork. Organic farming was changing, and so were the organization’s needs. As a result, Maynard spearheaded an effort to transition OGM from a business co-op to a charitable organization, eligible for grant money, and able to focus its efforts more efficiently. This proposal bogged down due to logistical constraints and legal advice which suggested that such a change would be difficult to negotiate. Rather than giving up, members who had been working for the change decided instead to form a new organization. In January of 1992, it was incorporated as a tax-exempt, charitable organization called Michigan Organic Growers Advancement Project or MOGAP, with the help of a memorial fund for Sally, which she had requested be used to facilitate the efforts of OGM (Kaufman 1998). Maynard became the first MOGAP chair, with Pat Whetham, still a member of the MOFFA board, as vice-chair.
MOGAP and OGM worked closely together for the first year. In the summer and fall of 1993 MOGAP leaders held a series of intensive strategic planning meetings aimed at building a broader and more comprehensive vision. As a result of this process, MOGAP became MOFFA and developed a mission to “promote the development food systems that rely on organic methods of food production, and that revitalize and sustain local communities”. This represented a shift away from OGM and the recognition that a healthy food ‘system’ entails more than just farming. Local food became an important focus, and efforts to involve consumers in the process were initiated. Over the years Maynard secured almost $15,000 in grant money for the organization, and he remained board chairman until 1997. Early last year, Maynard stepped down from the MOFFA board in order to concentrate more fully on his recently published book (see below).
Several years ago, Maynard sold two sections of his School of Homesteading farm, and they have been kept in organic production. He now lives with his wife Barbara Geisler, whom he met through his activity in the Southwest Michigan Green party, a group he founded in 1987, in an energy efficient off-the-grid solar house they helped to design. The story of this house, and of Maynard and Barbara’s commitment to energy independence, democracy, and ecological stewardship can be found on the web at http://www.michiganlandtrust.org/Sunflower.htm.
Maynard and Barbara's 'Off the Grid' Home in Bangor, MI
Through the years Maynard had not only been a dedicated activist, but continued his scholarship and contributions to progressive thought. His publications have included “Visions for the Future of Agriculture” in 1984; “The Pastoral Ideal and Sustainable Agriculture” and “The Emerging Green Culture” in 1985; “From Domination to Cooperation: Ethical and Economic Motivations Toward Sustainable Food Systems” in 1988; “Guerilla Gardening: A Way to Oppose NAFTA” in 1993; and “The Need for a Third Way in Economics” in 1995. He has published many other pieces in various publications including the MOFFA newsletter, and has been invited to speak at a number of conferences and forums. In 2005, he delivered the Keynote Address at MOFFA's Organic Farming Conference entitled “Organic Farming and the Organic Way of Life”.
In this presentation he said “There is an ecological ethic which is rooted in our commitment to organic farming and then proceeds from there to shape the rest of our lives, an ethic which prompts us to work and live in harmony with nature…Most people in the modern world are technological optimists; they seek the power to control nature, and this is a diabolical power… I think that large corporations are the most devastating threat we have ever had to confront. By ‘we’ I mean all people on the planet, but especially organic farmers. And ‘large corporations’ I mean those that seek to control energy, food, and seed supplies on a global scale.” He concludes “…by urging organic farmers to recognize how vitally important it is that you affirm the broader implications of organic farming. You do a great deal more than raise good food. As you embody the organic way of life, based on your vision of the whole picture, your dissenting presence is a reminder that this is a democracy”.
Maynard's recently published book Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality is an examination of how Americans will deal with the end of cheap oil. It "explains how our materialistic values evolved to make us such wasteful consumers and how corporations profit at our expense". "The bad news", he contends, "is that rising prices of oil may bankrupt our economy unless we learn how to reduce our energy use. The good news is that earth-centered values are being affirmed by increasing numbers of people. The book shows how earth-centered spirituality can help us live more modestly on the earth and preserve the climate(Kaufman, 2008)." Above all, it is a fascinating, thoughtful, and timely analysis of the social, political, and religious roots of America’s oil dependence, an the possibility for a spiritually based paradigm shift which will help us adapt to the impending post-petroleum era. The book can be ordered through Xlibris Corporation (1-888-795-4274; http://www.xlibris.com; or Orders@Xlibris.com)
Maynard’s commitment to organic agriculture has always embodied more than just a way of growing food. It is about a way of living, of challenging the evils of society, and of hoping to build a better world. And as this two part biography has shown, he has done much more than just pontificate about this point. Maynard Kaufman has always walked his talk, and we owe him a great deal of respect and gratitude for his contributions to our organization, and to our movement. He is truly an organic pioneer in the broadest sense of the term, and the many contributions his life and work has made to the promotion of these ideals our sincere admiration and gratitude.
