Small Farms

Do you make something on your farm that could be sold online?  If so, you are not alone.  There are many farmers that are earning a second stream of income from products that are either produced on their property or are made from what they produce.

Some products that you’ll find online from farmers include:

• Goat’s milk soap
• Dressed heritage turkeys
• Wine
• Garlic
• Syrup
• Honey
• Beeswax candles

These are just a few of the many things that can be marketed online.  If you live in a rural area and have nowhere to sell your products, perhaps starting your own website would be profitable.  After writing about the cost of vendors insurance for farmer’s markets in my post yesterday, I realized that selling online is definitely cheaper than paying for a summertime vendors license and insurance!

If the thought of setting up your own website frightens you, there is always help available, and with the right people it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.  One of my favorite website companies that can help you integrate a shopping system into your website is Homestead.com .  You could literally setup a website today and be online selling tomorrow (even earlier if you don’t want a personalized domain name).

If you have any questions about setting up a website, don’t hesitate to drop me a line here in the comments section.  I’m a webmaster and would like to see you succeed on the Internet!

~~Charlotte

SmallFarms4You.com

I love farmer’s markets.  Whether I’m selling merchandise or just enjoying shopping there, it makes for a festive atmosphere.  If you’ve never been to one, even to look around, you may be missing out.  Each one has a different atmosphere- many of the people working there have been friends for a long time.  The vendors look out for each other, sometimes sell for each other and swap lots of stories to pass the time.

I recently received my Farmers’ Market Federation of New York Farmer/Vendor Membership application and insurance form.  I knew the membership always costs $25, but honestly, I wasn’t prepared for the insurance cost.  Just to let everyone know, yes, insurance is mandatory at these markets- at least in NY.  The insurance- vendor liability- is now going for $357.  Yikes!  Talk about eating up the profits.  I’m tempted to just sell at the roadside this coming year on my own property, or get together with someone near the local highway to save money.

I’m not stupid; I understand why the insurance is needed.  What I don’t get is what a bunch of farmers on a Wednesday afternoon could possibly do to the village square that would cost this amount of money (just a guesstimate- 20 farmers x $357 = $7,140).  Heck, half of these farmers are selling melons, squash and one just sells quilts, soaps and candles.  For $7,140 we could open a produce shop on the square year ’round….

Now there’s an idea!

Sugaring season is upon us, and for those that don’t know what this is, it is when farmers begin collecting maple sap.  Usually, this time of year is when we all gear up for that first big thaw in February, which coincidentally is this week for many producers.  The warm up is followed by a cold snap.  Unfortunately, all of this peculiar weather is adding up to a disaster for some.  The end result could be less real maple syrup and higher prices at the grocery store.

The ice and snow damage that has been occurring over the past two months is causing damage both to the trees, but also to the taps and collection tubes that many producers use.  In addition, the weather conditions are making it difficult for some to even get to their trees to collect the sap, especially if they aren’t using the gravity tubes.

Massachusetts Maple Producers Association’s Executive Director, Thomas McCrumm, is reporting that around 50 percent of the maple taps were affected by the weather.  In Massachusetts alone, there is expected to be a 20 percent drop in production this year.

Stock up now, folks before the grocery stores start raising the prices!

With the statistics now in, the 2007 Agriculture Census is now available.  Of interest is that the number of small farms has grown and the number of women heading farms has also grown.

Some interesting statistics for this census includes:

• The total number of women farmers has increased 70,000, bringing the grand total now to 306,209.  This is a 30 percent increase from the 2002 census.
• Sectors showing an increase in growth include sheep, goats and vegetables.
• The size of farms has decreased from  441 to 418 acres since the 2002 census.
• Internet connections- the number of farms now having Internet access has increased 7 percent from the 2002 census.  Currently it is estimated that 58 percent of farms now can connect online.
• Small farms are in the majority- 60 percent of all farms in the census make less than $10,000 per year.
• 65 percent of farmers now also work off of their farms in order to make a living.  (For example, our mailman is also a farmer).

You may view the entire census (including state and local information) online here:  U.S. Department of Agriculture- The Census of Agriculture

Have you provided census information?  If you have $1,000 or more worth of grain, farm supplies, animals or tillable land, report it!  The number of farms, even small farms, can be important at local and state levels because it helps fund agriculture in the state.  Your voice counts!

