Pablito .... 

HOLIDAY DELIVERY SCHEDULE
Terra Firma will be taking its regular annual two week vacation from box deliveries this year the last week of December and the first week of January.  Deliveries will follow our normal schedule the week of December 22nd.  They will resume the week of January 9th, with all deliveries that week also following normal schedule.

WHAT TO DO WHEN EVERYONE IS RIGHT?
Global  food policy and the World Trade Organization are in the news right now.  And while I do have some strong opinions about domestic farm policy, I admit that it’s hard for me sort out the issues on a global level.

On one hand, I naturally sympathize with the peasant farmers that produce most of the world’s food, most of them for their own subsistence and maybe a small amount of income.  It seems easy to agree that first world agribusiness should not be forcing third world farmers off the land by driving down the cost of their products.   Yet this is exactly what has happened in Mexico as a result of NAFTA, and what is likely to keep happening in Africa and the rest of the developing world as more “free trade” agreements are signed.  Cities around the world are swelling as small farmers leave the countryside to find work, creating extensive slums — environmental disaster areas without fresh water, sewage treatment, electricity, or paved streets.

Third world farmers argue that subsidies to farmers in the U.S. and Europe are artificially forcing down the prices of commodities, making it impossible to compete.  They argue that they are actually the lowest cost producers — cheap labor wins out over better technology, infrastructure, and production techniques.

BUT…
Very few countries in the world are willing to allow their agricultural infrastructure to wither away.  In both the U.S. and Europe, there are vigorous internal debates about subsidies for farmers — small farms vs. large farmers, payments for conservation vs. production, etc.  No one knows what would happen if all subsidies were eliminated, but there seems to be a general consensus that agriculture can’t compete on a level playing field with other, more profitable industries.  Yet even recent history (World War II) has shown us clearly that survival of a nation can rest heavily on its ability to feed itself in times of crisis.

Ending cotton subsidies for U.S. farmers — as African farmers suggest — would not end agriculture as we know it here.  In fact, cotton is one of the lowest value, most heavily chemically intensive crops grown in our country, and few small or even medium sized farms grow it.  But as I have mentioned before, smaller farmers in the U.S. have survived by focusing on higher value niche market crops like vegetables and fruit.  If the large, sophisticated agribusinesses growing cotton and other commodities were to lose the subsidies that make growing that crop profitable, they would search out new crops to grow.  They are not simply going to quit farming.  This would almost certainly lead to deflation of other crop prices and force smaller growers out of business.

 In Europe, many subsidies are aimed directly at small growers.  This is part of a social ethic there that values preservation of rural areas despite a relatively small land area and high population  — as well as maintaining a rich traditiona of regional and artisanal foodstuffs.

 In both the U.S. and Europe, farmers are middle class professionals.  I am one of these farmers. While reforming trade rules might help improve the economic state of third world farmers, I don’t believe it should be done in a way that forces more U.S. farmers out of business.  Agriculture here accomplishes more than just food production.  As land managers, U.S. farmers have to follow a raft of laws and regulations designed to protect the environment and human health.  Many farming subsidies are tied closely to conservation practices, and politicians are likely to connect them even more closely in the future.  This is a lower cost alternative to preserving open space than government ownership.

While there is a persistent myth about peasant farmers living lightly on the land, in many third world countries the opposite is true.  Lack of skills, technology and resources often lead farmers in poor countries to farm highly erodible land and destroy wildlife habitat.  They need technical and financial assistance to help improve their lives, not “free trade” that takes advantage of their poverty.

 For the record, Terra Firma receives the following government support:  sales tax exemptions and property tax breaks connected to restrictive zoning;  federally subsidized irrigation water; and cost share payments for water-conservation  projects.   Happy Holidays

IN YOUR BOXES
The long Indian summer, and an abundance of delicious tree fruit, didn’t leave much room for pistachios in your CSA boxes this fall.  As a farmer, it’s hard to leave ripe, perishable fruit and veggies in the field so you can give your customers pistachios… Well, winter has arrived now with a watery vengeance  — yes, we did need the rain, but not a whole month’s worth in a single day.  The crew is jumping up and down with joy at the prospect of putting pistachios in your boxes in place of an item or two that they would be slogging through the mud to pick.  So enjoy your pistachios knowing that this week, finally, we are more than happy to send them along.  Through the winter you can expect to see a half pound “dose” of pistachios in your box once or month or so, depending on which size box you receive.

We were excited this year when the pistachio harvest yielded almost twice as many bins of green nuts as it had the year before — especially since this year was an “off” year in the alternate bearing cycle that many trees crops follow.  Finally, it seemed, three years of pruning and watering were having an effect.  A month later, we learned the truth — almost all of those additional nuts filling the bins were “blanks”, hollow shells.  When all the nuts were processed, dried, roasted, and salted, we ended up with almost exactly the same amount as we had last year.  The only difference:  it cost us double to haul green nuts to the processor and sort out the empties.

 Celery grown in our frosty weather tends to become stringier than the stuff you find in stores, but it has tons of flavor that will add the perfect touch to any soup, stew, or holiday stuffing.  The leaves make a great addition to soupstock, but are too tough to eat even when cooked.  Thanks,
 

Thanks,
  Pablito

Recipes............................

.

Produce 101: preparation & storage  Our WALNUTS and PISTACHIOS are not fumigated like conventional ones.  They must be stored in the fridge or freezer to prevent them from turning rancid (walnuts) or becoming infested with mealworms (walnuts and pistachios). # APPLES and ASIAN PEARS in today’s boxes are from our newest orchard, which was farmed conventionally until last September.  The trees have not received synthetic fertilizer since then, and the fruit in your boxes has not been sprayed with any synthetic pesticides.  Stored in a plastic bag in the fridge, CELERY will keep nicely for several weeks, allowing you to use it a few stalks at a time in your winter cooking.

We Up/downgrades are $5 per week per increment.

Vacations & Billing Inquiries
We need seven days notice before a vacation hold or other change of service.
Contact Valerie through voicemail at (530) 756-2800, or e-mail Goldenbell@aol.com

Account Balance Inquiries The account sheet is hiding under the sign off sheet each week with your account balance on it.  Mid month I've been e-mailing statments, so if you're not getting it send me an e-mail requesting to be added to the list. To be able to read the statements you need to be logged in as an administrator on a PC, and virus programs may corrupt the file. Some Mac operating systems do allow the file to be viewed.

MAILING ADDRESS:
Terra Firma Farms, Inc
P.O. Box 836
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 756-2800
www.terrafirmafarm.com
Goldenbell@aol.com

New?  Sign up! 

Pickup Sites

Online Payments

Member's Answer Zone

Back to Basics

Newsletter Archives