Passages
Sustainable Food and Farming Systems
Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers, Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and Beyond
Number 75
Our New Good Food Neighborhood Program
The general public today is more aware of food quality
issues than ever before, and they are yearning to reconnect
in a meaningful way with the sources of their nourishment
By Chris Fullerton,
Director of Consumer Outreach
For nearly two decades PASA has been a
resource provider, defender, champion and
— perhaps most importantly — communi-
ty builder for those farmers who envision a
food system that has fewer harmful impacts
and makes farms more viable.
However, we realized long ago that if our
work focused only on farming and farm
families, our impact would always be limit-
ed. In order to achieve our mission, we must
do everything possible to get our message
across to the 98% of the population that isn’t
actively involved in farming. While farmers
are few and far between, everyone does
eat…and therefore everyone shares in the
benefits of a sustainable food system. For
most people, the opportunity to “vote for
change” in agriculture comes around each
time they make a shopping list. But shop-
ping responsibly, with our noisy marketplace
and busy lives, can seem an overwhelmingly
challenging task.
Enter the Good Food Neighborhood!
This new program, launched by PASA in
late September with support from the Henry
A. Wallace Center for Sustainable Agricul-
November/December 2008
ture in Arlington, Virginia, has the auda-
cious goal of helping Pennsylvania con-
sumers by the thousands realize that making
responsible food choices is a whole lot easier,
tastier and more fun than they thought.
And just like we’ve done with farmers,
PASA will use the Good Food Neighbor-
hood to build a community of informed
and engaged consumers.
When consumers who have only recently
begun to think about their food choices are
ready to take the next step, we want to pro-
vide them not just with information, but
with a readymade community. An interac-
tive website will allow those who are already
experts in local food to serve as “trusted
guides” to those who are new to the search.
For many people, the idea of a “local food
system” is still unfamiliar. Long-time grocery
store shoppers may need some encourage-
ment before making their first visit to an
outdoor, seasonal market or a local Commu-
nity Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. We
want to make the transition for them as
straightforward and convenient as possible,
while providing rewards for changes in shop-
ping behavior.
Newsletter of the
Pennsylvania
Association
for Sustainable
Agriculture
“With Good Food Neighborhood, we hope to give
consumers tools to make finding and choosing local
foods easier, both individually and in cooperation
with their neighbors.” — Chris Fullerton
What’s Happening in the Good Food
Neighborhood?
A new web-based initiative of the
statewide Buy Fresh Buy Local® (BFBL)
program, the Good Food Neighborhood
delivers membership benefits to those Penn-
sylvanians whose main role in the food sys-
tem is shopping, cooking and eating. For an
annual contribution of $30 members
receive:
• Personalized seasonal product updates
from local food providers on BuyLocalPA.org.
If you’re one of those people who are always
asking “are strawberries in season yet?” you
can make sure you don’t miss any local good-
ness by creating “e-lerts” tied to the current
availability lists of your favorite farmers and
other local food providers.
• A subscription to “Eaters Digest,” an e-
newsletter delivering good food news in Penn-
sylvania. This newsletter will share ideas
from around the state about creative ways to
go local, help consumers make sense of the
choices they face on local food shopping
trips and highlight information about
important policy issues.
• An online social networking site called
Community Table, where neighbors can con-
nect around local food shopping, cooking and
continued page 3
2009
Farming for
the Future
Conference
Details Inside
See Page 4
 Passages STAFF & OFFICE
Editors: Michele Gauger & Cathi Gerhard Williams
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Kim Seeley, Bradford County
Vice President: Brian Moyer, Berks County
Secretary: Mary Barbercheck, Centre County
Treasurer: Louise Schorn Smith, Chester County
Jerry Brunetti, Northampton County
Melanie Dietrich Cochran, Cumberland County
Jennifer Halpin, Cumberland County
John Hopkins, Columbia County
John Jamison, Westmoreland County
Don Kretschmann, Beaver County
Christopher Lent, Luzerne County
Jeff Mattocks, Dauphin County
Sandra Miller, Cumberland County
Susan Miller, Chester County
Rita Resick, Somerset County
At-Large Board Members
David Bingaman, Dauphin County
Jamie Moore, Allegheny County
PASA STAFF
PASA Headquarters
Phone: 814-349-9856
Brian Snyder
Executive Director
brian@pasafarming.org
Lauren Smith
Director of Development
lauren@pasafarming.org
Carrie Gillespie
Development Program Assistant
carrie@pasafarming.org
Allison Shauger
Educational Outreach Director
allison@pasafarming.org
Rachel Schaal
Educational Outreach Associate
rachel@pasafarming.org
Michele Gauger
Director of Membership & Research Assistant
michele@pasafarming.org
Brandi Marks
Office Coordinator/Bookkeeper
brandi@pasafarming.org
Teresa McFeely
Bookkeeping Assistant
teresa@pasafarming.org
Consumer Outreach
Phone: 412-246-0990
Chris Fullerton
Director of Consumer Outreach
chris@pasafarming.org
Mia Farber
Consumer Outreach Associate
mia@pasafarming.org
Southeast Regional Office
Phone: 610-458-5700 x305
Marilyn Anthony
Southeast Regional Director
marilyn@pasafarming.org
Western Regional Office
Phone: 412-697-0411
Greg Boulos
Western Regional Director
greg@pasafarming.org
Julie Inman
Marketing Manager
julie@pasafarming.org
Nov/Dec 2008
1 Our New Good Food Neighborhood
Program
5 Farmers’ Market Pre-Conference Tracks
6 Director’s Corner
7 Board Perspective
8 Pre-Conference Track Details
Conference Sneak Peak, page 4
9 Greening the Conference
10 Conference Sneak Peak — Solar Water Pumping, page 21
Get More Involved
11 Membership Update
12 Farmer & Business Profile
14 Educational Outreach
15 Regional Marketing
16 Consumer News
18 Fundraising Update
Pictures from Costa Rica, page 31
22 Adding Value-Added to Our Value
24 Management Practices Can Help
Avoid Cucurbit Fruit Rots
25 Agricultural Plastic Recycling
Opportunities in PA
26 Editor’s Corner
27 Membership Form
28 Classified Ads/Employment
30 Calendar
Passages Nov/Dec 2008 Contributors Pennsylvania Association
for Sustainable Agriculture
Contributing writers & photographers: Marilyn Antho-
114 West Main Street
ny, Greg Boulos, Chris Fullerton, Lucinda Hart-Gonza-
P.O. Box 419
lez, Shannon Hayes, Kristin Leitzel, Binnie Roig, Rachel Millheim PA 16854
Schaal, Charlie Scheidler, Kim Seeley, Allison Shauger, Phone: (814) 349-9856
Lauren Smith, Brian Snyder, Cathi Gerhard Williams. Fax: (814) 349-9840
www.pasafarming.org
PASA in the News — Have you seen articles about
PASA in your local newspapers or other media?
PASA’s Mission is…
PASA is active across the state, and we’d love to know
Promoting profitable farms which produce
what coverage we are getting in your area. Please
healthy food for all people while respecting the
clip any articles you see on PASA and mail them to our
natural environment.
Millheim headquarters to the attention of Michele
Gauger. PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvania land-
scape.We are seasoned farmers who know that sustainability is
Do you have a great article idea for Pas- not only a concept, but a way of life. We are new farmers look-
sages? — Want to share a farming practice with ing for the fulfillment of land stewardship. We are students and
members? We’d love to hear from you. Please contact other consumers, anxious to understand our food systems and
the newsletter staff at newsletter@pasafarming.org. the choices that must be made. We are families and children,
who hold the future of farming in our hands. This is an organi-
Deadline for January/February 2009 Issue: zation that is growing in its voice on behalf of farmers in Penn-
January 12, 2009 sylvania and beyond. Our mission is achieved, one voice, one
farm, one strengthened community at a time.
Advertising Sales: Michele Gauger,
PASA office, michele@pasafarming.org
Layout: C Factor PASA is an Equal Opportunity Service Provider and Employer.
Some grant funding comes from the USDA and complaints of
discrimination should be sent to: USDA Office of Civil Rights,
Passages is printed on recycled paper Washington, DC 20250-9410.
2
Good Food
Neighborhood
continued from page 1
learning. We’re most excited by this fea-
ture, where any member can create an
online group defined both by topic and
location. You can look for other members
within a short distance of your home who
might want to carpool to a farmers mar-
ket across town or join in canning toma-
to sauce; or invite “Neighbors” across the
state into a discussion about getting local
foods into schools. The possibilities for
local networking especially are limitless!
• Discounts at the buylocalpa.org online
store. Buy Fresh Buy Local® caps, tees,
aprons, totes and much more!
• Occasional offers or other rewards
from local food businesses. This program,
which is currently still in the works, will
generate discounts, special deals or insid-
er access available only to Good Food
Neighborhood members.
Tom Hricik (a PASA member who is
also on the advisory board that helped
jumpstart this program) was honored as
our Charter Member of the Good Food
Neighborhood during the Pittsburgh
launch in September. Tom says that his
conversations with farmers are “therapeu-
tic” to him as a consumer: “Farmers talk
about what they do with such passion
and always cause me to see life through a
different lens. Spend some time with a
farmer and you will quickly understand
the importance of water, soil, sunshine
and the very nature of work.” He defi-
nitely sees the big picture when speaking
about his choices as a consumer:
“Increased demand for local food means
economic success for farmers while
improving the eating patterns of the local
population- something desperately need-
ed in our region. Long-term changes in
consumption patterns can create a
regional economy for local products
where consumers can access a safe and
reliable food system.” Or to say it anoth-
er way: by helping consumers find,
choose and appreciate local foods, we
build healthier farms, healthier families
and healthier communities for everyone.

Good Food Neighborhood Q&A

For further questions or details, please contact Chris Fullerton, 412-246-0990.

n Why start a new program for consumers? A strategic plan-
ning session of PASA board and staff members identified this
opportunity several years ago. We realized that refining and
focusing our message specifically for the non-farming public
would help us reach more people who could support our mis-
sion and our farmers. A key idea was to develop a “brand” that
was accessible to folks who hadn’t thought much about agri-
culture or food systems before. Our hope is that the Good Food
Neighborhood will help build more viable local farms by
increasing consumer awareness of local food options, organize
a larger and stronger constituency for “good food” in Pennsyl-
vania and make PASA a stronger organization for the long
term.
n Is this an alternative to PASA membership? No, this is a
new program being run by PASA with the goal of reaching peo-
ple we haven’t reached before. Like our field days, annual con-
ference and other outreach work, this will be a fee-based
program separate from regular membership benefits; the main
difference between these other PASA programs and the Good
Food Neighborhood will be its target audience: consumers.
n If I’m already a PASA member, do I still have to pay $30 to
participate? No, PASA members in Pennsylvania can join the
Neighborhood at no additional cost (all members in the state
with a valid email address on file were sent a coupon code and
signup link in late October; if you didn’t get one, please contact
us).While participation in the Good Food Neighborhood is now
a new benefit of PASA membership, a consumer need not be a
PASA member to join. In fact, we anticipate that only a few of
our Good Food Neighbors will be interested in becoming full
PASA members.
n How is this new program tied to the Pennsylvania Buy
Fresh Buy Local® program? The Good Food Neighborhood
program is designed to support and expand our BFBL work by
directing more consumers to farms and other sources for local
food (like markets, restaurants and stores). Good Food Neigh-
bors have special benefits tied to our BFBL website and to our
BFBL business partners, and the program itself has its online
home on BuyLocalPA.org.While PASA members can participate
in the Good Food Neighborhood at no cost, PASA farms and
other business members must pay a separate annual fee in
order to use the trademarked Buy Fresh Buy Local® brand and
receive other benefits of a BFBL Partnership.
n Why is the program internet-based only? Independent
research indicated that most consumers potentially interested
in this program were also likely to have internet access, either
at home, at work or through a public source like a library. Oper-
ating online translates into tremendous resource savings,
which means the Good Food Neighborhood will be a highly
efficient way to involve consumers across the state in the over-
all PASA community.
n What if I don’t live in Pennsylvania? At this time, the Good
Food Neighborhood is designed just for consumers in Pennsyl-
vania, since it is tied to our statewide Buy Fresh Buy Local®
work.
n What can I do to help? An online social networking system,
such as we’ve created with the Good Food Neighborhood, will
only be as useful and interesting as its members make it. We
know that the PASA membership includes passionate,
informed and energetic people who are already “local food
experts” in their regions. We’re counting on all of you to “seed”
the Good Food Neighborhood conversation about eating well
with local foods.You can craft an online comment about a local
food provider you love, start a discussion group or local action
continued page 11

3
 CONFERENCE UPDATE
PASA’s 18th Annual
Farming for the Future Conference
The Worldwide Search for Food Sovereignty:
Finding Your Foodshed
February 5–7, 2009 • State College, PA

• Value-Added & Marketing: steps for on-

Conference ‘Sneak Peak’
By Allison Shauger
Pre-Conference Programs
This year we’ve expanded our Pre-Confer-
ence again to include 13 daylong tracks —
there are certainly plenty of options! Sever-
al tracks are offered at facilities specifically
geared towards hands-on learning in the
appropriate environment. Spend the day in
the woods, in the lab with a microscope, or
adjusting equipment to eradicate weeds. No
matter the topic, you can expect to go home
with resources, valuable contacts, and skills
to augment your efforts in the field and in
your community. For full track details, visit
www.pasafarming.org.
PRE-CONFERENCE TRACKS
Wednesday
• Weed School: Managing Through
Identification and Mechanical Methods
Wednesday & Thursday
• Beginning Cheesemaking
• Advanced Cheesemaking
• Grass-fed, Grass-finished Beef:
Positive Impacts & Superior Meats
• Sustainable Forestry
Main Conference Program
On Friday and Saturday of the main con-
ference, pick-and-choose from 77 work-
shop sessions carefully crafted by the
volunteer conference committee. Experi-
enced farmers and educators will share their
knowledge on thirteen sustainable agricul-
ture and related themes. We offer work-
shops on season extension, soils and
compost, renewable energy, fiber produc-
tion, livestock, farming without owning
property, community economic develop-
ment, and much more!
Here is a glimpse of some workshop
highlights:
• Livestock Production: teaching your
cows to eat weeds, understanding fencing
options, planned grazing, pastured poultry,
using guard dogs with your herd, farrow-
ing hogs, lambing, and parasite control.
• Fruit/Vegetable Production: strategies
for early harvest, innovative row covers,
reduced tillage, organic pest management,
farmscaping, crop rotations, and over-
wintering blackberries.
farm milk bottling, meat-goat co-op model
and sales, breeding for wool and natural
plant dying of fibers, charcuterie, on-farm
restaurants, farmers market management,
and certification options.
• Energy: strawbale construction, solar ener-
gy how-to, the scoop on natural gas, and
electrical deregulation policy.
• Policy and Community: legislation issues,
working with interns and migrant workers,
writing public policy, local food distribu-
tion centers, fighting genetically modified
seeds, and international sustainable devel-
opment.
• Soils, Compost, and Forests: profitable
small grains, remineralization and nutrient
dense crops, on-farm composting, silvo-
pasturing, integrated forest management
and creating stream buffers.
CONFERENCE BROCHURES
Full conference brochures have been
mailed to the membership and are
available for the asking. Call the PASA
office or go online to request the 2009
brochure. You can request multiple
copies for sharing with friends, family
and community groups or businesses.

