Passages

Sustainable Food and Farming Systems

Newsletter of the
Pennsylvania
Association
for Sustainable
Agriculture

Serving the Community of Sustainable Farmers, Consumers and Businesses Throughout Pennsylvania and Beyond
Number 50 September/October 2004

Pennsylvania Association
for Sustainable Agriculture
114 West Main Street
P.O. Box 419
Millheim PA 16854
Phone: (814) 349-9856 • Fax: (814) 349-9840
Website: www.pasafarming.org
Passages STAFF & OFFICE
Staff Editor: Michele Gauger
Layout: C Factor
Advertising Sales: Michele Gauger,
PASA office, michele@pasafarming.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Kim Miller, Westmoreland County
Vice President: Kim Tait, Centre County
Secretary: Lyn Garling, Centre County
Treasurer: Chris Fullerton, Huntingdon County
Mary Barbercheck, Centre County
David Bingaman, Dauphin County
George DeVault, Lehigh County
Mena Hautau, Berks County
John Hopkins, Columbia County
John Jamison, Westmoreland County
Dave Johnson, Tioga County
Don Kretschmann, Beaver County
Brian Moyer, Berks County
Anthony Rodale, Berks County
Kim Seeley, Bradford County
PASA STAFF
Headquarters
Brian Snyder
Executive Director
brian@pasafarming.org
Lauren Smith
Director of Development
& Membership Programs
lauren@pasafarming.org
Heather House
Director of Educational Outreach
heather@pasafarming.org
Michele Gauger
Membership & Research Assistant
michele@pasafarming.org
Brandi Marks
Office Coordinator/Bookkeeper
brandi@pasafarming.org
Regional Office
David Eson
Director of Western Programs
Phone: 412-997-2343
david@pasafarming.org
Passages is printed on recycled paper
September/October 2004
3 Passages Celebrates 50 Issues
4 Food for Thought: Opinion
A Perspective on Farmland Preservation
5 Battle Thrips With Marigold and Orius
6 Director’s Corner 5
7 President’s Corner
8 Regional Marketing
10 Consumer News
12 Educational Outreach:
Local Farmers Train Penn College
Dining Services How To Use Grass-fed Beef
Summer May Be Ending,
But Winter Harvest Is Just Beginning
14 New PASA Membership Materials Available
15 Ideas to Increase PASA Membership
16 Annual Fund Update 10
18 Conference News
19 It’s Called AgriCulture
20 Community Building
22 Classified Ads
23 Calendar
24 Editor’s Corner: The Grapevine
27 Membership Contribution Form
20
Passages September/October 2004 Contributors
CONTRIBUTORS: Billy Connelly, George DeVault, David Eson, Chris Fullerton, Michele Gauger, Carol
Glenister, Mena Hautau, Heather House, John Ikerd, Lisa Kerschner, Moie Kimball Crawford, Kim Miller,
Eric Nordell, Cass Peterson, Joel Salatin, Lauren Smith, Brian Snyder and Kim Tait.
PASA’s Mission is… PASA in the News
Promoting profitable farms which produce healthy Have you seen articles about PASA in your local news-
food for all people while respecting the natural envi- papers or other media? PASA is active across the state,
ronment. and we’d love to know what coverage we are getting
in your area. Please clip any articles you see on PASA
PASA is an organization as diverse as the Pennsylvania
and mail them to our Millheim headquarters to the
landscape. We are seasoned farmers who know that
attention of Office Coordinator Brandi Marks.
sustainability is not only a concept, but a way of life.
We are new farmers looking for the fulfillment of land
stewardship. We are students and other consumers, Do you have a great
anxious to understand our food systems and the article idea for Passages?
choices that must be made. We are families and chil- Want to share a farming practice with members? We’d
dren, who hold the future of farming in our hands.This love to hear from you. Please contact the newsletter
is an organization that is growing in its voice on behalf staff at newsletter@ pasafarming.org.
of farmers in Pennsylvania and beyond. Our mission is Deadline for November/December Issue: October 30,
achieved, one voice, one farm, one strengthened com- 2004.
munity at a time.
PASA is an Equal Opportunity Service Provider and Employer. Some grant funding comes from the USDA and
complaints of discrimination should be sent to: USDA Office of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20250-9410.
2
 Passages Celebrates 50 Issues
their friendships; may your computers
be immune to illness; may your heads
ASA is marking a milestone with our newsletter publication Passages —
P this edition marks the 50th! As the publication continues to evolve in
appearance and content we hope it is a useful tool for our entire readership
brim with innovative story ideas; may
your dreams for a righteous food system
come to pass. Carry on, and may the
from farmers to consumers. In recent months we have gone from a quarterly Passages torch light our bioregion for
another 50 issues.
publication to a bimonthly format, added consumer-friendly pages and have
— Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm
strived to stay atop the sustainable agriculture publication heap, all in an effort Swoope, VA
to benefit you — our PASA members.
As PASA began to look back at the last 49 issues, many began to recall
They say The Wall Street Journal is
favorite or even disliked articles from past issues. In this thinking we thought it
read by the people who run the country,
would be appropriate to ask some of our PASA friends to give their thoughts on The Washington Post by people who
Passages marking its 50th issue. We hope you enjoy reading these reflections think they run the country, and The
and a special reprinted article from Passages issue #30, as we hope to be around New York Times by people who think
they should run the country, and also
another 50 issues.
happen to be very good at crossword
puzzles.
is both exhilarating and proactive. It Obviously, “they” never read Passages,
Reflections for Passages
stands in sharp contrast to counterparts which is putting the country back on the
Of all the state sustainable-agricul-
that exude an air of helplessness without road to common sense in all things agri-
ture type support groups, PASA is a
government grants, programs, or taxpay- cultural. So, don’t forget to renew your
queen, and Passages its crown jewel.
er-funded solutions. While it carries an subscription (PASA membership) to
Always professional, always captivating
appropriate amount of industrial food Passages. Better yet, become a Life Mem-
and always ready to question standard ber, so you’ll never miss another thrilling
and farming bashing, these sentiments
agendas, Passages receives VIP (Very issue again.
are balanced by spotlighting doers who
Important Periodical) treatment at our testify to the power of one. — George DeVault
house. Although not a Pennsylvanian, I find PASA Board Member
Usually about halfway through an most of the material applicable to my Contributing Editor
issue, I am compelled to jump up from region. We really are a lot more similar Pheasant Hill Farm
the desk, go find Teresa (my wife) and than we are different. A willingness to
read a portion aloud. A newsletter tackle government policy issues is defi-
reflects the persona of its constituency. nitely a strength, both to the newsletter Passages — Like a Letter
The rough-and-tumble can-do spirit of and PASA. Understanding that cultural From an Old Friend
the PASA membership comes through paradigm shifts requires movement at all For many years now, I have received
loud and clear in the newsletter and I levels — producers, food buyers, Passages in the mail and each time it feels
appreciate that. bureaucrats, politicians, infrastructure like I am getting a letter from an old
Perhaps the single article I remember suppliers — is key to moving the clean friend. My habit is to first flip through
most fondly is the one Cass Peterson (see food agenda forward. Passages targets the pages, see the faces and words of my
page 4) wrote about farmland preserva- them all and does it well. colleagues and mentors, and inwardly
tion sans farmer preservation. Her per- The key to any successful organiza- know that there are still some things
ceptive arguments and bold audacity to tion is communication, which maintains right with the world. And at some later
question one of the pillars of the sustain- the relationships that fuel the ministry. moment in the day, week or month, I
able ag-environmental farming agenda PASA members are not only blessed to will sit down and read all the articles.
had me doing emotional backflips — I have Passages out there faithfully pro- This publication has served as a source
can’t do the physical kind. Having done claiming all the facets of the clean food of camaraderie, information and inspira-
a bit of writing myself, I deeply appreci- issue, but are also blessing countless oth- tion for more years than I can count.
ate the courage of the Passages editor to ers in the greater mid-Atlantic region I consider Passages the hopeful voice
print such hard-hitting, thought-pro- with this publication. To the editor, staff, of Pennsylvania agriculture. It conveys
voking material. May it ever be. and PASA officers, you do your mem- the message of an agriculturally healthy
Unlike many of its counterparts, Pas- bers and us hangers-on proud. present and future, even if it is one
sages offers a can-do market-oriented Now, a prayer for Passages: may the chicken, pig or tomato at a time. And as
dirt-under-the-fingernails approach that people who create the publication guard Continued on page 16