References
Berry, Wendell. 1977. The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
Conford, Philip. 2001. The Origins of the Organic Movement. Edinburgh: Floris Books.
Kaufman, Maynard. 1972. "Proposal for a School of Homesteading." Western Michigan University:16 pp.
—. 1974. "Alternatives to Agribusiness: Parts 1-4." Organic Growers of Michigan Newsletter September, October, November, December.
—. 1998. "The First Twenty Five Years: A Short History of OGM." OGM Southwest Chapter Newsletter January.
—. 2004. "How I Discovered My Teaching Vocation." (Unpublished):7 pp.
—. 2008. Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality. Xlibris Corporation, http://www.xlibris.com.
Yaeger, John. 1973. "Letter to Potential Members of Organic Growers of Michigan."
This article was originally published under the title "Walking the Talk with Both Feet on the Earth: A Biography of Maynard Kaufman, Organic Pioneer - Part II" in Michigan Organic Connections. 13(1): pp.4-5, 2007.
In this, Part 2 of my biography of Maynard Kaufman, I explore his commitment to organic as not just a system of production, but a way of life; his role in the founding of Organic Growers of Michigan and Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA; http://www.moffa.org); and his latest projects - including his off-the-grid house, and his recently completed book: Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality.
Since its inception, the philosophy and practice of organic agriculture, in the true sense, has been grounded in its progressive, principled, benevolent, and holistic set of moral convictions (Conford 2001). Few people have developed or articulated these elements as reflectively, analytically, earnestly, or purposefully as Maynard Kaufman. In his proposal for the School of Homesteading, Maynard asserts that “the ethos of the new homesteading movement…involves a total re-appropriation of oneself and one’s world, and [that] to this extent it depends upon a change as radical as a religious conversion” (1972). For him it involved the search for authenticity, for a more genuine, integrated way of living and engaging with the world (2004). “My strong feeling is that we have too long perpetuated…a vicious dualism between mind and body, theory and practice, scientific detachment and emotional involvement, so that the strains imposed by these dualism's are reverberating throughout the entire ecosystem. In fact we are not disembodied spirits” he argues, “but spirited bodies; as such we are not detached but involved with each other and with the total environment…” (1972).
MOFFA’s origin is rooted in the history of the Organic Growers of Michigan Cooperative (OGM). Founded in the same year as the School of Homesteading by a group of “organic farmers, fruit growers and market gardeners” dedicated to promoting the production and marketing of organic food (Yaeger 1973), OGM is still in existence today, though struggling to find its role in the new organic landscape. By August of 1973, it had established the second organic certification program in the US, and was regularly attracting well over 50 people to its meetings. Maynard and Sally Kaufman were founding members of the organization, and were among the first group of organic growers certified by OGM that year. Over the next two decades he and Sally remained active members, and served in a variety of leadership roles on both the local and state level, and were regular contributors to the organization’s newsletter. In 1974, Maynard published a four part series of articles entitled "Alternatives to Agribusiness" (Kaufman 1974). Many of the ideas embodied in this work were more famously presented by Wendell Berry in The Unsettling of America (1977) several years later, and it is remarkable how many of Maynard’s observations from this writing remain relevant today. In it he critiques the conventional agricultural system’s focus on productivity, and its environmental and social costs, and articulates the value of small farms, traditional knowledge, and an ecologically balanced, holistic approach to farming.
Sally Kaufman passed away on March 30th of 1990. In an October issue of the Michigan Land Trustees Newsletter (http://www.michiganlandtrust.org), one former School of Homesteading student writes: “Her untimely death is a mystery. I am moved by the strength and beauty of Sally’s and your courage, honesty and simplicity. I have always been moved and uplifted by these qualities in both of you-even when I was too young and inarticulate to realize it...”. Despite the loss of his longtime partner, Maynard continued his work within the organic movement.