Thursday Welcome NESAWG!

• Green Learning, Green Living for
High School Students
• Advocacy and Regionalism: Organizational
and Individual Actions for Policy Change
• 21st Century Victory Garden: Growing Your
Food & Energizing Your Community
• Farmers Market Success for Producers
• Farmers Market Success for Managers
• Hands-On IPM and Bio-Controls
• Improving Vegetable Production, Quality,
and Marketability
• Innovative Cover Cropping Systems for
Organic Vegetable Production
This year, the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture
Working Group (NESAWG) is proud to hold its
annual meeting and Resource Harvest at the PASA
conference. NESAWG is a network of organizations
(including PASA) and individuals working to pro-
mote a more sustainable and secure food system for
the Northeast — 12 states from Maine to West Vir-
ginia. Since 1992, NESAWG has fostered local and
regional food systems, built public awareness and
promoted supportive public policies. NESAWG’s
two conference sessions on policy advocacy and
regional value chains will help empower farmers, families and organizations. Learn
more about NESAWG, their projects, publications and members at www.nesawg.org,
and visit their exciting new social networking site www.nefood.org.
4
 Conference ‘Sneak Peak’
A PRE-CONFERENCE TRACK • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Farmers’ Market Pre-Conference Tracks
for Producers and Managers
Whether you are a producer wanting to
establish a presence at an established farm-
ers’ market, or a market manager trying to
create a new and profitable venue for
regional farmers, then the Farmers’ Market
Pre-conference is where you want to be on
Thursday, February 5. This all-day track
promises to help create a profitable market
experience for all. The day’s presentations
will be led by an outstanding group of
speakers with extensive knowledge of their
subject areas. Louise Smith, program organ-
izer, explains, “These two tracks are chock-
full of valuable information being presented
by farmers’ market experts from Pennsylva-
nia and throughout the U.S.” She also
noted that “the focus is inclusive — we
invite those representing brand new and
established markets; small town as well as
urban markets; and producers that are large
and small, long time and new.”
Farmers’ market producers will explore a
wide variety of topics, beginning with
Bernie Prince, co-founder and co-director
of FRESHFARM Markets, who will help
attendees determine if farmers’ markets are
right for them. Both dynamic and deeply
dedicated to food and farming issues,
Prince will address market options; market
manager expectations; goal setting; group
dynamics; responsibilities of a market man-
ager; and identifying the right market.
Bob Pierson, director of Farm to City —
an organization that helps local farmers’
market their crops directly to consumers
through farm markets, buying clubs, and
CSAs — will discuss farm business risk
management and financial planning. His
topics include: liability insurance; license
and permit regulations; budgeting; financial
information; and safety responsibilities of
the producer.
Following a lunch encouraging network-
ing with the market manager track partici-
pants, Cheryl DeBerry will lead attendees
in a discussion about creating a strong pres-
ence at market. She will also discuss how to
keep customers interested week after week
by using innovative, full, and colorful dis-
plays; eye-catching signage; and kid friend-
ly areas. DeBerry serves as Agriculture
Marketing Specialist for Garrett County,
MD. In addition, she and her husband farm
8–10 acres of fresh produce, including over
50 types of vegetables, melons, herbs,
gourds, and berries.
Rounding out the presentations will be
Janet Chrzan, a nutritional anthropologist
and lecturer at the University of Pennsylva-
nia, and founder of the Oakmont Farmers’
Market in Philadelphia. She will help farm-
ers understand how to increase market sales
through means such as season extending
techniques; value added products; and sales
to nearby businesses.
The afternoon will conclude with an
extensive question and answer session with
the presenters that will be facilitated by
Marilyn Anthony, PASA’s Southeast
Regional Director.
Running consecutively to the producer
track, farmers’ market managers will be par-
ticipating in an extensive exploration of
subjects related to their vocation. Leading
the first session will be the highly qualified
Diane Eggert, Executive Director of the
Farmers’ Market Federation of New York.
Eggert will discuss how to gauge the poten-
tial for a new farmers’ market to make the
difficult ‘Go/No Go’ decisions, as well as
the many topics related to market gover-
nance, communication, conflict resolution,
and funding sources.
Following Eggert, the workshop will
highlight market risk management issues,
including liability insurance; vendor licens-
ing, permits, and certificates; governmental
regulations (particularly related to food
safety); budgeting; and tracking financial
information. This session will be led by
Janet Chrzan and Louise Smith, CPA,
PASA Board Member, and president of
Countryside Consulting, Inc.
Following these two dynamic women
will be Stacy Miller, executive secretary of
the Farmers’ Market Coalition. Miller plans
to cover some of the many facets of market
management; as well as lead a discussion on
market manager responsibilities from
recruitment and promotion to enforcement
of market rules and problem solving.
The critical nature of market diversity,
including a range of products; a variety of
producers; a diversity of customers; and
5
offering a winter market; will be covered by
Liz Anderson, a founder of the Phoenixville
Farmers’ Market. A different Liz, Liz Carol-
lo, publicity and promotions manager for
NYC’s Greenmarket, will help participants
expand their market’s customer base
through onsite wireless EBTs, marketing,
community outreach, festivals, and more.
The final speaker of the day will once
again be Bernie Prince, who will help man-
agers better understand their market per-
formance by tracking information such as
number of market days and market hours;
customer and volunteer growth; number of
vendors; vendor sales volume and growth;
community involvement; food donations to
food banks and gleaning programs; and
redeeming WIC farmers’ market checks.
The market manager workshop will con-
clude with a panel discussion of market sus-
tainability factors that will be facilitated by
Stacy Miller.
Attendees will leave the program with a
“market toolbox” filled with hands-on tools
and take-home resources to build, enhance,
and sustain their farmers’ market experi-
ence. This pre-conference is offered with
support from the Farmers’ Market Coali-
tion and the Wallace Center at Winrock
International with funding from USDA
Risk Management Community Outreach
Program and AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians
with funding from USDA Risk Manage-
ment Education. More info and registration
is available at www.pasafarming.org.
Director’s Corner
Agriculture
in Paradise
By Brian Snyder, Executive Director
A s anyone who has travelled abroad
will know, leaving home or familiar
surroundings for awhile forces one to
reassess, which can lead to greater appre-
ciation, sharper criticism or some of both
with respect to the place you left behind.
I had a tremendous opportunity to do
some of this type of thinking over the
summer when I travelled to Costa Rica as
part of my mini-sabbatical after seven
years at the helm of PASA.
Traveling in July to a country much
closer to the equator than I’ve ever been,
my assumption was that I needed mini-
mal clothing, especially not anything like
a jacket or sweater. If I had studied that
map ahead of time, I would have seen
that many of the attractions in this rela-
tively small country (especially to an agri-
culturalist) occur at relatively high
elevation. I spent at least one night shiv-
ering through temperatures in the single
digits, Celsius that is, at an elevation of
about 9,000 ft.
Aside from such surprises, though, the
biggest lessons I learned on my trip were
about agriculture, land use and the risk
taken by any society that does not take
steps to secure a broad base of highly
diversified agricultural production for the
future. While Costa Rica is well known as
a country existing peacefully without a
military, it is indeed a country under
siege…not by armed militia, but by an
army of mostly absentee landowners
from other countries, principally the
United States.
As I traveled around the gorgeous
countryside, it seemed to me everything
was for sale. One tour guide I hired was
particularly intrigued to hear I work with
farmers because, as he confessed, his sec-
ond job was as a real estate salesman who
“helped” farmers, by finding foreign buy-
ers for their farms. He seemed less inter-
ested in getting to know me when he
found that my idea of helping farmers
was to keep them on the land.
One very knowledgeable ex-patriot in
this tropical paradise explained that
Costa Rican farmers who had struggled
all their lives to barely make a living were
an easy target for anyone waving around
enough money for their families to live in
relative comfort for, say, ten years. Prob-
lem is, the money usually goes faster than
expected, leaving such farmers with noth-
ing left to pass to the next generation,
except maybe the dream of someday
being able to farm. Any of this sound
familiar?
Much of the farmland lost thusly is
apt to become a private retreat or home-
stead for wealthy foreigners realizing their
dream of living in paradise, but having
no real interest in farming. Some of this
land is destined to be part of upscale
tourist resorts. But among many such
examples were several I found to the con-
trary…folks who were working to assure
the sustainability of Costa Rican farming
in all respects — economic, environmen-
tal and social.
One of the best examples of such for-
ward thinking is a community of Quak-
ers that had settled in Monteverde in
1951 in response to conscription in the
United States for the Korean War. Com-
bining efforts to restore pristine cloud
forests and develop viable farming coop-
eratives for cheese and sustainable coffee
production, this relatively small tourism
center is difficult to reach bet well worth
the effort. You can read all about it at
monteverdeinfo.com.
Smaller farms of note I visited that
also use tourism to remain viable while
teaching the lessons of sustainability
include Finca Luna Nueva Lodge in San
Isidro de Peñas Blancas (fincalunanueval-
odge.com), and the Villa Vanilla Spice
6
Plantation near Quepos (rainforest-
spices.com). Both of these operations
offer spectacular tours in an informal
atmosphere dedicated to values that are
very familiar to sustainable ag enthusiasts
anywhere.
I was also very impressed to find an
entire university devoted to agricultural
sustainability and the development of
young leaders to serve all of Latin Amer-
ica. EARTH University in Guácimo is
really a world unto itself, with around
8,000 acres of land on which to conduct
research on agricultural systems, environ-
mental management and natural resource
rehabilitation. With 400 students and 40
faculty at the heart of a carefully designed
community, EARTH leaves one wonder-
ing “what if ” land grant institutions in
the United States used their base of land
and other resources in such an intention-
al way. You can read more about it at the
EARTH University Foundation website,
earth-usa.org.
Costa Rica is everything people say it
is in terms of natural beauty and ecologi-
cal richness. Also, with its abundance of
tourism venues and recreational options,
it is an ideal destination for anyone look-
ing to “get away from it all” for any
length of time. But in a very real sense,
anyone who visits there with a heart for
agriculture will find a microcosm of the
challenges found back home. How do we
keep producing food for a growing world
population without destroying the envi-
ronment? How do we keep those farmers
who know best how to care for it on the
land? Where will we find the next gener-
ation of farmers once the current ones
have cashed in their chips?
But the most dramatic lesson for me
in my encounter with this land of won-
ders is that all of us must eventually come
to terms with the distinction between
what we “need” and what we “want,”
especially as it relates to people in coun-
tries where the economic balance is even
more tenuous than it is in the United
States. In many respects, the success of
Costa Rica, and other small countries
throughout Latin America, in maintain-
ing agricultural sustainability will deter-
mine our own fate in that regard. n
Editor’s Note: Please see page 31 for selected
photos of Brian’s trip to Costa Rica.
PASA Board Perspective
Mission
before Miracles
By Kim Seeley, Board President
T he recent fallout of Wall Street’s
financial deception leaves many
people wondering what’s going on and
how we got into this mess. By and large,
farmers have seen it coming for years.
Greed and waste are prime factors, and
many of our conference keynote speakers
over the years have forecasted the result
we now see.
I remember Vandana Shiva in particu-
lar, who called unsustainable growth by
our American companies an “economic
cancer.” She was right. As our leaders
bounce between saving the economy and
contemplating solutions for the world’s
shrinking supply of energy, everyone
hopes for a miracle.
We need miracles in life. However,
right now I am hoping for solutions with
stronger roots and deeper insights – ideas
we can relate to, and hold up for scrutiny
on an international stage.
I have never been prouder to call
myself a PASA member. As the world
around us swirls with uncertainty, our
organization moves ahead with a well-
defined strategy and countless success
stories are the result. Each issue of this
newsletter introduces more businesses
and members who epitomize sustainable
farming and living in general.
PASA is your organization, and we
count on you to communicate to us. You
elected the board of directors to represent
you. It is always reassuring to get feed-
back, pro or con, about the decisions
we make on your behalf. Praise is always
welcome, but criticism is also necessary
to challenge us to study what we have
decided and reflect on the outcomes.
Healthy debate ensures democratic
decisions. Our lives are journeys that
introduce us to people from all walks of
life. People with extremes in behavior and
deep seated personal beliefs comprise our
membership. Sustainability is not
extreme, it is balanced. Sustainable view-
points need to be cultivated from diverse
thinking, open dialogue, and trust.
PASA always attempts to bring you
the truth, good or bad. We must live in
reality while we work for solutions to the
problems of our daily lives. That is sus-
tainability. PASA farmers move forward
creating new models, continuing what
many of us have been doing for the last
couple of decades — living within our
means, growing healthy foods and recre-
ating communities.
If you haven’t read the PASA mission
statement lately, now is a good
time…promoting profitable farms that
produce healthy food for all people while
respecting the natural environment. Two
new, exciting initiatives will help us
achieve that mission.
First, the Good Food Neighborhood
is connecting many new friends to the
PASA family. Food relationships matter.
PASA continues to lead the way toward
food and farming justice, as a facilitator
of relationships, which is good for every-
one’s neighborhood. All of you need to
help promote this within your families
and extended communities. Take a look
sometime at the website (www.buylocal-
pa.org), and see why we are so proud.
Our second initiative is working with
the Food Alliance, to bring sustainable
certification to farms and processors who
meet their criteria throughout the Mid-
Atlantic region. As markets increase,
greed and deception can slip into the
process. PASA and Food Alliance will
collaborate to protect the market share
we all have worked so hard to build.
Much other work is ongoing in PASA.
You should know that you are represent-
ed by a very diverse and impressive board
of directors. We are still a very young
organization that from day one dreamed
7
about changing Pennsylvania agriculture
for the better. We are proud to note that
our positive influence has spread even
more broadly since we started.
As far as our government relationships
are concerned, PASA is now invited to be
part of the decision making process
because no longer can anyone ignore our
mission or our growing membership
ranks. Remember milk labeling?
Penn State University, with many out-
standing faculty and staff, has also taken
note of our growth. Their mission is care-
fully spelled out as a land grant institu-
tion. The current search for Dean Steele’s
replacement should be interesting. Will
Penn State boldly pursue sustainable
solutions that our members and cus-
tomers are demanding?
All Colleges are being forced to cut
budgets and think about falling enroll-
ments. Where will the money come
from? The temptation to continue
accepting corporate research money in
exchange for technological endorsements
will become more blatant. Funding deci-
sions will need more ethical scrutiny.
PASA members need to demand sustain-
able curriculums and a research agenda
that reflects the social contract implied in
the land grant mission.
Sustainable vision regarding food-
induced health problems will need to be
a priority. Solutions need cooperation
and sharing of data from all departments.
For example, professors from Human
Nutrition, and Culinary Arts should reg-
ularly be networking with leading experts
in Agronomy and Animal Science. Food
security is not one-dimensional, but
increasingly we are seeing research agen-
das espousing a very narrow viewpoint.
This is where the Good Food Neighbor-
hood, backed by Food Alliance certifica-
tion, may have its greatest impact.
Our many meetings with PDA and
Penn State have not always been cozy. I
believe that is because our agenda is more
mission-driven than politically charged.
PASA has everyone’s attention right now
because of our members’ successes and
commitment to the food system. There
are many good people who comprise
PASA, working together toward sustain-
able solutions and systems, not miracles.
Some will say we are trying to accom-
plish too much. Unfortunately there is
still too much to be accomplished. n

