Looking for ways to add value to farm life

2010 Agritourism Networking Association workshops planned
RALEIGH -- A series of six upcoming Agritourism Networking Association workshops across the state will focus on how to start or continue a successful agritourism operation. The workshops are designed for current agritourism entrepreneurs and those who may be interested in starting an agritourism business.

“People want to have a better understanding and a closer connection to the source of their food,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Agritourism ventures help people connect to educational, unique and entertaining farming experiences, and we continue to see a growing interest in these types of farms.”

The workshops will focus on topics such as liability insurance, zoning, risk management, marketing and hospitality tips to bring in and keep customers, and working with elected officials. Participants will also have an opportunity to network and share ideas with other agribusiness owners.

All workshops start at 3:30 p.m. Cost is $20 to $25 and includes workshop materials and dinner.

Following are dates for the workshops:

March 25 -- Gillis Hill Farm in Fayetteville (Cumberland County)
April 8 -- Maple View Farm and Agricultural Center in Hillsborough (Orange)
April 15 -- Flint Hill Vineyards in East Bend (Yadkin)
April 22 -- Giardini Trattoria & Gardens in Columbus (Polk)
April 29 -- Banner Elk Winery in Banner Elk (Avery)
May 6 -- Mike’s Farm in Richlands (Onslow)
For more information, contact Martha Glass, manager of the Agritourism Office at (919) 733-7887, ext. 276 or e-mail at Martha.Glass@ncagr.gov.

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NCDA&CS Public Affairs Division, Brian Long, Director
Mailing Address:1001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-1001
Physical Address: 2 West Edenton Street, Raleigh NC 27601
Phone: (919) 733-4216; FAX: (919) 733-5047

Local Foods, Time is Now

Technology and local food sales are no longer strangers. Thanks to the efforts of several intrepid people in North Carolina, this concept it taking off and it could have a major impact on where our food comes from in the future, how safe it is and who is making the money.

I am forwarding you this invoice that was automatically sent to one of our farms, RS Central High school FFA program, based upon an Internet order. Notice in the attach block above. A .pdf file appears which is a barcode sticker to be printed out on a thermal printer and attached to the package. The package is Breakfast Sausage which, unfortunately, happens to be the progeny of the other Billy Ray, which we are now selling over the internet to commercial and residential customers at $5.00 per pound. Thank you for all your help in making this dream come true. Enclosed please find a photo of a new freshman sustainable ag student with the newest round of Billy Ray piggies, born last week.



Check out this link http://www.farmersfreshmarket.org/market/meats--seafood/pork and scroll to the bottom of the page and see the variety of pork being offered and the prices that we are getting for red meat marbled pork.

Tim



Tim Will
Executive Director
Foothills Connect Business and Technology Center
828 447 2660 cell
828 288 1650 office
twill@foothillsconnect.com

Nvision

They have been a great partner and offer a wide variety of products and services. There is no need to leave Stokes County to find assistance in design, graphics, screen printing and more. Give them a call: 336-985-3862, today!

Local Food Presents Movie

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.
Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.



The Rockingham County Local Food Coalition presents a showing of : Fresh



Tuesday, February 16, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.

Rockingham County Ag Center
525 Hwy 65, Suite 200 Reidsville NC 27320
CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT! 336-342-8230

Local Foods Comparison

I was sent this story by Brenda Sutton, Cooperative Extension agent in Rutherford County. I think a similar study done here would find similar results. I think the comments of extending the growing season are very interesting. That is where the competition is less and the chance for profits is greater.