In the late 1980’s, OGM had become dependent on the efforts of a few volunteers who were beginning to suffer from burnout and overwork. Organic farming was changing, and so were the organization’s needs. As a result, Maynard spearheaded an effort to transition OGM from a business co-op to a charitable organization, eligible for grant money, and able to focus its efforts more efficiently. This proposal bogged down due to logistical constraints and legal advice which suggested that such a change would be difficult to negotiate. Rather than giving up, members who had been working for the change decided instead to form a new organization. In January of 1992, it was incorporated as a tax-exempt, charitable organization called Michigan Organic Growers Advancement Project or MOGAP, with the help of a memorial fund for Sally, which she had requested be used to facilitate the efforts of OGM (Kaufman 1998). Maynard became the first MOGAP chair, with Pat Whetham, still a member of the MOFFA board, as vice-chair.
MOGAP and OGM worked closely together for the first year. In the summer and fall of 1993 MOGAP leaders held a series of intensive strategic planning meetings aimed at building a broader and more comprehensive vision. As a result of this process, MOGAP became MOFFA and developed a mission to “promote the development food systems that rely on organic methods of food production, and that revitalize and sustain local communities”. This represented a shift away from OGM and the recognition that a healthy food ‘system’ entails more than just farming. Local food became an important focus, and efforts to involve consumers in the process were initiated. Over the years Maynard secured almost $15,000 in grant money for the organization, and he remained board chairman until 1997. Early last year, Maynard stepped down from the MOFFA board in order to concentrate more fully on his recently published book (see below).
Several years ago, Maynard sold two sections of his School of Homesteading farm, and they have been kept in organic production. He now lives with his wife Barbara Geisler, whom he met through his activity in the Southwest Michigan Green party, a group he founded in 1987, in an energy efficient off-the-grid solar house they helped to design. The story of this house, and of Maynard and Barbara’s commitment to energy independence, democracy, and ecological stewardship can be found on the web at http://www.michiganlandtrust.org/Sunflower.htm.
Maynard and Barbara's 'Off the Grid' Home in Bangor, MIThrough the years Maynard had not only been a dedicated activist, but continued his scholarship and contributions to progressive thought. His publications have included “Visions for the Future of Agriculture” in 1984; “The Pastoral Ideal and Sustainable Agriculture” and “The Emerging Green Culture” in 1985; “From Domination to Cooperation: Ethical and Economic Motivations Toward Sustainable Food Systems” in 1988; “Guerilla Gardening: A Way to Oppose NAFTA” in 1993; and “The Need for a Third Way in Economics” in 1995. He has published many other pieces in various publications including the MOFFA newsletter, and has been invited to speak at a number of conferences and forums. In 2005, he delivered the Keynote Address at MOFFA's Organic Farming Conference entitled “Organic Farming and the Organic Way of Life”.
In this presentation he said “There is an ecological ethic which is rooted in our commitment to organic farming and then proceeds from there to shape the rest of our lives, an ethic which prompts us to work and live in harmony with nature…Most people in the modern world are technological optimists; they seek the power to control nature, and this is a diabolical power… I think that large corporations are the most devastating threat we have ever had to confront. By ‘we’ I mean all people on the planet, but especially organic farmers. And ‘large corporations’ I mean those that seek to control energy, food, and seed supplies on a global scale.” He concludes “…by urging organic farmers to recognize how vitally important it is that you affirm the broader implications of organic farming. You do a great deal more than raise good food. As you embody the organic way of life, based on your vision of the whole picture, your dissenting presence is a reminder that this is a democracy”.
Maynard's recently published book Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality is an examination of how Americans will deal with the end of cheap oil. It "explains how our materialistic values evolved to make us such wasteful consumers and how corporations profit at our expense". "The bad news", he contends, "is that rising prices of oil may bankrupt our economy unless we learn how to reduce our energy use. The good news is that earth-centered values are being affirmed by increasing numbers of people. The book shows how earth-centered spirituality can help us live more modestly on the earth and preserve the climate(Kaufman, 2008)." Above all, it is a fascinating, thoughtful, and timely analysis of the social, political, and religious roots of America’s oil dependence, an the possibility for a spiritually based paradigm shift which will help us adapt to the impending post-petroleum era. The book can be ordered through Xlibris Corporation (1-888-795-4274; http://www.xlibris.com; or Orders@Xlibris.com)
Maynard’s commitment to organic agriculture has always embodied more than just a way of growing food. It is about a way of living, of challenging the evils of society, and of hoping to build a better world. And as this two part biography has shown, he has done much more than just pontificate about this point. Maynard Kaufman has always walked his talk, and we owe him a great deal of respect and gratitude for his contributions to our organization, and to our movement. He is truly an organic pioneer in the broadest sense of the term, and the many contributions his life and work has made to the promotion of these ideals our sincere admiration and gratitude.
