Sunday, June 1 through Tuesday, June 3, 2014
DOWN ON THE FARM
By Olivia Ash
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Leaving big cities behind for a while, the team embarked on a few farm adventures across the beautiful state of Iowa.
Our three days in the Hawkeye State were filled with great conversations, yummy, fresh local veggies, and lots and lots of bugs. And with the bugs came bug bites, which Amanda and I learned the hard way. Ouch.
We began our first day, Sunday, June 1, in Solon, a rural community located in the northeastern corner of Iowa, where we met Kate Edwards, better known as “Farmer Kate.” Although she has not yet celebrated her 30th birthday, Kate is an accomplished farmer and enthusiastic about her work. She graciously took time out of her “typical” 16-hour day to share with us her philosophies about farming, and also proudly showed us around her lush plot of land.
Kate even let us sample some of her fine, organic produce. When she handed me a piece of dark green broccoli that she had picked only moments before, I almost shed a tear. I swear it was the first time I had truly tasted broccoli.
The disconnect between the average consumer and farming is one that needs to be rectified, Kate told us.
“Farming is the basis of food. And food is the basis of life,” she said.
Busy 21st Century lifestyles has turned the American food system into a pre-packaged and often impersonal set of transactions that simply don’t allow for much interaction between farmers and consumers.
However, an exciting and increasingly popular system of food distribution may help bridge that gap.
Farmer Kate, who holds a master’s degree in engineering, is among a growing number of farmers nationwide who operate networks called Community Supported Agriculture – or CSA’s – which provide fresh, organic food direct from farms to the tables of consumers.
On Monday, June 2, we paid a visit to ZJ Farm near Solon, owned and operated by Susan Jutz, to get her take on the issue of food waste.
Susan is in her 19th season as a farmer. And as we tagged along with Susan to a CSA drop-off location in Cedar Rapids, about 30 minutes away from ZJ Farm, her expertise and experience were obvious.
We learned that consumers who participate in CSAs essentially purchase a share of produce upfront, then receive a variety of food throughout the farming season.
But beyond the food, at Susan’s drop-off location, we noticed that CSAs not only provide consumers with fresh veggies, they also inspire a sense of community. Happily clutching their bags full of freshly picked veggies, community members gathered in clusters to chat with Susan and each other.
Our final interview in Iowa was with Tony Thompson, a farmer who wears two hats – he is both an academic and a farmer. Tony acquired a Ph.D. in sustainability while living for several years in Sweden.
But now, Tony finds himself back on the family farm in Elkhart outside Des Moines, first established by his grandfather in the early 20th Century.
“Our food system has been so consolidated,” Tony said. “Because of that consolidation, it allows people like me to create niches in response to that.”
Tony is in his first season farming, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell. He showed us around his farm, and the rows and rows of veggies, growing prodigiously, reflected Tony’s long hours of care and labor.
Farming, we learned during our three days in Iowa, is not for the faint of heart.
DOWN ON THE FARM
By Olivia Ash
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Leaving big cities behind for a while, the team embarked on a few farm adventures across the beautiful state of Iowa.
Our three days in the Hawkeye State were filled with great conversations, yummy, fresh local veggies, and lots and lots of bugs. And with the bugs came bug bites, which Amanda and I learned the hard way. Ouch.
We began our first day, Sunday, June 1, in Solon, a rural community located in the northeastern corner of Iowa, where we met Kate Edwards, better known as “Farmer Kate.” Although she has not yet celebrated her 30th birthday, Kate is an accomplished farmer and enthusiastic about her work. She graciously took time out of her “typical” 16-hour day to share with us her philosophies about farming, and also proudly showed us around her lush plot of land.
Kate even let us sample some of her fine, organic produce. When she handed me a piece of dark green broccoli that she had picked only moments before, I almost shed a tear. I swear it was the first time I had truly tasted broccoli.
The disconnect between the average consumer and farming is one that needs to be rectified, Kate told us.
“Farming is the basis of food. And food is the basis of life,” she said.
Busy 21st Century lifestyles has turned the American food system into a pre-packaged and often impersonal set of transactions that simply don’t allow for much interaction between farmers and consumers.
However, an exciting and increasingly popular system of food distribution may help bridge that gap.
Farmer Kate, who holds a master’s degree in engineering, is among a growing number of farmers nationwide who operate networks called Community Supported Agriculture – or CSA’s – which provide fresh, organic food direct from farms to the tables of consumers.
On Monday, June 2, we paid a visit to ZJ Farm near Solon, owned and operated by Susan Jutz, to get her take on the issue of food waste.
Susan is in her 19th season as a farmer. And as we tagged along with Susan to a CSA drop-off location in Cedar Rapids, about 30 minutes away from ZJ Farm, her expertise and experience were obvious.
We learned that consumers who participate in CSAs essentially purchase a share of produce upfront, then receive a variety of food throughout the farming season.
But beyond the food, at Susan’s drop-off location, we noticed that CSAs not only provide consumers with fresh veggies, they also inspire a sense of community. Happily clutching their bags full of freshly picked veggies, community members gathered in clusters to chat with Susan and each other.
Our final interview in Iowa was with Tony Thompson, a farmer who wears two hats – he is both an academic and a farmer. Tony acquired a Ph.D. in sustainability while living for several years in Sweden.
But now, Tony finds himself back on the family farm in Elkhart outside Des Moines, first established by his grandfather in the early 20th Century.
“Our food system has been so consolidated,” Tony said. “Because of that consolidation, it allows people like me to create niches in response to that.”
Tony is in his first season farming, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell. He showed us around his farm, and the rows and rows of veggies, growing prodigiously, reflected Tony’s long hours of care and labor.
Farming, we learned during our three days in Iowa, is not for the faint of heart.