3
 Food for Thought: Opinion
A Perspective on Farmland Preservation
By Cass Peterson
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared
in the fall 1999 issue of Passages.
Farmland protection is an issue that
has resonance with the general public. It
wraps food production, rural values, the
nation’s agrarian tradition, environmen-
tal protection, and the preservation of
the pastoral landscape all into one popu-
lar package. Supportive citizens have
approved bond measures in some states
and dedicated taxes in others, to demon-
strate that they are willing to put money
into the goal of maintaining farmland
for the future.
I think it’s fair to say that most peo-
ple who cast their votes in favor of finan-
cial packages to buy development rights
to do so in the expectation that the land
will be forever (or something close to it)
engaged in farming. They assume that
the land will be growing grain or vegeta-
bles, or pasturing cattle or sheep, under
the careful husbandry of a farmer.
To that extent, I think the people
who support farmland protection pro-
grams often cite statistics to demonstrate
the importance of agriculture to the state
economy. They talk about “irreplaceable
land that produces our food.” They warn
the loss of farmland puts local and
national economies at risk, threatens the
ready availability of fresh local produce,
and undermines rural communities. All
of this is true.
The problem is that saving the land
won’t reduce any of those risks. Farm-
land, if it is to remain farmland, needs a
farmer, and farmers are at a far greater
risk of extinction than the land they cul-
tivate.
There are fewer than 2 million farm-
ers in the United States now. A large
number of those are nearing the age of
retirement. Possibly an even larger num-
ber are nearing the brink of bankruptcy.
Who will farm all this land that is being
saved as farmland?
There are state to state variations in
farmland protection programs, but as I
understand the basic principles, the idea
Farmland, if it is to
remain farmland, needs
a farmer, and farmers
are at a far greater risk
of extinction than the
land they cultivate.
is to buy development rights — which
often give the current farmer the cash he
or she needs to stick it out a few more
years – and then place restrictions on the
land so that it can be used only for agri-
cultural purposes. The notion is that
such restricted land will then be valued
at less money, and will be within the
financial reach of prospective farmers
who will buy it from the retiring farmer
and keep it in pastoral production for
another generation.
It isn’t going to happen. In some
areas, protected farmland goes begging
even for rental farmers. The financial
risk of farming is always high and in a
global economy it gets higher every year.
Wired magazine isn’t known for its
agricultural analysis, of course, but the
September 1999 issue has this telling bit
of prose in a featured entitled “The
Good News Is, You’ll Be a Millionaire
Soon. The Bad News Is, So Will Every-
one Else.”
“Fast forward to 2020. After two
decades of ultra prosperity, the average
American household’s income is
$150,000 but milk still costs only about
$2.50 a gallon.”
That’s what we’ve groomed the pub-
lic to expect of their food supplies. I
don’t know who’ll be producing that
$2.50 gallon milk in 2020, but it won’t
be an American family farmer.
So where will all the farmers to farm
these tens of thousands of acres of pro-
tected American farmland come from?
4
Most likely, in my view, is that
wealthy people will buy up the land for
the privacy it affords, and hire someone
to create a window-dressing of hay fields
and corn crops. It’s done now in North-
ern Virginia, where well-to-do landown-
ers sell hay at a loss (in competition with
real farmers) to protect their agricultural
tax benefits. Here’s another example,
from the Aug. 8, 1999, New York Times
magazine, in an article describing the
multi-million-dollar makeover of a
country estate: “The property also
includes a meadow that Ruddick trans-
formed into a boxwood farm; it provides
a cash crop that preserves the land’s agri-
cultural status for tax reasons.”
There are plenty of wealthy people
who would not blink at paying $10,000
an acre for 150 acres of seclusion. Quite
ordinary houses on busy boulevards in
the Washington D.C. area routinely sell
for more than $1 million. What’s anoth-
er half-million or so for 150 acres of
peace and quiet?
The second likely scenario is that the
land protected forever as an agricultural
resource will instead be found useful for
some other public purpose. It might
remain as open space, perhaps as parks
or wildlife preserves, maybe even a pub-
licly supported “demonstration farm”
with a carefully maintained red barn and
a petting zoo. But developing and main-
taining recreational or refuge areas costs
money, and the public pockets probably
aren’t deep enough to take over responsi-
bility for all the land that has been or
will be restricted from development.
So it might be found useful, at some
future time, to use chunks of land for
sewage treatment plants, highway inter-
changes, or some other use of benefit to
the public. After all, the public has
already purchased the development
rights. If, despite diligent efforts, no
farmers can be found to take over the
land, wouldn’t it be fiscally prudent to
use it for some other public purpose?
I do not mean to suggest preserving
farmland is not a noble goal or an
important one. It is absolutely true that
the best and most productive farmland,
especially in the East, is in danger of
being lost forever from agricultural pro-
duction. I further believe however that
the best, the cheapest and ultimately the
Continued on page 25
 Battle Thrips With Marigold and Orius
By Carol Glenister,
IPM Laboratories, Inc.
One reason pest outbreaks are so
severe in greenhouses is the complete
absence of natural enemies. It’s analo-
gous to fencing a rabbit family into a
garden and keeping the dog outside the
fence. A better option is to adopt a bio-
control program for the greenhouse;
something analogous to bringing the
dog (a friendly patrol) back into the gar-
den.
Biocontrol is the use of a pest’s natu-
ral enemies to curb that pest’s popula-
tion. Often called beneficials, these
natural enemies make food out of prob-
lem pests and can keep pest populations
so low that the pests are barely notice-
able. In order to do this beneficials have
to choose to stay in the greenhouse.
Since dispersal of beneficials is directly
linked to food and habitat needs, it is
important to make your greenhouse as
beneficials-friendly as possible. This way
the good bugs will stick around.
With more than 20 species of benefi-
cial insects, mites and nematodes in use
in greenhouses, there is no set rule con-
cerning the environmental preferences
of various natural enemies. Some benefi-
cials simply require the presence of their
prey, others require high humidity or
long days, and some species have prefer-
ences for certain plants. A beneficial’s
decision to stay in a crop or on a plant
can also depend on the presence of nec-
tar and pollen, plant structure, and the
desire or abhorrence of plant hairs.
A good example of a predator that is
a little picky about its habitat is Orius
insidiosus, a highly predaceous and versa-
tile pirate bug, valuable to greenhouse
growers for its effective biological con-
trol of thrips, aphids and mites. Orius
attacks all stages of pest development
(from egg to adult), and reacts rapidly to
any movement of its prey. Orius adults
and nymphs are predaceous, good fliers
adept at finding new concentrations of
prey, and prefer to colonize flowering
habitats that offer pollen and nectar. In
return Orius provides some insurance
against sudden pest outbreaks in such
settings.
© Property of IPM Labs
But not all flowers are equally desir-
able to Orius. Bedding plants in green-
houses can be havens for thrips simply
because these crops are missing the
flower habitat required by natural ene-
mies like Orius. Orius will inhabit and
protect dwarf morning glory, lantana,
gerbera daisy, strawberry plants,
marigold and sweet pepper. But accord-
ing to Ron Oetting, entomologist with
the Georgia Experiment Station, “The
Orius insidiosus won’t stay more than 5
minutes on a certain variety of rose.” So
it pays to know what it takes to keep this
hungry beneficial on patrol.
Another advantage to cultivating
Orius populations is that this beneficial
can, in the absence of prey, survive and
multiply on pollen alone. This is a boon
to the grower because it means that
when thrips arrive on the scene, a strong
Orius population can be ready to meet
them.
Want to Attract Orius?
Use Marigold as Banker,
Indicator and Trap Plant
Briefly stated, a “banker” plant
attracts and supports many greenhouse
beneficials and protects your assets,
while allowing your investment in bene-
ficials to grow. Marigolds are useful as
“indicator” plants that entice beneficials
and pests to its leaves and blooms. It
concentrates the greenhouse’s insect
population in one location providing a
timely and accurate snapshot of the
entire greenhouse’s insect population.
Indicator plants measure pest and natu-
ral enemy presence often better than
sticky cards, enabling the grower to
detect pests and make prompt green-
house-wide treatment decisions —
5
before valuable ornamentals are dam-
aged.
A “trap” plant lures pests to its leaves
and blooms distracting them from valu-
able greenhouse ornamentals. The right
trap plant can attract your most annoy-
ing pests and “trap” them with its dis-
tinct offerings. Different from indicator
plants, trap plants provide the venue
where the grower can take action to con-
trol pests. One should never let pests use
trap plants as a reproductive base. Once
populated with pests, a trap plant offers
the grower a concentrated area where
biological and/or chemical controls can
be applied.
Why is Marigold
so Enticing to Orius?
1. It offers abundant pollen, on
which Orius can feed. Although potatoes
and tomatoes have pollen, the pollen is
not readily available in a form that Orius
likes. Orius-deficiency is not a general
problem of all the Solanaceae, however:
Orius readily colonizes blooming sweet
peppers, resulting in spectacular thrips
control.
2. It blooms all season long.
3. It has a head that is very tightly
packed causing a favorite habitat of both
Orius and thrips, which like to squeeze
into tight places.
4. Its blooms are bright yellow.
Thrips, especially flower thrips, are
drawn to these bright colors, hence the
Orius nymphs can dine on both pollen
and thrips.
As with all integrated pest manage-
ment initiatives, timing is important.
Beneficial populations should be present
and active before pest populations can
effectively multiply. Growers should
establish banker, indicator and trap
plant systems early in the growing season
when pest populations are very low. This
way beneficial populations, slower to
reproduce than pests, can gain consider-
able ground and keep pest populations
in check. n
For more information about biocontrol
contact Carol Glenister, entomologist at
IPM Laboratories, Inc. by phone 315-
497-2063 or e-mail carolg@ipmlabs.com.
Director’s Corner
The Unfolding
Story of Raw Milk
By Brian Snyder
It has been a year since I first wrote to
inform our readers about the urgent
issue of raw milk sales in Pennsylvania.
Since then, the situation has been trans-
formed from being an urgent problem,
to being an urgent opportunity for
smaller dairy farms across the state.
To review, the issue started when a
PASA member, who is a Lancaster
County dairy farmer, had his cheese pro-
cessing permit repossessed by a represen-
tative of the Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture (PDA). This happened
less than 24 hours after that same farmer
hosted a meeting of raw milk producers
from around the state, the purpose of
which was to discuss rumors that raw
milk permits would soon cease.
This incident resulted in a flurry of
phone calls to PDA and other state offi-
cials, newspaper editorials and fears the
“crackdown” had begun. We soon found
ourselves fortunate, however, to have a
new Secretary of Agriculture in Pennsyl-
vania who is also a dairy farmer. Almost
as quickly as the situation had escalated,
Secretary Dennis Wolff was able to bring
some respite with assurances the depart-
ment had no plans to eliminate the prac-
tice of issuing raw milk permits. The
cheese permit was also promptly
returned to the farmer in question.
Since then, issues surrounding raw
milk marketing have continued to
progress, even if the pace seems slow for