References
Berry, Wendell. 1977. The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
Conford, Philip. 2001. The Origins of the Organic Movement. Edinburgh: Floris Books.
Kaufman, Maynard. 1972. "Proposal for a School of Homesteading." Western Michigan University:16 pp.
—. 1974. "Alternatives to Agribusiness: Parts 1-4." Organic Growers of Michigan Newsletter September, October, November, December.
—. 1998. "The First Twenty Five Years: A Short History of OGM." OGM Southwest Chapter Newsletter January.
—. 2004. "How I Discovered My Teaching Vocation." (Unpublished):7 pp.
—. 2008. Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality. Xlibris Corporation, http://www.xlibris.com.
Yaeger, John. 1973. "Letter to Potential Members of Organic Growers of Michigan."
This article was originally published under the title "Walking the Talk with Both Feet on the Earth: A Biography of Maynard Kaufman, Organic Pioneer - Part II" in Michigan Organic Connections. 13(1): pp.4-5, 2007.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Biography of Maynard Kaufman, an Organic Pioneer and Farmer Educator: Part 1
By Taylor Reid
Since the early 1970’s, Maynard Kaufman has been a known to many of us as a fiend, farmer, activist, mentor, author, orator, organizer, innovator, and a thoughtful, humble, enigmatic individual. To truly appreciate his contributions, however, it is also important to know a little bit about how he came to be all of these things.
Born in 1929 on a farm in South Dakota, Maynard left his agricultural roots as a young man to pursue a different kind of life. Although he would return to farming many years later, he “…certainly had to leave the farm first…and move to the city and get an education” (Personal Interview, 4/17/06). He studied English and Philosophy at Bethel College in Kansas, before going on to earn his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion and Literature from the University of Chicago Divinity School. In 1963 he became a Faculty Member in the Religion Department at Western Michigan University where he was quite successful as an academic, publishing a number of scholarly articles, attending conferences, and receiving special recognition for his hands-on teaching methods and involvement with students outside of the classroom. He would later reflect that “…learning is a process that involves both mind and body, that hands-on activity [is] not an alternative to learning but a vital component of the learning process” (Kaufman 2004).
At the same time that he was proving himself a capable scholar and educator, Maynard moved to a small farm in the country with his wife Sally and their 6 children in 1967. It was here that he began to rediscover his agricultural roots, and rebuild his connection to the land. Maynard’s brother, a minister, once wrote that “Maynard went to the university and became an academic, but he couldn’t get the farm out of his system” (Personal interview, 4/17/06). Over a period of several years, he and Sally worked to hone their farming skills with diligence and passion. Influenced by the cultural changes of the 1960’s, Maynard began experimenting with organic farming, and as his ideas gradually shifted, so too did his academic interests. In 1971 he was active in develop an Environmental Studies Program at WMU, and in 1971 spent a sabbatical leave with his wife Sally ‘studying’ communes throughout the US and Canada. This project eventually culminated in the publication of a particularly successful essay entitled The New Homesteading Movement: From Utopia to Eutopia (Kaufman 1972), which was reprinted in a number of sources.
The essay formed the scholarly rationale for the development of a ‘School of Homesteading’, which he proposed to WMU in January of 1972 (Kaufman 1972b). During his sabbatical, Maynard had recognized the need for the development of practical farming skills within the new back-to-land movement, and “had been in contact with a growing number of young people who [were] as enthusiastic about living on the land as they [were] disillusioned with the kind of acculturation promoted by the traditional academic system of education” (Kaufman 1972b). He was also motivated by the personal desire for a more ‘authentic’ and ‘integrated’ way of life, and a way to cut his war-tax contribution (Kaufman 2004). In 1972 he and Sally bought a 100 acre farm in Bangor, he was granted a half-time leave of absence, and in 1973 and the program/experiment/experience began. Throughout the 1970’s and 80’s the School of Homesteading was featured in numerous news articles with national circulation and continued to attract students, mostly from suburban backgrounds. It would continue for over two decades. According to Maynard, “Students were encouraged to discover themselves and this is what it helped them to do in many ways” (Personal Interview, 5/3/05).
