{"id":247,"date":"2010-07-10T18:36:13","date_gmt":"2010-07-10T18:36:13","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2021-01-29T15:19:26","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T20:19:26","slug":"agrarian-road-trip-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centernet.pcusa.org\/food-faith\/2010\/07\/10\/agrarian-road-trip-part-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Agrarian Road Trip – Part One."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/h1>\n

Garlic Pickin\u2019, Potluckin\u2019 and Llamas:<\/strong><\/h1>\n

the Agrarian Tour through Kentucky and Tennessee<\/p>\n

We \u2013 Agrarian Road Trippers<\/strong><\/em><\/a>
\n\u2013 have been visiting and trading stories with many a farmer across
\nKentucky and Tennessee. Learning the tales of the trade and dreaming of
\nthe day when I will be a little old gray hair \u2013 well preserved, with
\nher chickens and 12 varieties of tomatoes.<\/p>\n

Day One<\/strong>: In Louisville, KY, we visited with the Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program <\/strong><\/em><\/a>–
\n\u00bd acre in vegetable production, scattered across 30-some odd plots.
\nPlots are sectioned by nationality \u2013 Burundi, Burma\/Myanmar, Congo . .
\n. and on and on, all finding a common language in compost and corn.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n

refugge agricultural partnership project in louisville, ky.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Day Two<\/strong>: Still in Louisville, we trek to Garden Summer Camp at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church <\/strong><\/em>\u2013
\na one-week summer camp with 15 kids, ages 8-14. All kids share morning
\nchores harvesting vegetables for lunch, grinding corn for tortillas,
\ntending chickens for eggs, and prepping beds for fall harvest. Each day
\nof camp starts with a telling of a story about Father Coyote. In
\ntoday\u2019s lesson, Father Coyote studies a farmer sowing seeds \u2013 and then
\nsows his own garden in order to harvest his own crop of happy little
\nrabbits, lured to the garden by the fresh carrots and cabbage. The
\nstory touches upon irrigation techniques in the arid southwest,
\ncompanion planting for bountiful harvest and the benefits of increased
\nbiodiversity in the garden. After the kids are tuckered out from their
\ngarden work and fresh lunch, they head to the pool for an afternoon
\nswim.<\/p>\n

Discussion with Ellen Davis<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>\u2013 Old Testament Scholar from Duke Divinity School \u2013 who has recently written a book called Scripture, Culture and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible.<\/a> <\/strong><\/em> Professor
\nDavis focused on Exodus 16 as the basis for her research in
\nunderstanding the cultural context of the Israelites exiled from the
\nEgyptian Empire, for understanding the Modern Agricultural Empire. In a
\nnutshell, the Israelites who have been freed from their slave masters
\ntake to complaining about lack of food. \u201cAt least when we were slaves
\nof the Empire we have food enough to eat.\u201d God has provided our daily
\nsustenance (in the form of manna from heaven) \u2013 but instead the people
\ngrovel. Modern parables highlight our society\u2019s dependence on \u2013 and
\nenslavement to \u2013 genetically-modified, mono-cultured food-product that
\ntravels 1500 miles <\/strong>to our dinner plate. Rather than
\nlearning how to grow or can or cook our own food, we rely on a food
\nsystem that is ever-increasing out of our hands and beyond our control.<\/p>\n

Professor Davis takes our lesson one set further in analyzing the Greek roots of the closely related words adama<\/em> and adam<\/em>. Adama<\/em> is Greek for \u201cfertile soil.\u201d Adam<\/em> is Greek for \u201chuman.\u201d The term adama<\/em> is used in the Biblical context to refer to the land as ancestor of human \u2013 before Abraham there was adama<\/em>. To create Man, God breathed His breath into adama<\/em>.
\nNow, I am no Biblical scholar, nor am I an Agrarian scholar \u2013 but
\nthat\u2019s all pretty crazy amazing. We are dirt. Or rather, we are
\nbiologically breathing, o-so fertile soil.<\/p>\n

\"soupLunchtime: Lunch provided by Soup By-cycle<\/a>,<\/strong><\/em>
\nsoups made using local, organic ingredients \u2013 delivered by bicycle to
\nthe Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) Headquarters in downtown Louisville
\nfor a wee little potluck with like-minded folks doing the work of the
\nChurch in the world. Some shared stories of recently travels to Haiti
\nto protest against a recent Monsanto<\/strong><\/em><\/a>
\ndonation of genetically modified seeds to the region\u2019s farmers. Instead
\nof gladly accepting, the people of Haiti rebelled, by marching and
\nburning the seeds. The introduction of GMO and hybrid seeds into
\ncultures with a rich tradition of seed-saving poses a jungle of legal
\nrepercussions \u2013 linked also to increased suicides of peasant farmers<\/strong><\/em><\/a> in many countries.<\/p>\n

Next stop \u2013 also in Louisville \u2013 Oxmoor Farms. The Field Day Farm at Oxmoor Farms<\/strong><\/em><\/a> partners with the Food Literacy Project<\/strong><\/em><\/a> to grow food for market and Community Supported Agriculture<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>(CSA)
\nas well as provide school-age education about local food systems.
\nSituated on 8 acres tucked betwixt the interstate, golf course and a
\nsuburban subdivision, Farmer Seamus says golfer and farmer frequently
\nmeet eyes in questioning gazes. Ironic because there is a current trend
\nwhere farms across the country are bought out by large residential
\ndevelopers due to a higher monetary value attached to land for its
\ndevelopmental potential rather than its agricultural productivity.
\n(Watch our talk and interview with farmer Ivor of Field Day Family Farm here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\n\"barn\n

barn at oxmoor farms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

All that to say, we Agrarians harvested garlic and weeded kale while
\nswapping stories about soil amendments and growing seasons. The garlic
\nharvested was put into shares for Field Day Farm CSA \u2013 which supplies
\n60 families with produce each week. In addition to its CSA, extra
\nproduce is sold at 2 farmers markets each week and contributed towards Grasshopper<\/strong><\/em><\/a>,
\na cooperative multi-farm CSA supplying meat, cheese, milk, eggs,
\nmushrooms to local families \u2013 in addition to regular shares of
\nvegetables.<\/p>\n