Conference ‘Sneak Peak’
A PRE-CONFERENCE TRACK • WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 & 5
Grass-fed, Grass-finished Beef:
Positive Impacts & Superior Meats
Are you seeking success in grass-farming
to produce flavorful and nutritionally supe-
rior beef? Do you want to acquire the nec-
essary skills to improve soils and
watersheds, as well as increasing the seques-
tration of carbon? Are you interested in cul-
tivating markets for finished product,
custom grazing, feeders and/or seed stock?
Are you looking to manage your pastures in
a way that ensures a continuous supply of
feed for the type of cattle on your farm?
These two days will provide a rare
opportunity to interact with and learn prac-
tical no-nonsense strategies from nationally
recognized grazers.
Kevin Fulton, a competitive weight lifter
and custom grazing specialist, owns and
operates a 2,800-acre farm in Central
Nebraska. He raises and sells his own grass-
fed beef, and has done custom grazing for
six different, branded grass-fed beef pro-
grams. A regular speaker at grazing confer-
ences around the country, Kevin will
discuss matching the right livestock genetics
with your particular grazing environment.
Kevin will also cover custom grazing and
grass finishing livestock for other people, a
plan that can generate cash flow and mini-
mize the risks of ownership. Learn how to
avoid the typical pitfalls you might
encounter establishing this type of business.
Greg Judy is a holistic management
practitioner and author of two books: No
Risk Ranching, Custom Grazing on Leased
Land and most recently, Comeback Farms:
Rejuvenating Soils, Pastures and Profits with
Livestock Grazing Management. He prof-
itably manages over 1,100 head of cattle on
more than 1560 acres in Missouri. Judy’s
articles have been featured in Stockman
Grass Farmer, the Holistic Management
International newsletter, and various other
industry must-reads. He brings to this pre-
conference track vast experience on custom,
multi-species grazing, high density planned
grazing or “mob grazing,” water and fenc-
ing systems, and more.
Chick Debach, butcher and co-owner of
Leona Meat Plant, will give a visual presen-
tation of a beef carcass breakdown to help
farmers translate beef on the hoof to the fin-
ished product. Additionally, Ridge Shinn,
Bakewell Reproductive Center, Steve
Reichard, 5R Cattle Co, and Bill Roberts,
12 Stones Grassland Beef, will offer insight
into the intricacies of form and function
within the herd, and their relationships to
both product and income. Despite a full
slate of knowledgeable speakers, there will
be ample time for discussion, interaction,
and networking. Don’t miss it!
A PRE-CONFERENCE TRACK
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Green Learning,
Green Living for
High School Students
New this year! A Pre-Conference Track
specifically designed for high school stu-
dents interested in sustainable agriculture
and a sustainable lifestyle. If you are a
teacher or are friends with a teenager who
helps on your farm, or if you are a high
school student yourself, check out the con-
ference brochure or www.pasafarming.org
to learn more about this special pre-confer-
ence track to be held on Penn State’s Uni-
versity Park campus.

Conference Coordination
Proudly Presenting Our Keynoters Many staff, board members and volunteers
are involved with organizing our confer-
For the 2009 conference, keynote speakers Raj Patel and Bernard Sweeney (full ence. if you have specific conference related
biographies were printed in Passages #74) will offer their unique perspectives on questions, please contact the staff mem-
the theme, The Worldwide Search for Food Sovereignty: Finding Your Foodshed. bers below at PASA headquarters. We will
work to make your conference dealings
An author, researcher, activist and scholar, Raj Patel draws efficient and pleasurable!
on broad experience in his examination of the intersection Conference Coordinator
Lauren Smith — lauren@pasafarming.org
of food, hunger, and globalization. In his latest book, Stuffed
Program Coordinator
and Starved, he discusses the global food system, looking to Allison Shauger — allison@pasafarming.org
understand why one billion of the world’s population is
Conference Planning Assistant
overweight while 850 million starve. Kristin Leitzel — kristin@pasafarming.org
Registration Coordinator
Patty Neiner — patty@pasafarming.org
Auction Coordinator
Sara Eisenfeld — sara@pasafarming.org
Mercantile Coordinator
Lisa Diefenbach — lisa@pasafarming.org
As Director, President, and Senior Research Scientist for Job Fair Coordinator
the Stroud Water Research Center, Bernard W. Sweeney Rachel Schaal — rachel@pasafarming.org
oversees pioneering research performed by interdiscipli- Kids Program Coordinator
nary research teams. Current projects include water quality Dwayne Murphy —
patchworkacres@hotmail.com
monitoring in conservation, the effects of global warming
Youth Program Coordinator
on stream ecosystems, and the role of streamside forests in
George Vahoviak — grv1@outreach.psu.edu
the structure and function of stream and river ecosystems.
PASA Headquarters • 814-349-9856

8
 ect now transforms food waste, landscape
Conference ‘Sneak Peak’ debris, and animal manure into compost
for use in campus landscaping projects, ath-
letic field maintenance, and agricultural
research and demonstration projects. What
Greening the Conference began as a 10-week demonstration project
is now handling food waste from seven din-
We’ve made great strides in turning our footprint green! ing commons, two campus hotels and the
Penn Stater Conference Center. PASA is
Local Food Recycling…Of Course! delighted that this program is strong year-
The PASA conference meals are famous for We are committed to Reduce, Reuse, and round, and not just done when we’re in the
gathering regional foods from farmers and Recycle. We’ll collect the name badge lan- building!
producers around the state. Not only is this yards at the end of the conference, for reuse
food grown for taste and nutrition, but also next year. The Penn Stater does a great job Going Eco with Printing
it didn’t burn up loads of fuel to get to your of using glass and ceramic drinking vessels In an effort to be sensitive to pollution,
plate! In addition, we’ll ensure our confer- whenever possible, and when disposable landfills, and our valuable forests, PASA is
ence attendees have as many local food cans and bottles are inevitable, they will using soy-based inks on chlorine-free, post-
options as possible through the Farmers dutifully collect and recycle them. Penn consumer recycled paper for printed mate-
Market Café, which will provide an alterna- Stater Event Coordinator Delyn Walker rials. We’ve also increased our electronic
tive low-budget, quick-grab style of eating said, “We have attractive new recycling con- communications, further reducing the need
and gives folks another way to connect to tainers that are used throughout the facility for paper.
their farmers and food. year-round. But when PASA comes in, we
get out the big bins! Your group is really Ride & Room Share
Compostable Containers serious about recycling!” You can help make Farming for the Future
In an effort to manage our waste more greener by traveling to the conference with
responsibly, the Farmers Market Café ven- Food Waste Goes Back to the Land a neighbor or sharing a room. Have an extra
dors will use compostable containers for the Over a decade ago, a group of concerned seat in your car? Save gasoline while meet-
foods they are selling. We’ll collect these students and Penn State employees asked ing someone new by offering a ride. Live
biodegradable containers and food scraps in the university, “Why not compost cafeteria near the conference and have a spare room?
bio-bags, and deliver this organic waste to waste and use the product in the university’s Be a local hero and offer someone a place to
be composted at the Penn State Compost landscaping activities?” Their inquiry sleep. PASA is partnering with SpaceShare
Site. Isn’t it great that our garbage can be reflected the gaining popularity of compost- to help out-of-towners connect with fellow
recycled back to the environment! ing as a waste disposal alternative. The proj- travelers to share rides and rooms, and to
connect with Centre County residents with
spare rooms on the SpaceShare network.
CONFERENCE INVESTS IN CARBON OFFSETS Visit our website at www.pasafarming.org
This year, we wanted to take an important step in greening the conference by looking to join the network and find another way to
seriously at the carbon emissions created by simply convening our audience. We will be sustainable.
mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions caused by all transportation to and from the
conference center as well as by energy and electricity used during the event. To these
ends, we are purchasing carbon offsets
equivalent to the emissions associated
with the conference. A carbon offset is a
financial instrument representing a
Farming for the Future Carpools!
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Encourage Green Travel

PASA is working with the Environ-

*Conference ride,
mental Credit Corporation (ECC) on this project. ECC creates environmental assets
room & flight match*
through long-term greenhouse gas reduction projects (visit www.envcc.com).
Our conference emissions will be offset by investing in a landfill methane avoidance *Carpools to cultural events & rallies*
*College rideshare systems*
Your nonprofit can use our tools
project, which creates carbon credits by diverting organic materials from landfills and
to recruit at festivals
utilizing them in composting operations.The high-quality, independently verified, addi-

Technology for Communities

tional credits derived from this protocol are registered and traded on the Chicago Cli-

*Nonprofit membership networking*

mate Exchange — the world’s first voluntary, legally binding, rule-based greenhouse
*Custom database & web devel.*
gas emission reduction and trading system.
The emissions associated with the conference will be calculated based on travel of *Community websites*
participants, energy consumption at the Penn Stater Conference Center and hotel guest Tell us your technology dreams
rooms utilized during the conference. Emissions will be calculated utilizing emission or woes and we may be able to help
factors from The Environmental Protection Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Join us! Tell event organizers about us!
Climate Change. www.SpaceShare.org/newsletter

9

Conference ‘Sneak Peak’
Get More Involved!
There are many opportunities to get involved in
Farming for the Future behind the scenes! Read on…
We Need Volunteers!
Volunteers fuel Farming for the Future.
At the outset, the Conference Commit-
tee meets throughout the summer to
design and develop the program and
speakers. Then the conference staff
kicks in to pull all of the elements and
pieces together. There are lots more
volunteers needed in the weeks lead-
ing up to and following the confer-
ence, as well as at the Conference
Center during the event. Help assure a
smooth-running conference by being
a volunteer. Call PASA or email
kristin@pasafarming.org to get
involved!
Friends of the Conference
Farming for the Future is an extremely
important event for the PASA membership.
It’s our chance to learn from and network
with interesting people and field experts,
and gather new ideas for improving our
businesses and lives. The 2009 conference
will be no different, and we want to ensure
that everyone can participate by keeping the
registration fees affordable. Please consider
becoming a Friend of the Conference. Your
tax-deductible contribution of $100
enables the conference to flourish. Your gift
will be acknowledged at the conference and
in Passages newsletter. Please indicate your
contribution on the registration form.
Thank you for being a Friend!
Got General Information?
Conference attendees look forward to
browsing in the General Information area
as a way to learn about new resources and
stay connected with the agricultural com-
munity. If you have information you want
to share with conference goers, bring it to
the conference! Posters and flyers are wel-
come. Magazines, catalogs, newspapers and
other reading materials are welcome as well,
but please provide no more than 900
copies. Materials can be mailed prior to the
conference to PASA or the Penn Stater
Conference Center for a $25 contribution.
To share information in the General Infor-
mation area, please call PASA or email
kristin@pasafarming.org.
Help Gather Local Foods
We gather sustainable, organic and region-
ally raised foods for the conference meals
from over 50 PASA members and friends.
We welcome contributions; it’s a great way
to be a part of the conference! All of the
providing farms and food producers will be
acknowledged in our menu guide and Pas-
sages newsletter. Call PASA or email lau-
ren@pasafarming.org.
Arias M. Brownback Scholarship Fund
The scholarship fund provides educational
opportunities for aspiring farmers, regard-
less of financial circumstances, to increase
access to the sustainable agriculture tech-
niques and methods necessary for success.
Please consider donating to this important
fund when you register for the conference
by indicating your contribution on the reg-
istration form. If you wish to apply for a
scholarship, please find the scholarship
application online at www.pasafarming.org
or contact Patty Neiner at PASA.
Benefit Auction
We are busy organizing our seventh annual
fundraising auction and are looking for
some terrific items to include. Through our
members’ generosity, we will showcase over
130 items, featuring original artwork,
unique gift baskets, farm tools, vacation
get-a-ways and more. If you have contribu-
tions for the auction, please contact us by
January 9, 2009. We are looking for items
in all price ranges. Call PASA or email
sara@pasafarming.org.
Calling Talented Friends!
The FarmArts project at the conference
includes inspirational quotes for the walls, a
beautiful exhibit and sale
of farmland art, and a
documentary film. It
also includes ways for
you to get involved —
with performing live
music or contributing to
the photo exhibit. Call
PASA or email
kristin@pasafarming.org
if you are interested.

10
Membership Update
Membership New Business Members Volunteers
Renewal Reminder
PASA Staff and Board Would Like PASA Staff and Board Would Like
To all PASA members who pay yearly dues
to Welcome Our Newest Business to Thank the Following Volunteers as of
to the organization, our 2009 membership
Members as of November 14, 2008 October 31, 2008
renewal campaign is underway! You may
have noticed the last few issues of the American Organic Seed Co. Tom Carey Patty Neiner
newsletter have included your membership Warren, IL Eileen Clark Patti Olenick
expiration date above the mailing label and Sandra & Bill Felker Lynn Prior
The Book Squirrel
you should have received your personalized
Carlisle, PA Brigid Ferkett Caroline Shauger
renewal materials a few weeks ago. PASA
invites you to renew your membership now Steve Frey Ian Smith
Nature’s Yolk
to take advantage of discounts on confer- New Holland, PA Sarah Galbraith Walt Whitmer
ence registration rates, as well as continuing www.naturesyolk.com Lamonte Garber
to help build your organization as a power- Bob Gillespie
Redtail Land Co. Inc.
ful voice for sustainable food and farming
Stahlstown, PA Tom Hricik
systems. You can visit www.pasafarming.org
Melody Joaquim
to renew online, remit the personalized pre- Schuylkill Center for
viously sent or call headquarters at 814- Environmental Education Barbara Kleyman
349-9856 x207. Philadelphia, PA Claire Murray

Good Food Buy Fresh Buy Local® Chapters in PA

Neighborhood Q & A
continued from page 3
group or upload some favorite recipes.
PASA has always derived a lot of its
strength from grassroots organizing and
local networking; our hope is that our
members will help to accelerate the recon-
struction of local food systems across the
state by using these new online tools!
But perhaps the most important way
you can help make the Good Food Neigh-
borhood a success is by beginning a con-
versation with PASA’s Consumer Outreach
Department about how we can introduce
this program to other groups of con-
sumers. If you run a farm, can we put the
Good Food Neighborhood in front of your
customer list or CSA-subscriber list? If you
send out a newsletter or catalog for your
business, can we get a mention there? If
you’re a member of another group, or a
church, ask yourself whether your fellow
members might be interested in being
Good Food Neighbors, and what would be
the best way to ask. Another way you can
help is to encourage your friends and fam-
ily to join the Good Food Neighborhood. In
fact, this would be a wonderful holiday gift
to give this year!
The goal of PASA’s Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) programming is to make it easier for
Pennsylvania consumers to find, choose and appreciate great local foods…and to
support the farmers and lands which produce them.
n Centre County
Kristin Leitzel (Chapter Coordinator)
buyfreshcc@pasafarming.org
n Chester County
Claire Murray (Chapter Coordinator)
Inverbrook Farm
claire@inverbrook.com or 610-563-3116
n Greater Lehigh Valley
Lynn Prior (Chapter Coordinator)
lynnprior@verizon.net or 610-438-3950
Serving Lehigh and Northampton Counties
n Lancaster County
Linda Aleci (Chapter Coordinator)
Local Economy Center,
Franklin & Marshall College
linda.aleci@fandm.edu or 717-291-4293
n Northern Tier
Ruth Tonachel (Chapter Coordinator)
Northern Tier Cultural Alliance
tonachel@epix.net or 570-268-4093
Serving Bradford, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna,
Tioga, Wyoming Counties
n Philadelphia
Jessica Cronin-Connolly (Chapter Coordinator)
White Dog Community Enterprises
215-386-5211 x109 or jessicacc@whitedog.com
n South Central PA
Susan Richards (Chapter Coordinator)
Capital RC&D
susan.richards@rcdnet.net or 717-724-0009
Serving Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cumber-
land, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon,
Lebanon,
Perry & York Counties
n Southeast Pennsylvania
Marilyn Anthony (Chapter Coordinator)
marilyn@pasafarming.org or 610-458-5700 x305
n Valleys of the Susquehanna
Trish Carothers (Chapter Coordinator)
SEDA-COG
tcarothers@seda-cog.org or 570-522-7259
Serving Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Juniata,
Lycoming,
Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and
Union and Wyoming Counties
n Western Pennsylvania
Mia Farber (Chapter Coordinator)
mia@pasafarming.org or 412-246-0990
Serving Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clari-
on, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indi-
ana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset,
Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland
Counties
n Statewide BFBL Coordination
Chris Fullerton, PASA Consumer Outreach
chris@pasafarming.org or 412-246-0990
Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters in Pennsylvania
are coordinated by PASA, on behalf of our
national partner, FoodRoutes Network (www.
foodroutes.org). To explore your region’s food
system further, hear about upcoming events
and find more ways to get involved, please
visit our website — www.buylocalpa.org — or
contact one of the folks listed above.
Our work is made possible in part by funding
from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
and by contributions from individuals and busi-
nesses throughout the state.