A Barn at Maynard Kaufman's 'School of Homesteading'
As a result of the publicity generated by the school, Maynard was approached by Joe Filonowicz, “a good hearted industrialist from the Detroit area” (Kaufman 2005), about the possibility of establishing a land trust so that the program’s graduates could have access to farmland . In 1976, Maynard and several others established Michigan Land Trustees, a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation “dedicated to preserving the health and vitality of the people-land interface” (http://www.michiganlandtrust.org/). Filonowicz purchased land adjacent to the school, and Maynard spearheaded an effort to develop a ‘homesteading curriculum’ at WMU (Kaufman 1976). The University provided an instructor for the program, and continued to offer homesteading courses for several years (Kaufman 2004). The land trust farm was eventually sold to two former instructors, and a significant portion of the proceeds from this sale ($10,000) were donated to the Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA; http://www.moffa.org)
and used to hire our first Executive Director on a part-time basis.
Maynard retired from WMU in 1986. The following year he established the Southwest Michigan Greens, and continued to work on Green Party issues at the local, state, and nation level until 1992. These efforts serve to underscore not only the breadth of his activity in promoting progressive causes, but also his belief in the inherent interrelation between political, environmental, social, cultural, and economic factors which continue to be dominated by a short-sighted and inevitably destructive paradigm based on human exceptionalism, the control of nature, worship of power, and technological optimism - trends he has described as ‘demonic’ (Kaufman 2003; Kaufman 2005b).
Historically, he argues, “…the raising of the food required the sacred, and food itself was sacred because it assured the regeneration of life... [through]…the regenerative power of nature… [As] personal involvement was replaced by scientific technique…the worship of power did not simply end. Rather, as people lost a sense for the sacred power in nature they gained a new respect for the power to control nature. The scientist in his white lab coat replaced the priest or shaman as our sacred hero… Most people in the modern world worship the power to control nature, and this is a diabolical power. Remember how Faust [in Goethe’s famous work], our modern culture hero, sought power from the Devil to control and manipulate nature. Remember how Jesus, after fasting in the wilderness, was tempted by the devil who offered him power in return for adoration. Worldly power is demonic” (Kaufman 2003).
Whether from an academic, spiritual, pragmatic, or any other informed moral perspective, it is hard to refute Maynard’s contention that “During the past quarter century or so , this demonic power has become fully manifest as it has made a quantum leap in economic concentration. This is the power of multinational corporations, who hire scientists and polititians to do their will” (Kaufman 2003).
References
Kaufman, Maynard. 1972. "The New Homesteading Movement: From Utopia to Eutopia." Pp. 63-82 in The Family, Communes, and Utopian Societies, edited by S. Te Selle. New York, NY: Harper Torchbooksd.
—. 1972b. "Proposal for a School of Homesteading." Pp. 16: Western Michigan University.
—. 1976. "Proposal for A Homesteading Curriculum At Western Michigan University." Pp. 5: WMU.
—. 2003. "Food Systems: Sacred, Profane, and Demonic." in A Talk Sponsored by 'Fair Food Matters'. Kalamazoo, MI.
—. 2004. "How I Discovered My Teaching Vocation." (Unpublished):7 pp.
—. 2005. "My Role in the Organic Movement." (Unpublished).
—. 2005b. "Keynote Address: Organic Farning and the Organic Way of Life." in Michigan Organic Agriculture Conference. East Lansing, Michigan.
This article was originally published under the title "Walking the Talk with Both Feet on the Earth: A Biography of Maynard Kaufman, Organic Pioneer - Part I" in Michigan Organic Connections. 12(4): pp.7-8, 2006.
Since the early 1970’s, Maynard Kaufman has been a known to many of us as a fiend, farmer, activist, mentor, author, orator, organizer, innovator, and a thoughtful, humble, enigmatic individual. To truly appreciate his contributions, however, it is also important to know a little bit about how he came to be all of these things.
