• SB 6298 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water & Rural Economic Development at 10:00 AM on Thursday, January 26, 2012.
• HB 2637 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources at 8:00 AM on Friday, January 27, 2012.

If you take some time out of your morning to be in Olympia and show your support it can go a long, long way in fighting GMOs in our state. This is a tremendous opportunity to make a big impact by just being somewhere.

Other ways to support the bills:

If you can or can’t be there, here are some other/additional ways you can support the bills from organicconsumers.org:

There is a wealth of fantastic and informative information out there about why Wal-Mart in Tacoma (or anywhere for that matter) is a bad thing for people, cities, farms and out agriculture. Here are a few resources worth checking out:

• Wal-Mart: The Cost of Low Prices – A comprehensive movie detailing what Wal-Mart does to cities it inhabits (available online)
• Is Wal-Mart Good for America – A PBS report on its dangers
• The Retail Revolution – A book the investigates the sometimes shady dealings of Wal-Mart

We here at Terra Organics want to present our opposition to Walmart coming to Tacoma. We see Wal-Mart as being bad for eaters and bad for farmers. Here’s our official statement from owner, Dan:

As an owner of a small business and a resident of the City of Tacoma, I want to voice my opposition to Wal-Mart setting up shop in Tacoma.  Wal-Mart has an egregious history of treating its workers poorly and destroying competition and independently owned businesses.  Their model of selling cheap junk for less – especially highly processed, low-cost, high-caloric and nutrient deficient foods – is bad for our community and for the health of our residents.

To find out more about the fight to keep Wal-Mart out of Tacoma, check out the Tacoma United Against Wal-Mark facebook page and voice your support.

Tacoma cartoonist RR Anderson protest the site of the proposed Wal-Mart

Terra Organics applauds the actions of the Seattle City Council. Plastic bags are not biodegradable and may take more than 1,000 years to decompose. Granted, in our landfills today, it’s difficult for a lot of materials to decompose, but plastic bags certainly aren’t helping. Further plastic bag pollution is known to be detrimental to marine and avian wildlife.

More links to information about the ban:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/us/seattle-bans-plastic-bags-and-sets-a-5-cent-charge-for-paper.html

Beginning Farming Webinar Series

When:  6:30 – 8:30 PM

Ecological Soil Management: November 15;

Integrated Pest Management: November 22;

Equipment for Small Farms: November 29

Where: Webinars will be available through your computer browser.  A high-speed internet connection is required.

Registration:

Ecological Soil Management: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211075

Integrated Pest Management: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211077

Equipment for Small Farms: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211079

Webinars are $20 each or $40 for all 3.   Webinars are free to past and current Cultivating Success Students.  Cultivating Success students should contact Michel Wiman to register: mbrockington@wsu.edu

Puyallup, WA

Do you want to improve your farm’s bottom line? Could farming be in your future? The Washington State University Small Farms Program has educational opportunities that meet you on-line and in the field.   We offer unique educational formats combining research and professional expertise to give you the tools you need to run a farm business today.

For 10 years, our Cultivating Success program partners have helped 3000 people develop or expand their farming enterprise through 12-week community education courses. Three sections of our popular Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching course are being provided in an on-line format to those not able to attend a semester-long class this year.

Three webinars will be made available covering soil management, integrated pest management, and equipment for small farms.  There is a fee to join the webinar.  Past and present cultivating success students can join the program for free.  Scholarships are available.

November 15^th, 2011:  Ecological Soil Management with Doug Collins and Adam McCurdy
Soil scientist and Small Farms Educator Doug Collins will cover an introduction to soil management for small farmers.  Doug will describe soil quality, soil fertility, nitrogen mineralization, organic amendments, soil test interpretation, and pH management.

Snoqualmie Valley Farmer Adam McCurdy will discuss how he works to build soil at Oxbow Center for Sustainable Agriculture & the Environment.  Adam is in his 13^th season of farming.  He has been at Oxbow since 2007 where he co-manages 25 acres.  Adam will discuss soil preparation, fertility management, equipment, and cover cropping.

November 22, 2011:  Integrated Pest Management with Chris Benedict, Todd Murray, and Doug Collins.
Whatcom County Extension Educator and weed scientist Chris Benedict, Skamania County Extension Director and entomologist Todd Murray, and Small Farms Educator and soil scientist Doug Collins will describe how to integrate physical, biological, and chemical strategies to control weeds, insects, and pathogens on your farm.

November 29, 2011:  Equipment for Small Farmers with Andy Bary and Holly Foster

Soil Scientist and Puyallup Experimental Organic Farm Manager Andy Bary will cover selecting equipment for field preparation, fertilizing, planting, and weeding.

Holly Foster operates Zestful Gardens, a CSA vegetable farm in the Puyallup Valley.  Holly is a small farm equipment aficionado and will share what pieces she finds invaluable for farm operation.

First, the Pierce County Council looks to de-designate 125 acres of prime Puyallup Valley agricultural lands at their October 18^th council session. In a letter from Dan Roach, councilmember from District #1, he says, “approval of the plan amendment will result in the preservation of significant blocks of prime agricultural lands through conservation easements.  These conservation easements guarantee preservation of Pierce County farmland in a permanent way that cannot be modified though zoning or by future legislative actions.”

