How to Take Your Children or Family to Visit a Sustainable Farm that Supplies Local Farmers' Markets

Teachers and/or parents in Sacramento can benefit by taking children to visit a farm that supplies local food to the Sacramento area farmers' markets, food stores, and hopefully, public and private schools. You can start with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers located in Davis, CA.

This organization is a member of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Check out the websites of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which is your source for or the latest in sustainable agriculture and organic farming news and publications.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural and urban food systems and communities.

To arrange a farm to school experience, take your children to visit a local Sacramento or Davis area farm.Do you have children that you would like to take along? If so, make sure the farm you visit is kid-friendly. Most are, but some, especially those with larger livestock, may request that you leave the wee ones at home or require that they are strictly supervised.
What type of farm do you want to go to? Would you like to stroll through the grapevines of a local organic winery with adult students, for example in continuing life long education? Or, if you are with children--parent or teacher--perhaps a more family-style "hands-on" trip to help with basic farm tasks such as weeding or u-pick strawberries?

Would you prefer to go with a group on a guided tour of a farm or just help out for a few hours at a small vegetable CSA? Mull over these options in your decision-making, or discuss with your family and friends. Sacramento kids who grow up seeing heavy traffic along Watt or Marconi Avenues and little else need to visit a farm and look at some trees.
How and where do you find a sustainable farm near or in Sacramento?

Do you want to take a child to a farm in order to feed pasture-raised chickens, as well as assist with some kid-friendly farm tasks like weeding or picking green beans? According to the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) website, If you do not already have a connection with a local farmer from either farmers markets, word-of-mouth, or community supported agriculture, your local Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapter has a very helpful tool to prevent fruitless efforts of searching in the Yellow Pages for "Local/Organic/Sustainable Food."

It's called a Local Food Guide (sometimes also referred to as a Local Buying Guide, or Where to Buy Local.) And whereas its appearance may vary from chapter to chapter, the contents should contain an organized list of farms, restaurants, and institutions that support or produce local foods. Many chapters, such as Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), also make this resource available online.

After you've found a local farm in Sacramento or Davis, then c ontact your farmer in advance, and be flexible to their schedules. Many farmers, especially those involved with the local food movement, are flattered when asked if folks can visit their farm. Perhaps they are so organized that they hold regular farm tours, festivals, or field days and can give you the drill of when and where (and if there is a small fee) for coming out.

Farmers may not be used to hosting regular tours or visits to their farm. Ask them what type of clothing and shoes to wear (muck boots?), best time of day to come, and whether kids are allowed. Be mindful of different cultural dos and don'ts. Ask whether the farmer wants you to take pictures or not.

If you exchange some labor, you might ask if this is wanted in exchanged for a meal. Most area farmers will let you pick fruit for a fee. Ask first what are the rules. Then exchange contact information in case of last-minute cancellations or changes. A farmers schedule can always change, especially depending on the weather. Prepare a list of questions you have for the farmer.

This is your time to ask local growers all those questions you've pondered about local foods. Do they do all direct marketing? What are the challenges they face selling to a local market, as well as the rewards (both monetary and intrinsic).

What are some of their farm goals? In addition be prepared for them to ask you questions from the consumer/supporter perspective. It is a great time to build your farmer-consumer relationship and appreciate those involved in local Sacramento food networks.

Watch a video about CAFF's Farm to School Program (Brian & Martin's story)

Read the "Year at a Glance" for 2009

Read about what the Farm to School Movement needs in order to be successful

According to a February 14, 2011 news release, " NSAC Comments on Obama Cuts to Conservation," the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) recently commented on President Barack Obama's FY 2012 Agriculture Budget, according to the comments of Ferd Hoefner, NSAC Policy Director:

The President's FY 2012 budget calls for deep cuts to farm bill mandatory spending for farm conservation with over $1 billion in permanent rescissions. As in their FY 2011 budget request, the big three programs targeted for reductions are the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).