many affected farmers. PASA hosted an
educational event last year that drew a
very strong crowd, with speakers from
Wisconsin and California as well as rep-
resentation from PDA. And quite by
accident, Secretary Wolff later met the
Lancaster dairyman who was at the cen-
ter of the original storm at PASA’s Farm-
ing for the Future conference in February,
where they exchanged cordial greetings.
This June, Secretary Wolff met with
this same farmer, me, three other farm-
ers, two representatives of the medical
profession and most of the PDA execu-
tive team. Our purpose was to help these
farmers expand their product lines to
include other items their customers are
demanding, including butter, yogurt,
cottage cheese and other soft cheeses.
To be clear, current regulations have
been designed to only allow the sale of
fluid raw milk as well as hard cheeses
made from raw milk that are aged for at
least 60 days. And there is certainly pres-
sure from the Feds and some larger play-
ers in the dairy industry to eliminate this
practice. However, a careful reading of
the regulations would seem to allow
PDA the flexibility to determine proce-
dures that can allow other products to be
brought to market in a way that includes
reasonable safeguards for public health.
I have been assured that discussions
will continue along these lines this fall,
with an eye to codifying some kind of
procedure for marketing raw dairy prod-
ucts other than fluid milk and hard
cheese. In the meantime, an interim pro-
cedure has been deemed acceptable that
many farmers are already implementing.
In addition to acquiring a state permit to
sell fluid raw milk, this system involves
the use of specific labor contracts estab-
lished between farmers and individual
customers. By way of such contracts,
customers purchase milk in advance and
pay the farmer a price that includes the
cost of labor required to transform milk
into the desired products.
In its essence, this “labor contract”
system is the same procedure employed
by many farmers who operate a CSA
(Community Supported Agriculture) or
subscription farm with an important
caveat — careful recordkeeping. Farmers
using contracts have been asked to keep
a file of customer contracts current and
available for inspection on the farm.
Some farmers have also been asked to
label each product container with the
6
name of the contracted customer. As this
will seem an annoyance to some farmers
and consumers, I have confirmed with
PDA that those who wish to comply
may do so by numbering the contracts
and using that number on labels instead
of customer names.
The labor contract system for pro-
duction and sale of otherwise banned
raw milk products is working quite well
for many individual farmers, and some
retail establishments are now experi-
menting with a similar system that
allows such products to flow through
their shelves. It’s working well for many
customers as well, as my own family and
I can attest — everyone should try raw
cottage cheese made off the first grass of
spring! But to be honest, some farmers
are put off by the whole thing, favoring
instead a change in the law to exempt
farmers from regulations covering any
private transactions with individual cus-
tomers. Such a change is possible, but
will be long in coming.
At this time, regulations around food
and public safety are tightening every-
where, with no immediate end in sight.
This will be true regardless of which can-
didate or which party wins local, state
and federal elections this fall. In fact, fol-
lowing recent epidemics in Pennsylvania
of disease brought on by contaminated
green onions (Hepatitis-A at Chi Chi’s
restaurants) and uncooked tomatoes
(Salmonella at Sheetz stations), even
vegetables may someday be irradiated, or
“cold pasteurized” as the industry prefers
to call it. Unfortunately, the prevailing
trend is toward more control, not less.
However, I truly believe that a more
subtle revolution in the way food is per-
ceived, produced and procured is already
underway. Positive change may be slow,
but it is coming. Farmers who are able to
work within the system, and think
beyond its current inflexibilities, will be
in a position to profit significantly. This
goes not only for current dairy farmers
who need to make some adjustments to
remain viable, but perhaps even more for
those who are just thinking of starting a
dairy, whether with cows, goats or sheep.
We need more innovative dairy
farmers right now, to keep this revolu-
tion going! If you would like to know
more, please give me a call. n
President’s Corner
Plenty of Work
To Do
By Kim Miller
It is wonderful to reach a milestone
and that is what this 50th issue of Pas-
sages represents. Still, I would rather
receive congratulations from others
while we focus on the tremendous
amount of work yet to be done. To begin
I think we need to inventory the tools
that we possess as an organization. We
can then decide what we hope to accom-
plish as an organization and match our
tools to the job at hand, developing new
tools as the job demands.
PASA is a grass roots organization of
nearly 3,000 members with a paid staff
of six. Under the leadership of Brian
Snyder, PASA has developed and insti-
tuted a great fiscal accounting system
and organizational structure. The staff is
second to none when it comes to com-
petence and hard work. But PASA is
kind of like a yearling steer right now. It
has a well-developed frame but needs to
put some meat on that frame. And here
is why.
Pennsylvania is an enormous state
with a vast and varied agriculture. I
would argue that PASA’s long-term goal
is a complete transformation of the agri-
cultural system. The new system must
provide more nutritious food, enhance
the environment in which it is pro-
duced, provide economic opportunity
for all farmers and strengthen human
relationships by building strong local
communities. Now that is a tall glass of
tea. The thing that makes this transfor-
mation so daunting is that it must occur
one farmer at a time and one eater at a
time.
I think we can all agree that six staff,
no matter how competent, cannot
achieve our mutual goal. Nor can 3,000
members. But what we can do is facili-
tate change. And herein lies our great
strength. When I went looking for an
alternative to the dysfunctional conven-
tional agricultural system, I found there
tainable farmers by working with politi-
cal leaders to create policies that benefits
family farms and local production rather
than maintaining the status quo. Mar-
keting cooperatives, producer coopera-
tives, farmers markets, and sales of
locally grown food to institutions are
other advocacy efforts. And PASA sup-
ports both on-farm and institutional
research that will lead us to grow more
We have come a long nutritious food while increasing the tilth
of the soil and economic wellbeing of
way, but we need to go the farmer.
Back to the organization…each
a whole lot further. member is another sustainable agricul-
tural leader, a person who advocates for
PASA needs you, better food and healthier people, a per-
son who works on personal as well as
whether farmer or societal transformation. Further, each
member provides membership dues to
eater, to join us. PASA every year (and many members
make additional contributions). These
were (and are) other folks who were fur- are funds that can be used to hire staff to
ther down the path than me that were pursue programs that we believe are
willing to freely share their knowledge essential in the transformation of agri-
with me. They were able to lead me by culture. And every additional member
putting my interest ahead of their own strengthens our position as advocate for
immediate self-interest. This is a very sustainable agriculture. PASA does not
powerful kind of leadership that I have have a single programmatic effort that
recently discovered is called “serving will not be strengthened by increasing
leadership.” I believe that we are an our membership.
organization of nearly 3,000 such lead- We have come a long way, but we
ers. need to go a whole lot further. PASA
Our programmatic interests are driv- needs you and more leaders like you.
en by the nature of our membership and Please encourage those with an interest
include education, advocacy, and in the transformation of the agricultural
research. We work at education on the system, whether farmer or eater, to join
farm, at the Farming for the Future con- us. By serving each other we can leave a
ference, in Passages, and by advocating transformed agriculture as a legacy to
for sustainable agricultural curriculum at our children. Any other alternative is
our universities. PASA advocates for sus- just not palatable. n
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE GRANTS FOR FARMERS
The Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education pro-
gram (SARE) has now released application materials for its Farmer/Grower grant
program. These grants support Northeast farmers who want to explore innovative
sustainable practices on their farms. The Farmer/Grower Grant program allows
farmers to conduct experiments, try new approaches, and test emerging ideas
about agricultural sustainability. The deadline for the 2005 grant round is Decem-
ber 7, 2004 and applications can be downloaded from the Northeast SARE web site
at www.uvm.edu/~nesare. Farmers can also request a printed application by call-
ing 802-655-0471 or by sending an e-mail to nesare@uvm.edu.
7
Regional Marketing
WESTERN
“In the Works”
Western Regional Meetings: In
October we are planning to host the sec-
ond PASA membership meeting for the
western region. This meeting will be
held for all PASA members living south
of PA Rt. 422. The first meeting (for
members living north of PA Rt. 422)
was held in early July on the farm of Mik
and Maggie Robertson. Nearly 30 mem-
bers came and we all enjoyed a wonder-
ful summer evening, good food and
discussion. For more information about
the October meeting, please call David
Eson at (412) 697-0411 or david@pasa-
farming.org
“Local Foods Week” Launched Centre County’s Buy Fresh Buy Local Campaign in August
PASA Western Regional Office: In porting local farms are also listed.
July the western office moved its loca- Guides are available to members to pass
tion to downtown Pittsburgh. The new out to friends, neighbors, customers,
contact information for the office is: and others. Please contact Staci Richards
at 412- 697-0411 or farmtochef@pasa-
PASA farming.org to
650 Smithfield Street, Suite 210 request a copy.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Our new office number is 412-697-
0411 and our fax number is 412-232-
3115. David Eson can still be reached on
his cell phone at 412-997-2343.
Buy Fresh Buy Local: The 2004
Farm Fresh Guide was published in late
July and distributed throughout the
western region in August. The guide lists
PASA farmers and businesses along with
area farmers’ markets. Businesses sup-
Above: PASA’s Executive Director Brian Snyder begins the press conference
kicking off “Local Foods Week” in Centre County recently. Participants
included all three Centre Co. Commissioners and Cheryl Cook from the
PA Dept. of Agriculture.
Left: Local residents were able to sample the bounty from each of the three
Centre County farmers markets during “Local Foods Weeks.”
8
 The Board and Staff Wish to Thank These Recent Volunteers
Sally & Bob Ambrose Barbara & Charlie Gerlach Patti Olenick Barbara Songer
Susan Beal Susan & Rob Haney Kevin Paul Chef Leonard Spampinato
Georgia Berner Danny Harter Chef Ton Pias Betty & Tom Stevenson
Dorothy Blair Frank Higdon Wes Ramsey Chef Martin Thomas
Vance Booher Chef Steve Hill Thomas Reynolds Chef Steve Thompson
Denise & Bill Brownlee Bernie Hoffnar Chef Craig Richards
Nancy Thompson
Martha Burkholder Chef Bill Hunt Maggie & Mik Roberston
Renee Troutman
Jane & Dick Burlingame Joyce Jones Marina Rossow
Amy Trauger
Bill Callahan Moie Kimball Crawford Lori Sands
Noreen Campbell Art & Larry King Mindy Schwartz George Vahoviak
Sam Cantrell Chef John King Randa Shannon Jodie & Evan Verbanic
Tom Carey Barb Kline Louise Schorn-Smith Rebecca & David Vines
Gene Chenoweth Jason Lally Ian Smith William Wise
Dave Chirico Gary Lambert Julie Speicher Alma Wynne
Eileen Clark Cindy & Mike Latchaw
Chef Eben Copple John Laughner
Chef Sam DiBatitista Ragean & Clayton Lee
Chef Douglas Dick Dorothy & Barry Leicher
Chef Eddie Kim Lucchini
Mike Eisenstat Steve Marks
Murrie Emamzadeh Tom Maurer
Suzanne Ewing Heather Mikulas
Matt Ferut John Muth
Chef Bill Fuller Anne & Eric Nordell The 2005 conference planning committee is a wonderful
Lynn Gelston Karen Novak demonstration of volunteerism!