Born in 1929 on a farm in South Dakota, Maynard left his agricultural roots as a young man to pursue a different kind of life. Although he would return to farming many years later, he “…certainly had to leave the farm first…and move to the city and get an education” (Personal Interview, 4/17/06). He studied English and Philosophy at Bethel College in Kansas, before going on to earn his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion and Literature from the University of Chicago Divinity School. In 1963 he became a Faculty Member in the Religion Department at Western Michigan University where he was quite successful as an academic, publishing a number of scholarly articles, attending conferences, and receiving special recognition for his hands-on teaching methods and involvement with students outside of the classroom. He would later reflect that “…learning is a process that involves both mind and body, that hands-on activity [is] not an alternative to learning but a vital component of the learning process” (Kaufman 2004).
At the same time that he was proving himself a capable scholar and educator, Maynard moved to a small farm in the country with his wife Sally and their 6 children in 1967. It was here that he began to rediscover his agricultural roots, and rebuild his connection to the land. Maynard’s brother, a minister, once wrote that “Maynard went to the university and became an academic, but he couldn’t get the farm out of his system” (Personal interview, 4/17/06). Over a period of several years, he and Sally worked to hone their farming skills with diligence and passion. Influenced by the cultural changes of the 1960’s, Maynard began experimenting with organic farming, and as his ideas gradually shifted, so too did his academic interests. In 1971 he was active in develop an Environmental Studies Program at WMU, and in 1971 spent a sabbatical leave with his wife Sally ‘studying’ communes throughout the US and Canada. This project eventually culminated in the publication of a particularly successful essay entitled The New Homesteading Movement: From Utopia to Eutopia (Kaufman 1972), which was reprinted in a number of sources.
The essay formed the scholarly rationale for the development of a ‘School of Homesteading’, which he proposed to WMU in January of 1972 (Kaufman 1972b). During his sabbatical, Maynard had recognized the need for the development of practical farming skills within the new back-to-land movement, and “had been in contact with a growing number of young people who [were] as enthusiastic about living on the land as they [were] disillusioned with the kind of acculturation promoted by the traditional academic system of education” (Kaufman 1972b). He was also motivated by the personal desire for a more ‘authentic’ and ‘integrated’ way of life, and a way to cut his war-tax contribution (Kaufman 2004). In 1972 he and Sally bought a 100 acre farm in Bangor, he was granted a half-time leave of absence, and in 1973 and the program/experiment/experience began. Throughout the 1970’s and 80’s the School of Homesteading was featured in numerous news articles with national circulation and continued to attract students, mostly from suburban backgrounds. It would continue for over two decades. According to Maynard, “Students were encouraged to discover themselves and this is what it helped them to do in many ways” (Personal Interview, 5/3/05).
A Barn at Maynard Kaufman's 'School of Homesteading'As a result of the publicity generated by the school, Maynard was approached by Joe Filonowicz, “a good hearted industrialist from the Detroit area” (Kaufman 2005), about the possibility of establishing a land trust so that the program’s graduates could have access to farmland . In 1976, Maynard and several others established Michigan Land Trustees, a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation “dedicated to preserving the health and vitality of the people-land interface” (http://www.michiganlandtrust.org/). Filonowicz purchased land adjacent to the school, and Maynard spearheaded an effort to develop a ‘homesteading curriculum’ at WMU (Kaufman 1976). The University provided an instructor for the program, and continued to offer homesteading courses for several years (Kaufman 2004). The land trust farm was eventually sold to two former instructors, and a significant portion of the proceeds from this sale ($10,000) were donated to the Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA; http://www.moffa.org)
and used to hire our first Executive Director on a part-time basis.
Maynard retired from WMU in 1986. The following year he established the Southwest Michigan Greens, and continued to work on Green Party issues at the local, state, and nation level until 1992. These efforts serve to underscore not only the breadth of his activity in promoting progressive causes, but also his belief in the inherent interrelation between political, environmental, social, cultural, and economic factors which continue to be dominated by a short-sighted and inevitably destructive paradigm based on human exceptionalism, the control of nature, worship of power, and technological optimism - trends he has described as ‘demonic’ (Kaufman 2003; Kaufman 2005b).