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone in the agricultural arena that there will be no stimulus package for individuals who have aquaculture businesses or those in the beekeeping biz.  The plight of the bees isn’t something that is largely recognized, nor is the raising of fish for restaurants top on anyone’s priority list.  Few jobs would be created by funding these enterprises and the public is itching to ditch any extraneous funding to projects that wouldn’t produce immediate results.

As a farmer, I am always disappointed when agriculture is left by the wayside.  It is more important to fix roads and bridges (you won’t get me to argue much about bridges, since they always seem to be falling down!), than to worry why plants aren’t being pollinated.  Agriculture issues won’t be noticed until something drastic happens, but those issues will be resolved when more pressing issues, like birth control, are resolved.

A few other projects that, in my opinion, shouldn’t have money wasted on them include:

• $246 million tax break for movie producers to buy film (try not paying actors so much- they aren’t brain surgeons for crying out loud!)
• $600 million for hybrid cars for federal employees (if they aren’t made in the USA, why buy them anyway?)
• $75 million for smoking cessation activities (hey, what happened to all of those tobacco company lawsuits- wasn’t part of that money supposed to go toward educating the public about smoking?  Talk about double dipping!)
• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction (Stating the obvious:  aren’t they sovereign nations?  Why are we, another nation, funding this through a U.S. stimulus package?)
• $6 billion (yes, billion), to turn current federal buildings into “green” buildings.  (Why are we re-creating the wheel?  There are schools that are more deserving of this money, and they are falling down!  These buildings aren’t even in need of repairs yet!)
• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead based paint (this isn’t even manufactured anymore, why are we still spending money on this?  Infants have mandatory testing done on them when they are infants for lead poisoning.  If you say you don’t have lead paint in your house, these tests shouldn’t be done.  It is a waste of taxpayer money!)

Read more about what is being cut, and what your money is being spent on at: CNN.com

I’m happy to say that we’re finally getting a warm spell here in New York.  It is currently 47 degrees here in upstate, New York and we couldn’t be happier!  This means that water buckets won’t be frozen for the next few days as long as the weather holds.  We’re thinking of upgrading our 160+ year-old barn and putting in new pipes, perhaps even digging a new well for just the barn.  Of course, this all depends on the economy since getting a new well runs around $4,000.

I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who has put in a watering system for sheep, goats and chickens, since this is primarily what we raise around here (keep in mind we have sub-zero temps and pvc pipe can burst- as we just found out!).  Also, if anyone has changed their chickens from traditional watering “cans” to nipples, I’d also like to know about it (are they actually smart enough to learn how to make the switch?).  Hopefully someone out there has made some of these changes and can share their experience with us!

Have a great weekend!

~~Charlotte

After my post yesterday about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s rant about pork producers, it got me thinking about politicians in general.  For example, when Caroline Kennedy was thinking of running for Senator here in New York, she didn’t even know what cities were in upstate, New York.  Think Rochester, Buffalo and imagine- Albany, the capitol!  She probably wasn’t even aware that there are hundreds of dairy farms in New York either- a fact that also seems to evade those living in New York city.

This situation may be relative to a lot of politicians- those individuals that we sometimes foolishly pin our hopes on when they run for office.  We think that because they make a pit-stop in our rural towns that they actually give a flying you-know-what about our farming industry.  I’m not saying it is strictly a Kennedy thing, I think it is indicative of most born and bred in the city politicians- they just don’t get farmers, nor will they ever.  Probably the closest thing they’ve ever gotten to a farm is a photo on the Internet or a cover on a magazine.

This morning on Fox news there was a discussion about our current economy.  One pundit stated that there is a lot of money to be made if the government would focus on the evils in agriculture.  I’m taking this to mean gas and crap produced by farm animals.  Once again I’m left to believe that they intend to tax farmers to death, along with a laundry list of fines for wrong doings- like spreading cow manure on their fields in the spring (remember, farmers are terrorists).  If that doesn’t do in the family farm, perhaps they can make them buy a bunch of stupid permits- who cares if those people can’t buy groceries or pay for the gas on their farms- they are all evil anyway and should pay through the nose!

