By Elvira DiBrigit
This book featuring stories from fifteen farmers of the Capay Valley was released July 2017.
“Why We Farm weaves together the stories of some of California’s most unique and visionary farmers…” From the foreword by Craig McNamara – President of the CA State Board of Food and Agriculture.
“Local” a philosophy for CSA farmers
By Thaddeus Barsotti
We do not view other CSAs as competition; they are allies in our vision of a transparent food system and in addition to the many acres of conventional ground that we have turned to local, organic vegetable production, we have done an amazing job of increasing the awareness of CSAs.
by Thaddeus Barsotti
California is a beautiful state… I have the pleasure to run our farm and work with our partner farms throughout the state and the topic of water always comes up…
A very important organic farming tool comes to mind when I pass the young summer crops now in the fields… Any given week, weather permitting, you’ll see a sprayer attached to one of our Kubota 9540 tractors, making rounds…
by Jeff Main
Good Humus Farm
This whole drought thing keeps running through my mind. Since we probably use as much water as all of our CSA members combined, I have to ask myself what is my task? It is a brand new question, the very latest in questions about the long line of renewable natural resources that we thought were endless…
by Judith Redmond
Co-owner, Full Belly Farm
…people who think a lot about climate change talk about “ADAPTATION” — learning to live with it and reduce our vulnerability – and “MITIGATION” – figuring out how to limit the magnitude and rate of climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
In agriculture, we have to do both…
Changing Perspectives on Agriculture
by Paul Muller
Ag. Task Force Chair and Capay Valley Grown Partner
There are many important crops grown in the Capay Valley Region. None may be more important than the one witnessed by many in this community in Spring. Our area has a couple of important varieties of this crop. The first is most likely to be spied on the first weekend in May. Blooming beautifully in starched whites and green caps, each individual is a unique and wonderful expression of the place where it was grown and nurtured. The date of their appearance is not changed even in wet or difficult years. What is this crop? Why, it is the new crop of youth in agriculture.
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by Jim Durst
of Durst Organic Growers, for the 2014 Taste of Capay event held at Historic Oakdale Ranch and event center in Esparto, CA
We are gathered here today to rejoice and celebrate farmers and agriculture.
The art of farming immerses us in the natural world, the seen and unseen, the world of senses: smell, feel, hearing, touch, and especially taste. It teaches us about abundance in life and gratitude for all we have.
The art of farming is where we become seduced by the vision, the pictures of possibility present on the pages of a seed catalogue. Where we can fall into bed exhausted yet exhilarated. It teaches us hope for a future we can envision. It also teaches us that the present moment is all that truly exists.
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