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9
Consumer News
Local Author Book Signing
Field Guide to Produce offers tips for selecting,
storing and preparing more than
200 fruits and vegetables
Recently at the Glenside Farmers’
Market, local author, chef and teacher
Aliza Green was on hand signing her lat-
est book Field Guide to Produce: How to
Identify, Select and Prepare Virtually
Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market.
Jim Kenney, the Glenside Farmers’ Mar-
ket organizer explained “I was thrilled to
have a local talent like Aliza Green at our
market. It was a great opportunity to
educate our customers on the various
types of seasonal produce our farmers
bring to market. In return, we can sup-
port a local resident.”
In the Guide, you’ll learn when the
produce is in season, how to identify the
different varieties, how to select ripe pro-
duce and what to avoid, and preparation
and storage tips. Detailed recipe ideas
and flavor affinities round out this com-
prehensive volume. But that is not all —
a 64-page color insert contains more
than 200 photos of each fruit and veg-
etable for easy identification. With this
1 Tbs organic extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 Tbs slivered garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded
and minced or for a meat version use
spicy sausage
11⁄2 pounds all-purpose potatoes,
peeled, quartered lengthwise, and
thinly sliced crosswise
11⁄4 tsp salt
2 bunches kale (24 oz),
tough ends trimmed, finely shredded
(about 20 cups loosely packed)
1 can (8 oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 Tbs organic balsamic vinegar
In nonstick Dutch oven or stockpot, heat
oil over low heat. Add onion, garlic,
jalapenos, and chipotle and cook 7 min-
field guide in hand there is no longer any
excuse for not eating our fruits and veg-
gies!
Here are a few sample tips found in
Field Guide to Produce:
• When purchasing asparagus —
give it a squeeze, if the bunch squeaks,
it’s fresh.
• Steep cherry pits in scalded milk
overnight, then use the strained milk to
make a cooked custard ice-cream base,
folding in pitted cherries near the end
of freezing. n
utes, stirring frequently, until onion is
tender. Stir in 8 cups of water and bring
to a boil. Add potatoes and salt, return to
a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Add kale and
return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, par-
tially cover, and cook 10 minutes or until
kale is tender and potatoes are cooked
through. Stir in tomato sauce and cook 5
minutes. Stir in vinegar and serve.
Recipe courtesy: www.wholefoods.com/recipes
Nutrition Facts
Per serving: 257 calories, 4.2g total
fat, 0.6g saturated fat, 1.8g monoun-
saturated fat, 1.1g polyunsaturated
fat, 7.5g dietary fiber, 11g protein, 51g
carbohydrate, 0mg cholesterol,
594mg sodium. Good source of: beta-
carotene, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin
C, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium,
potassium, lutein & zeaxanthin,
quercetin, indoles, capsaicin.
10
AVAILABLE FROM
LOCAL GROWERS NOW
Beans, Lima ............................ July to Oct
Beans, Snap ........................... July to Oct
Beets ....................................... July to Dec
Broccoli ................................... July to Oct
Cabbage, green ................... July to Oct
Cabbage, red ....................... July to Oct
Cabbage, chinese ................ July to Oct
Cantaloupe/musk melon
.............................................. July to Sept
Carrots .................................... July to Dec
Cauliflower
.................... June to July/Sept to Nov
Celery ..................................... June to Feb
Corn-pop .............................. Sept to Dec
Corn-sweet ............................ July to Oct
Cucumbers .......................... July to Sept
Eggplant ................................. July to Oct
Gourds .................................. Sept to Nov
Greens Collards, Kale, Mustard
............................................. June to Oct
Indian Corn .......................... Sept to Nov
Lettuce ................................... May to Oct
Parsnips ................................. Sept to Dec
Peppers, sweet ..................... July to Dec
Peppers, hot .......................... July to Oct
Pumpkins .............................. Sept to Oct
Pumpkins,pie, sugar ............. Sept, Nov
Squash, summer ................ June to Oct
Squash, winter .................... Sept to Dec
Sweet Potatoes .................. Sept. to Oct
Tomatoes .............................. June to Oct
Tomatoes, cherry ............... June to Oct
Tomatoes, greenhouses
....................... April to July, Oct to Dec
Turnips ................................... Sept to Jan
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Educational Outreach FARM TO SCHOOL:
Local Farmers Train Penn College
Dining Services How To Use Grass-fed Beef
Ann Seeley trains PCT dining service employees how to cook grass-fed burgers.
By Heather House
The Pennsylvania College of Tech-
nology recently awarded Northern Tier
Sustainable Meats Cooperative, Inc., a
local cooperative of grass-fed beef farm-
ers, the school’s 2004–5 ground beef
contract. The cooperative will supply the
college with approximately 20,000
pounds of bulk ground beef and ham-
burger patties. Linda Sweely, Director of
Food Services at Penn College said,
“Penn College has decided to use North-
ern Tier beef for the 2004–5 school year
because we feel that the product is a bet-
ter quality and more nutritious option
for our student body.”
Three representatives of Northern
Tier spent a recent morning educating
around 80 Penn College dining service
employees about the fundamentals of
grass-fed beef. The program, part of an
in-service training offered by Penn Col-
lege Food Service, included a discussion
of the benefits of grass-fed meats and a
cooking demonstration.
Northern Tier’s President Dale Harp-
er opened the program with a bit of his-
tory. “It wasn’t that long ago that the
producer-consumer connection was
tight,” Dale said. “A man might have
shoed your horses in exchange for a
bushel of tomatoes. Today, we are com-
pletely divorced from the source of our
food.” Harper told dining service
employees that he was there to “put a
face on the ground beef you’re getting
this year.”
Northern Tier currently has four
members, all of whom farm in Bradford
County. Harper told dining service
employees that to raise meat for the
cooperative, the animals’ diet must be
85% grass-based, and farmers cannot
use any chemical wormers, hormones or
antibiotics. “We were all already produc-
ing beef this way, so forming a coopera-
tive was easy,” Dale said.
Dale’s wife Pam, a schoolteacher and
mother of four, gave personal testimony
for why they choose to raise food natu-
rally. The Harper’s fourth child has
marked behavioral and learning disabili-
ties. Pam told the group, “When you
have a child that is so different, you ask
yourself, ‘Where did I go wrong?’” Doc-
tors suggested medicating the child, but
Pam “didn’t want to raise a zombie.” She
turned instead to nutrition, and got
results. “When I learned how conven-
tional meats are produced and
12
processed, I said, ‘No more!’ We haven’t
bought meat from a grocery store in 20
years.”
As Pam pointed out, every time ani-
mals are packed together for transporta-
tion or confined feeding, the risk for
disease is increased. To combat this risk,
animals are given regular doses of antibi-
otics. Another concern the Harpers
expressed is the industry’s increasing use
of growth hormones to fatten animals
quickly to save money. “Our meats con-
tain no hormones and no antibiotics.
The meat Penn College is getting this
year is going from our family farms in
Bradford County to Leona Meat Plant
in Troy for packaging then to Penn Col-
lege,” said the Harpers.
The relationship between Northern
Tier and Leona Meat Plant is significant.
According to a USDA Food and Rural
Economics Division report, by 1992 the
four largest meatpacking firms in the
U.S. accounted for 71 percent of indus-
try output. The trend toward consolida-
tion continues, forcing smaller, locally
owned packinghouses to go out of busi-
ness. By establishing a relationship with
a local processor, Northern Tier not only
gives Leona Meats a substantial share of
business, they ensure for themselves a
local packer with whom they can work
to develop products.
One of the products Northern Tier
and Leona Meats have developed togeth-
er is a quarter pound hamburger patty.
Ann Seeley, who, together with husband
Kim and son Shon, also raises beef for
the cooperative, gave a cooking demon-
stration. Because grass-fed beef tends to
be leaner, cooks need to learn how to
handle it.
“Overcooking the burger will make it
tough and dry,” said Seeley. “Don’t push
on the burger with your spatula to
squeeze the fat out. It’s a hard habit to
break, but you want those delicious
juices to stay in the burger. The differ-
ence is in the fat!” said Seeley.
In fact, the fat of a grass-fed burger
Continued on page 21
Educational Outreach
Summer May Be Ending, But
Winter Harvest Is Just Beginning
By Michele Gauger
The days are growing shorter and
temperatures cooler as summer wanes
into fall. Soon many of the farmers’ mar-
kets and CSAs will be closing for the sea-
son, leaving most of us to dream of fresh
peaches and crisp green beans until next
year.
One program that is working to con-
tinue offering fresh, locally produced
foods even while the snow may be falling
is Winter Harvest. Begun in 2001 by
Philadelphia–based Farm to City, Win-
ter Harvest is a web-based buying club
from which to order locally produced
foods. Farm to City’s goal is to unite
communities, families and farmers
through coordination of farmers’ mar-
kets, community supported agriculture
and the Winter Harvest program.
Farm to City Program Director, Bob
Pierson says Winter Harvest was created
in response to Philadelphia area farmers’
market customers and CSA members to
answer demands for a steady stream of
local food items though the winter and
early spring months.
“The first year the Winter Harvest
program started it had about 60 mem-
bers who ordered $15,000 worth of
locally-produced items. In the third sea-
son, ending in April of 2004, Winter
Harvest reached over $55,000 in sales to
180 members, who selected from a
product list of over 260 locally produced
food and skin care products. Over 20
producers supplied the 14,000 plus food
items,” according to Bob Pierson of
Farm to City. Visit www.farmtocity.org
to view an example of the variety of
products Winter Harvest offers.
Many members of the Winter Har-
vest program say it didn’t take a lot of
convincing for them to join. Michael
Hesson has been a member for two years
and says “Winter Harvest offers a won-
derful array of products and I rely on it
for a large part of my grocery shopping
during the winter months.”
A program like this in the suburban
Philadelphia area presents an opportuni-
The first year Winter
Harvest had about 60
members who ordered
$15,000 worth of
locally-produced items.
ty to support local farmers and benefit
the community. The quality of the prod-
ucts available is another reason member-
ship continues to rise. “After joining
Winter Harvest I am spoiled with the
quality of products offered, which I can’t
find anywhere else. This is in addition to
them being so healthful and tasty!” said
Beth Phillips Brown of Media.
Winter Harvest selects produce,
meat, dairy, poultry and egg producers
based on the quality of their products.
Quality for these items is defined as
organic produce, pastured and/or organ-
ic animal products. Suzanne Milshaw,
Winter Harvest and PASA member says
“The product offerings are really broad.
I especially appreciate the root vegeta-
bles, which I can’t store large amounts of
in my apartment.” For Janet Chrzan of
Havertown, Winter Harvest is her only
source of grass-fed meats and organic
milk during the winter months.
Many of the farms supplying the pro-
gram are smaller operations in southeast
Pennsylvania. Angela Evans of Oley Val-
ley Mushrooms said “Winter Harvest is
good for our operation because our main
production is in the winter. We supply
mainly restaurants and are able to drop
off the Winter Harvest orders while in
the Philadelphia area. Working with Bob
and the Winter Harvest program has
made more people aware of our prod-
uct.”
Although Farm to City charges a fee
included in the price of items listed, far
more of the members’ food dollar goes
to the producer than in regular retail
13
stores, so the farmers are the principal
beneficiaries of the program. Certainly
the members benefit by having access to
high quality locally and sustainably-
grown foods not typically available in
other food outlets in the Philadelphia
area.
Mike Kauffman, owner of Kauff-
man’s Fruit Farm has seen the program
evolve since the first year. He helped Bob
Pierson get the program started and says
“ It is nicely organized. It is a little more
work for us to fill individual orders in
smaller numbers, since we generally sell
more in larger, bulk quantities, but it is a
good program.”
Many of the members also admire
Bob’s dedication. Beth Phillips Brown
says “Bob goes the extra mile to solve
problems in ways that work for every-
one. His passion for his work is inspir-
ing!”
Bring Winter Harvest
to Your Community
Currently PASA and Farm to City are
seeking organizations and individuals
interested in learning how to establish a
buying club for locally produced food
items modeled after Farm to City’s Win-
ter Harvest program. Farm to City
received support from PASA and the
Small Farm Success Project (University
of Maryland) to define, plan, and
improve Winter Harvest. For each dollar
of support from these sources, Winter
Harvest created nearly $10 in new sales
for the food producers.
Workshops on how to create your
own Winter Harvest program will be
held January 13–14 and February
24–25, 2005 in Philadelphia. Each
workshop will be a day and a half, where
participants will learn how to plan and
implement a Winter Harvest program
for their communities. Discussion will
include farmer and member recruit-
ment, routing, and finding drop off
locations.
Tom Javian and Bob Pierson, devel-
opers of the web-based ordering system
Winter Harvest utilizes, will also explain
how participants can opt to set-up their
own buying club through the Farm to
City website. They will also provide
technical assistance needed for groups to
Continued on page 25
Membership Report
New PASA Membership Materials Available
PASA’s Board of Directors’ Membership Committee and Membership Department
have some new exciting materials available to our members to help spread the word So How Can You Help?
about your organization. Last fall readers may recall the board of directors Help Us Distribute
announced our membership goal for 2004 (Passages 46) to reach 4,000 members by Materials
the 2005 annual conference. Since then we have been busy developing new out- The Membership Committee has
reach materials for our members to help reach our goal. developed two new PASA brochures
PASA’s mission of promoting profitable, sustainable farms, which provide healthy geared towards our two largest audi-
food, is a philosophy we have all adopted as our own. Looking at the state of agri- ences — farmers and consumers. These
culture in Pennsylvania, you begin to realize that we are at a crossroads in achieving “specialized brochures” incorporate
this mission. As we look to change the future of agriculture in this state and beyond, issues and decisions facing the specific
we must build on PASA’s mission and our membership. The key to our success lies in groups and let them know how PASA
the hands or our members. is trying to make a difference. These
PASA draws its strength from the collective energy, vision and dedication of each new brochures and our standard “Meet
and every member. We hope that you will help us take on the challenge, as your PASA” brochure are available with an
leadership can inspire others in your region to dedicate efforts to increasing mem- accompanying lightweight, durable
bership. brochure holder. These are perfect to
take with you to farmers’ markets, pass
Present to Groups in Your Region out to friends and neighbors, or display
We have also developed a PowerPoint presentation that can be used for at your business.
presentations at potlucks, community groups and businesses. Entitled
“Food for Thought: How You Can Help Reshape the Future of Agricul-
ture,” this presentation highlights the state of agriculture and how actions
to support sustainable agriculture and
PASA can change the course of our
future. A copy of this presentation along
with an example script to use when pre-
senting are available upon request. Con-
tact Michele Gauger at PASA
Headquarters for more information.

