THOUGHTS FROM A FAR(M)

What I really wish I could do for this entry is just transcribe every single conversation Renee and I have here. Inevitably they all revolve around eating healthy foods, small farms, gardening, society, etc... chock full of information and experience. Having lived in the life of a small, organic farmer for the past two weeks I have begun to see how anti-small-farm the requirements and certifications are. Renee has had to literally call people and offices daily, print out entire books on requirements, and fight mindless inspector after mindless inspector to simply raise organic chickens and sell eggs and preserves to people who want quality food. I think it is good to have food safety regulations and inspections to make sure they are met. However, this is how ridiculous it has become:

Woman for Food Safety Labeling Regulations: "I'm sorry but your ingredients labels must be in a specific order: highest percentage ingredient to least."

Renee: "But my ingredients on the label ARE listed like that."

Woman: "You have FRUIT listed first in your preserves."

Renee: "Yes. My preserves are made with more fruit than anything else."

** Her ingredients list is as follows: fruit(whichever kind it may be), organic sugar.

In the few interactions I have listened to or seen first hand, it almost seems as if the people giving out organic certifications and selling licenses don't want her to be able to do anything. It is simply frusterating and financially exhausting to Renee. I can't imagine how many other farmers are going through the same thing. I really just wanted to write about it because it might not seem apparent but small farms have it really rough simply to operate and its sad to see it happening.

On the positive side, the farm is coming along fabulously. The egg count is going up daily, baby strawberries are emerging, compost bins are ... composting, and the buzz from pollinating insects is deafening. We started to transplant seedlings today and I met at least over 7 different kinds of spiders. (Didn't make friends with any of them but hey, its one step at a time) And the most fascinating event of the day: MistiGris. We are fairly certain he came across some catnip or something in his adventures in the woods because he was pupil-dialated hyper. Running back and forth like a demon, fighting with bags on the floor, trying to climb the cabinets... absolutely hilarious. I tried to get some of it on camera so if all goes well, I will get a video or two up for your amusement;)