We believe these reductions are irresponsible and unfair. Natural resource and environmental needs related to agriculture are great and farmer demand for these programs continues to outstrip the supply of dollars. No other farm bill mandatory funding accounts were similarly targeted.

In our view, either everything should be on the table or nothing should be. Appropriations bills, moreover, are not the right vehicle to consider cuts to the farm bill. That should be a matter for the Agriculture Committee to consider as part of a comprehensive review of the need for and effectiveness of all farm bill programs. Chopping out over $1 billion in farm bill resources before that debate even begins will make it far more difficult to reach agreement on a fair and fiscally responsible farm bill deal.

The President's budget does propose once again to reduce commodity program payment limitations, but unlike the proposed conservation cuts, this proposal is not included in the President's proposed FY 2012 appropriations bill language.

We support the thrust of the President's proposed cut to the per-farm cap for commodity program direct payments from $80,000 a year to $60,000 a year for a married couple. In the face of high commodity prices and an overinflated land market, though, we think Congress should go further by reducing the limit to $40,000 and making the payments and the limit on payments more responsive to economic need.

Fighting against the corporate concentration of our food supply is an ongoing battle. Today, you can make a difference, according to the news release.

A small handful of giant meatpackers and processors have been underpaying and unfairly treating farmers and ranchers for decades. Please take a few moments of your day this Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday to call the White House and tell President Obama that you support the proposed livestock and poultry competition rules (also called the "GIPSA" rules) to improve the lives of farmers and ranchers and the prosperity of rural communities, according to the news release.

On February 14, 15, and 16 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., hundreds will participate in "Love the American Farmer and Rancher" call in day. USDA's proposed GIPSA rules would greatly benefit livestock and poultry producers across the country, according to the February 14, 2011 news release. However, the big meat packers and processors have pushed back against the rule, spreading false information and lobbying hard to protect their own greedy bottom line. The Obama Administration needs to hear from working farmers and ranchers (and those that love them) that these rules need to be finalized now.

Here's how you can help. According to the news release, you can "call 202-456-1111 to reach the White House Comment Line (you may need to call back if the line is busy)."

Share the message below (or something similar)

"My name is _______ from _________ (city and/or state) calling in support of USDA's proposed GIPSA rule. This rule would level the playing field for livestock and poultry producers and make our markets more competitive and fair. This rule must be finalized to protect our farmers and ranchers from retaliation and unfair trade practices of big packers. I encourage USDA to finish and implement the GIPSA proposed rule as quickly as possible. Thank you."

*Farmers and ranchers: Please be sure to introduce yourself as a farmer or rancher*

Calls are best but if you can't get through you can send an email here: (Whitehouse.gov).

Reply to this message or click here to let the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) know that you called.

Contract poultry farmers are caught in an unfair system, a system that traps them in debt and forces them to take whatever contracts they are offered. No matter how hard these farmers work, they will not be paid fairly. If they speak up, they face retaliation. At any time, they could lose their contract and lose their family farm.

For more information on the how the GIPSA rules help poultry producers, go to the Rural Advancement Foundation International USA (RAFI) website. For further data on how the GIPSA rules help independent livestock producers, go to the Center for Rural Affairs website.

Some Local Food Providers in Sacramento and surrounding areas

Farms

Bee Serve California

Billys Farm/Star Fresh Organics

Clary Ridge Ranch

Colfax Hill Family Farm

Del Rio Botanical

more...

Farmers Markets

Davis Farmers' Market

Del Paso Heights Community Farmers' Market

Downtown Sacramento

Roosevelt Park

Sunrise Mall

Groceries

Davis Food Co-op

Sacramento Natural Foods CO-OP

Restaurants or Bakeries

A Chef's Affair Fine Catering and Gourmet Cafe

ASUCD Coffee House

Farmers Kitchen Cafe

Mulvaney's Building & Loan

Seasons restaurant

more...