Apparently the irony of this statement is lost on him and the rest of the councilmembers that support this annexation/development of 125 acres of Agricultural Resource Lands (ARL) south of Highway 410 between Sumner and Bonney Lake. In essence he is saying that the council will prevent future councilmembers from doing exactly what the present council is doing: taking the designation of farmland away for the sake of development.

It’s not too late to let the council know how you feel. With a quick click here you can send an email to all councilmembers to let them know you do not want some of the best farmland in the country paved over.

On a related note, big agribusiness companies don’t want us to know that we’re eating genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). Why? Probably because they know that means they won’t sell as many of their GMO crops to the manufacturers. Did you know that 75% of non-organic processed foods in the grocery store contain GMO’s? A signature-gathering movement is afoot in California to require GMO foods to be labeled as such and there’s a national movement as well. Click here to tell the FDA and President Obama you want GMO’s labeled.

Here are some of the highlights and specials for the upcoming week:

• Last of the Yellow Doll watermelon from Tahoma (really this time)
• Honeycrisp Apples at $1/each
• Chanterelle Mushrooms, locally-foraged
• The first winter squash of the year from Tahoma Farms

Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.

If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.

If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account

Sincerely,

The Terra Organics Team

Please read the note below for more information:

America urgently needs new farmers – and to keep current farmers on the land. At risk if you don’t act in the next few HOURS are the dreams of farmers and aspiring farmers across this nation and the communities they strengthen.

Like any business – farmers must have access to financing to purchase things like farm equipment, fencing, animals, feed, and land itself. Without timely access to credit to purchase these necessities – farmers fail. Farm Services Agency (FSA) farm lending programs are ONLY available to farmers who cannot obtain credit from commercial sources.

After Congress slashed credit funding last spring, thousands of beginning farmers were approved for credit but unable to be funded because the USDA ran out of credit funding.  Such a backlog often means the dreams of those young farmers are crushed – and the chance of a lifetime will disappear.

Unless Senator Patty Murray hears from you TODAY, USDA farm lending programs could once again be slashed in the Fiscal Year 2012 funding bill. This is particularly reckless because there is already a backlog of 28 applications in Texas because of previous cuts!

Also at risk is The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Individual Development Account (BFRIDA) Program. This innovative program provides business education and a matched savings account to beginning farmers of modest means. Participants in existing IDA programs are 84 percent more likely to become business owners than non-participants. Several states have successful pilot initiatives, but the national program has never been funded.

Will you stand up for family farmers and prosperous rural and urban communities?

It just takes a minute to call Senator Murray’s office at (202) 224-2621.
The Message is Simple:
•    Ask Senator Murray to support direct farm ownership loans at the program level of $600 million, and direct farm operating loans at program level of $1.05 billion. Farmers need access to affordable credit for the purchase of land, livestock and equipment and for annual operating expenses.

•    Also ask her to support the Beginning Farmer Individual Development Account program at the Farm Bill-authorized level of $5 million for fiscal year 2012.  Existing IDA programs have a proven track record of increasing the success of new businesses.

Thank you for making this quick call, which is crucial to protecting affordable farm credit!

There are eight amendments currently under consideration by the county that would de-designate a total of 580 acres of farmland. Below are four of the most important amendments that need our immediate attention. Follow the links at the end to send a message to the county that you support the permanent protection of Pierce County farmland. Thank you!

OPPOSE U2 – The City of Ortingwants to expand into 243 acres of protected farmland and 74 acres of rural land.  This area is SW boundary of Orting, and north and south of the Kapowsin Hwy adjacent to Calistoga Avenue bridge.  The County’s Planning Staff agrees that U2 should be opposed.

OPPOSE U3 – The City of Sumnerwishes to expand into 144 acres of protected farms for big box stores, strip malls, and apartments.  This area is south Sumner and south of Highway 410.

OPPOSE U5 – Bonney Lakewould re-designate 191 acres of protected farmland for urban development in the Fennel Creek valley.  Increasing development next to Fennel Creek will harm the creek’s water quality and pave over working farm land.  Again, the County’s Planning Staff agrees that U5 should be opposed.

SUPPORT U8 – East Pioneer Road area.  Several years ago, the county expanded the area nearPuyallup where high density residential development is allowed provided Puyallup agreed to protect 160 acres of farmland and open space.  Puyallup did not comply with this condition and so Pierce County is considering removing the land from the urban growth area and protecting its working farms.

Here is how you can support local farms and local farmers:

Attend the Pierce County Planning Commission public hearings on Wednesday June 15^, 2011 and ask them to protect working farms by recommending denial of U-2, U-3, and U-5 and approval of U-8.  The public hearing will be at in the County Annex Building at 2401 So. 35th St, Tacoma, WA starting at 7:00 p.m.

Write or email the Planning Commission before June 15^th asking the commission to recommend denial of U-2, U-3, and U-5 and approval of U-8.  The mailing and email addresses are listed below.