Obviously, this is just me being sarcastic.  I hate seeing farmers get the short end of the stick, especially since they don’t live and breath politics.  They’re actually out everyday working- since there is no recession or job loss in the farming industry- yet.  They may not be aware of current legislation, but not for long if I have anything to do with it.

What moron said that?  Why Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., of course.  This was in response to a question posted to him by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

King asked whether a comment attributed to Kennedy in a published Iowa report in 2002 was accurate. In that, Kennedy stated that, “Large-scale hog producers are a greater threat to the United States and U.S. democracy than Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network.”

“Is that an accurate quote?” asked King, whose state includes thousands of small businesses producing pork.

“I believe it and I support it,” Kennedy said.

I don’t know about you, but this guy shouldn’t be in office.  He obviously isn’t dealing in reality anymore, and certainly doesn’t speak for the people making a living from producing pork products.

Read more about at this at The Washington Times.

Personally, I think it is all hogwash.  This is the first guy I’d like to bury in hog crap.  Pork producers, unite!

For my regular readers, yes, this is still the SmallFarms blog- it just looks different now.  While I’d love to have my happy green color and plants at the top of the page, we’ve been streamlined so that all blogs look similar.  I’m a little bummed, but the content is still the same.  Perhaps in the future we’ll be able to add some new stuff, here and there.

As for yesterday’s soapbox tirade, I’m still mad about the EPA sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.  I consider it over-reaching, as do many people who are involved in the legislative process.  The clean water rule was supposed to involve “navigable water ways.”  We’re talking ships and boats here- but where I live we only have about 4-10 inches of water throughout the year.   Perhaps the EPA now considers toy boats in this category?  I don’t think our local creek qualifies, though now the EPA says it does.  The only thing navigating through my local water way is a few minnows and, how do I put this daintily, a bunch of cows, horses and various livestock that basically crap every time they walk through there.  After all, most farmers have their pastures next to creeks and streams so their livestock has something to drink.  We can’t all afford to drill wells and put up watering tanks on hundreds of acres of land.  (By the way, it costs over $4,000 to drill a well here in NY - not to mention, we would have to install heaters on any watering tanks because we have sub-zero temps in the winter).

I’ve never really been an activist, but this particular bru-ha has really got my goat, as well as a few other animals.  I suppose I should go notify our Amish neighbors of this latest invasion of the government.

Boo, EPA.  Quit inventing things to legislate.

Just when I think the EPA can’t get any more ridiculous about what farmers are doing, they have to step in and regulate animal crap.  You may remember my previous blogs on how they want to regulate gassy animals (who knew- I mean, who would even want to know?).  Sarcastically speaking, either the EPA has nothing better to do with its time, or it is trying to be like small town speed traps - harassing people for money.  Is the EPA that hard up for cash?

For example, if a farmer doesn’t store his manure and spreads it on his fields right away, he could be slapped with fines in the tens of thousands of dollars.  Farmers must manage their manure so that it doesn’t end up in ground water or runoff into streams and creeks.  Just how exactly does one do that, anyway?  Do people actually think that you can tell crap where to stay, so that water doesn’t wash it down somewhere?  Don’t people know that crap always rolls downhill?

All kidding aside, the EPA wants to make good on its threats to farmers.  Perhaps they can just force farmers out of existence- we can import all of our food.  Either that, or we’ll have to figure out how to genetically modify animals so they don’t eat or crap.

If you’re a farmer, and you can be a small farmer and have these rules applied to you too, you should be aware of the following:

By February 27, 2009, several classes of agricultural operations—including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and farmers who apply manure to the land as a crop nutrient—must take action.

CAFOs must either have National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for any discharges of manure runoff into water bodies or have third-party reviews and records to show that they do not discharge.

Farmers spreading manure need to have a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) in place and they need to have records to prove that their land application practices meet the terms of their NMP.

Read more about these crappy regulations here:  Farm Bureau

Read about how the NRCS is trying to help farmers meet the new permit requirements:  Waste Utilization  (just what we need - more regulation and permits)

I’m all for taking a few truckloads of crap and dumping them at the EPA headquarters, perhaps even dumping a few truckloads on the cars or front lawns of the people who passed this legislation as well… or the White House… hey, its been done before…