11
Farmer & Business Profile
collectively: sustainability in pricing, sus-
An Interview with Mary-Howell & tainability in market supply and demand,
sustainability in long-term planning, and
Klaas Martens Lakeview Organic Grain sustainability in the way we regard each
other. I’ve since read many definitions of
sustainability, written by people far more
qualified than I, but our own definition
remains much simpler and easier to apply
every day — to truly ‘treat others the way
we want to be treated’ as the lens through
which we evaluate all our actions and our
decisions, including the care of our ani-
mals and soil.
In 2002, we formed our feed and seed
business, Lakeview Organic Grain,
around this concept. We are committed
Mary-Howell & Klaas Martens are pioneer organic farmers in the Finger Lakes to supplying New York organic dairy
region of New York, with about 1400 acres of organic corn, soybeans, small farms with as much New York organic
grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, triticale), field peas, winter peas, dark red kid- grain as possible, so the ‘wealth’ of the
ney beans, edamame soybeans and other things too. They have been farming opportunities and markets stays in our
organically since 1993, and also started an organic feed business in 1996 which own community and benefits everyone.
has expanded to supply more than 300 organic farmers in central New York. We work with ‘our’ farmers to improve
They were the 2008 SARE Patrick Madden award winners in the Northeast, and their cropping success and soil health,
diversify their rotations, and improve
also raise organic heifers, pigs, chickens, and most importantly, three children —
their pastures/forage. We provide a reli-
Peter, Elizabeth and Daniel.
able market for as many crops as possible
For more information about Lakeview Organic Grain, call 315-531-1038, email to encourage healthy crop rotation.
kandmhfarm@sprintmail.com or write Box 361, Pen Yan, NY 14527. When people have questions about
organic farming, they know they can call
us for information, networking or just a
INTERVIEW WITH world that will benefit everyone without sympathetic ear. At times it certainly
MARY-HOWELL MARTENS one group succeeding at the expense of would be far easier (and cheaper) to order
another? railcars of corn from the Midwest rather
What do you see as some of the critical For much of our history, American than to spend hours drying small lots of
issues concerning agriculture today? agriculture has celebrated and rewarded corn as it is harvested off multiple farms.
Our first contact with PASA came in simultaneously the independence of But that’s not the point! These farmers
the late 1990’s when we wrote an article farmers and their exploitation by are our friends and our neighbors, and
for Acres USA (which, unfortunately, was agribusiness. Through government subsi- the extra work allows us to offer another
never published) about a group of farm- dies, university programs and expensive employee a decent, well-paying job.
ers near Pittsburgh who were growing advertising, it has promoted the heavy Without a doubt, we have a great group
organic vegetables for restaurants. The use of expensive farm inputs, a shrinking of employees at Lakeview and on the
concept really caught our imagination repertoire of crops, and the commodity farm — they, too, are our friends, and it
because creating balanced, cooperative production of cheap food products that is our privilege to be working with them.
partnerships between farms and buyers support neither good health nor good In the early 1990’s, we were part of the
— based on mutual respect — made so quality. There are increasing numbers of group of organic grain and dairy farmers
much sense…long before the term ‘experts’ who are now beginning to see that formed New York Certified Organic.
‘localvore’ became popular. the flaws in this system that have been so We have now been meeting regularly dur-
The idea fit well with our core values apparent to us in alternative agriculture ing the winter for nearly 15 years to share
as a family and as individuals — that for a long time. information and help each other become
cooperation and sensitivity to each As I gathered information for the arti- better farmers. At each meeting, we
other’s needs is necessary for long-term cle, I remember asking the Pittsburgh spend most of the time sharing our weed
stability of supply, financial security, farmers to define the word ‘sustainability’ control strategies, crop rotation ideas,
product quality, and a sense of communi- — it sounded great, but I wasn’t exactly agronomic challenges, equipment ideas,
ty. This still remains the most critical sure what that meant. Their answer was and market information, and always, we
issue that should face us as organic farm- mainly agronomic, and while this is enjoy a lengthy dish-to-share lunch.
ers, processors and consumers today: how essential, I feel very strongly that sustain- Few of us are eager to seriously con-
do we best work together to build a stable ability should be a key focus that perme- sider the question ‘if I wasn’t here on this
cooperative marketplace in a changing ates the entire industry, individually and farm, would it still be organic?’ This goes

12
to the heart of whether our commitment
to sustainability can outlast our own per-
sonal influence. Creating a farm environ-
ment that nurtures young people to
participate and accept leadership is
important both on the farm and regional
level. We are happy that our oldest son,
Peter, now finished with college, has cho-
sen to work with us on our farm as he
builds his separate farming enterprise. We
also believe that developing a supportive
non-farming local community that
understands and values agricultural sus-
tainability is vital.
The organic industry has experienced
unprecedented rapid growth over the past
10 years, but with the current economic
slowdown, we all will be forced to adjust
to a rapidly changing market. While the
demand for organic food is not likely to
disappear, the particular products in
demand may change. Luxury foods may
be harder to sell, while the demand for
more basic food items like milk, meat
and unprocessed produce is likely to
remain strong, as long as they are priced
within our customers’ range.
In these uncertain times, we may be
required to make serious changes on our
farms to keep pace with the changing
marketplace and consumer economic
ability. We may even have to think about
how we can continue farming organically
if the price premium shrinks. Long-term
sustainability is not a static state, no mat-
ter how healthy your soil is. Agile adapta-
tion to change can be tough, but
essential. It is tempting to succumb to
thinking “but we had such a good thing
starting, why does it have to change
now?” but we can’t take that luxury.
External factors are changing rapidly
these days, and to the best of our ability,
we must try to anticipate and change
with them. Adapting to change, while
still trying to shape its direction in accord
with our core values, will likely determine
the success and sustainability of our
farms and the organic industry.
Why did you join PASA?
We joined PASA in 1999 because we
saw that something exciting was happen-
ing south of the border. It was the potent
combination of people and vision, the
shared strong belief that as a state, Penn-
sylvania could build a cooperative,
strong, interactive community of alterna-
tive farmers, processors, and consumers.
We still remember being in the PASA
keynote speech in 2001, given by the
architect, Dr. William McDonough, and
feeling a tangible surge of energy
throughout the room — the brilliant
clarity of his ideas combined with thou-
sands of people sharing the same vision.
It was a rare moment filled with the
power of ‘we can do it, if we work togeth-
13
er!’ Since then, we have matured as a
community and as individuals. That early
heady enthusiasm and confidence have
been tempered by remarkable success,
hard reality and increasing complexity.
Throughout this, we admire PASA for
continually promoting a strong sense of
community, shared responsibility, and
creative intellectual growth.
How has your
farm & feed business evolved?
Our first organic crop in 1993 was
one field of wheat. We are currently farm-
ing about 1400 acres of organic corn,
soybeans, spelt, wheat, barley, oats, triti-
cale, red kidney beans and hay. In the
past, we have grown organic cabbage for
sauerkraut, and snap beans and sweet
corn for freezing. Some of our crops are
grown for seed production, and we have
a spelt dehuller that produces food-grade
spelt grain, much of which we export. We
also participate in numerous research
projects with Cornell University, Penn
State University and the Rodale Institute
— organic no-till, field corn breeding
and variety trials, weed control equip-
ment trials, small grain seed production,
and cover crop and forage variety evalua-
tion. Our daughter, Elizabeth, raises
organic heifers; we have pigs, chickens
and a family milk cow, and we raise most
of the food we eat year round.
During this past summer, one of our
chicken feed customers offered to put
together a Lakeview website for our
approval. We hadn’t thought we wanted a
website; we actually resisted the idea five
years ago when our oldest son suggested
it, but it is turning out to be a remarkably
useful tool. Now www.lakevieworganic-
grain.com is becoming a great way to
organize feed and seed lists and pricing
information, articles and other agronom-
ic resources about organic farming, news
of upcoming events, links to other useful
sites, maps, and even home-ground
organic grain recipes!
In 1991, when we were splitting off
from a conventional dairy farm partner-
ship with Klaas’ two brothers (with one
small child and another on the way and
not really enough money to start our own
farm), we certainly didn’t anticipate that
in 15 years, we would be here. Talk about
evolution! We just wonder what the next
15 years will bring!. n
Educational Outreach
Another Great Season
for Educational
Outreach
By Rachel Schaal,
Educational Outreach Associate
Were you one of the over 600 people
who came out to a PASA field day this
season? If so, you had the opportunity to
share with farmers and producers explor-
ing and expanding the frontiers of sus-
tainability and profitability on the farm.
PASA continued to offer programming
on Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
strategies, looking specifically at examples
of greenhouse and high tunnel applica-
tions. And with four certified kitchen
programs offered, over 150 people took
the first step toward developing value-
added dairy ventures to diversify farm
businesses and revenue streams.
Our educational outreach season also
included two farm-scale composting field
days, a tour of a robotic milking facility,
a workshop for managers of farmers mar-
kets, and a hands-on demo of a mobile
poultry processing unit. These events
were held all over Pennsylvania, with sev-
ADVERTISEMENT
14
Participants in this year’s field day programs
learned about a myriad of topics, including
small goat dairying as pictured here from
Spotted Hill Farm in Pottstown, PA.
eral in each of PASA’s four regions. And
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact
that all of this season’s lunches included
locally grown and produced foods — sev-
eral of the lunches were provided by the
very PASA members hosting the events!
We sincerely hope you enjoyed this
season’s programming and took valuable
information away with you. Planning is
well underway for the 2009 season, and it
promises to be another bellringer. Thank
you, and we look forward to seeing you
again in the field and on the farm.
Small Ruminant Producers!
As part of our NE SARE Diversifying
with Small Ruminants for Profitability
grant, we’re organizing regional meetings
for this winter. Our goal is to get produc-
ers together for informal networking,
exchange, and discussion of diversifica-
tion, sustainability, and profitability in
new and expanding small ruminant farm
operations. Take this opportunity to con-
nect with other new and expanding small
ruminant farmers and be included in
PASA’s online Small Ruminant Directo-
ry. More info coming soon. n
Regional Marketing
SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTHEAST WESTERN

The South Central Regional Advisory
Committee held a potluck on Nov. 18 to
recruit new members to work on plan-
ning educational, social, and outreach
programs for 2009. This one-year, volun-
teer position promises to be fun and
rewarding! For more info contact Jenn
Halpin (halpinj@dickinson.edu) or
Melanie Dietrich-Cochran (markand-
mel@pa.net).
Ideas proposed for 2009 for our
region’s farmers and food lovers include
educational workshops on food preserva-
tion, chicken processing and cooking
classes. If you have an interest in leading
or attending a workshop of this nature
please let us know!
We plan to use our regional discussion
group (see box below) as a venue for
communicating group canning parties or
other tasks made lighter by many helpful
hands. If you are a seasoned canner or
food preserver and are interested in shar-
ing your knowledge, let us know!
More social potlucks were also in
demand! If you are interested in playing
host to a fun group of people, we want to
know!
The South Central Advisory Commit-
tee will meet in late February to begin
planning the upcoming season for our
region. Again, if you are interested in
being a part of this planning group,
please let us know!
Southeast Regional Advisory
Committee Convenes
On Nov. 18, 30 interested PASA
members turned out for a meeting at the
Chester County Economic Development
office. We were delighted to welcome
members from seven of the eight counties
of the southeast. Bucks County, we
missed you!
Regional Director Marilyn Anthony
provided a brief summary of the distribu-
tion of PASA members in the region. She
challenged those present to focus their
volunteer efforts on “Energizing the
Membership” for 2009. Specifically,
attendees were encouraged to sign a
pledge for one year of active participation
as an Advisor, and to select one area of
personal involvement: member retention,
recruitment, or development/fundrais-
ing. Twenty pledges were made with
nearly equal distribution in each area. All
volunteers will receive additional infor-
mation later this year as we begin to
develop our membership initiatives.
Marilyn will make a similar presenta-
tion at the regional breakout session at
the PASA conference. If you were unable
to attend the November meeting but
would like to join the Advisory Commit-
tee, you’ll have another opportunity in
February, or you can contact Marilyn
(marilyn@pasafarming.org) to express
your interest.
The Western Regional office recently
held one of two potluck meetings. The
first was held on Dec. 17th in Erie and
the second meeting is coming up on Jan.
10th from 11am–3pm at the Cranberry
Municipal Center in the Council Cham-
bers. For more information or to RSVP
contact Julie Inman, 412-697-0411 or
julie@pasafarming.org.
Terra Madre Experience
By Greg Boulos, Western Regional Director
The closing ceremony of Slow Food’s
Terra Madre Conference hosted a grand
finale of native musicians from 15 differ-
ent countries all playing together on
stage. This harmonizing of cultures was
apropos of the conference, bringing 150
countries together to discuss sustainable
agriculture, food access, governmental
policy and international support. This
global sharing of ideas had the cama-
raderie and spirit of the PASA conference
— a community celebration of all things
sustainable, mixed with sharing of food
and information. My wife, Jen, and I
were fortunate enough to have been
selected to represent Southwestern Penn-
sylvania at the gathering. We made great
connections to regional, national and
international leaders in the sustainable
food movement, and are looking forward
to developing those relationships through
PASA and bringing ideas, initiatives and
perspectives back to Pennsylvania!

REGIONAL CONTACTS & DISCUSSION GROUP ADDRESSES

Discussion groups are open to PASA members only to join and discuss issues related to sustainable agriculture.
To join the group in your region, send an email to the appropriate address provided.