LEOPOLD CENTER STUDY COMPARES LOCAL, NON-LOCAL FOOD PRICES
AMES, Iowa -- If you think local foods are more expensive than their conventional counterparts, think again. Research conducted last summer by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture shows few differences in price for Iowa-grown vegetables, eggs and meat when compared to similar non-local products.
“We wanted to look at prices for some of the fresh foods that might be found in a typical Iowan’s shopping cart,” said Rich Pirog, Leopold Center associate director who collaborated on the study with Iowa State University graduate student Nick McCann. “We found that during peak season, produce items at farmers’ markets were very competitive and in several cases lower than prices for the same non-local items found at supermarkets.”
The study surveyed prices for eight different vegetables sold at Iowa farmers’ markets in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ames and Iowa City. On the same day, prices were documented for similar produce from national or international sources being sold at supermarket chains in those cities. Prices were checked on five days during July and August.
The results showed no statistical differences for local and non-local vegetables during Iowa’s peak growing season: an average price of $1.25 per pound for locally grown zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, string beans, cabbage, onions, tomatoes and sweet corn from a farmers’ market, compared to $1.39 per pound for non-local items from a supermarket.
The lower prices for the local items can be attributed in part to competitive pricing of zucchini and summer squash at farmers’ markets. A two-week supply of those eight vegetables for a family of four, based on per capita consumption, would cost $15.03 at a farmers market, compared to $16.91 at a supermarket.
A second part of the study looked at prices for lean ground beef, pork chops and brown eggs sold at supermarkets, natural food stores and butcher shops in those four Iowa cities in June, July and August. Pirog said it was difficult to find products with similar attributes available at all venues to make meaningful comparisons. However, they did find that locally raised lean ground beef and bone-in pork chops from butcher shops are similar in price to their non-local counterparts from supermarkets.
Pirog said the study did not look at relative freshness, taste or overall quality of local and non-local products. The study also did not examine produce or food items sold under organic certification.
“Keep in mind that this study was conducted during the height of the Iowa growing season when produce was in plentiful supply from multiple vendors at farmers’ markets, and their prices were lower than at other times during the farmers’ market season,” Pirog said.
He added that the study also points to an obvious opportunity for growers who extend their production season by using greenhouses or high tunnels and market their harvest at competitive prices. “Given the increase in construction of high tunnels in the past two or three years, Iowa growers may be able to increase the supply of locally grown vegetables and sell to a wider array of market venues,” he said.
For more details, including comparative charts and tables, see the new report, “Is Local Food More Expensive? A Consumer Price Perspective on Local and Non-Local Foods Purchased in Iowa,” on the Leopold Center Web site at: www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/prices.html

Census Jobs in the Area

Here is a link from Fox News 8 in Winston Salem. There are nearly 4,000 part-time jobs that are being opened up for the 2010 census. If you are working and need extra income or know of someone who needs a job, please pass this information on. There are offices located in most areas of the state and I believe through-out the US. Hope this helps.

http://www.myfox8.com/wghp-census-office-opens-091215,0,4806938.story

Here is a link the the US Census Bureau: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/

Local Foods Meeting

There were 25+ farmers in attendance last evening at our local foods meeting. It is hard for me to express the level of excitement felt by the group. Tim Will the Executive Director of Foothills Connect provided the group with a 35 minute presentation on his Rutherford County based project. It has taken him three plus years to get to this stage in the process but the level of commitment, his passion for helping local small businesses (that is what he calls farmers) and the technology involved is impressive. After his presentation, the group asked question for an additional 30 minutes. Tim never shied away from difficult questions and was patient and thorough in his explanations.

Michael Hylton, the head of the Stokes County Cooperative Extension program then introduced Brenda Sutton, head of the Rockingham County Coop Extension program. Brenda provided what I thought was tremendous news, the Rockingham County local foods group will be ready to start taking orders for food and delivering it to customers in March of 2010. Even better, the group welcomes the participation of Stokes County's farmers with open arms. In other words, thanks to Tim Will, his Foothills Connect group, the use of their web site and the willingness of the Rockingham County farmers, we don't have to recreate the three years of effort that Tim has been through. We can sign up our farmers and start selling produce within three months.

To find out more about this project go to http://www.foothillsconnect.com/aboutus.html and look up the fresh market page. Tim Will has won national acclaim for this project and this is just the beginning.