Know Your Farmer

The USDA launched its "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative recently, a program meant to help boost local economies and local farms. 

You can watch Tom Vilsack talk about the intiative on YouTube, or read the USDA news release for more information.

This initiative and all the chatter on our Facebook Page made us curious about how well we all know our farmers already. 

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH US

Can you share your relationship with your farmer with us? 

How did you meet? 

Do you know his or her name? 

How important is a relationship with your farmer to you? 









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0-8 of 8 signatures
Number Date Name
8 November 16, 2009 Patricia Baehr Our family travels full-time in our RV with my husband's work however my children and I spend part of our time on the road searching out local farms and farmers, volunteering and purchasing farm fresh food. It is important to our family not to support industrialized agriculture and we don't mind paying more. What these farmers do is well worth the price! We have met Joel Salatin, Polyface Farms, Jason Mann, Full Moon Coop/Farm 225, The farmers at Sapelo Farms, Sequatchie Cove Farm and many others through local farmer's markets.
7 September 28, 2009 I love the local farmer's markets in my northeastern IL area during the growing season. I know my local veggie farmer, Sue, and Farmer Nick who has the best wild-fed pork and turkey products, at Crystal Lake farmer's market. Michele, the grass-fed beef farmer I met at the Woodstock farmer's market. We also purchase eggs monthly through our organic food coop from the egg lady, Lynn, of Marengo. It is very important knowing who supplies my family's food... knowing they care about their animals, treat them humanely and want to produce quality products for maximum nutrition is paramount.
6 September 24, 2009 suzie hemphill
5 September 23, 2009 Kevin Berman Our first, Maple Creek Farm CSA, my wife's father gave us an article that mentioned them. Then John Linck's for chickens, Oliver Farms (Chuck has the dairy/beef, Toni (his daughter) makes great raw milk cheeses )for milk, cheese, beef and pork, and along the way various other local producers.

It is very important to know where our food comes from, not only from a 'security' perspective but it gives the farmer a sense that there are people who care what they are doing.
4 September 22, 2009 Local Nourishment I have several farmer friends. There's the Delvins - Cindy and Hank and their kids - that provide my vegetable CSA program. Hank was very seriously injured in a truck crash this summer and will be recuperating for a long time. They just had their second grandbaby. West Wind Farms - Kimberlie and Ralph Cole - have an amazingly eco-friendly and sustainable farm where they milk their happy Jersey cows, grassfeed their beeves and make locally famous sausages. I found them by asking around for raw, or what we call here "Pet Milk." I also belong to a CSA for meat over with Peaceful Pastures where Jenny and Darrin Drake have a wonderful grassfed operation and provide me with the most mouth-watering beef, lamb, pork and chevon. Their eggs are amazing as well! We go dancing every Friday night where we met Sarah and Stacy Geny. They have a farm in the area and grow wonderful organic foods. They're a younger brother and sister who are learning their craft from their parents.

I've met many more farmers at my farmer's market, the lady who comes down every couple weeks with goat cheeses; the man who built his own wood-fired oven and bakes the most delicious sourdough breads; the man with the apple orchard...all of whom I have met and started forming relationships with. They are precious people and I take every possible opportunity to put my grocery dollar into their hands.
3 September 22, 2009 Cathy Payne I may run out of room. We have several farmers that we met through various networks. We know them by name, have been to their homes, know spouses, children, parents, have mobile numbers on speed dial, think about them often. The relationships with our farmers are extremely important to us. We know how are food is raised, where, and by whom. We are grateful when we sit down to a meal and honor the farmers who made it possible. Our farmers include Tim and Liz Young of Natures Harmony Farm, Chuck and Lynn Pugh of Cane Creek Farm, Bill and Di Hodge of Hodge Ranch. All of them have been interviewed for our Podcast and blog.
2 September 22, 2009 Alexia Dunay Zaid and Haifa own Norwich Meadows Farm. I met them through a CSA. I absolutely love their produce. first stop is to Zaid and Haifa's stand at the Union Square Farmer's Market. I feel like I am part of the family. Haifa is so generous with her time. They love what they are doing and you taste that love..
1 September 22, 2009 Nick Sweeney Our farmer is Zaid, from Norwich Meadow Farms - we get a CSA share each week with incredible produce, fruit, eggs and butter for half the price it would cost for us to shop at our local market! Zaid and the rest of his crew hand-pick the produce sent to our CSA each week with care - I wouldn't get my food any other way.