PASA VHS or DVD

Another tool that can be used for presentations is the
new PASA video. It is a moving tribute by real farmers,
giving real advice and facts about the joys and challenges
of sustainable agriculture. Five farms share why they do
what they do, and the rewards they receive along the way
— including a greater connection to their community
from practicing sustainable farming methods. This 15-
minute presentation premiered at the 13th annual
PASA Conference to rave reviews, and is a great piece to show to a wide
variety of audiences. Contact Michele Gauger at PASA Headquarters to
borrow a copy from the PASA library or purchase a copy of your own.

14

Ideas to Increase PASA Membership
As every region is unique geo-
graphically and economically, we
feel it is important to work togeth-
er with other members in your area
to develop ideas on how to best go
about recruiting new members.
Becoming active in your area will
foster partnerships to brainstorm
events and activities to help spread
the word about PASA.
Here are a few ideas the Mem-
bership Committee came up with:
n Establish a regional goal for
membership numbers
n Come up with a local message,
targeted at key food
system/farm issues in the region
n Provide a service at the regional
level to sweeten the pot to
attract members
- Organize informal farm field
days
- Form a marketing network
(to entice new farmers, con-
ventional included)
- Form regional bartering net-
work(s)
- Host fun activities (benefit
auctions, have something at
the county fair, etc.)
n Form a speakers bureau for your
area (use the PASA PowerPoint
or video)
- Audiences: Rotary, local cham-
ber of commerce, farm groups,
school groups, etc.
n Distribute PASA promotional
material at any good venue, esp.
CSAs & farmers’ markets
n CSA farmers and direct mar-
keters — consider providing dis-
counts for PASA member
customers
- Identify target audiences
unique in your area and strate-
gize how to reach them with
information about PASA such
as — students, farmers, busi-
nesses, consumers, restaurants,
environmental and conserva-
tion groups
Remember all membership
materials are available to members
free of charge and may be request-
ed by contacting Michele Gauger
at PASA headquarters.
Member Benefits
on the Web
This summer we have made some
significant improvements to our website
www.pasafarming.org. Beyond the improved
navigation system, there are a number of new
features that will benefit the membership.
n To help promote our valuable Business
Members, we have made a new section on
the website that lists all Business members
with brief description and link to their
website.
n Our new and improving www.buylocal-
pa.org website has current information on
all the Buy Fresh Buy Local campaigns in
the state, and plans are underway to add
the database of PASA Member Farmers
that we have been promising.
n As an offspring from Passages, the online
Events Calendar now lists many sustain-
able agriculture related events. This is an
opportunity for our members to list
events you may be hosting. If you have an
event you would like added, contact
Michele Gauger at PASA Headquarters.
n Do you have employment opportunities?
Another springboard from Passages, mem-
bers can list job, intern, and volunteer
opportunities on the website too! Contact
Michele Gauger at PASA Headquarters
for more information.

For those “connected” in this world of technology, PASA has
established regional email listservs for PASA’s four Pennsylvania
membership regions. The Southeast region was the first to use
the listserv as another tool for members to communicate about
various activities, issues, and events in the area.
These listservs are available to PASA MEMBERS-ONLY. An ini-
tial e-mail was sent to all PASA members with e-mail addresses
inviting them to join in mid-June. If you would like to join your
regional listserv and have not yet been invited, please send an
e-mail message to one of the subscription e-mails listed with
the regional contacts. Remember you must be a member to
join.
REGIONAL CONTACTS
Western
PASAWestern-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
David Eson: 412-697-0411 • david@pasafarming.org

Southeastern
PASAsoutheast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Brian Moyer: 610-944-9349 • brianm22@aol.com
NorthCentral/Eastern
Mena Hautau: 610-378-1327 • mmh10@psu.edu

Southcentral
Western PASAsouthcentral-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Matt Steiman: 717-709-1995 • msteiman@wilson.edu

Southeastern NorthCentral/Eastern
Southcentral
PASAnorthcentralEast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Leah Tewksbury: 570-437-2620 • tewks1@aol.com

15
 More than $5,000 in Contributions
PASA News
$100,000
Helps the PASA Beanpole Grow
$90,000 By Chris Fullerton
Since we last reported our progress in Passages, over $5,000 in
contributions were made from members to PASA’s annual fundrais-
August 31, 2004

➡
$80,935

➡
$75,690
$80,000
ing appeal during July and August. This new investment in your
organization’s mission and programs brings our total for the year (as
of August 31st) to nearly $81,000 — 81% of our $100,000 goal.
June 30, 2004 $70,000
This revenue has come from personal gifts (including a generous
➡
$62,000
March 31, 2004 $60,000
$50,000 gift from Rodale, Inc. and the Rodale family), silent auc-
tion proceeds, the direct mail appeal and other fundraising activities.
$50,000
Much heartfelt appreciation from PASA’s board and staff to all
who have helped bring us this far toward our goal! We are counting
on our members to contribute the remaining 19%, or $19,000 by
$40,000
$30,000 the end of the year. (For your convenience, a remittance envelope is
included in this issue).
This year’s fundraising efforts are part of an aggressive three-year
$25,000
$20,000 plan by the PASA Board of Directors to diversify our group’s rev-
enues, especially focused on raising more unrestricted funds. Our
goal is to secure the necessary resources to guarantee that PASA’s
$15,000
core expenses are met through 2006, while gradually building a con-
$10,000
tingency fund for the lean times that will occasionally come to any
organization.
$5,000
To donate over the phone, please call Lauren Smith at PASA
$1,000 headquarters at 814-349-9856. Watch the beanpole in each issue of
Graphic courtesy of Phyllis Kipp.
Passages as we approach our $100,000 goal.

Passages Celebrates 50 Issues ences. Book reviews, resource references,

Continued from page 3
is often the case with any worthy endeavor,
our path towards sustainability on our
farms, in our communities and around the
state is not an easy one. There are hard
choices that have to be made and often
unpopular truths that need to be expressed,
but I always trust that whatever might
appear in Passages it is of the right spirit and
intent. I fundamentally believe that what is
true for all of us is that when we know bet-
ter, we can then do better. For me, Passages
provides the information that lets us know
of the better being done, and in turn,
inspires us to continue doing the best we
can do. I would expect nothing less from an
old friend.
— Kim Tait,
President Tait Farm Foods
have found everything in Passages that one
could hope to find in a premier newsletter
of a premier organization. A newsletter is
the heartbeat of an organization, periodical-
ly pumping out information and inspira-
tion to keep the organization alive and
healthy. The members of any organization
must work in harmony if the organization is
to fulfill its purpose. Members of a volun-
tary organization associate as a matter of
choice, not of necessity. And, if an associa-
tion is to be worth its members’ time and
effort, it must help them share their ideas,
their experiences, and their passions. They
must be able to communicate, with each
other and with their chosen leaders. In this
regard, Passages serves its members as well as
any newsletter I have seen.
Passages gives voice to PASA leadership
calendars of events, and opportunities to
learn and grow help members stay informed
and connected. Perhaps even more impor-
tant, a good newsletter allows an organiza-
tion to regenerate and renew itself to sustain
itself. Continual renewal of leadership and
membership, without loss of identity or
purpose, is an essential characteristic of
organizational sustainability. Passages plays
this important part well in the sustainabili-
ty of PASA.
Keep up the good work.
— John Ikerd,
Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics
University of Missouri
PASA WELCOMES OUR
NEWEST BUSINESS MEMBERS
Briar Patch Achers
Manure Removal & Delivery
Macungie, PA

Vice President of PASA
Congratulations Passages, on publishing
your fiftieth issue. I have been a member of
PASA for the last dozen or so issues and
through regular articles by the Executive Eat N’Park Hospitality Group
Pittsburgh, PA
Director, President, and members of the
Board. Passages gives voice to the member- Stewartstown Alliance
for Community Action (SRACA)
ship through member profiles and reports Stewartstown, PA
from field days, workshops, and confer-

16
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Conference News
Farming for the Future Conference 2005
Reclaiming Health: Nourishing Our Farms and Families

Meet Our Keynote Speakers

O pening Keynoter Allan Savory is one of the world’s true visionaries. He has the ability to moti-
vate those in his company to become “whole systems” problem-solvers, while encouraging all of
us to be leaders in the global change in world agriculture. Allan was born in Rhodesia, southern Africa.
In the 1960s while working on the interrelated problems of increasing poverty and disappearing
wildlife, he made a significant breakthrough in understanding what was causing the degradation and
desertification of the world’s grassland ecosystems. He went on to work as a resource management con-
sultant, eventually on four continents, to develop sustainable solutions. He served as a Member of Par-
liament in the latter days of Zimbabwe’s civil war and leader of the opposition to the ruling party
headed by Ian Smith. Exiled in 1979 as a result of his opposition, he immigrated to the United States Allan
where he co-founded the Center for Holistic Management (now called The Allan Savory Center for Savory
Holistic Management) with his wife, Jody Butterfield in New Mexico. Their most recent book, Holistic Management: A New
Framework for Decision-Making (Island Press, 1999), describes his efforts to find workable solutions that ordinary people
can implement to overcome many of the problems besetting communities and businesses today.

M arion Nestle is a clear and courageous voice for the truth about food industry manipulation of
both our food habits and government policy. Her book, Food Politics: How the Food Industry
Influences Nutrition and Health (Univ. of California Press, 2002), details the legal means used by food
lobbyists to affect food policy and the corporate marketing techniques influencing the way the public
thinks about food. Her work is even-handed, intensely political, and fearless. Referring to her new
book, Safe Food, Michael Pollan writes that Marion Nestle has emerged as one of the sanest, most
knowledgeable, and independent voices in the current debate over the health and safety of the Ameri-
can food system. Marion Nestle received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Masters in Public Health
Nutrition from Berkeley, spent 10 years as Associate Dean and directing a nutrition Center at the Uni- Marion
versity of California San Francisco School of Medicine, and spent two years as Senior Policy Advisor in Nestle
the Department of Health and Human Services, where she was managing editor for the 1988 Surgeon General’s Report on
Nutrition and Health. She serves on Food and Drug Administration and American Cancer Society advisory committees. Dr.
Nestle recently stepped down from 15 years as Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies of New York Uni-
versity, where she remains as a highly regarded professor and internationally known writer.

