The Farmer and the Farmerette

On Tuesday, Clear Spring Creamery played host to a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) workshop. And I was on the itinerary. According to the schedule, I was slated to discuss my "personal journey" as an intern at 3:15.

I was not expecting much, to be honest. I thought I would tell everyone what I studied in college (theatre and drama), mention how I became interested in sustainable agriculture (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver) and explain my future plans (Food Studies MA at Chatham University). There would be two or three stilted questions, and that would be that.

Instead, I became embroiled in an hour-long discussion, in which I eventually realized that I was being treated the mouthpiece of an entire generation of young farmers - the so-called "Generation Organic".

The discussion as a whole was quite interesting, and certainly thought provoking - one moment in particular, at least for me. During a discussion about the FFA (Future Farmers of America), I commented that my mom was a national officer in the FHA (Future Homemakers of America), "...before girls were allowed to be farmers," I ended snidely.

A local extension agent cut me short. "Abigail Adams was a farmer," he said. "So was Martha Washington."

I understand his point. Of course women have farmed throughout history, and continue to farm today. But frankly, the view of farming at present- especially conventional farming - is that of an overall-wearing, grass-chewing, tractor-driving boys club.

This predominantly male farmer stereotype has some statistics backing it up. According to the 2007 USDA Census of Agriculture, the average percentage of female principal farm operators is a mere 14%, increasing  to 22% when you look only at organic farms.

But change is in the air, according to the same 2007 Census: from 2002 to 2007, the number of women as operators has jumped 19%, and as principal farm operators 29%. This is significantly higher than the growth of farmers overall, which was a measly 7% in comparison.

Clearly, the tide is turning, and it is turning more quickly in the world of "alternative" agriculture, such as organic and biodynamic farming. I'm looking forward to reading the results of the 2012 Census of Agriculture, to see how the trend is looking.

As a parting gift, I feel I should mention that my blog comes up when one Googles "sexy girl on tractor," just in case anyone was curious just what, exactly, the role of lady farmers is... or should be.

The Agricultural Generational Gap

My grandfather has been living with us for the last two months. It's been interesting, to say the least. I love him, but we do not see eye to eye on a number of things... and one of those is farming.

For almost the entirety of my farm job last year, Papaw would call me about once a week, and we would have the following conversation:

Him: So.... why are you working on a farm?
Me: Well, you know, sustainable agriculture and learning about issues concerning farmers and public health and stuff....
Him: Oh, okay.
-One week later-
Him: So.... why are you working on a farm?

I have a sneaking suspicion that this is a common attitude his generation has towards those who, like me, are approaching farming despite never before having so much as picked an ear of corn - i.e. "Generation Organic".*

Papaw was born in 1931 and has lived his entire life in Milltown, Indiana. Milltown is a very small town in southern Indiana, in a county with so few people that they don't even have a stoplight. He spent his formative years on a farm, where his family grew pretty much all the food they needed to survive. They had four cows, a few pigs, chickens, and produce - a homestead, basically. When they needed a little extra money, they went to town in the family's Model T and sold eggs and cream. After a brief stint in the Navy, Papaw got a job with DuPont in Louisville, where he worked until he retired.

To my grandfather, farming is something he was required to do. Being in a position to purchase food, rather than grow it all himself, was a mark of prosperity. You only farmed if you needed to.

Not to mention, he helped pay for my college education... something he never had. From his perspective, it probably looks like I'm just throwing all that money away. After all, you don't need an education to farm, right?

But here's the thing... you do need an education to farm. My grandfather received his education from his parents and grandparents, and they from theirs. His education was distilled over generations of farmers making mistakes and learning from them to find what worked best. Farming is something that takes observation, skill, perseverance, and the ability to problem solve.

Once the middle of the 20th century hit, agriculture in this country underwent a radical change. Technological advancements enabled fewer people to grow larger amounts of food. The number of farms dropped, while the acreage of those farms went through the roof. Suddenly, you didn't have to farm to make ends meet. You could have a job in the city and shop at the supermarket.

And a generation of children grew up without knowing how to farm, and all that lovely knowledge disappeared.

My grandfather will probably never understand why I feel compelled - yes, compelled - to farm. Part of that is because of his short-term memory loss, which means that he forgets everything I tell him within minutes.

But even if he could remember, I don't know if he would really get it. He has always taken for granted the warmth of the sun on the back of his neck, the heft of a shovel, the feel of Indiana soil crumbling between his fingers.

And I have always taken for granted that, if I need to, I can just run down to the store and pick up a head of lettuce. Understanding - or not, as the case may be - is a two way street.




*I say this because he's not the only member of his generation who has tried to convince me that farming is sheer madness and a waste of time. One of the nicer responses I've received was, "Well.... I guess it's a stable occupation..."

Economy and Agriculture: The Present

 
According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, the average farmer is 57 years old, which is a pretty scary number when you think about it. The average farmer is less than a decade from retirement? Yikes.

But there were also some surprising - and exciting - statistics to be found as well. The 2007 Ag Census found an increase in the number of farms for the first time since World War II. These new farms tend to be smaller - an average of 201 acres and $71,000 in sales, compared to a nationwide average of 413 acres and $135,000 in sales. But here's the kicker - the operators of these new farms are younger as well, averaging 48 years old, nearly a decade younger than the typical farmer.

These statistics reflect a growing movement in what is known as "Generation Organic", the new infusion of young people into the farming world through organic agriculture. Organic food, which has been growing 20% annually since 1990, is the fastest growing sector in agriculture, which puts these young farmers into a very influential position.

But despite these encouraging numbers, the road has not been easy for them.

A 2011 survey by the National Young Farmers' Coalition, released in November, questioned 1000 young, primarily organic farmers from across the country to discover their biggest concerns.

The study found that "lack of capital" ranked first and foremost among young farmers' problems, with 78% of farmers listing it as an enormous hurdle. Another 40% of the responders listed "access to credit" as their number one challenge. Access to land is another problematic area, with 68% naming it as the biggest issue for beginning farmers. (Reflecting this, the study showed that 70% of farmers under 30 were renting their land, as compared to 37% of farmers over 30.) Third on the list was healthcare, clocking in at 47%.

On the more uplifting side of things, the study discovered that apprenticeships and internships on farm are considered the most valuable resource for new farmers, followed by local partnerships (e.g. creating local farmers markets) and CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture). Also considered important were land-linking programs and non-profit training and education.

The study goes on to look at what we should be doing to encourage and support beginning farmers. Many of the recommendations focus on policy at the federal, state and local levels. They include continuing and improving credit opportunities for new farmers, addressing land access problems, and expanding training and education for beginners, among others. (Many of these issues could be addressed in the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill.)

On a community/individual level, the study recommends starting or joining a CSA, shopping at local farmers markets, sourcing food at institutions like schools and hospitals from local farms, and selling or renting your land to a beginning farmer.

Although it's easy to be disheartened when thinking about all the obstacles, it's important to remember that there are options out there for this new wave of young farmers. These resources take time and effort to dig up, and often you need to figure out where you want to live before you can take advantage of them. But they are there, and they're available... and in my experience, the best way to find them is to start talking to other farmers, who have experience and contacts they can provide.

I've compiled a list (ever-changing, of course) of resources under my Helpful Links page. If there is anything you would like to see there that is not yet listed, drop me a comment.