Comments on: The factory farm that wasn’t: How a Wendell egg producer ended up on the wrong side of the ballot

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 23:02:01 +0000

In reply to Joan Squeri. Thanks, Joan! Yes, farmers can be equally frustrated by supporters and detractors, a facet of most people having become so distanced from the day-to-day realities of farming.

By: Joan Squeri

Joan Squeri — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 12:23:09 +0000

Cathy,
I greatly appreciate the ability to learn about current agricultural issues facing Massachusetts through an anthropological lens.
The farmers I know generally feel their day-to-day issues are very misunderstood by their (sometimes overly adoring, sometimes tone-deaf) public. Your writing is both unique and very needed.
-Joan S

By: Cathy

Cathy — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 00:19:18 +0000

In reply to Dave Van Iderstine. Big questions! And big problems, no doubt about it. I've been trying in this "Farm Values" project to push back a bit against some of the outlines of that narrative about New England farming, which is certainly true in its broad strokes but contains some surprising exceptions and counter-currents that may offer some inspiration as we try to rethink and rescale.

By: Dave Van Iderstine

Dave Van Iderstine — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 21:50:48 +0000

I really feel for their plight. I started a small livestock farm 7 years ago, the next town over, because I could feel the screaming need for more – any! – small-scale farming infrastructure. The economic incentives against farming are overwhelming, especially starting from scratch! Fencing, housing, lost knowledge, time – and yet, this nation was once predominantly agrarian, and our vast land bank was used as such. Massachusetts was once predominantly deforested, in favor of farms; the forests are back, the farms are gone. In their place, we have artificially inexpensive factory-farmed food from out of state, and a (growing) number of local producers who can sell at a premium to those consumers aware and able to purchase it.
That’s a bad model. People left farms for cities, when mill cities provided jobs. The mills are gone, the cities remain, the farms are gone. We should have returned whence we came when the reason for cities vanished; we didn’t. Now we are left with an unemployable population, with no land to sustain themselves. That, is fundamentally broken.

I happened to be fortunate enough to happen onto usable land. What about the rest of us?

By: Barbara Edson Greenwald

Barbara Edson Greenwald — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:39:20 +0000

Having known the family and the family and going there frequently over the years. They are the most humane kind honest hard working educated people. The run a small family business and do take good care of the chickens that produce the eggs that produce the income. To lump them in with factory farming is terrible. This was a great article and its too bad more people did not educate themselves before they spoke. However the harsh reality too is we all eat and if you choose to eat fish, meat,eggs they are most likely farmed. I prefer to know it was a small local farm which I feel is not a factory farm but its still farming on a large scale. I hope the government red tape does not destroy another honest family business.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 23:17:55 +0000

In reply to Deb Habib and Ricky Baruc. Thanks, Deb!

By: Deb Habib and Ricky Baruc

Deb Habib and Ricky Baruc — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 21:52:23 +0000

Cathy,
This is excellent. I am so glad to have it to reference when asked about this issue. I know you are modest but I encourage you to share this widely with local food organizations and networks as an important read to help caring consumers and voters understand the issue and ballot question history and implications. Let me know if I can help.
Deb

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 13:46:50 +0000

In reply to Rachel Scherer.

Thanks, Rachel. I do think there are strong arguments on both sides – but it would just be good to have that “clear calm reasonable” discussion about it!

By: Rachel Scherer

Rachel Scherer — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 21:24:40 +0000

Thank you for this clear calm reasonable exposition. It’s dearly needed to explain the how’s and whys of making sensible changes in farm policy and practice. “Sustainability” has to include the farmer and the consumer in its arithmetic.