Hello. Survey
on steroids: Several hundred of you responded to
our reader survey. Did I say "respond"? Embraced, or procreated
with, might be more accurate. We got 952 comments
from you--36 single-spaced pages--on how and why you use the web
site, what we could do to improve it, what you like most, what you
like least, what you would change, and what would make you most
likely to continue visiting the site. We’re still plowing
through these valuable comments and observations, and trying to
evaluate them. As soon as we've figured out their significance,
we'll let you know.
Here are a few facts from the survey:
- 54% of you are farmers, 22% want to start farming, and 20% either
teach about farming or are involved in some ag-related profession.
- 60% are men, and 40% are women
- 76% are in the 30 to 60 age range. 13% are under 30.
- 70% of you have been coming to the site for 6 months or more--and
46% for more than a year.
- 43% of you visit the site weekly or daily, and almost 50% of
you browse for more than 20 minutes each time you visit the site.
- And 97% of you said you'd recommend the site to someone else.
The general picture? Most of you are very satisfied
with the site, but figure we have lots of work to do in improving
some features, adding new features and coverage, and expanding the
geographic range of our coverage. Kind of like a good marriage,
I figure. We're both committed to the relationship, we basically
love each other, but there are a few things about us that could
use some improvement--or just plain irritate you.
Blew my mind: Each
month there are one or two articles we run that make me feel like
I learned something entirely new, and deeply significant. Don
Lotter's piece on two plant scientists in Mexico is
one of those pieces. On one level, this is a great story about two
intrepid scientists who, despite lack of funding and support, persevere
in creating their own green revolution in Mexico. On another level,
it's an outrageous indictment of a scientific, political and economic
system that dismisses powerful evidence when it doesn't fit the
prevailing paradigm. And on a third level, it's an amazingly clear
explanation of a complex and sometimes counter-intiutive plant breeding
program that has achieved astonishing success with almost no support.
Read the article description below, and check it out. It's
definitely a must-read:
Beyond
GMO … the REAL answer
to healthy, disease resistant crops
Down in Mexico, two plant scientists, despite lack of funding and
support, are staging a true green revolution. By using a strategy
called horizontal resistance to breed bean plants with broad genetic
resistance to diseases and pests, they are outperforming GMO and
commercial crop varieties … without the need for pesticides!
Be patient with the science and you’ll be richly rewarded.
Coming soon: In about
a month we'll be launching the first version of our economic modeling
tool, which we've named FarmSelect. FarmSelect
is an easy-to-use tool that lets you do side-by-side comparisions
of the economics of organic versus conventional management on your
farm. In this first version, FarmSelect will allow you to compare
the results from conventional and organic management in one year
for eaither corn or soybeans. All you do is enter your zip code
and field size. We use real-time cash prices, USDA county yield
averages, and real yields for organic crops to give you a detailed
report. By early 2005 you'll also be able to:
- ... experiment with yields and key production costs, adding
your own numbers for seed, fertilizer, hired labor and much, much
more.
- ... model multiple crops in multiple fields for a year, giving
you a picture of the whole-farm economics of the two systems.
- ... compare the economics of organic versus conventional in
very wet and very dry years. One of the pleasant surprises of
organic production: 24 years of research comparing organic and
conventional production have shown that in a field with at least
seven years of organic management, yields are significantly better
in organic systems in both dry and wet years!
Finally, before the end of 2005, you’ll be able to test out
a five year organic rotation to see how it performs over time economically,
compared with the conventional approach. If you like the results,
you’ll even be able to print out a financial plan you can
take to your lender. Look for FarmSelect in early December.
May the resource still be with you:
Thanks to all of you who have suggested organizations
and web sites we should add to The
New Farm Resource Directory. We've added all of your
ideas, and will continue to add new entries each week. If you have
another suggestion for a listing, please send it to Dan
Sullivan, senior editor.
Enjoy!
Chris Hill, Executive Editor |
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It's Karma, baby:
Karma dahlias, that is. And it made a load of money for cut flower
columnist Mel Devault.
See below for more.

Bean breeder extraordinaire: The
man behind Mexico's REAL green revolution.
See at left for more.

Newly organic, an
old New England dairy thrives on pasture.
See below for more.

We're not in Kansas anymore:
In fact, it's deep in the heart of Chicago.
See below for more.

On the packing line at Harmony Valley
CSA. Tips for renewing customers ... and keeping
them happy.
See below for more.
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Classified
information
WANTED: Red corn seed, basket weeder, Minnesota
dairy farm, Hinniker cut-away discs, Barred Rock chickens, organic
grain ...
FOR SALE: Compost turner, 40 cows in Maine, biodegradable
row cover, small scale meat processing plant, 154-acre certified
organic farm in Illinois ....
AND THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW ON THE NEW FARM CLASSIFIEDS! |
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Classifieds |