Historically, he argues, “…the raising of the food required the sacred, and food itself was sacred because it assured the regeneration of life... [through]…the regenerative power of nature… [As] personal involvement was replaced by scientific technique…the worship of power did not simply end. Rather, as people lost a sense for the sacred power in nature they gained a new respect for the power to control nature. The scientist in his white lab coat replaced the priest or shaman as our sacred hero… Most people in the modern world worship the power to control nature, and this is a diabolical power. Remember how Faust [in Goethe’s famous work], our modern culture hero, sought power from the Devil to control and manipulate nature. Remember how Jesus, after fasting in the wilderness, was tempted by the devil who offered him power in return for adoration. Worldly power is demonic” (Kaufman 2003).
Whether from an academic, spiritual, pragmatic, or any other informed moral perspective, it is hard to refute Maynard’s contention that “During the past quarter century or so , this demonic power has become fully manifest as it has made a quantum leap in economic concentration. This is the power of multinational corporations, who hire scientists and polititians to do their will” (Kaufman 2003).
References
Kaufman, Maynard. 1972. "The New Homesteading Movement: From Utopia to Eutopia." Pp. 63-82 in The Family, Communes, and Utopian Societies, edited by S. Te Selle. New York, NY: Harper Torchbooksd.
—. 1972b. "Proposal for a School of Homesteading." Pp. 16: Western Michigan University.
—. 1976. "Proposal for A Homesteading Curriculum At Western Michigan University." Pp. 5: WMU.
—. 2003. "Food Systems: Sacred, Profane, and Demonic." in A Talk Sponsored by 'Fair Food Matters'. Kalamazoo, MI.
—. 2004. "How I Discovered My Teaching Vocation." (Unpublished):7 pp.
—. 2005. "My Role in the Organic Movement." (Unpublished).
—. 2005b. "Keynote Address: Organic Farning and the Organic Way of Life." in Michigan Organic Agriculture Conference. East Lansing, Michigan.
This article was originally published under the title "Walking the Talk with Both Feet on the Earth: A Biography of Maynard Kaufman, Organic Pioneer - Part I" in Michigan Organic Connections. 12(4): pp.7-8, 2006.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
New Farmer Trends and the Need for More Support
By Taylor Reid
This article was originally published online at About Harvest: October 19th, 2009
Over the past century, the percentage of the U.S. population actively engaged in agricultural production has dropped to less than 2%. The average age of American farmers is also steadily increasing, rising from 55.3 years in 2002, to 57.1 years in 2007. And the number of principal farm operators over the age of 75 increased by 20% in that same period. Perhaps even more worrisome is the fact that the number of operators under 25 decreased by 30% over that time (USDA-NASS, 2009).
Evidence suggests that the net decline in farm numbers “…[is] accounted for primarily by slow or declining rates of entry into farming, rather than by a high or by an increased rate of exit from farming” (Buttel, Jackson-Smith et al., 1999 p.2, emphasis in original). Barriers to entry for young farmers raise concerns about American food security, agricultural sustainability, and the effectiveness of existing programs meant to help new entrants begin farming (Dodson and Koenig, 1995).
The most recent census data show a significant level of new farmer entry, primarily on small farms (less than 100 acres) (USDA-NASS, 2009). Yet the cause of this trend and its potential durability are poorly understood. The practice of farming is fraught with innumerable risks and challenges, is physically demanding, and requires long hours. It offers little possibility for providing the level of economic remuneration or social status which most in our society have come to associate with personal fulfillment and success (Diener, Oishi, and Lucas 2003). As a professional choice, farming remains decidedly outside of the mainstream.
Over the past several years, research institutions, government agencies, and non-profit groups have increasingly focused attention on developing programs which promote new farmer education and establishment. Several Land Grant Universities have established student farms and farmer education curricula. A significant number of new farmer training programs are also emerging from private organizations like the Land Stewardship Project in Minnesota and a number of other organizations who have adopted their Farm Beginnings Program curriculum; Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in Wisconsin; and the New England Small Farm Institute to name but a few. Public Universities such as Michigan State, Wisconsin, UC Santa Cruz, and others have been part of this trend as well. Many states have developed targeted loan programs for new farmers. And the 2008 Farm Bill includes significant increases in funding for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Programs.
