With the advent of the new urban farming movement, it seems clear that we are slowly rediscovering the best organic farming methods that have been mostly lost or forgotten since before the introduction of petroleum based fertilizers and chemical herbicides/insecticides.  It makes sense to learn from the common farming knowledge of our grandparent’s generations.  Those methods, from the early part of the 20th century, represent the most advanced organic farming practices that can inform our starting point for small scale farming from here forward.  It only took about 2 generations to lose most of the farming knowledge that probably seemed like common sense back in nineteen aught seven.  We are now poised to build a new generation of farmers who once again pick up the methods that were the culmination of farming knowledge since the beginning of time.

In the January 1907 issue of The Farm Journal, an article details the value of farm products showing “the enormous increase in the value of farm products is not so much the result of higher prices, as of increased yields.”  So, in 1907 this publication attributes the increased yields to “the American farmer giving closer attention to tillage and less to the acquisition of additional lands.”  The author uses the larger analysis of the article to conclude that, “It is intensive farming that is destined to lift the farmers of this country into prosperity.”

The wisdom of farmers at the height of organic farming practices at that time (there was no other kind of farming then) rings true to me today.  Getting back to basics by caring for the soil around us and making use of smaller and smaller spaces to grow our food just makes sense.  Intensive farming methods represent the height of an old technology that will again play a significant role in feeding our country.

Food Programs Specialist – Multnomah County, Office of Sustainability

http://www.pcei.org/pcc/positions.htm?ID=0120

Sustainable Farming and Conservation Educator – Adelante Mujeres

http://www.adelantemujeres.org/CEC_Adelente_Mujeres_position.pdf

Refugee farmer in Massachussets farmer incubator program

This program in Massachusetts has been around for a while now training immigrants and refugees in modern farming techniques.  It’s kind of a small farmer incubator program.  You may remember a while back I wrote about the looming crisis of a farmer shortage in this country.  Here is a program that is training small scale farmers to grow in their own communities.  I hope to see this kind of thing in Portland soon.

Willamette Valley Farm, Pitchfork and Crow, underwater in June!

Let’s hope that the Pacific Northwest has seen the end of winter.  We had no real spring to speak of and this has left many gardeners wondering what to do at this point.  Some of you may have thumbed your nose at the cold and rain and planted your tomatoes anyway.  Now all of those yellow leaves and seemingly stunted plants are screaming for help.  POP Farming can help.  Contact us today to set up an in-yard garden consult with an established urban farmer.  We know what you need to do to salvage your garden for this year.  We can help!

Crop mobs are groups of volunteers who follow the local crop mob to find out where and when they offer some work to local urban farming efforts.  It’s a flash mob to support urban farming efforts.  Take a look at the Crop Mob Portland Facebook page to find out more.  That’s where you can find out where the next crop mob will happen and get updates on when a new crop mob is posted.

This is a great way to support a local farmer!

Crop Mobs are popping up all over the country.  Take a look.

Your garden coaching session might go a little something like this…

POP Farmer:  “Tell me your gardening goals? “

• You want to can your own tomatoes?
• Maybe you have a small gardening space and just want to get the most out of it.
• Perhaps you have failed miserably at vegetable gardening in the past and just want help creating a simple, successful, foolproof garden.
• Don’t know what your goals are?  No problem we’ll help you figure out a garden that meets your needs and skill level.

POP Farmer:  “Let’s analyze the space you want to use to grow your garden.”

• Soil and amendment (fertilizer, lime, etc) review
• Appropriate location for a garden?  (Light, contamination, traffic, etc.)
• What is the best use of the space and conditions in your yard.

POP Farmer:  “Ok, now that we know your goals and have a good idea of what is possible in your yard, let’s put together a short and simple list of steps to take to get this garden going.”

• Short written list of “to do’s” to get the site ready.
• Basic written planting plan with dates, names of vegetables and varieties.

After about 45 minutes you have enough information to get started for the season.  Most of that info will be written as we talk about your garden.  Other information will be made available as resource documents to be shared via email.  The resource documents include things like  what to buy, where to buy it and how to apply it.

Oh, and that one question you forgot to ask..no problem.  Just email POP Farming and we’ll help you out.  If you have a whole new series of questions we can set up a follow up consultation.  Email today!  The rain is just about done for the season.  It’s time to get gardening!

The panelists touch on most of the big issues in urban ag.  Mr Cohen actually touched on a number of topics that are close to this POP farmer’s heart.  My favorite comments from him are:

“We need to look at government land for urban food production as well.”

and

“There are lots of [viable business] models out there [for urban agriculture].  Philadelphia’s SPIN farming is a great model that allows for 3-4 planting seasons.  You can plant over and over again.  In other cities, small backyard farmers are delivering produce by bicycle.  Some organizations come into your garden and provide advice on what to plant (for a fee) or even farm your yard for you. For one organization, they add one employee for every 75 urban farms they work on.”

Read more at ASLA’s The Dirt.

Go get seeds for direct seeding outdoors.  Get these in your garden now:

• Peas
• Spinach
• Kale
• Arugula
• Green Onion

Naomi’s Organic Farm Supply offers a great selection of locally and regionally produced seed from Uprising Seed, Wild Garden Seed, Lonesome Whistle, Siskiyou Seed, Adaptive Seed and  Horizon Herbs.    I don’t know of any other stores in town that are carrying this kind of variety and selection in local seeds.  Support your local farmers!  Especially seed farmers.

Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture’s second annual Young Farmers Conference is December 3-4. Fred Kirschenmann,Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, discusses his advocacy of a new “50 year Farm Bill” in Washington, and about his work helping to energize the burgeoning young farmers movement in the United States. He’s joined by Zach Wolfe and Emma Hoyt, two young farmers. Stone Barns Center’s Board President and Distinguished Fellow at the

It’s going to be very important in the coming years to support the education of a new wave of young farmers.  Like the Zach Wolfe says in the interview, the old paradigm of investing in a piece of land, borrowing money, building barns, buying equipment and so forth may not be available to the new young farmers.  The cost of the traditional farm is prohibitive.  The new farmers will need to be creative and find new ways to make farming work for them.  Emma Hoyt suggested that there are ways of accessing land without having to buy it.  We’ve seen much of this land sharing and urban farming happening here in Portland for a few years now.  These creative, young urban farmers have carved out an early niche in the urban farming movement.  I’m sure we’ve just seen the tip of the iceberg that will be urban farming in Portland.

Here is just a short list of creative urban farmers in Portland:

47th Avenue Farms

Your Backyard Farmer

Sunroots Gardens

Sellwood Garden Club

Edible Skylines

Ingredients - Portland Premier

Make sure you go to see the opening of Ingredients on Friday, September 25th at 7pm at the Bagdad Theater.  This is sure to be a great movie.  The movie will be followed by a panel discussion with local farmers, foodies and film makers.

From the Ingredients blog…

Ingredients, a feature length documentary film narrated by Actress Bebe Neuwirth and Directed by Robert Bates, captures the journey of the dynamic people behind the movement to bring good food back to the table, and health back to our communities. This captivating film illustrates how people around the country are working to revitalize the connection between food and the land, while celebrating the farm to table movement with vibrant cinematography and exploring solutions for creating a community based on the earth and seasonal food. Ingredients takes the viewer on a journey across the United States from the diversified farms of the Hudson River, to the urban food deserts of Harlem, to the inner labyrinths of celebrity kitchens of Greg Higgins, Alice Waters and Peter Hoffman.