S pecial Thursday evening presenter Jerry Brunetti is a highly esteemed speaker at many sustainable
agriculture and health conferences, and is internationally renowned for his motivating and inspira-
tional presentations on health, wholeness and community. His message is fresh, yet imbued with wis-
dom from past ages as his presentations successfully connect human, animal, and ultimately the health
of the planet, to the health of the soil. Jerry holds a degree in Animal Sciences from North Carolina
State University and served several years as Dairy Director of the National Farmers Organization. In
this position he was involved in quality control and screening of antibiotic residues, which led him to
begin investigating alternatives to allopathic drugs. In 1979 he founded and is currently managing
director of Agri-Dynamics — a company which produces natural feed additives and holistic remedies Jerry
for livestock and pets, plus ecological-friendly pesticides and bio-stimulants for the horticultural indus- Brunetti
try. Jerry currently serves on the steering committees of the Eastern PA Chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation and the
Lower Mt. Bethel Environmental Advisory Council.

18
Conference News
It’s Called AgriCulture
By Moie Kimball Crawford
The farm feeds our imaginations no less than our bodies.

How do you express creativity at your farm (either after
hours or all the time)? Do you make instruments and play
music, draw or paint pictures of the world around you?
Maybe you like to tell stories or write essays about farm life.
Or perhaps you weave blankets or sculpt farm machines and
materials into new shapes for new spaces.
For the 2005 Farming for the Future conference we’d like
to tap into the cultural side of farm life and sponsor work-
shops and exhibits centered on various expressions of the
farm experience.
These are some things we’re considering:
• Exhibiting members’ works (paintings, photographs,
crafts, sculpture) throughout the conference center — on
workshop walls, in the lobby, near the elevators, etc. In
conjunction with this we will compose an ‘art catalog’ of
all the works, making it easy to have a self-directed tour.
• Recognizing the graphic arts with a show of T-shirts, caps
and other memorabilia with farm logos.
• Presenting a reading of “Good Will,” a novella written by
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley. The story
takes place on a subsistence farm on the outskirts of State
College, Pa.
• Playing homegrown music or demonstrating the crafting
of a particular musical instrument.
• Reading aloud original works by PASA members and
other agriculturists.
• If enough interest emerges on this project, we will con-
sider making it a complete Thursday Pre-Conference
track, as well as making the show and performances last
throughout the Friday and Saturday Conference.
Thoughts on that would be appreciated.
We are now working on particulars and will keep the
PASA membership informed of what’s happening through
Passages and the PASA website.
We welcome your participation — specifically with help
planning the event, loaning or sharing your work with all of
us for the show, or offering new and further ideas of what we
might do. Also, we are looking into what organizations may
want to help fund this effort, and I would appreciate hearing
of any leads on that as well.
I hope to hear from you! Please get in touch with me
through email farmart@pasafarming.org or by calling 814-
448-0150. n

Two Reminders: ination suggestion with brief biographical

SUSTAINABLE AG LEADERSHIP
AWARDS REMINDER
One of the most anticipated moments
of PASA’s annual conference is the naming
of new award winners. From the begin-
ning, the Sustainable Ag Leadership Award
has honored those people who are among
the most notable sustainable ag leaders in
Pennsylvania and, indeed, the country as a
whole. Most, but not all recipients have
been farmers. And last year, we instituted a
new tradition by naming another national-
ly recognized Pennsylvanian, Judy Wicks of
the White Dog Café in Philadelphia, as the
first recipient of our Sustainable Ag Busi-
ness Award.
We are now seeking nominations for
both the next Leadership and Business
awards, and are eagerly anticipating our
members’ ideas. PASA Award Committee
Chair Lyn Garling is accepting nominations
for either award until December 15, 2004.
Please contact Lyn at Penn State Universi-
ty, Dept. of Entomology, 501 ASI, University
Park, PA 16802, phone 814-863-8884 or
email ljg5@psu.edu.
PASA will present these awards along
with other festivities at the Farming for the
Future conference in State College, Febru-
ary 3–5, 2005.
PASA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OPENING REMINDER
As is the case each year, five seats on
PASA’s board of directors are up for elec-
tion at the Farming for the Future confer-
ence in February 2005. If you or any PASA
members you know would be interested
to serve in this manner, please send a nom-
information by December 15, 2004 to the
Nominating Committee Chair John Jami-
son by mail, 171 Jamison Lane, Latrobe, PA
15650-9400, email at john@jamisonfarm.
com or phone 800-237-5262.
Terms of the board are for three years,
and board members are allowed by the
bylaws to serve as many as three consecu-
tive full terms at a time. Nominations are
made by Nominating Committee, taking
into account the suggestions of members.
Elections will be held during the annual
meeting at the conference in February.
Nominations for either of the two
awards discussed above, or suggested
names for the board of directors, may also
be communicated to the respective com-
mittee chairs through Brian Snyder at the
PASA office, 814-349-9856 or brian@pasa-
farming.org.

19
Community Building
11, 2001. I doubted that people would
A Market Where even come to the market that week. It
was hard to go about normal life. But
Friendships Bloom what we saw was astounding. People
were subdued, to be sure, but they came
Produce is for Sale and Connections are for Keeps more for community than for produce.
All those snippets of life we had shared
By Lisa Kerschner, North Star Orchard in 1992, however, I mostly thought over the years brought a familiarity that
Ah, the sights and sounds of the about the sales aspect of the farmers made it possible to share our feelings
farmers market: the reds, yellows and market. It was our means of earning a about such a tremendous tragedy. There
greens of heirloom tomatoes and special- living, and not much more than that. were hugs and tears to be seen, and sto-
ty greens, the snippets of conversations How naive I was. Yes, the market pro- ries to be shared. It was truly amazing.
between friends, the fragrance of perfect- vides us with income and shoppers with The colors and sights at the market
ly ripe peaches and herbs, the whisper- food. But the rewards are even greater. In continually change, over a season and
ings of “secret” recipes and serving this era of high-speed Internet and cell even day to day. Tables overflowing with
suggestions for lesser-known fruits and phones, being able to meet people face- a rainbow of colors at the beginning of
veggies. to-face is important. To be able to talk the day look decidedly less vibrant as
I look around from behind the table with, and get to know the people who they empty. The crowd of customers
at my own stand and marvel at the hus- are selecting, buying and enjoying the dwindles, and we hear calls of “See you
tle and bustle: the happy faces and the food that we grow is invaluable. T he next week!” from both shoppers and
sense of community. The farmers happi- customers we have met over the years farmers. Customers look satisfied, and
ly greet the regulars, perhaps pointing have come to feel like family. Friend- farmers look tired. Another market day
out a new variety of produce or catching ships have been formed, whether they is done, and it’s time to pack up.
up with the little bits of life they share are “market-season” friends we see every I’m already looking forward to seeing
with each customer. The shoppers, in week for short periods of time, or the the colorful, fresh bounty of produce,
turn, greet the farmers, asking how loyal customers who later became part- and the faces of familiar and new
recent weather will affect crops, how to time employees. We’ve made friends like friends, that will arrive next week. n
best prepare a particular vegetable or Martha, who taught me how to knit, The West Chester Growers’ Market, at
fruit, or how we plan to spend our win- the corner of Church and Chestnut Streets,
and young Kai who shares our son’s love
ter “time off.” is open 9 am to 1 pm every Saturday, rain
of Legos. Discussions in the market
As I watch, I also think back to this
include not only what’s in season, but or shine, from May through November.
same spot, 10 summers ago, when the
also such subjects as the latest Harry Pot- For more information on North Star
West Chester Growers’ Market was new.
ter film or a science subject we will be Orchard, visit www.northstarorchard.com.
Back then there were no producer mar-
covering in our home school. This article was first printed in the July
kets in the area — in which the person
The value of the market poignantly 25, 2004 edition of the Philadelphia
selling the produce also grew the pro-
hit home during the aftermath of Sept. Inquirer, Chester County edition.
duce. At the time there were only mar-
kets where someone else sold the farmers
produce and customers never had the
opportunity to meet the grower.
Having previous experience with pro-
ducer-only markets in New York City, I
knew that such markets were great for a
community. Linking farmers directly
with the people who buy and use their
produce is a great way to encourage the
preservation of farmland. It also allows
the farmers to earn a living wage, pro-
vides a variety of fresh produce to the
increasing number of people concerned
about where their food comes from. I
routinely see people either coming to the
market after having breakfast down-
town, or visiting with friends for lunch
after meeting each other at the market.
When we began North Star Orchard

20
 WENDELL BERRY
COMES TO PENNSYLVANIA
Ursinus College in Collegeville,
Montgomery County is hosting
author, essayist and poet Wendell
Berry for a lecture entitled,“The Pur- Certified by PCO
pose of a Coherent Community,” on
Tuesday, November 30 at 8:00pm.
Knowing this event will be extremely popular with the
PASA membership, our friends at Ursinus College have
generously set aside 50 tickets exclusively for PASA mem-
bers! (Other tickets are no longer available.) These tickets
are free and available on a first come, first served basis, one
ticket per member please (multiple tickets are available to
family memberships). To request a ticket, PASA members
should send their name as it appears on their membership
materials, along with a self addressed stamped envelope,
to: PASA Berry Ticket, P.O. Box 419, Millheim, PA, 16854. The
first 50 requests received will be honored, all others will be
notified that tickets are no longer available.
Also, earlier that day from 12:00–1:30pm,Wendell Berry
will conduct a reading from That Distant Land and other
works of fiction. Additional details concerning reading
location and tickets are available by visiting www.ursi-
nus.edu, or by contacting Rich Wallace at rwallace@ursi-
nus.edu or (610) 409-3000 x2645. POULTRY MAN
Eli M. Reiff 570-966-0769
922 Conley Road • Mifflinburg, PA 17844
Local Farmers Train Penn
College Dining Services How
To Use Grass-fed Beef
Continued from page 12

really is different from its conventional counterpart. Grass-fed

burgers are high in conjugated linoleic acids, or CLA. Studies
have suggested that CLA enhances immune function, acts as
an antioxidant, and even lowers the risk of cancer. CLA may
also play a valuable role in changing body composition by
helping to decrease fat while maintaining or gaining muscle.
“This is the good fat that won’t raise your cholesterol,” said
Pam.
Penn College has been purchasing from local farmers for Scalder — (above center) 42 gallon rotary, gas fired with auto con-
trol temp timer. 60,000 BTU, all stainless steel.
several years. The culinary school at Penn College uses a vari-
ety of local produce, meats, and dairy products in their restau- 3
Mechanical Plucker (above right) — ⁄4 HP motor, motor totally
rant, Le Jeune Chef, and for special events. For over four years, enclosed. 10:1 Gear reduction, 27” diameter, stainless steel with
the student dining halls have featured milk from cooperative shower.
members Ann and Kim Seeley’s Milky Way Dairy Farm. In an ALSO AVAILABLE
age where fast food and junk food have displaced nutritious Manual Scalder — Hand dunk birds. 42 gallon, 45,000 btu.
meals in schools, Penn College’s efforts to offer more nutri-
tious, healthy options should be applauded. n