Western
PASAWestern-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
NorthCentral/Eastern
Greg Boulos
412-697-0411 • greg@pasafarming.org

Southeastern
PASAsoutheast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Western
Marilyn Anthony
610-458-5700 x305 • marilyn@pasafarming.org
Southeastern
Southcentral Southcentral
PASAsouthcentral-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Jenn Halpin
717-243-5996 • halpinj@dickinson.edu Out of State discussion group addresses:
NorthCentral/Eastern States North and East of Pennsylvania
PASAnorthcentralEast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com PASAOutofStateNortheast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Leah Tewksbury States South and West of Pennsylvania
570-437-2620 • tewks1@aol.com PASASouthandWest-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

15
Consumer News
The Difference Between Grain-Fed and Grass-fed
By Shannon Hayes,
www.grassfedcooking.com
Pasture-based farmers who direct-market
their meats are forever answering the
same questions from new customers:
“What, exactly, are the differences
between conventional meats and grass-
fed?” Most of us have a bevy of replies on
the tips of our tongues: We launch into
lectures about the environmental devasta-
tion caused by the factory farming indus-
try, we give in-depth explanations about
carbon sequestration and how good graz-
ing reduces global warming. We define
CLAs and Omega 3s and quote nutri-
tional studies verbatim. We expound on
peak oil and demonstrate grazier’s
reduced reliance on fossil fuels. We
preach about the value of local economies
and our role in rebuilding sustainable
communities. We bear the simple (albeit
noble) title “farmer,” but to do our jobs
well, we’ve evolved into chemists, biolo-
gists, sociologists, nutritionists, environ-
mentalists, animal rights activists and
preachers. Whatever our explanations of
the differences may be, the next question
we almost always hear following our dia-
tribes is, “But it’s tougher, right?” No.
More than ever before, folks are will-
ing to try bringing grass-fed meats home
for their families. Yet still, the myth pre-
vails, even among grass-fed advocates,
that the eating just won’t be the same as
the good ol’ grain-fed days.
It’ll be better. In my experience, unless
there has been a serious management
problem on the farm, grass-fed meat is
not tougher than grain-fed. In fact, when
I wrote The Grassfed Gourmet, I teamed
up with Cornell Meat Scientist Dr.
Denny Shaw, and we spent a day cooking
up a storm, then running Warner-Brat-
zler shear tests comparing local grass-fed
beef with grain-fed “Certified Angus”
beef from the grocery store. In nearly
every test we performed, the grass-fed
meat received the better tenderness score.
While this was only preliminary research
(I lack the finances to conduct a full-
blown study), I have not yet seen any
other studies confirming the “grassfed is
tough” myth (if any of you readers know
of any, please forward them along).
In the last few years, I’ve done numer-
ous Farmer and The Grill work-
shops, where I show up at demon-
stration sites, receive several varieties
of meats from local farms, and face
the challenge of preparing whatever
I am handed for all the workshop
participants to sample. I use only
salt, pepper, garlic, and a little kettle
grill. I use no fancy tenderizing
methodologies, no space-age culi-
nary equipment. We’ve never had a
piece of tough grass-fed meat yet.
Then why do so many folks report
having eaten tough meat? The secret
lies in understanding one simple dif-
ference between grass and grain-fed
meats that many of us, in all our
myriad lectures on grass-fed/grain-
fed differences, forget to explain to “The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook” is available online at:
our customers. grassfedcooking.com.
Grass-fed meat is variable. We have finish cooking over indirect heat. If you
grown accustomed to an industrialized are oven roasting, lower the temperature.
food system that offers us flavorless, eco- When heat is applied quickly, muscle
logically devastating, potentially toxic, fibers in the meat contract quickly. When
inhumane, nutritionally deficient meat. meat is not heavily marbled, there is little
But it is consistent. And for nearly 50 fat for insulation to slow the muscle con-
years, the industrialized food system has traction, and your dinner will be chewy.
been supported by a culinary industry Also, since the fibers are not contracting
that has educated us on how to make the quickly, less of the juice is lost, resulting
most of this consistent meat (consistently in a more moist piece of meat. Thus, low-
inferior!). ering the cooking temperature is your
Grass-fed meats are a product of their insurance policy to protect tenderness
ecosystem. And every farm’s ecosystem and juiciness. Next, use a meat ther-
will be different. Genetics will vary. Pas- mometer to gauge doneness. Over-cook-
tures will vary. Weather patterns will vary. ing the meat will contribute to dryness.
Individual animals will vary. Farming Also, in most cases, I advise that reliably-
practices will vary. Butchering practices sourced grass-fed meats be removed from
will vary. All of this is evidence of a the oven or grill with lower internal tem-
healthy, diversified, localized, sustainable peratures than those recommended by
food system. The result will be variable the USDA. This helps to preserve more
meat. A grass-fed rib steak for sale at the juice, reduces the sacrifice of those nutri-
farmers’ market may be 1.2 pounds. tious (CLA and Omega-3-rich) fats to
Another one might be 0.72 pounds. It the flames, and enhances the overall
may grade prime (lots of marbling), nutritional value of the meat. For a quick
choice (a good amount of marbling), or resource on this, check out the “Don’t
select (lean). Provided the animals weren’t Over-Do It” refrigerator magnets at
mishandled or improperly grazed, with grassfedcooking.com — they list the
simple, attentive cooking practices, all ideal internal temperatures for grass-fed
grass-fed meats can achieve the desired and grain-fed meats. Also, look carefully
combination of tenderness, juiciness and at the meat before you cook it. If it is a
flavor. steak, is it the same thickness that you are
The key lies in working with the vari- used to, or that is called for in the recipe?
ability. For starters, lower the tempera- Is it well-marbled? Lean? If it is thinner,
tures at which you cook the meats. If you cook it for less time. If it is thicker, be
are grilling, once you’ve seared the meat, prepared to go a little longer. If it is lean,
16
 ADVERTISEMENT

be extra cautious with the flames or oven temperature. Eval-

uate your roasts the same way. Bigger pieces of meat will cook
longer than smaller pieces. Remember: Recipes are guidelines
for preparing foods. They are not legal documents. Just as we
farmers have learned to create food in harmony with our
ever-changing ecosystems, where the production of good
food is the result of daily attention to the environment and
the animals, so too do cooks need to pay attention to our
food in the kitchen. We do not need to be gourmet chefs. We
simply need to be attentive.
Finally, start taking more time to enjoy your food. Grass-
fed meats take longer to raise up on the farm. Take longer to
enjoy them at your table. They have magnificent flavor, and
each piece of meat will taste different from animal to animal,
farm to farm, region to region. When we eat with attention
and celebration, these flavors really shine through. The
majority of Americans spend less than 31 minutes around the
family dinner table. This allows for hardly any time to con-
verse, and it is a woefully short period in which to fully taste
good food that was artfully grown and lovingly prepared. So
sit longer, taste more, and enjoy the great food. n
Editor’s Note: Shannon Hayes is the host of grassfedcooking.com
and the author of The Farmer and the Grill and the Grassfed
Gourmet Cookbook. She works with her family on Sap Bush
Hollow Farm, raising pastured and grass-fed meats, in Upstate
New York.

ADVERTISEMENT

17
Fundraising Update
Locavores Celebrate the Harvest
While Raising Money and Awareness
We have access to the best foods raised
anywhere — so it is only logical for PASA
to make the most of this fact and organ-
ize local food feasts as one way to raise
financial support and awareness. Harvest
Celebration Dinners have become a sub-
stantial and delicious means to garner
general support for the past six years. Our
three Harvest Celebration Dinners held
in September raised well over $45,000
and helped our collective cause gain
momentum!
Our two regional offices each hosted a
dinner, and PASA headquarters held a
statewide event in Harrisburg. Three
cities, three dinners, three wonderful col-
lections of regional food prepared with
panache that wowed three audiences.
That formula is easy to comprehend,
but what makes these dinners possible is
the financial support we acquire from our
sponsors. They provide the essential rev-
enue that underwrites the expenses of the
events, including much of the local farm
food (although some is donated), which
allows us to raise money through the sale
of tickets.
Lady Moon Farms was the title spon-
sor of the Harrisburg Dinner. Owner and
PASA founding member Tom Beddard
took the stage that night and delighted
the audience with four “Top Ten Lists”
on why he loves farming, hates farming,
Below Left: Tom Beddard of Lady Moon Farms was the Presenting Sponsor of the Harrisburg Dinner and has been the lead sponsor of this
important fundraiser for six years.
Below Right: PASA's Good Food Neighborhood consumer campaign was unveiled at all three Harvest Dinners (see cover story).
loves local food, and supports PASA. A
few of the top reasons on Tom’s love of
farming list included, “The love of plant-
ing seeds, the smell of top soil, and
watching crops grow.” His top reason was
“I love not getting dressed up for work!”
Some top tens on why he supports PASA
included “The farming community needs
a strong voice, they do really good work,
and it beats leaving money on Wall
Street!”
Kimberton Whole Foods supported
both the Harrisburg event as a Celebra-
tion Sponsor and leant support to their
regional event at Longwood Gardens.
Company partner Terry Brett stated “We
were honored to provide support to these
important PASA fundraisers. We wanted
to make a statement and show how
enthusiastically our company is behind
PASA. The educational and marketing
programming that PASA achieves under-
lies and contributes to the mission of
Kimberton Whole Foods. Sustainable
communities begin with sustainable agri-
culture.”
Glasbern Inn of Lehigh County sup-
ported the Longwood dinner as a Cele-
bration Sponsor. Owner Al Granger
hosted a Harvest Dinner at his beautiful
Inn a few years back, and has been finan-
cially supporting the events since. “It’s
my pleasure to support PASA fundraising
18
Harrisburg Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Lady Moon Farms
Celebration Sponsor
Kimberton Whole Foods
Reception Sponsor
Four Seasons Produce
Bounty Sponsor
Wegmans Food Market
Entertainment Sponsor
Chaddsford Winery
Cultivator Sponsors
Organic Unlimited
Harrisburg Providing
Farms, Vineyards & Breweries
Adams County Winery • Birchrun Hills Farm • Brok-
N-Bit Acres • Calkins Creamery • Chaddsford Win-
ery • Cherry Valley Vineyards • Clover Creek
Cheese Cellar • Country Acre Cider Mill • Country
Time Pork • Dancing Creek Farm • Demeter’s Gar-
den • Dickinson College Farm • Eberly Poultry
Farms • Equal Exchange • Four Seasons Produce •
Greenbriar Farm • Green Heron Farm • Hardwick
Beef Farms • Hares Valley Growers • Harrisburg
Dairies • Help From Above Farm • Hendricks Farm
& Dairy • Jamison Farm • Journey’s End Farm •
Jubilee Organic Farm • Keswick Creamery • Lady
Moon Farms • Landisdale Farm • Leraysville
Cheese Factory • Lil Pond Farm • Long Lane Flow-
ers • Mother Earth Mushrooms • New Morning
Farm • Old Meadow Farm • Otterbein Acres • Paint-
ed Hand Farm • Perrydell Family Farm • Phillips
Mushroom Farms • Pipe Dreams • Rippling Brook
Farm • Shellbark Hollow Farm • Sonnewald Natur-
al Foods • Spiral Path Farm • Stone Meadow Farm •
Tait Farm Foods • Three Belle Cheese • Toigo
Orchards • Trickling Springs Creamery • Tröegs
Brewing Company • Tuscarora Mountain Farm •
Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative • Twin
Brook Winery • Village Acres • Vollmecke Orchards
& CSA • Wayside Acres • Wegmans Food Markets
and help boost my organization, it’s
something I can do,” reported Al. “And
this year I had the opportunity to attend
the celebration. It was fantastic!”
A Few Dinner Details…
The Southeast regional office coordi-
nated an elegant affair at Longwood Gar-
Southeast Regional Sponsors
Celebration Sponsor
Glasbern Inn
Cultivator Sponsors
Agri-Dynamics Inc
Kimberton Whole Foods
dens. “America’s premier garden” offered
the perfect backdrop for our guests — as
they had the opportunity to enjoy the
seasonal beauty of Longwood's Conser-
vatory, which boasts 20 indoor gardens
and 5,500 types of plants. Marilyn
Anthony, Southeast Regional Director
stated, "We are delighted to celebrate
locally raised foods in the same hall where
the Dupont family traditionally displayed
and enjoyed the harvests of Chester
County farms. The staff at Longwood,
beginning with Director Paul Redman,
are enthusiastic about working with
PASA to promote sustainability initia-
tives in our region.”
Western Regional Sponsors
Celebration Sponsor
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Bounty Sponsor
Parkhurst Dining Services
Western Regional Providing
Farms, Vineyards & Breweries
Brenkle Farm • Boyd & Blair • Coffee Tree Roasters
• Creekside Mushrooms Ltd • Bell & Evans • Farm-
stead Fresh • Firefly Farms • Friendship Farms Inc •
Harvest Valley Farms • Hillandale Farm • Jamison
Farm • Kretschmann Farm • La Casa Narcisi Winery
• Laurel Vista Farm, Inc • McGinnis Sisters Special
Food Stores • Milestone Specialty Produce • North
Country Brewing Co. • Paragon Monteverde •
Spring Bank Acres • Spring Valley Garden • Soergel
Orchards • Turner Dairy

The event was also an opportunity to

Southeast Regional Providing
Farms, Vineyards & Distillery
Chaddsford Winery • Country Time Pork • Eberly
Poultry Farms • Kegel’s Produce • Natural by
Nature • Philadelphia Distilling • Shellbark Hollow
Goat Cheese • Stargazers Vineyard & Winery •
Weavers Way Farm
commemorate the 25th anniversary of
the White Dog Cafe, and an award was
presented to founder and food activist
Judy Wicks, who is an inspiration to so
many people with her dedication to
social change and local food systems.
The Western Regional office headed
downtown once again and found a new
friend in Highmark, who supported the
fundraiser by offering their facility and
support staff. PASA has a special relation-
continued page 20

-$230,000 — Our Goal

$225,000-
-
-
-
-
Fall Funds Flow Sweetly
200,000- $196,304 Nov 30
- by the Board Fundraising Committee
-
- Our benefit dinners and Bike Fresh event gave a big
-
175,000- boost to our filling skep! Thanks to all who participat-
-
- ed, volunteered, sponsored, attended, and provided
-
-
150,000-
amazing ingredients. (See accompanying articles.) We
-
-
can all be pleased in our accomplishments and proud
- of the results. Now onto our last phase of 2008
-
125,000- annual fundraising, we are close to our goal. An end-
-
- of-year appeal letter has been sent to the member-
-
- ship, and calls are being made by board and staff
100,000- $ 100,02 Aug 31
- $ 95,396 members to follow up with many of you who’ll
- June 30
- generously give. This is a crucial time for all of us
- $ 79,929
75,000- April 30 to step up to the plate. As the year moves into this
-
- $ 60,036 traditional time of giving thanks for all the plen-
- March 26
-
50,000- ty in our lives, the PASA board wishes to
-
- express gratitude to all our friends who par-
-
- ticipate in strengthening PASA — thank
25,000-
- you for “helping harvest the honey!”
-
-
-
0-

