Apparently I'm Gonna Be Famous

Well, as famous as one can get from being featured in the Walterboro newspaper, The Press & Standard.

It all started when I attended a Growing New Farmer's meeting yesterday sponsored by Clemson University. They had an unbelievable turnout, having to scrounge up extra tables and chairs for the latecomers. The first thing on the agenda was to go around the room and introduce ourselves and say what we do and why we were there. There were people from all different walks of life, from old-time farmers looking for a way to get a better price for their product to people who work for conservation programs. When it was my turn, I introduced myself and said that we had bought 12 acres of land in Walterboro 8 months ago and since then have built up a dairy goat herd of 11 and a bunch of chickens, and that everybody thought we were crazy to do this because I swear I'm the only person of my generation that WANTS to be a farmer. Understanding nods and snickers all around. And that now I have more people wanting to buy eggs and milk and cheese from me than I can supply. One of the speakers that I was particularly excited to listen to was a girl my age named Rita, who is not only cool enough to also sport a nose ring, but... SHE'S A FARMER! She has partnered with an older conventional farmer and is revitalizing his farm by teaching him how to grow sustainably and organically, and has succeeded in convincing him that there is a fair priced market for organic produce. They now run a thriving CSA program in which people buy shares of the farm at the beginning of the growing season, then receive a box of vegetables worth $25 every week for 14 weeks. So every week you go to a designated drop location and get your box of veggies, containing whatever happened to be harvested that week.

When I saw Rita walk in the building I was instantly intrigued, as up until then I was at least 20 years younger than anybody else there. Then to hear her get up and speak about her experiences and the fact that she is not only able to farm, but being quite successful at it... well, it just did my heart good. We hooked up after the meeting and swapped phone numbers, and I told her she's going to be my new best friend. She sells a lot of her produce to local restaurants in Charleston, and she said that she could sell as many eggs as I could provide to area restaurants. !!! Up until then I had always assumed that a restaurant would not touch you unless you could consistently provide massive quantities year-round. So now I am even more excited and inspired to go big time with this farming thing. One of the speakers is the head of a pilot program in Charleston called Fresh on the Menu said that he has chefs calling him everyday looking for fresh local meat, dairy, and produce and that he simply cannot find enough local farmers to fill their needs. He flat out said that he could sell anything that any of us could produce to restaurants for a fair price. Meat especially is a rarity, and he said there is a 5 month back order for pork alone.

Anyway, when we took a quick break for refreshments a reporter who was there to cover the meeting came over and said she'd like to interview me "because you're what this is all about. New young farmers!" So this afternoon she came out with her photographer husband and took 2 cameras full of pictures of us and the critters and I told her all about my goals for the farm and how we've gotten as far as we have. Ayden, of course, was being a total terror and was pretty much a brat for the duration because he's started a new school and has yet to take a nap there. Not good. But they were here for about an hour and at one point I made her put her notepad away and hold Tiny, who, unlike Ayden, succeeded in being oh-so-sweet-and-cuddly and well behaved. Typical. I fretted about what a young farmer should wear for an interview, but finally just dressed like myself in a halter top, jeans, and brown rubber boots. Always a winning combination. I don't look like your typical farmer and I don't think I should have to to be credible. Lord knows I make a scene whenever I go into the feed store in full funky young person regalia, but it simply cannot be helped.

She said the article will probably be coming out this Tuesday "unless something exciting happens." :) Maybe I can scan it and post it on here or something. Who knows, maybe I'll finally out-do my little brother who made the front page of the Torrington, Wyoming, newspaper with a huge picture (above the fold!) of him and my dog, Cujo, and their lemonade stand. You can tell lot's goes on in Torrington.

I can't bear to post a blog without a picture, so here's a nice picture of the three of us on a picnic in the woods the other day. As you can see, my child's head is not spinning around nor is he levitating or spewing green vomit, so he had obviously gotten a nap that day. Unlike today. When he did not. And is making us all pay.