21
Classified Ads FOR RENT — 2 fields; one 44 acres the
other 37 acres. Located in New Smithville in
Lehigh County on old route 22. Owner wish-
es to rent fields to someone willing to raise
organic crops. No livestock. Contact Benson
Stettler 610-285-6432.
HOUSE FOR SALE — in Crafton Borough,
just outside of Pittsburgh city limits. One-
third-acre lot including house, with veg-
etable/flower beds certified organic by PCO.
Convenient to downtown/airport bus way.
Perfect for the sustainable urban gardener!
Call 724-796-2441 for more information.
AVAILABLE — Certified organic dairy has
eggs available from pasture-raised hens.
Farm fresh produce in season, including
heirloom tomatoes, Candy onions and red
potatoes. On farm sales. Green Valley Organ-
ics, 279 Maple Shade Road, Christiana, PA
17509 or call 717-529-2898.
WANTED — Organic Farmer Extrordinaire.
Tait Farm Foods is looking for an experi-
enced organic grower to manage agricul-
ture. The farm provides certified
organic vegetables and fruits to a 125+
member CSA, an on-farm retail store and a
specialty food manufacturing facility. The
farm is located 7 miles east of State College,
PA and has been in business for 25 years.This
is a full-time, year round position with salary
and health benefits. The current farmer is
staying on into 2005 to assure a smooth
transition for the business. For more infor-
mation, please call Kim Tait at 814-466-2386.
FARM MANAGER/CARETAKER — Resi-
dent farm couple to manage diversified 870-
acre farm utilizing & committed to
sustainable/organic practices. Requirements
for one or both members: College degree in
animal science and/or knowledge & experi-
ence caring for cow/calf, hogs, & chickens
(layers) & pastures utilizing amongst other
practices MIG, haying, & no-til. Proper use &
preventative maintenance of equipment &
structures. Computer literate. Outgoing &
positive personality interacting with cus-
tomers at on-farm retail store. Part-time
housekeeper for owner’s home. Honesty,
loyalty, thoroughness & neatness. Position
offers excellent housing, benefits, schooling
nearby & fine quality of life. Send resume to:
P.O. Box 7641, Charlottesville, Virginia 22906.
PROPERTY SEARCH — PASA member in
search of a farmette/land (zoned ag.). I
would like it to be within an hour of Philadel-
phia and be able to keep small animals and
poultry, while growing produce and flowers.
An old house or barn would be nice. So
maybe your neighbor is thinking of retiring
or selling some land 10 -plus acres. If you can
help in the search, call Tony Giunta at 215- Passages Ad Rates and Policy
336-3660. Advertising Inquiries: Please call or write
the PASA office for full advertising pack-
SHARED BUSINESS VENTURES — We
age and rate card information. Special
own and operate a start-up organic farm in
rates available for PASA Business Mem-
Berks County, PA, initially focused on grass-
based livestock. We’re interested in speaking bers and multiple advertising packages.
with folks who have strong, creative inter- Contact Michele Gauger at the PASA
ests in developing or being part of a sustain- office, 814-349-9856 or michele@pasa-
able agriculture business, but who may lack farming.org for more information.
the farm or resource base to do so. We
believe a diversified and integrated farm
business furthers sustainability and
improves the likelihood of business success.
W
R O E R’
We’re open to shared business ventures,
cooperatives, lease arrangements, etc. Con- 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
tact Lou Chiesa, 610-756-3910 or email
G
1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
S
lchiesa@aol.com. 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
APPRENTICESHIP — The University of 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
California Santa Cruz is offering a farm & gar- 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
den apprenticeship.This is a 6-month course 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
LS
DIS
in organic gardening & small-scale farming, 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
beginning in April 2005, with applications 1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
BE
due November 1, 2004. For further informa-
1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
C
tion, contact CASFS, UCSC 1156 High Street,
O
1234567890123456789012
1234567890123456789012
Santa Cruz, CA 95064, phone 814-459-3695
or e-mail apprenticeship@ucsc.edu or visit UNT LA
www.ucsc.edu/casfs.
FOR RENT — Plum Bottom Farm in the
heart of “Big Valley”, Belleville, PA. Includes
100 acres of rotationally grazed land
Reap profits
(8years), with no fertilizers, pesticides or her-
bicides for the last 5 years. 65 acres of crop-
from direct
land in contour strips and barn with 20
milking stalls with milk pump, etc. House
marketing with
with 3 bedrooms, garage underneath
included. If interested contact John Rodgers
our labels!
at 717-935-5242.
PROJECT MANAGER — For the Buy Fresh
We design and print labels
Buy Local (BFBL) campaign in western Penn-
for berries, vegetables,
sylvania. Responsible for day-to-day opera- sauerkraut, soap, lip balm,
tions of the BFBL campaign in western PA. yoghurt, cheese, meat, eggs,
College degree and experience in the field pastured poultry —
of advertising or communications required. labels for almost anythingg!
Please contact David Eson, Director of West-
ern Pennsylvania Programs, 412-697-0411 or
david@pasafarming.org for a complete job SERVING GROWERS
announcement. Applications are due SINCE 1975
November 1, 2004.
MARKETING PROJECT COORDINATOR
— Responsible for coordinating direct mar- request a free catalog
keting activities in western Pennsylvania.
College degree required. Experience with
direct marketing preferred. Please contact 1-800-693-1572
David Eson, Director of Western Pennsylva-
nia Programs, at 412-697-0411 or
david@pasafarming.org for a complete job growersdiscountlabels@tds.net
announcement. Applications are due
November 1, 2004.
22 PASA 1/4 hor. page Ad 1 2/9/04, 2:09 PM
Calendar
NEW FEATURE:
PASA now offers an events calendar on
our website www.pasafarming.org. Check
it out today and if you have an event you
would like listed, please contact Michele
Gauger at PASA headquarters.
October
OCT 1 | PASA Intensive Learning Program:
Raising Standard Turkeys for the Holiday
Market with Frank Reese, Bill Yockey and the
American Livestock Breed Conservancy,
Townline Farm Poultry Reserve, Crawford Co.
Contact PASA at 814-349-9856 or
www.pasafarming.org for more information.
OCT 1–2 | Wise Traditions 2004, The Weston
A. Price Foundation 5th Annual Conference,
Sheraton National Hotel, Arlington, VA.
What’s Happened to the U.S. Food Supply?:
Problems and Solutions. World-renowned
experts on diet and health explain the dan-
gers of industrialized foods and how to
avoid them! A showcase for delicious tradi-
tional food. A unique opportunity for health
professionals and layment interested in diet
and health. To register visit www.weston-
aprice.org/conference/index.html or ques-
tions call 202-333-HEAL.
OCT 2 | PASA Intensive Learning Program:
Your Best for Breeding: Criteria for Choosing
Breeder Turkeys for Your Flock, with Frank
Reese, Bill Yockey and the American Live-
stock Breed Conservancy, Townline Farm
Poultry Reserve, Crawford Co. Contact PASA
at 814-349-9856 or www.pasafarming.org
for more information.
OCT 10 | Commercial Potential of Old and
New Fruit Crops for Small Farms, Lee Reich,
New Paltz, NY. For more information contact
the Regional Farm & Food Project at 518-
217-0744 or farmfood@capital.net.
OCT 11 | PASA Field Day: Special Small
Group Tour for Interns with Anne & Eric
Nordell, Beech Grove Farm, Lycoming Co.
Contact PASA at 814-349-9856 or
www.pasafarming.org for more information.
OCT 20–21 | Setting the Table:Tools and Tech-
niques for a Sustainable Food System Confer-
ence, sponsored by the Northeast
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Edu-
cation (SARE) program to be held in Burling-
ton, VT. Farm tours will precede the
conference on October 19. To see a confer-
23
ence schedule go to www.uvm.edu/
~nesare.
OCT 28–30 | 2004 National Rural Women’s
Health Conference, Hershey Lodge & Con-
vention Center, Hershey, PA. Sponsored by
the National Institute of Mental Health. For
more information visit www.hmc.psu.edu/
ce/rwh2004.htm or call 717-531-6483.
November
NOV 12–14 | A Conference for Community
Supported Agriculture, Growing Together,
Strengthening the CSA Movement, Ket-
tunen Center, Tustin, MI. Contact CSA-MI,
3480 Potter Road, Bear Lake, MI 49614, at
231-889-3216 or csafarm@jackpine.com.
FEBRUARY 3–5 | PASA’s 14th annual
Farming for the Future Conference, State
College, PA. “Reclaiming Health: Nour-
ishing our Farms and Families.”Keynote
speeches by Allan Savory, Marion Nes-
tle, and Jerry Brunetti (see page 18).
Please join us! A complete brochure
will be mailed to PASA members in
November and posted on our website
(www.pasafarming.org).
Editor’s Corner
The Grapevine
by Michele Gauger

OFRF Releases the city in Luzerne County is found in 34

Survey Results
The Organic Farming Research Foun-
dation (OFRF) recently released results of
the Fourth National Organic Farmers’ Sur-
vey. The detailed data highlights organic
farmer perspectives on the organic mar-
ketplace. Organic products produced by
the farmers surveyed include vegetables,
livestock, field crops, fruits, nuts and value-
added items. The key results included:
counties across the state and harbors
much of our forestland and agricultural
fields.
The Pennsylvania Association of Pro-
fessional Soil Scientists pressed for the
designation to encourage protection of
this natural resource. Opponents however
feel the best way to protect valuable soil is
to provide more funds for the state’s farm-
land preservation program.Hazleton’s

n Organic markets: Organic farmers

reported steady and expanding markets.
33% of respondents noted that their mar-
kets had held steady. 44% reported mar-
ket expansion.
n Organic prices: 26% of survey
respondents indicated an increase in
prices received for their organic products.
52% reported that prices held steady,
while 15% noted a decrease in the price
received for their organic products.
n Organic price premiums: 92% of
respondents obtained organic price pre-
miums on some portion of their organic
products. 41% obtained organic price pre-
miums on all their products. 30%
obtained organic premiums on at least
half the volume of their organic product.
The survey results in booklet format
are available to the public for a suggested
donation of $10 to cover printing and
postage. The complete results have also
been posted on OFRF’s website at
www.ofrf.org.
“official state soil” designation now awaits
Senate approval.
The PA House is now debating over
designation of the official state cookie:
ture/pasture.htm; or contact Rich Pirog,
chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip or
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agricul-
Nazareth sugar cookie.
ture, 515-294-1854.
n Directory of Student Farms —
Guide to Cooperative Development
Resources Available from Keystone Devel-
Web-based guide to on-campus farms in
opment Center.
U.S. featuring small-scale and organic
farming (some with public programs),
New Publication:
www.newfarm.org/features/0104/stu-
Guide to Cooperative
Development Resources dentfarms/directory.shtml; or contact
Greg Bowman, Online Editor/NewFarm.
The Keystone Development Center, a
org, gregbowman@rodaleinst.org
n Improving Whole Farm Planning
nonprofit corporation dedicated to form-
ing and enhancing cooperatives in rural
Through Better Decision-making —
areas, recently released the Pennsylvania
Case studies by Northeast educators
Guide to Cooperative Development
working with new and established farm-
Resources. The 40-page guide provides
ers, supported by Northeast SARE pro-
detailed information and lists of resources
gram and Growing New Farmers project,
for individuals and groups who are look-
www.holisticmanagement.org/oll_whole
ing to form or sustain a cooperative. For a
farm.cfm; print copy is $10 from Savory
copy of the guide, visit the center’s web- Center 505-842-5252; savorycenter@
site at www.kdc.coop, call 215-292-1461 holisticmanagement.org
or e-mail smith@kdc.coop.