19
Fundraising Update
Harvest Dinners
continued from page 19
ship with Parkhurst Dining Services, and
they supported the event for a fourth year
in a row with their chefs and kitchen
staff, contributing everything from menu
design to execution of the feast.
“PASA’s Harvest Dinners are a really
great way to celebrate local food, and
spend the evening with new and old
friends,” exclaimed Greg Boulos, Western
Regional Director. “To have the opportu-
nity to showcase our regional producers,
enjoy a tremendous meal, and raise
money and consciousness at the same
time. Well…that’s a great thing for every-
one involved!”
The headquarters Harvest Celebration
Dinner returned to our state’s capital
with increased success by attracting 320
guests and showcasing 54 regional pro-
ducers and businesses. Event chairperson
Patti Olenick was enthusiastic at the
growing response, “We are so proud and
excited by the turnout this year. We’ve
doubled ticket sales in two years and the
amount of farms involved was fantastic.
We have a few surprises to unveil for
2009. Just wait and see!”
So, hats off to all of our sponsors and
supporters, volunteers, staff organizers,
providing farms and businesses, and sup-
portive table buyers and guests. PASA
will continue our gustatory tradition into
the future and we hope that many more
join in the fun.
Biking Event Attracts New Crowd
Our Bike Fresh Bike Local Chester
County Ride marked a dynamic partner-
ship of groups united by a common goal,
promoting the power of local food and
business. PASA teamed with Downing-
town’s own Victory Brewing Company
Guests enjoy the buffet in Pittsburgh.
A family affair…our first “Bike Fresh Bike Local” event was a rolling success, attracting nearly
400 bicyclists on 25, 50 & 75 mile routes through scenic Chester County.
and enlisted the considerable technical
resources of Bike Club of Philadelphia to
create a fantastic fundraising day in Sep-
tember. The concept was simple: map out
a 25, 50 and 75 mile route introducing
cyclists to the beautiful farmlands of
Chester County, then reward them at
ride’s end with a lunch of locally pro-
duced foods and (for those of legal age) a
refreshing Victory beer.
Our hope as a first time event was to
attract about 100–150 riders. The
demand was so strong that we cut off pre-
Paul Redman, Director of Longwood Gar-
registration days before the event and still dens, delighted his listeners and demonstrat-
managed to put over 400 riders on the ed Longwood's support for PASA by waiving
back roads of Chester County that day. the rental fee for the Harvest Dinner.
Bicycling Magazine listed the event,
which helped draw riders from beyond culinary students from 4 Philadelphia
the tri-state area. PASA events generally high schools, which were featured at the
bring in members of the food and farm rest stops along the routes.
community, but our bike event intro- This broad-based collaboration raised
duced PASA to an entirely new demo- five times more than the targeted amount
graphic, one whose environmental for PASA’s annual fund and was also a
awareness is a great fit with our local tremendous amount of fun. As more than
foods mission. one rider remarked, “I participated in the
Pre-registered riders received a Buy PASA ride Sunday with a group from the
Fresh Buy Local® tee shirt and all partic- West Chester Cycling Club (Iron Hill)
ipants were treated to lunch of 100% and wanted you to know how much we
grass fed burgers, humanely raised pulled all enjoyed it. Very well organized, great
pork sandwiches, salads donated by route, and absolutely the best post ride
Whole Foods Market and Weavers Way meal ever!…We’ll be back next year.”
urban farm, vegetarian chili from Truitt PASA would like to extend a special
Brothers, and their choice of a Victory thanks to Anthony Rodale, the sole
microbrew. We also proudly offered financial sponsor of the Bike Fresh Bike
1,200 pieces of baked goods made by Local event (and a rider as well!). n
20

Solar Water Pumping
By Binnie Roig
It wasn’t a hard sell. It was the end of
July, mid-morning, the hay fields were
beginning regrowth after 1st cutting, at
the crest of the largest field the breeze
softened the heat, discouraged insects
and tickled the aspens lining the small
creek at the bottom of the hill. Was the
soothing rustling sound the aspen leaves
or the water from the creek? The woods
were dark and cool and crisscrossed with
the remnants of low stone walls that some
previous generation(s) had labored to
construct. Walking back up to the crest of
the largest hill we noticed the absence of
utility poles and lines. Nice. The land
needed a new caregiver, and we needed
more grazing for our expanding cow and
sheep population. This combination of
open fields, woodland and a small wet-
land impressed us and convinced us this
would be a good partnership.
The transfer of ownership brought the
responsibility of doing what was best for
the land, the livestock that would call it
home for most of the year, and the care-
giver’s budget. Fencing off the wetland
was first priority. We needed a secure,
non-electric fence that would keep calves
and lambs in, coyotes out. Done.
Now our attention turned to the most
cost-effective solution to pump water.
The absence of electric lines that had so
impressed us initially, determined that an
alternative method to pump water would
need to be utilized. Our first thought was
wind; that breeze present on our first visit
seemed to be a dominating resource.
However, where we wanted to site the
well would not support wind generation.
The tree line was too close, the tower
would have to be that much taller — and
that would be a blow to the budget.
The next option to consider was solar.
We are fortunate that there is a solar deal-
er in the neighboring valley: Junior
Stoltzfoos, owner of Stoltzfoos Solar,
Millersburg, PA. We had purchased a
solar panel from Junior last winter to pro-
vide light in an equipment shed. The
result pleased us, and we felt the cost was
affordable. When we discussed our inten-
tion with Junior he admitted he had no
previous experience with using solar to
pump water. However, it was being done
so it was just a matter of asking the right
person the right questions.
The well is 300 feet deep producing 8-
10 gallons per minute with a static level
of 80 feet. The pump is set 60 feet below
the static level so the total lift is 147 feet
The total cost for this system:
2 64 watt solar panels @ $395.00
1 9300 Shruflo pump
1 DC pump controller
175’ P-SF wire
1 float switch
250’ 1⁄2 ” pump hose
1 ground stake
2 mounting bracket sets @ $25.00
1 Lightening arrestor
1 500 gallon storage tank + valves
TOTAL
21
to the top of the storage tank. The pump
to accomplish the task is the Shurflo
9300 DC submersible pump. To maxi-
mize pumping efficiency Junior advised
that a 24 volt system would be the most
efficient. That would require two Uni-
Solar 64 watt panels. This set up has the
capability of pumping 99 gallons per
hour, which is more than adequate for
our needs but way below the well capa-
bility. This supply is pumped into a 500-
gallon above ground storage tank that
allows gravity distribution to a 150-gal-
lon trough with a float valve control.
The “brains” for this system is the
Shurflo 902-200 LCB-G pump con-
troller. The LCB-G pump controller is a
high quality DC power converter
designed as an interface between a DC
solar pump and a DC power source. The
main function is to maximize the daily
water output while providing protection
for the pump. Once the storage tank has
reached capacity, which is monitored by a
float switch, the controller shuts the
pump down preventing any overflow.
So far this system has performed well
for us. Considering the well location is
approximately 1,000 feet from the road,
and the nearest utility pole is approxi-
mately another 1,000 feet from the
entrance to the property, this was an
affordable solution. n
Editor’s Note: This article was written by
PASA member, Binnie Roig of Starr Route
Farm in Northumberland Co. PA. For
more information contact 570-758-2646
or binnieroig@hotmail.com.
$790.00
$660.00
$233.00
$238.00
$50.00
$195.00
$17.50
$50.00
$36.00
$407.00
$2676.50

Adding Value-Added to Our Value
community a better place with your product?
By Lucinda Hart-Gonzalez
Paradise Gardens and Farm LLC
The main reason we started a goat
dairy was the goats. We look into their
smiling faces and scratch their heads and
smile back. Don’t get me wrong. There
are many practical reasons as well for
starting a goat dairy, and there are other
value-added products one can add
besides goat cheese. Anything that adds
ingredients and/or preparation time adds
value to the raw ingredient — cheese
instead of milk, jam instead of berries,
braided garlic, bottled pasteurized milk.
Whether you are considering cheese or
something else, our experience may help
you. Our PASA Field Day on August 26
was about adding a goat dairy and cream-
ery to our organic farm, and here are
some of the highlights.
Why Add Value-Added?
Price stability is one good reason why
a value-added product can be farm sus-
taining. As the tomatoes begin to swell in
the garden, I look at the plastic California
tomatoes in the supermarket and imagine
the bonanza my ripe local organic toma-
toes will fetch at market. But then, when
they are ready, so are everyone else’s and
the price plummets. With our goat
cheese, we do not lose price and we can
even do a little planning, print flyers, and
make signs…things that depend on a sta-
ble price.
Value-added also helps ensure a good
Are you making the world or your
price. The bulk price of milk averaged
$23 per hundred-weight (CWT) (10–12
gallons) in 2007, about $2.15/gallon
(USDA National Agricultural Statistics
Service). We can sell bottled goat milk for
$11/gallon, but must be licensed to do
so. It also takes about a gallon to make a
pound of cheese, which sells at $16/lb,
7 1 ⁄ 2 times more than the bulk price of
milk. Furthermore, the number of goats
we would have to raise and milk to meet
the volume demand for bulk milk would
be beyond our barn or ability.
Price vs. quantity. I don’t get discour-
aged when I see people lining up at the
produce vendors. I hear the sales called
out — two dollars, five dollars. A sale at
my stand is often over fifteen or twenty
dollars or more. One sale for me is worth
3–4 sales at a produce stand and some-
times more. At that rate, if I do manage
to sell quantity, I make real earnings.
A value-added product also gives you
a market niche. My products comple-
ment the market offerings. Together we
make it a better market with more choic-
es. I am not in direct competition. Even
the cheese vendor across from me at the
Indiana County Farmers’ Market has
cows’ milk cheese, and many of our cus-
tomers buy both. And our customers are
committed. I see them making a beeline
to “the Goat Cheese Lady.” They’re on a
mission.
22
What It Takes
Where do you begin deciding what to
do and how to do it?
Learn. Take classes, go on field days,
read. Two classes that I took were a three-
day “Basic Cheese Making” course with
Peter Dixon sponsored by the Penn Soil
Resource Conservation & Development
Council in Mercer (find your nearest
RC&D at http://parcd.org/) and “Dairy
Basics for the Small Processor” from Penn
State Ag Sciences Extension (http://food-
safety.cas.psu.edu/calofevents.html) all
about proper sanitation practices. PASA
field days are a great way to see what
works and what doesn’t, meet people, and
get ideas. And don’t forget books and
websites: one of the best for goat care is
surely Molly Fias in Tennessee
(http://fiascofarm.com).
Do market research. This is hard. If
your product is already selling in the
farmers’ markets and stores, at what
price? Is it popular? Is there room for
another vendor? If your product is new to
your area, like ours, is there “a call for it?”
If not, are you willing to go afield? How
far? What market constraints are there on
selling, such as the need for refrigeration
or water or extra space? How many
avenues are there for sales (CSA, markets,
restaurants, camps, hospitals or schools,
community centers, other?) Can you
grow your market successfully, either cus-
tomer base or more venues?
Design and build it. If you have direct
experience in making the value-added
product it helps you design what you
need. Otherwise, look for designs and ask
for help. You can also hire design con-
sultants. We got our basic layout from a
dairy/creamery about our size in West
Virginia. I did “blue prints” in Excel.
Stephen did most of the building and
brought in local contractors for some
help, like laying the radiant heat in the
poured concrete floor and speeding up
the finish work.
Change. Be ready to change your
plans (even midstream) if you see that
things will not work out, or if you learn
of a great new idea. It will cost more
(keep track of the added costs), but in the
long run it will cost less than making
changes later. When we learned about
and bought a combination cheese
vat/pasteurizer, it saved both space and
money in the long run.
Think through your changes, too. We
decided on a 50-gallon bulk tank and
pasteurizer instead of 35 or 40 so we
could grow. However, the larger capacity
meant we needed to put more milk in
just to make the machines work. The
bulk tank would freeze without enough
milk, and the vat thermometer would not
reach the milk and legally pasteurize. For-
tunately, our buck “planned” better than
we did and gave us more milkers than we
originally intended, so we have the milk.
Now the fall herd is smaller and will take
some thinking. More change.
What It Costs
• Licensing/permitting. Some people
object to licensing. We appreciate it. It is
legal protection if anything happens.
Also, we find it is a model of good prac-
tices. Complying with organic certifica-
tion has helped teach us farming. Our
dairy inspector is knowledgeable and
helpful; we go to him with questions and
problems. If you don’t know where to
begin, your extension agent will put you
in touch with the right offices for your
questions and may have good advice
besides. The PA Dept. of Agriculture has
its licensing information on the web. For
instance, the requirements sheet for
licensing a home kitchen for breads,
jams, dried herbs, etc. is at www.agricul-
ture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp
?a=3&q=126059. Applications from the
Milk Sanitation Program are at
www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/c
wp/view.asp?a=3&q=126045. Materials
available on the site include permits for
milking systems, bulk tanks, and licens-
ing to sell milk and products.
To add garlic or herbs to our cheese
would have required licensing our home
kitchen (no animals in the house, water
tested, foods to be used are kept separate
from household food). The $40 annual
fee would be waved if 80% of the prod-
uct came from our own farm, but the
herbs and garlic would also have to be
tested for coliform bacteria. More
expense.
• Capital investment. The cost of meet-
ing milk sanitation requirements is a
major investment and includes the build-
ing requirements, milking equipment,
tables, sinks, water heaters, processing
equipment and refrigerated storage (and
possibly truck). One choice is between
cheaper, used equipment (you handle all
repairs, replacements, and modifications
for compliance), and expensive, new
equipment (with warranties). We went
with new and are still working through a
shipping damage problem; but because
it’s new they are working with us.
Monthly testing of your milk and
cheese at a cost of about $30 each is not
cheap, but nothing is better in helping
you refine your sanitation practices. Tests
make you conscious of what you should
look for. Water is also tested twice a year.
23
Then if you sell to supermarkets, there
is packaging equipment you may not
otherwise need for farmers markets or
restaurants. (There’s product liability
insurance, too.)
• Time, All your time. Perhaps the single
biggest investment is time, and it is
ongoing. For dairy, be prepared to add at
least another four hours daily in milking
and cleaning equipment morning and
evening. If you make cheese it must be
done every 72 hours. There is pasteuriza-
tion, cheese starting, cheese draining,
possibly cheese aging, then packaging
and marketing. And always, cleaning.
If your market grows, so will your
work. You must want to spend your time
in this pursuit, and you need enough
time to do it.
What Works for You?
We measure our progress toward sus-
tainability in baby steps. Our first sus-
tainability goal is for the farm to sustain
its own operating costs, even if it cannot
sustain us. When ex-urbanites work an
outside job and keep a farm, they’re
called “hobby farmers.” When a genera-
tions-old farmer takes on outside work,
they’re “making ends meet.” With goat
cheese we are for the first time reaching
that goal. We are prepared to keep work-
ing to sustain us. It will be a while before
the farm can support our health insur-
ance or pay back the starting investment,
but we invested in more than a
dairy/creamery.
We include non-quantifiables in our
cost-benefit analysis. Most of us live on
the farm because we passionately want to
be here, tied to the land by generations of
history or other deep commitments and
dreams. By definition, value-added prod-
ucts add time to your workload. Is it time
spent doing what you want to be doing
and/or producing what you want to pro-
duce? Are the work and the product con-
sistent with your values, that is, are you
making the world or your community a
better place with your product? Do you
feel you are growing as a person in this
work? Are your health and family
enhanced or hurt by this extra effort and
what it produces? For Steve and me, the
challenge is a part of the reward and the
deep satisfaction that we are striving to
live right and live well. n
 Management Practices Can Help Avoid Cucurbit Fruit Rots
By Dorothy Noble
Most PASA vegetable growers know
all too well the increasing problems of
cucurbit production challenges due to
diseases.
At the last Great Lakes Fruit and Veg-
etable Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan,
numerous experts shared their insights on
cucurbit integrated pest management
(IPM). While some presentations focused
on the proper use of chemical pesticides,
many outlined a great number of other
measures important in curtailing diseases.
Even with chemical usage, researchers
urged growers to employ a combination
of methods.
Professor Mohammad Babadoost of
the University of Illinois addressed cucur-
bit fruit rots. He noted there are eighteen
different preharvest and postharvest fruit
rots affecting cucurbits. Of these, Phy-
tophthora is the most important. Unfor-
tunately, the Phytophthora capsici
pathogen survives in the soil for several
years.
Moist and warm conditions spur the
development of Phytophthora fruit rot.
Professor Babadoost pointed out that no
available cucurbit variety has measurable
resistance. He emphasized, “The most
effective practice is preventing the
pathogen from being moved into a new
field.”
Professor Babadoost gave the follow-
ing steps to help manage Phytophthora:
select fields with no history of Phytoph-
thora infection, well isolated from infect-
ed fields, and well-drained fields; practice
at least three years of crop rotation with
non-host crops; clean soil off farm equip-
ment between fields; plant non-vining
crops such as summer squash on raised
beds; avoid excessive irrigation, and do
not irrigate from a pond that contains
water drained from an infected field; do
not work in wet fields; scout for symp-
toms especially after a major rainfall, and
particularly in low areas; disk an area if
localized small areas show symptoms; dis-
card infected fruit away from the field;
remove healthy fruit from an infected
area as soon as possible; do not display
fruit for sale in an infected area; do not
save seed from an infected field; and
apply fungicides at the first sign of the
disease. When applying fungicides, tank
mix with a copper compound.
Professor Babadoost also addresses
several other significant fruit rots, includ-
ing black rot, also known as gummy stem
blight, which causes serious preharvest
and postharvest rot especially in pump-
kin and winter squashes. The symptoms
appear as water-soaked areas that later
become black and sunken.
The black rot pathogen may be seed-
borne. It survives between seasons on
crop debris. Moisture is important for
this disease development also.
Effective black rot control includes a
two-year crop rotation and deep plowing
of the crop residue. Fungicides are rec-
ommended, but those with eradicant
activity are more at risk for pathogen
resistance.
All cucurbits are susceptible to Fusar-
ium. The symptoms vary according to
the species of the pathogen and include
lesions, mold and fissures in the fruit.
Many of these pathogens are reported to
be seed-borne, Professor Babodoost indi-
cates. Most infections occur in the field,
but can occur during handling. High
temperatures and high humidity encour-
age postharvest development.
To control Fusarium, Professor Babo-
doost recommends planting pathogen-
free seed, avoiding fields with a history of
Fusarium, practicing crop rotation of
three years or more with a non-host crop,
avoiding wounding fruits during harvest
and packing, storing properly and trans-
porting fruits at the correct temperature.
24
Another serious disease, bacterial fruit
spot, can result in heavy losses in fields
under moist conditions. The lesions
which appear on the fruit can penetrate
the flesh and lead to significant fruit rot
in the field or even later in storage.
The bacterium which causes this dis-
ease is seed-borne. It can survive in crop
residue. The disease appears in high sum-
mer temperatures, most commonly after
a heavy rain, dew, or overhead irrigation.
Its spread within fields can be rapid.
The most effective control is
pathogen-free seed. Professor Babadoost
also suggests rotating with non-cucurbit
crops. In addition, copper compounds
applied early may result in fewer symp-
toms, but are ineffective once an epidem-
ic is underway.
If weather conditions are conducive,
sclerotinia rot can result in serious yield
losses. The fruits are typically infected
where they contact soil. Hard, black
structures that resemble raisins are pro-
duced among moldy growth. Cool and
wet conditions favor the development of
this disease.
The fungus that causes sclerotinia sur-
vives in the soil. Because the fungus has a
wide range of hosts, crop rotation may be
ineffective. Professor Babadoost noted
that deep plowing immediately after har-
vest can help reduce the incidence of this
disease. Also consider fields with good
drainage, and irrigate during the day so
leaves dry before dew forms. Fungicides
may be effective if applied to young
plants. Finally, rotate with nonhost crops
such as beet, onion, spinach or a grass
cover crop.
The Great Lakes IPM Working Group
has a limited number of DVDs on the
IPM presentations for a shipping and
handling charge. Detail on the various
cover crops, soil and nutrient require-
ments, plus information on weed man-
agement and insect thresholds and more
are included. Professor Babadoost’s pres-
entation includes color photos of the
fruit rots, useful for identification pur-
poses. Contact Jim Jasinski at Ohio State
University Extension, IPM Program,
jasinski.4@osu.edu for a DVD. n
 Agricultural Plastic Recycling Opportunities In Pennsylvania
By Charlie Scheidler n Concord Plastics n Sam Esh are also interested in using
Editor’s Note: PASA has been receiving 225 Jaycee Drive 257 Rockville Road certain types of agriculture
many calls from those looking to recycle West Hazelton PA 18202 Rebersburg PA 16872 plastics to make future
their ag plastics, so we decided to print this 570-453-0803 814-349-8646 x4 products. Michael McNa-
information again from previous issues. mara, President of Innova-
Several years ago, few agriculture plas- n Cougle’s Recycling Inc. n Waste Not tive Rail Solutions, LLC
tic recycling options existed. As a result, 1000 S. 4th Street Technologies LLC (610-788-2267) is interest-
millions of pounds of agriculture plastics Hamburg PA 19526 PO Box 848 ed in using agriculture
were thrown away. Now, a number of 610-562-8336 Kunkletown Road plastic films as a raw mate-
Saylorsburg PA 18353
n Innovative Rail
Pennsylvania (PA) companies are provid- rial ingredient to manufac-
ing agriculture plastic recycling options. 570-992-7041 ture their composite
Solutions
n Zook’s Plastic Recover
Companies accept a variety of materials railroad ties. Estimated
320 Fayette Street
from drip tape, poly wrap, HDPE pots, yearly waste plastic needs
Suite 300 183 S. Farmersville Road
mineral bags, etc. It is best to contact the are 29,640,000 pounds.
Conshohocken PA 19428 Leola PA 17540
individual company to learn what mate- Tom Lotterman of New
610-788-2267 717-656-4422
rials they will accept. A summary of PA Generation Recycling, LLC
www.innovativerail.com
companies accepting this material and n Pandya, Inc., in John- (570-676-0676), is interest-
contact information is provided below. n New Generation stown (814-535-5467) is a ed in processing and using
If you have any questions about agri- Recycling LLC manufacturer that has some agriculture plastics
culture plastic recycling in Pennsylvania, 115 Mozzette Road been evaluating the use of as well.
please contact Robert Meneses with the PO Box 307 agriculture plastics as a
Recycling Markets Center at 717-948- Greentown PA 18426 raw material substitute.
6719 or Charlie Scheidler with the Com- 570-676-0676 Two PA start up companies
monwealth of PA at 717-787-0115.

