Eco-Farm: Day 2
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Rain, rain, and more rain. Not the mountain rain we are used to, coastal rain that is lighter, softer. We were inundated yesterday, with people and water. Like some sort of trench warfare where we stood in puddles slinging organics instead of hand grenades. From 12:00-2:00 yesterday the vendor tent was packed wall-to-wall with people tasting the locally produced cheeses and beer of the California hardworking producers. Some very tasty creations, including one very memorable soft fresh cheese by Cow Girl Creamery on a light cracker, very tasty.
Three meals a day we consume the most tasty organic creations you can imagine and chat with important movers-and-shakers in the organics field, and of course drink coffee from Cafe Mam. A few names of people that come to mind are Greg Massa from Massa Organics an organic rice producer for 12 farmers markets around the Hamilton area. We also spoke with a few locals from Nevada County, like Daniel Nicholson who works a farm and vegetable stand in North San Juan, and on also conducts “Mushroom Walks” collecting delectable fungi from the woods and rural areas.
Between attending the booth we have also attended a few talks and workshops. There is nothing more inspiring than bearing witness to the zeal of highly educated individuals discussing their passion. Yesterday we listened to the discussion of organic farming for the new era. It is interesting to think that when this movement first began, about thirty odd years ago, 1/10th of 1% of food production was organic. Now we hold 3% of the market. This seems both small, but also hopeful. Small because it seems like all people should demand high quality organic food, but hopeful because each year this number grows, and it is only a matter of time before the old ways of conventional food production will fall by the waist side like DDT or fluoride in the water (oh wait, I think they still put fluoride in the water). Anyways, we are on the cusp of something great, and with each passing year wholesome, healthy and sustainable food production become more of a reality.