Pennsylvania Lawmakers
Argue Over State Soil
In early July the PA House voted
177–22 to designate Hazleton soil as the
official state soil type. The soil named for
Useful Resources
n Consumer Perceptions of Pasture-
Raised Beef and Dairy Products: An
Internet Consumer Study (43 pages),
www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/pas-
Note to Readers:
A full report on PASA’s 3rd Annual
Harvest Dinner will be included in
the November/December issue of
Passages.

24

“Green up” your energy
and reduce your global
warming impact —
It’s easier than you think
By Billy Connelly, NativeEnergy
While most of us can’t stop using ener-
gy, we can certainly reduce our use to do
something about our contribution to
global warming. Generating electrical
power produces more pollution than any
other single industry in the United States,
but different ways of producing electricity
have vastly different impacts on our envi-
ronment.
National energy marketers have made
participation in green energy programs
easier for demanding consumers. Con-
sumers do not have to switch energy sup-
pliers or install any equipment to
inexpensively convert renewable electric-
ity. Environmentally friendly energy
programs are growing and energy con-
sumers are using energy more efficiently
and signing up for green power every day.
“Now everyone across the country can
take responsibility for their contribution
to global warming no matter where they
live or work,” says Tom Boucher, NativeEn-
ergy’s President & CEO.
As new renewable energy generators
come on-line, their energy replaces elec-
tricity that would otherwise have to come
from power plants on the regional grid
that burn fossil fuels. These fossil fuel-
powered plants will reduce their output,
so they will emit less CO2 pollution into
the air as a result. The positive environ-
mental attributes associated with energy
generated from a renewable source
rather than from a conventional energy
source are called Renewable Energy Cred-
its or “Green Tags.”
In addition to statewide green power
programs there are also national pro-
grams that allow consumers to partici-
pate in green energy programs regardless
of whether their state or utility offers envi-
ronmental options. Consumers in Penn-
sylvania, for example, can match all or a
portion of their kilowatt hour (kWh) elec-
tricity use with renewable energy from
projects within the state. Those con-
cerned about the impact their heating
and other fossil fuel has on the environ-
ment can calculate the tons of CO2 they
are responsible for generating and,
through Green Tag purchases, offset their
CO2 footprint ton-for-ton, for about 35¢
per day.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
offers information online for consumers,
educators, and kids about a wide range of
energy subjects, including tips, lesson
plans and science projects, and a down-
loadable energy savers booklet.The DOE’s
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy lists “Green Tag” (renewable ener-
gy certificates) products available to retail
customers nationally and regionally along
with specific price information. That table
is available online at: www.eere.
energy.gov/greenpower/markets/certifi-
cates.shtml?page=1
The Power Scorecard (www.power-
scorecard.org/index.cfm), which was cre-
ated by a group of six well-known
environmental organizations, grades the
types of generation resources used to
produce electricity according to their
effects on the environment. By selecting
both state and service territory con-
sumers can view clear, accurate, and reli-
able information to help them better
understand the real environmental differ-
ences among electricity products as well
as ratings of green energy products avail-
able in their area. Consumers can deter-
mine what level of purchase makes sense
for them and for their operation, ask more
detailed questions, and sign up online
from national green energy marketers like
NativeEnergy.
Stay
connected!
Visit PASA online at
www.pasafarming.org
25
Food for Thought:
Opinion
Continued from page 4
only successful way to protect that farm-
land for future generations is to make it
possible for a farmer to make a living
farming it. Without some expectation of
profit, no one will farm. Without farmers,
there is no farmland.
Some state programs appear to recog-
nize this problem, and have included
some provisions for marketing in their
farmland protection programs. Those pro-
visions should be strengthened and active-
ly pursued. It may be too late for many of
the existing farmers and that too is a pro-
found loss to society. Those men and
women collectively hold multiple genera-
tions worth of knowledge and under-
standing of the land and what it takes —
physically, emotionally and financially —
to live and work on it. Without them, it
will be difficult to pass that knowledge to
another generation of farmers.
But if we don’t start creating and sup-
porting that next generation, and if we
don’t start soon, even the best farmland
protection program is doomed to failure. I
wouldn’t even give a fig for the chances of
most of them to preserve large quantities
of open space. Once the fields of corn and
scenic groups of grazing sheep, the red
barns and the picket fences are gone, the
countryside will start to look a lot like a
vacant lot, empty, unkempt and start to
sprout brambles. The public may not feel
so sentimental about it then. n
Winter Harvest…
Continued from page 13
create web-based ordering systems. Partic-
ipants will also have the opportunity to
meet Philadelphia-area Winter Harvest
members, farmer suppliers, and the deliv-
ery personnel on pickup day.
If you are interested in attending a
Winter Harvest workshop, please contact
Heather House at PASA headquarters for
an application. Applications are due
October 31, 2004, when 10 people will be
selected for each workshop based on their
ability and commitment to replicate the
program in their own communities.
Those selected will be notified by Novem-
ber 15, 2004. n
Winter Harvest workshops are offered
with funding via the SARE program.
ADVERTISEMENT
PASA Membership Please clip this application and return with payment to:
PASA Membership, PO Box 419, Millheim, PA 16854
& Contribution Form or join online at pasafarming.org

P
ASA is a nonprofit membership based organization working

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to enhance the positive social and economic impact of agri-
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culture and food systems in Pennsylvania. We work with
farmers, consumers, and those concerned with the ecological well- Address

being of our environment and natural resources. PASA works to City State

increase the number of farms and the economic viability of existing

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safe and healthy food that is locally grown, and develop a strong
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to be a member of PASA. We all have a stake
in making sure agriculture has a healthy join today! Are you farming: NO YES — how many acres:

future — Be a part of PASA! How did you learn about PASA:

Donations
Consider lending extra support to these two PASA funds. The
PASA Memberships

Student $ 15 Annual Fund supports PASA’s basic operations, and the Arias M.
Brownback Scholarship Fund helps those wishing to learn about
Individual $ 35
sustainable agriculture attend the annual conference regardless of
Family/Farm Please complete field below $ 55 financial position.

n Annual Fund
Nonprofit Please complete field below $ 100
$ ...................

n Brownback Scholarship Fund $ ...................

Business Please complete field below $ 150

SUBTOTAL $ PASA is a registered 501 (C) 3 organization and contributions are tax exempt.

Family/Farm or Sustaining Lifetime Membership

Please list all names for this Family/Farm membership. You may include
children between the ages of 14–22, and also multiple generations
directly involved in the farm.
Payment

Check Make check payable to PASA Total amount due

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Please list up to two additional people associated with your business to Exp. Date
receive individual membership privileges. VISA MasterCard

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Cardholder Name

Signature

Gift Membership Lifetime Membership

In addition to your own membership, you may give PASA membership All of us at PASA are proud of the growing roster of lifetime members.
to a good friend, family member, business associate or other worthy Contributions for lifetime membership will be managed with care as
recipient on an annual or lifetime basis…a gift that keeps on giving! part of the PASA Founder’s Fund, sustaining both ongoing member-
ship as well as the long-term future of PASA. There are few things a
Student $ 15
member could do to symbolize their lifelong commitment to sustain-
special Individual $ 35 ability than to place such confidence in the value and viability of PASA
itself.
extras Family/Farm
Lifetime Sustaining Member
$ 55
$ 700 Sustaining Lifetime Member $ 700
Please complete field above
SUBTOTAL $ SUBTOTAL $
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Address

City

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Telephone E-mail
27
 A N N UA L
PA S A’S 1 4 th
Farming for the Future Conference
Consider these Creative Ways to Support the Conference. Contact PASA for more information.
Sponsorship
PASA’s commitment to convening
Farming for the Future remains
strong, but support from the busi-
ness community is key to its suc-
cess. We have a variety of
Conference Sponsorship levels
available and invite you to explore
your options. As a Conference
Sponsor, you will receive recogni-
tion through promotional materi-
als distributed to a huge audience
of people, both in print and on
the Internet. Sponsorship also
carries wonderful perks such as
conference registration & exhibit-
ing, membership in PASA, and
much more. Demonstrate your
support for strengthening farms
in your community while increas-
ing the visibility of your business!
Join PASA and other progressive
members of the business commu-
nity in this worthwhile opportuni-
ty today!
Pennsylvania
Association for
Sustainable Agriculture
114 West Main Street • PO Box 419 • Millheim, PA 16854
Silent
Auction
Now a proven winner, we are busy
organizing our third annual Silent
Auction! Great excitement was
generated at the auction tables
last February as guests bid on a
unique array of items including
original art, weekend getaways,
creative food packages, auto-
graphed books, our second tim-
ber frame building, a CSA
subscription, and more! Help us
assemble some terrific items to be
auctioned off for 2005. If you have
contributions for the Silent Auc-
tion, we would love to hear from
you.
Food
The conference is renowned for
its extraordinary meals, made pos-
sible by farmers, manufacturers
and distributors throughout the
region. High-quality, regionally
produced products are in the
spotlight at each and every meal.
Our menus require meats, dairy
and soy, eggs, fruits & vegetables,
honey, syrups, snacks, juices,
sodas, teas, and coffees. The list
goes on. All donations are
acknowledged in a special pro-
gram listing the dishes, ingredi-
ents and donors. Please consider
joining PASA in this unique ven-
ture in community — food contri-
butions are important to Farming
for the Future and help demon-
strate the PASA mission in a very
special way. Special thanks goes
out to Chef Ken Stout for his con-
tinued willingness to engage in
this unique farmer to chef rela-
tionship.
28
February 3, 4 & 5, 2005
Penn Stater Conference Center
State College, PA
Scholarship
Fund
In an ongoing effort to provide
educational opportunities for
those wishing to learn sustainable
agriculture techniques and meth-
ods regardless of financial posi-
tion, PASA has established the
Arias M. Brownback Memorial
Scholarship Fund. This important
fund will help to ensure the suc-
cess of the Farming for the Future
conference well into the future,
and encourage us to keep the
focus of the conference on those
participants who wish to initiate
or improve their own farming
operations. Support new and
aspiring farmers who could not
otherwise afford to attend the
conference by contributing to this
important fund.
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
State College, PA
Permit No. 213