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25
Editor’s Corner

The Grapevine
by Michele Gauger

n “Farmlands and Wildlife of

Pennsylvania and the Northeast:
Developing a Wildlife Management
Plan for Your Property”
This 72-page, full-color publication
emphasizes the importance of agriculture
in maintaining habitat for farmland and
grassland wildlife. It is also meant as a
guide for landowners to farmland wildlife,
habitat management methods and their
benefits, methods of wildlife damage con-
trol, sources of financial assistance for
habitat projects, and additional educa-
tional resources. Cost is $9.00 and is avail-
able for viewing and purchase at
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/PubTitle.asp?var-
Title=Farmlands+and+Wildlife&Submit=
Go. The publication can also be purchased
at any Pennsylvania county extension
office.
n New Documentary from Bullfrog Films
Something remarkable is happening in the fields and orchards of the Pacific
Northwest. After leaving the land for decades, family farmers are making a come-
back. They are growing much healthier food, and more food per acre, while using
less energy and water than factory farms.
And most of this food is organic.
For decades Northwest agriculture was
focused on a few big crops for export. But
climate change and the end of cheap
energy mean that each region needs to
produce more of its own food and to grow
it more sustainably. Good Food visits farm-
ers, farmers’ markets, distributors, stores,
restaurants and public officials who are
developing a more sustainable food sys-
tem for all. For more information, contact
Bullfrog Films, www.bullfrogfilms.com/cat-

n Shared Wisdom, Selling Your Best

at Farmers’ Markets
The free DVD Shared Wisdom: Selling Your
Best at Farmers’ Markets is available for
managers and vendors of farmers’ mar-
kets and other direct market farmers who
want to learn good techniques for dis-
playing and merchandising their products
and providing customer service.
The 23-minute video features inter-
views with customers and vendors and
shows examples of both good and poor
displays and customer service. To request
a free copy of the DVD, call the USDA,
AMS, Marketing Services Branch, 202-720-
8317 or send an email with your name
and address to shannon.ford@usda.gov.
n Country of Origin Labeling Begins
As of October 1, retailers began labeling
all unprocessed foods with the country of
origin, including fresh and frozen fruits
and vegetables; cuts of meat and chicken;
peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and
ginseng. Country of Origin Labeling
(COOL) was part of the 2002 Farm Bill
package and the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture is still allowing a six-month non-
enforcement period in order for retailers
to finalize their labeling systems. The law
does not apply to restaurants or to foods
that are processed, fish and shellfish have
been in the program since 2004.
alog/gf.html. Reduced rates for activists
and grassroots groups. Please inquire.
n Linking New Farmers
with Retiring Farmers
The National Farm Transition Network fos-
ters the next generation of farmers and
ranchers by introducing them to experi-
enced producers who are ready to retire.
More than 20 independent organizations
belong to the network representing Cali-
fornia, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massa-
chusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and
Wisconsin.
Each of these Farm Link or Land Link
groups has its own methods and priori-
ties. To find the organization near you,
contact network coordinator John Baker,
rbaker@iastate.edu or check the network
web site, www.farmtransition.org.
n The Pennsylvania Center for Farm
Transitions helps beginning, retiring and
relocating farmers as well as those who
want to change or expand their opera-
tions. The center works to assure the
future of agriculture, call toll-free: 877-
475-2686 or visit www.iplantofarm.com.
n Positive Practices
in Farm Labor Management
ATTRA and the National Sustainable Agri-
culture Information Service offers a publi-
cation detailing farm labor management,
entitled “Positive Practices in Farm Labor
Management.” It is designed as a guide to
keep your employees happy and your
production profitable. To learn more visit
http://attra.ncat.org or call 800-346-9140.
n New Website Caters
to Beginning Farmers
People who have questions about starting
a farm or who are considering diversifying
their farm enterprises may find answers at
a new website sponsored by the NY
Beginning Farmers Resource Center —
http://beginningfarmers.cce.cornell.edu.
The site offers a forum where new farmers
can swap ideas and stories and ask specif-
ic questions.
n California & Proposition 2
On November 2 California voters passed
Proposition 2, which will end the practice
of confining certain animals raised for
food in small, restrictive crates and cages.
To learn more about this legislation visit
— www.yesonprop2.com.

26
PASA Membership Please clip this application and return with payment to:
PASA Membership, PO Box 419, Millheim, PA 16854
& Contribution Form or join online at pasafarming.org

Benefits of Membership Lifetime Memberships &

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• A subscription to our bimonthly, Passages newsletter Contributions for Lifetime Memberships & Permanent Business Part-
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• Discounted admission to our annual conference membership as well as the long-term future of PASA. There are few
things a member or business could do to symbolize their lifelong com-
• Discounted admission to our annual field day series mitment to sustainability than to place such confidence in the value
and viability of PASA itself.
• Invitations to other special events, such as our $ 1,200
Sustaining Lifetime Member
Harvest Dinners Please complete the Family/Farm Membership field at lower left

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sustain agriculture

Become a PASA Member Gift Membership

Name In addition to your own membership, you may give PASA membership
to a good friend, family member, business associate or other worthy
Company/Farm recipient on an annual or lifetime basis…a gift that keeps on giving!
Student $ 15
Address
Individual $ 45

City State Family/Farm $ 60

Lifetime Sustaining Member $ 1,200
ZIP+4 County
SUBTOTAL $
Home Phone Work Phone Name(s)

E-mail Address

City
Web Address

State ZIP+4

Are you farming: NO YES — how many acres: Telephone E-mail

How did you learn about PASA:

PASA Membership Levels

Payment SUBTOTALS
Student $ 15 $
Individual $ 45
CONTRIBUTIONS
Family/Farm Please complete field below $ 60 PASA is a registered 501 (C) 3 organization and contributions are tax exempt.

Please list all names for this Family/Farm membership. You may include children Annual Fund $ .............................
between the ages of 14–22, and also multiple generations directly involved in the farm.

Arias M. Brownback Scholarship Fund $ .............................

Nonprofit Please complete field below $ 100 Check Make check payable to PASA Total amount due
Business Please complete field below $ 150 Credit Card Complete below $
Please list up to two additional people associated with your business to receive individ-
ual membership privileges. Card No.