Where to Email or Write the Pierce County Planning Commission:

Pierce County Planning Commission

Pierce County Planning & Land Services

2401 So. 35th St, Tacoma, WA 98409

Send emails to:  tfairba@co.pierce.wa.us

Some of the local specials available in the web store for your Terra Organics order next week:

• Willie Greens Baby Spinach at $3.50 per 1/2 pound bag
• Tahoma Dandelion Greens at $3.25 per bunch
• Yakima Asparagus for $4.50 per 3/4 pound bunch
• Ralph’s Greenhouse Bunched Spinach at $3.25 each
• Tahoma Red Butter Leaf Lettuce at $2.75 per head

Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.

If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.

If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account

Sincerely,

The Terra Organics Team

We would be honored and grateful if you would share your opinions regarding your Terra Organics experience, and how our new system is working for you by taking our New Year Evaluation Survey. The survey will take no more than 10 minutes of your time, and will be available for you to complete through March 31, 2011. By taking the survey you will be eligible to win a $100 credit to your Terra Organics account.  We thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts and opinions with us.

Click here to take the survey!

News of the demise of Thundering Hooves, an organic, grass-fed beef ranch in Walla Walla, was received with equal parts sadness and disbelief.  Joel Huseby was a model spokesman for the organic movement and his family’s cattle-raising/beef-processing/self-distribution model was the real deal.  And when Joel unveiled his abbatoir (a 53 foot semi-truck trailer converted into a meat processing unit) in May of 2007, there was no reason to doubt that he would successfully build lots of them and ship them around the country as he intended to do.  The consolidation in the meat industry had left small to mid-size farmers without a network of USDA certified processing facilities and Joel had a great solution that was being replicated across the country, including right here in Pierce County.

When times were good it seemed that everywhere I turned there was another story about Joel or another restaurant featuring his steaks or burgers.  And why not?  They had great beef, they had a great story, and they were pioneers in all aspects of the good food movement.

I know Joel from our time spent on the Tilth Producers of Washington Board together.  He was an early mentor and, though I haven’t talked to him in a couple of years, he was a good businessman and an eternal optimist.  Only those close to him know the details of the closure of the business, but I have my thoughts about it and, the truth is, it hits too close to home.

It’s been said that a contributing factor to them going out of business was too rapid expansion.  It wasn’t the growth of the business that happened too quickly, in my opinion, but the contraction they experienced over the last three years amidst the recession.  Expensive, organic meat is surely one of the first things a household is going to eliminate when cutting back on spending.

But an organic farmer can’t switch to non-organic grass to feed his cows when the rest of the marketplace adjusts.  Sure, every business has to adapt to a weaker economy.  But it just doesn’t seem fair when you are talking about a small, organic meat business, already up against powerful, entrenched interests, suffering a fatal blow because of a short-term demand problem.

The point is, the good food movement couldn’t afford to lose Thundering Hooves and, as much as we’d like to think that the producers we love are here to stay, it’s a lot more uncertain than that.  This is why it’s extremely gratifying for us to receive your continued support, week in and week out. Because without it, it would be a very uncertain future indeed.

We sincerely thank you.

A few of the great fruits and vegetables for next week:

• Local Kale Raab from Springhill Farms in Albany, OR
• Ataulfo Mangoes at $1.50 each
• Nantes Carrots from T & D Willey, CA
• CA-grown Asparagus at $3.75 per 1/2 lb
• 8-oz Strawberries at $3.00 per clamshell

Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.

If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email Saturday morning at 2am notifying you that the web store has been opened.

If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment, please

click here

SIncerely,

The Terra Organics Team

Image credit http://www.thenewstribune.com/

The Orting City Council wants to see 300 acres of farmland annexed to the city in the name of urban growth.  The city points to a low ratio of jobs relative to the population and wants to add light industrial and commercial facilities to employ more of the native workforce.  Which, in light of the subdivision sprawl to the North of the city, begs the question: why would the city use the paving over of farmland as the justification for paving over more farmland?

The series of events that led to our purchase of the old Ford Dairy began with a meeting in the fall of 2007, when the county was working on a community plan for the unincorporated area between Sumner and Orting.  The area is known as Alderton-McMillin and the goal of the plan was “to balance the desire for the traditional past with the needs of the future.”  Specifically: “The citizens of Alderton-McMillin feel caught between the desire to preserve a quiet rural agricultural lifestyle and the chance to walk away from it allowing their land to be sold for the highest possible price and letting the urban population move in.”

What if the landowners could sell their land for the highest possible price but the population density would not have to increase and the farmland could remain farmland?  That’s exactly what happened on the 100 acres that made up the former dairy.  And while conservation funding is limited, and not every farm or wetland or other open space can be saved from development, what the city of Orting is entertaining is not consistent with the growth management policy in the county or state.

Programs such as the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) – where the right to develop is relocated from a low-density area with significant natural resources, such as Orting, to an area where density is higher and/or the land is not suited for growing crops, such as Tacoma or Bonney Lake – make it possible for land owners to cash-in on their investment and for our region to hang-on to what is a diminishing resource.

Story in News Tribune:  http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/28/1564447/orting-considers-urban-growth.html

Find out more at Civil Eats