These efforts should clearly be lauded. But although they are encouraging and absolutely necessary, they are just beginning to take hold. And there is no indication that they will, by themselves, be effective in facilitating the large scale increases in new farmer entry and retention needed to rebuild a truly sustainable food and agricultural system. In order for new farmer development efforts to be useful and to proliferate, we must build on the successes and the lessons that these programs have provided. We also need to work diligently to help them identify and connect with the right audience, provide it with the most appropriate and realistic information available, and target resources toward the areas of greatest need and potential efficacy.
To this end, new research needs to focus on the strategies, processes, and innovations that new farmers actually use to establish successful operations. In particular, this involves developing a meaningful understanding of who these farmers are, the ways in which they understand themselves, the processes through which they make decisions about how to farm, and their relationships with the structural, personal, social, and normative elements which inform and influence these decisions.
There is clearly a need for more research, collaboration, accounting, and data collection in this area. And we must work together to try to build on the valuable resources and programs that are currently emerging in order to develop the information resources necessary to promote the successful establishment of a new generation of farmers we will need to secure a sustainable, healthy, and functional food system for the future.
References
Buttel, F.H.,Jackson-Smith, D.B., Barham, B., Mallarkey, D., and L. Chen (1999). Entry Into Wisconsin Dairying: Patterns, Processes, and Policy Implications – PATS
Research Report No. 4. Program on Agricultural Technology Studies. University of Wisconsin, Madison: 13 pp. Diener, E.,Oishi, S., and E. Lucas (2003). “Personality, Culture, and Subjective Well-Being: Emotional and Cognitive Evaluations of Life.” Annual Review of Psychology 54:403-425.
Dodson, C. and S. Koenig (1995). Young Commercial Farmers: Their Financial Structure and Credit Sources. Agricultural Income and Finance Situation Outlook Report, USDA Economic Research Service. 56: 40-44.
This article was originally published online at About Harvest: October 19th, 2009
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Starting a Farm
By Taylor Reid
People often ask me really general questions about starting a farm. When they do I tend to give them really general answers. Here's a recent e-mail exchange I had with someone who was thinking about farming, and wanted some general advice.
Q: I am interesting in starting a small farm but I do not have any money for start up cost or anything. What do you recommend I start out growing to make the most of the little land I have so that maybe one day I can grow?
A: I would recommend trying a wide variety of high value vegetable crops to find out what you can grow best, what you can market, and what grows best on your land. Salad mixes are a money maker for a lot of small local farmers, and people always want tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, peppers, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, herbs, squash and other basics. Of the fruit crops, strawberries are the quickest to establish, and can bring a good price.
Try the basics first, then maybe branch out into more exotic crops. Think about a succession of crops that will allow you to spread your labor and harvest out through the season if you don't want to do all the work at one time.
Annual seeds are inexpensive, so if you are starting out with limited funds, this is a good way to learn on the cheap. Take good notes on your practices, problems, yields, sales, etc. so when you are ready to apply for a loan to increase the size of your operation, you can present a potential lender with evidence that you have experience, have thought out your strategy, and are able to develop an enterprise budget. This will help them to be confident that you are not a risk.
You can find more information about production and business planning at: http://www.beginningfarmers.org
People often ask me really general questions about starting a farm. When they do I tend to give them really general answers. Here's a recent e-mail exchange I had with someone who was thinking about farming, and wanted some general advice.
Q: I am interesting in starting a small farm but I do not have any money for start up cost or anything. What do you recommend I start out growing to make the most of the little land I have so that maybe one day I can grow?
A: I would recommend trying a wide variety of high value vegetable crops to find out what you can grow best, what you can market, and what grows best on your land. Salad mixes are a money maker for a lot of small local farmers, and people always want tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, peppers, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, herbs, squash and other basics. Of the fruit crops, strawberries are the quickest to establish, and can bring a good price.
Try the basics first, then maybe branch out into more exotic crops. Think about a succession of crops that will allow you to spread your labor and harvest out through the season if you don't want to do all the work at one time.
Annual seeds are inexpensive, so if you are starting out with limited funds, this is a good way to learn on the cheap. Take good notes on your practices, problems, yields, sales, etc. so when you are ready to apply for a loan to increase the size of your operation, you can present a potential lender with evidence that you have experience, have thought out your strategy, and are able to develop an enterprise budget. This will help them to be confident that you are not a risk.
You can find more information about production and business planning at: http://www.beginningfarmers.org
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