Exp. Date
VISA MasterCard Discover
SUBTOTAL $ Cardholder Name

Signature

27
Classified Ads/Employment
EMPLOYMENT
JOURNEYMAN FARMERS WANTED — Have intern
experience? Take the next step w/ professional interna-
tional crew. Large CSA organic fruit and veg. farm in W.
PA. Salary dependent on experience. www.kretschman-
nfarm.com for information & application.
INTERNS SOUGHT — Hands-on learning in organic
vegetable/fruit CSA or goat care and cheese-making in
goat dairy/creamery. March- Sept/Nov 2009. Housing
and meals provided. More details at http://ParadiseGr-
densandFarm.com . Contact Lucinda or Steve, 814-568-
1207 or ParadiseGardenFarm@comcast.net.
ROUTE DRIVER — needed for Lancaster Farm Fresh
Organics. We are looking for a positive, reliable, flexible
driver to pick up local organic produce and deliver it pri-
marily to the Philadelphia area. Part-time with the possi-
bility of becoming full-time. Experience driving a 24-foot
box truck is preferred but not required. Non-CDL. Health
insurance available for full-time employees. Clean driv-
ing history is a must. Email your resume to ben@lancast-
erfarmfresh.com.
WANTED — Manager for 260-acre organic cattle opera-
tion in Washington County, PA. Background in manage-
ment, sustainable agriculture, maintenance and
operation of equipment, vet care, pasture development,
marketing grass-fed beef and organic hay. Salary and
housing provided. Email resume and interest to
srce5@aol.com.
FT WORK — Red Hill Farm, FT employee sought for 2009
growing season. We are a 130 member CSA located 20
miles west of Philadelphia and just a few miles from
Media, PA. Work schedule is M-F, 8 hrs/day (includes 1 hr
paid lunch and lunch is provided). Ideal candidate has at
least 1 season of farming experience. Compensation
$11/hr. Voluntary participation in SAITA program. Please
contact Aby Wright, 610-558-6799 or awright@osfphi-
la.org before March 30, 2009.
APPRENTICESHIPS — Common Thread CSA is a com-
munity supported farm located in Madison, New York
just 4 miles from Colgate University. We grow over 200
varieties of vegetables, fruits flowers and herbs. We use
only organic growing practices and have taken the
NOFA NY pledge. 2009 will be an expansion year on the
farm. We are planning to double in size and grow food
for 250 members as well as continue our farm to cafete-
ria wholesale account. Housing and monthly stipend are
provided. Please send all inquiries to Chris at info@com-
monthreadcsa.com or call 315- 893-7767.
HELP WANTED — Thriving over ten years, Sophia Gar-
den is located in Suffolk County, Long Island, and oper-
ates on property shared with the Dominican Sisters of
Amityville. We have three acres of land, with one and a
half acres in cultivation. A strong, experienced core
group and a garden manager leave the farmer free of
most managerial responsibilities. Although we do not
provide housing, we will assist the right person in find-
ing suitable arrangements. Visit www.home-
comingearth.org or call Susan Salem, the garden
manager at 631-842-6000 ext.333.
SEEKING FARM EMPLOYMENT — Southern York Coun-
ty, PA — woman seeks full-time, year-roundemployment
on a sustainable farming operation. I just moved to
Stewartstown, PA and would like to continue my work in
sustainable agriculture here in my new location. I have
three years experience growing a diverse variety of veg-
etables, fruit, cut flowers, and herbs in fields and high
tunnels. Available for work as soon as possible. If you feel
I might be a beneficial addition to your farm, please
email: pmb173@gmail.com.
VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNICAL SERVICES — The
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey
(NOFA-NJ). This position has primary responsibility for
(1) developing a comprehensive educational program
for aspiring, new and existing organic farmers as well as
the general public and (2) working with landholders to
develop working farm plans. For more detailed informa-
tion visit our website www.nofanj.org/. For additional
information, please contact Marc Bouvier, Executive
Director at 609-737-6848.
FARM MANAGER/COUPLE — Looking for experienced
farm manager/couple for a highly successful 150-family
CSA in Chester County, PA. Must be professional with
high standards, have extensive tractor experience, mini-
mum 2-years managing/growing experience, computer
savvy, comfortable with communal living situation, and
able to communicate well. Farm is fully equipped with
new, state-of-the-art tractors, and all necessary imple-
ments and infrastructure. CSA has a long waiting list and
serves restaurant, wholesale and farmer’s market. Living
arrangements include a private apartment with office in
refurbished stone carriage house and full gourmet
kitchen. No pets please. Salary + health coverage.
Opportunity to work with very supportive owners and
seasoned interns. Experienced applicants only, please
send resume and references. Contact Sue Kilpatrick at
sue@charlestownfarmcenter.org or call evenings at 610-
917-0252.
FOR SALE / LEASE
FOR SALE — Hydroponic and Greenhouse Equipment
and Supplies for Sale. Large Pacific Ozone Generator Sys-
tem (water purification), ESS Sprayer (Model# 2512TRG),
H.E. Anderson Injector feeder pumps (P4-HD IF (can
pump Acid), H2-HD BA ), 3 Priva CO2 burners, 2 (like new)
commercial walk in coolers 14’6” x 15’ 9” and 12’6” x 29’,
5 rolling pruning/harvest carts, Clamco Model # 750B
Heat Stretch Wrapper (vegetable or deli), 3 cases Toma-
to Truss Supports (2 varieties) , 1 case Pint Cherry Toma-
to clamshells (vented), 10# Genovese Basil, 2.5# Aroma 2
Basil, 5# Santo Cilantro and 10# Astro Arugula seed.
Refrigerated 28’ and 32’ pup trailers, Assorted Kee
Klamps and Galvanized Pipe and Hat Channel Materials
for Bench building . Call for complete detailed list of
equipment & digital pictures. Mike @ 814-432-5281 x-27
or Cindy 814-673-0221.
FOR LEASE — Lehigh County Farm for lease: 100 Acre
farm with beef cattle heard, sheep flock and machinery.
Property adjacent to Inn willing to buy output. Please
state experience and availability via email —
ALGRANGER85@aol.com.
FOR SALE — LAMBS — born and raised on our organi-
cally maintained pastures. Small amounts of grain fed
due to dry summer. Live or dressed. WHAT NEXT FARM.
York, PA. 717-755-2149
28
FOR SALE – 2 Icelandic rams, born May 2008. One is
chocolate colored and the other one is white. Gentle,
very healthy, and need to find a good home before
December. Located in Bradford County. $150 each. Call
570-358-3606 or email mburgett1@frontiernet.net
FOR SALE — 2 Angus Heifer & Calf Pairs — all 4 animals
are registered w- American Angus Assoc; heifers are 2+
yrs old, with calves born 9/1/08 and 9/26/08, sired by
DLB Bell Design 3072 — calves are stocky and square —
1 nearly halter broken; both good for 4H projects.
Heifers/ calves weigh approx 950/ 225 and 1100/200 lbs,
respectively. $1350 per pair — Call DW Green — 717-
235-5324.
FOR SALE — Two 6 m/o black angora buck kids — very
soft and fine fleeces. 10 m/o boer cross buck — fast
growing, great prospect for commercial herd. For more
information email lpfarm@frontiernet.net
FOR SALE — Tamworth pigs. Great for outside produc-
tion. Call for prices. 570-673-8030, Eric Levengood.
FOR SALE — Smll horse farmette: centrally located New
York in the beautiful Hamlet of Speedsville near Ithaca.
12.9 acres, two horse barns, plenty of hay storage, 15
stalls, 4 pasture lots — two with run in sheds, small rid-
ing ring 80X70 foot. Land boarders NYS stocked trout
stream; farmhouse with new roof & basement but needs
you to complete restoration. email- RE: FARMETTE west-
creekfarm@aol.com or call Jessie @ 607-657-8548.
FOR SALE — Livestock Guardian Puppies — Born
9/6/08. Puppies are Great Pyrenees/Maremma/Akbash
crosses — come from long line of working parents. Will
be sold as working dogs or pets. Raised with goats. $400.
Call Jay/Laura (814) 364-2282.
FOR SALE — Llama – Born 9/1/08. Cria is from purebred
registered show parents – papers available. Great as pet,
livestock guardian animal, show animal or for fiber.
Chocolate brown with white hooves, face and neck.
$500. Call Jay/Laura (814) 364-2282.
FOR SALE — Goats — Boer/Boer Cross/Spanish cross
(does and bucks). Great for meat, pets, 4H or breeding.
Various ages available. Raised on natural browse since
March with minimal to no grain. Starting at $150. Call
Jay/Laura (814) 364-2282.
FOR SALE — Established microgreen, culinary herb &
specialty vegetable farm located in central PA. Owners
are ready for retirement. The business includes 9 green-
houses currently growing year round and acreage for
seasonal specialty vegetables. A solid customer base of
upscale restaurants & wholesale accounts is already
established. Consulting support can be provided as part
of the purchasing contract. Call 717-957-3479 for details.
FOR SALE — purebred, registerd Shetland Sheep
&organic lamb & fleeces Several rams & ewes for sale
right now. All carry the spotted gene & have interesting
color combinations. Celtic Herd in Glen Rock, PA, email
bagpiperbill@aol.com or call 717-235-0342,
www.agmap.psu.edu/businesses/2762
FOR SALE — Two young friendly Tamworth boars for
sale, 6 months old asking $1.00/lbs., sire and dams are
on farm and available to see. Call Mark and leave mes-
sage at 570-854-4621 and I will return your call.
Classified Ads/Employment
FOR SALE — Ranch house on 2 acres overlooking
Susquehanna River. Custom-built home of 1900+ sq ft
includes 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large family eat-in
kitchen, full dining room, living room, family room, and
study. A screened back porch, open front porch, quality
replacement windows, and hardwood floors provide
year-round, economical comfort. A variety of fruit and
nut trees (3 years), blueberries, and raised bed kitchen
garden yield fresh produce from spring through fall.
Located 10 miles north of Millersburg, 45 mins from
either Harrisburg or Lewisburg. Contact David at 215-
680-2283 or roll59@comcast.net.
FOR SALE — Rural farmland in Central PA, approx. 70 ac.
including 25 tillable ac. (15 additional avail. for rent), 6 ac.
pasture, 39 ac. woodlands, large bank barn, implement
building, workshop. Land to be subdivided from larger
farm, PASA/PCO member Email me at rolanda1@ptd.net
or call Rolanda Ritzman at Bowen Agency 1-800-326-
9365 ext. 32.
FOR SALE — Heritage breed, large, black pigs. 610-562-
2090 pr countrytimefarm@msn.com.
FOR SALE — 3 pygmy goats near Harrisburg, must go as
a team (and not for meat). There are 2 females and 1
wether. Approximately 4 years old, very amusing and
healthy. Very reasonably priced, I’m just looking for a
good home for them. Please contact Debra at
ddeis@comcast.net or 717-469-8098.
ADVERTISEMENT
FOR SALE/LEASE — Tioga County, PA dairy farm with
state licensed farmstead cheesemaking and raw milk
permit facility. Which includes cheesemaking room with
all equipment, walk-in cooler, retail store, cattle housing
and milking equipment. Could easily be converted to
goats. Exceptionally nice 4 bedroom/2 bath house,
beautiful stone fireplace, additional income from
attached 1 bedroom apartment. For more information
call: 570-723-1026.
WANTED
WANTED — I would like to move to a farm closer to my
markets in Philadelphia & NJ. Would prefer a rent to
own/lease to own situation, but am willing to consider
other options. Looking for a farm that has 60-80 acres of
pastureland (preferably already fenced), water, electric
and a barn/machine shed to raise grass fed beef, pigs,
laying chickens, turkeys and a small number of sheep
and goats. If this place could be an hour to hour and a
half from the Philadelphia area that would be ideal. I am
open to consider a NY market as well if a farm exists
close to the city. Let me know if you have any leads or
ideas, Mark. Please leave a message at 570-854-4621.
VENDOR WANTED — Year round, indoor farmers mar-
ket located in Carlisle, PA. Contact Linda Cecconello at
manager@carlislecentralfarmersmarket.com or call 717-
218-2020 for more information.
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WANTED — Young couple looking for up to 20 acres to
buy, owner financed, for our second year market gar-
dening. We need at least 5 acres tillable. We would pre-
fer to stay in PA. Please contact Adron Dell’Osa
570-323-0110.
VENDOR WANTED — We are looking for a produce ven-
dor to locate in the Carlisle Central Farmers Market, 117
N. Hanover Street, Carlisle, PA 17013. Interested parties
should contact the Manager at 717-218-2020 or email at
manager@carlislecentralfarmersmarket.com.
VENDOR WANTED — Butcher or Butcher/Deli wanted
in year round, indoor farmers market in Carlisle, PA. Con-
tact Linda Cecconello at manager@carlislecentralfarm-
ersmarket.com or call 717-218-2020 for more
information.
WANTED — Fat steers ready for slaughter. Also would
like to buy feed cattle. Contact Amos at Natural Acres.
717-692-1000.
Note to our readers
Due to print space constraints, full listings of clas-
sified and employment ads are available online at
www.pasafarming.org.
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Calendar
This calendar features many events some of
PASA’s sister organizations are sponsoring
that we felt many of our members would be
interested in learning more about. Stay
tuned for additional PASA events to come in
2009.
January 2009
Jan 14, 15, 16, 20, 218th Annual NOFA course
in Organic Land Care, Doyle Conservation Cen-
ter, Leominster, MA. Jan. 27, 28, 29, 30, Feb. 2,
2009 at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station
in New Haven, CT; Feb. 17, 18, 19, 20 and 23,
2009 at the Birch Hill, Schodack, NY; and Feb. 25,
26, 27, March 2 and 3, 2009 at the Save the Bay
Center, Providence, RI. This 5-day intensive
course trains and accredits professionals to
practice organic land care (caring for land with-
out the use of synthetic pesticides or soil
amendments). It is recommended for landscap-
ers, designers, municipal and parks employees,
horticulturists, master gardeners and entrepre-
neurs. Visit www.organiclandcare.net.
Jan 16–17 Future Harvest — CASA’s 10th
Annual Conference, Connect Locally: Food,
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Farms & Community. Frederick Holiday Inn
and Conference Center, Frederick, MD. Visit
www.futureharvestcasa.org.
Jan 19–21 The North American Strawberry
Growers Association annual meeting & confer-
ence, New Orleans, LA at the Hotel Monteleone.
Visit www.nasga.org or contact Kevin Schooley,
info@nasga.org or 613-258-4587.
Jan 21–24 2009 Practical Tools and Solutions
for Sustaining Family Farms Conference, Chat-
tanooga, Tennessee. The conference schedule
will be available in October at www.ssawg.org
or call 678-494-0696 to request a brochure.
February
Feb 3–5 2009 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable
Convention, Hershey Lodge and Convention
Center, Hershey, PA. For more information con-
tact William Troxell at 717-694-3596 or visit
www.mafvc.org.
Feb 5–7 PASA’s 18th Annual Farming for the
Future conference, Penn Stater Conference
Center, State College PA. See this newsletter for
30
details. The theme this year: The Worldwide
Search for Food Sovereignty: Finding Your Food-
shed.
March
Mar 28 Beginning a Vegetable Garden, with
Mac Mead. Topics covered will include: plan-
ning the garden (what goes where and when),
preparing the soil, planting and raising
seedlings, companion planting, and weeding
and mulching. Chestnut Ridge, NY: Contact The
Pfeiffer Center, 845-352-5020 x20, info@pfeif-
fercenter.org, www.pfeiffercenter.org.
April
Apr 4 Raised Beds in the Garden and Farm
Organism, with Mac Mead. Create the most
favorable conditions for growing garden pro-
duce or crops with this simple, effective tech-
nique. Work with both hand tools and
machines will be presented. Chestnut Ridge,
NY: Contact The Pfeiffer Center, 845-352-5020
x20, info@pfeiffercenter.org, www.pfeiffer-
center.org.
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 Costa Rica

3 4

“Costa Rica is everything people say

it is in terms of natural beauty and
ecological richness.” — Brian Snyder

1. A cattle drive in the rain forest, as seen

through the front windshield of my car.
Beef cattle are raised in large numbers in
the lowlands, while significant dairy pro-
duction takes place at higher altitudes.

2. Professor Panfilo Tabora shows a man-

dala garden in use at the student-run
organic farm at EARTH University. Their
research shows fewer pest problems in
curved raised beds, as compared to
straight beds, for reasons not entirely
understood.

3. A large and meticulously maintained

chili pepper farm. Every plant is carefully
tethered to the trellis system.

4. Hogs pasturing on sugar cane in the

forest at EARTH University.These animals
are fed a mulch of green twigs from vari-
ous trees and bushes as a protein source.
For instance, green mulberry twigs are
22% protein.

5. Okay, so the trip was not all research

on agriculture. This is the view from the
front porch of my bungalow along the
coast near Dominical.
5
 PASA’s 18th Annual
Farming for the Future Conference
The Worldwide Search
for Food Sovereignty:
Finding Your
Foodshed
February 5¬ 7, 2009
Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel
State College, Pennsylvania

• Choose between our 75+ workshops,

featuring expert speakers in their fields
• Hear inspiring Keynotes from Raj Patel and Bernard
Sweeney, on the state of our Worldwide Foodshed
• Attend one of our 13 Pre-Conference Tracks for
an in-depth look at a topic of your choice
• Browse and shop our Benefit Auction with
over 140 exciting items
• Enjoy our conference meals, featuring locally
and sustainably raised food from our region
• NEW this year! Attend the Job Fair to share your
farm’s opening and meet potential future employees
• Stroll the TradeShow & Marketplace,
with over 80 unique vendors
• Live music, the FarmArts Project, a SARE poster
display and more

We hope to see you there!

Non Profit Org.

Pennsylvania U.S. Postage
Association for PAID
Sustainable Agriculture State College, PA
Permit No. 213
PO Box 419 • Millheim, PA 16854-0419