The beauty of a multi-farm (or multi-yard \u2013 reference fellow Wacoan Lucas Land\u2019s Edible Yard Project<\/strong><\/em><\/a>)
\nCSA is that it buffets the problems of pest invasion or crop failure,
\nas well as taking advantage of the soil varieties and farmer
\nspecialization. Such a model also allows small gardeners who may not
\nhave enough to sell at market may contribute their produce and reap the
\nbenefits.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n

tilapia aquaculture at berea eco-village.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Day Three<\/strong>: We hit the road for Berea College<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>in
\neastern KY to explore Berea\u2019s Eco-Village and Farm Gardens. Professor
\nRichard Olson expounded on his theories of the most-of-us speeding
\ntowards hell in a hand-basket \u2013 due to the rate we use electricity,
\nwater, petroleum, etc. (Sometimes doomsday global warming pessimism is
\nnot my cup of tea \u2013 it\u2019s more like a cup of gas station coffee). After
\nstepping off his soapbox, he showed us around Berea\u2019s Eco-Village<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>\u2013 ever-evolving with aquacultured tilapia<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, biointensive<\/strong><\/em><\/a> growing, photovoltaic (PV) panels<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, greywater treatment system <\/strong><\/em>\u2013<\/a> as well as demonstrations in natural building, including: cob,<\/a> cord wood with cob mortar<\/a>, earth bag<\/a>, earthen plaster<\/a>, and straw bale<\/a>. <\/strong><\/em>Berea\u2019s
\nEco-Village is open exclusively for 4 interns in the Sustainability and
\nEnvironmental Studies program \u2013 as well as students of Berea who are
\nsingle parents.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n

garden and pv panels at berea’s eco-village.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

From the Eco-Village, we journeyed to the other side of Berea
\nCollege to the farm, gardens and greenhouse \u2013 a total area of 500
\nacres. In addition to vegetable production, Berea operates an apiary<\/strong><\/em><\/a> (honey flavored by blueberries and buckwheat), hoop houses<\/strong><\/em><\/a> for season extension, mushroom spore-infused-logs<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, and a cord
\nwood root cellar. We were not able to see their livestock production \u2013
\nbut Berea does that, too. All produce is sold at local farmers markets
\nfor a flat rate of $8\/lb. The school also purchases produce for use in
\nits cafeteria, at a rate of $6.50\/lb. These prices are extremely high,
\nfor the majority of crops \u2013 but the people of Berea are willing to pay.
\nThe farm and gardens are maintained by students in the College\u2019s
\nAgriculture Department. All students at Berea are required to work for
\ntuition (10-15 hours\/week) \u2013 no other costs are associated with
\ntuition. Another similar college is School of the Ozarks<\/strong><\/em><\/a> in Missouri.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n

cord wood structure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Vegetables grown at Berea College are Certified Organic \u2013 meeting the USDA\u2019s standards and definitions of organic practices<\/a>. <\/strong><\/em>Organic
\ncertification is a highly contentious topic amongst small scale
\nagrarians. Both Field Day Farm at Oxmoor Farms in Louisville and World
\nHunger Relief Farm in Waco choose not to certify their produce \u2013
\nalthough each farm meets, and exceeds, the USDA\u2019s standards. Farmer
\nIgor at Field Day Farm choose not to certify due to moral convictions \u2013
\nboth that the standards are too loose, while being relatively
\nexpensive. He also notes that small scale farming is about relationship
\nwith the consumer \u2013 and if a strong relationship is in place, all
\nfarming practices are transparent \u2013 and thus certification is
\nunnecessary.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n

llama lovin’ at liles organic acres.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After Berea, we traveled to Maryville, TN \u2013 to visit Liles Organic Acres,<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>a
\nsmall family farm operated by Sheri and Russell Liles. Here we met the
\nllamas. Sheri \u2013 a self-proclaimed back-to-the-land hippie \u2013 showed us
\naround the farm. She grows vegetables in 25 raised beds \u2013 that have
\nbeen double-dug <\/strong><\/em><\/a>and
\nenriched each year with layer upon layer of compost. She and Russell
\nkeep seven compost piles around the farm \u2013 enriched by rabbit, llama
\nand chicken poop \u2013 as well as leaves, food scraps and red wigglers<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.
\nHer vegetables are sold at market \u2013 and chooses not to certify organic.
\nIn addition to vegetables, Sheri also keep llamas and angora rabbits
\nfrom which she can spin the wool \u2013 as well as growing cotton and flax,
\nto be spun by her mother-in-law for linen. Both Sheri and Russell work
\npart-time off the farm \u2013 she as a nurse practitioner, he as a
\npicture-framer. Russell is also a crafted wood-worker and quite
\nengineer-ed-ly minded, installing PV panels that supply 25% of their
\nenergy use and building the llama barn, chicken coops and beehives.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n

chickens at liles organic acres.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Once we departed the Liles farm, we met up with locals from the Highland Presbyterian Church<\/strong><\/em> in Maryville \u2013 to share stories and recipes over a potluck of locally produced grub.<\/p>\n

End Day Three. End Part One.<\/p>\n

– bethel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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