By Judie Anders
Last week I was invited to attend a Farm Feast prepared by one of my favorite friends, Charlie, age 5. It was the completion of a three day Farm Camp experience for youngsters ages 5-7. We ate carrots, radishes, beets, cooked chard & kale all fresh picked from the garden, eggs from the chickens and homemade Ice Cream with wild harvested gooseberries on top made with creamy milk from the cows. It was delicious! What was even more enjoyable was seeing the shining faces of the children as they sang a song they made up about their farm experience about the cow Unbelievable who gave birth to a calf the night before including lots of laughter about the animals and how much fun it is to be on a farm.
Farming life is foreign to most of us even in this agricultural county, with fewer young people going into the farming and ranching lifestyle. I salute John Cogswell, owner of The Meadows, for hosting the programs and Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy for allowing the plants and animals to be enthusiastically loved by these youngsters. The Farmhands Program is created and run by Guidestone, a non-profit educational organization that serves the Upper Arkansas River Valley of Colorado. Its goals are to Grow Farmers; To Connect people to the land and land to the people; and To Support and revitalize our local food economy and food culture. Andrea Earley Coen, a banjo playin “farmer” heads up each of the programs offered. Andrea has a degree in Geology and has taught middle school Science/Earth Science and designs the programs to meet Colorado State Science standards. She comes with 20 years of outdoor teaching experience in environmental education and an obvious love of the earth and the critters and kids (goats and human). If you're a teacher looking for a fun field trip for your students, you might want to contact Farmhands about setting up a program that can both take place on the farm and meet CO State Science Standards.
I was very inspired by this program which introduces children in a practical grounded way to where their food comes from, how it is grown and how delicious fresh vegetables can be. There’s still time this summer to get in on the action. Here’s the info on upcoming events:
Join Farmhands Education for one or many of these fun, hands-on programs based at The Meadows at Cottonwood Creek in Buena Vista. Designed for children ages 5-11, all programs are interactive, educational, and exciting opportunities to experience a working farm, meet the farm animals, assist with farm projects and explore the surrounding natural habitat. Local producers Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy provide the hands-on “classroom.”
JUNIOR FARMERS
July 28 - ages 5-7, 9:30-11:30am; July 29 - ages 8-11, 10am-2pm
Don your overalls and come on out to the farm for a day of good-ole, down home farm work and fun. We will help work on some projects for Weathervane Farm, and the day will conclude with a special, tasty frozen treat thanks to the cows at Cottonwood Creek Dairy!
FARM CAMP
Aug. 3rd-5th - ages 5-7
If a one-day program seems too short, come join us for this unique and exceptionally fun 3-day program. Each day begins with farm chores and a snack. Then it really gets exciting! Days will be filled with teambuilding, nature exploration, aquatic ecology, farm projects, art, journaling, music and possibly even a hint of magic…. We will conclude the camp with a farm feast, harvested and prepared by the campers for their families. Offered throughout the summer. We hope to see you there!
FAMILY FARM DAY
Aug. 1st 9-11:30am
Want to come to camp, too? Here’s your chance! Spend a morning on the farm with the whole family. Meet and feed the animals, tour the farm, assist in a farm project and create a farm-inspired craft to take home. A farm-grown snack will be provided. You are invited to bring a picnic lunch and stay as long as you like!
Pre-registration is required for all programs. Please contact Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175 or pflower[at]sopris.net to register or for more information.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A Perspective on the Cow Tax.
By Joel Benson
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that greenhouse gases may endanger public health or welfare. This discovery will be under public eyes for 60 days of comment. While the statement may be true, particularly given concerns over global climate change, there are some significant unintended consequences that could follow, including consequences that would affect the relatively few producers here in along the Upper Arkansas River Valley as well as the plentiful consumers.
If the EPA settles on its decision, then emissions of methane, among other gases, have to be regulated. Methane comes from a many, many sources, but primarily decomposition in an environment that has no oxygen, such as a landfill, a bog, rice fields, and the stomachs of animals. We are concerned with the latter, cows in particular. Ogden Nash wrote, “The cow is of the bovine ilk; One end is moo; the other, milk." One additional product of the cow is gas. Biogas, if you will. According to one study, a single Holstein dairy cow can fill 140 two-liter bottles with gas in a single day. An 1800 animal dairy (Holsteins) can produce 48,000 pounds of manure in a day, or more than 17 million pounds in a year. The manure can be composted or, with proper grazing management, put out on the fields. Flatulence and burped gas cannot. So, the EPA would have to regulate this methane. A policy is put into place and regulators get busy enforcing this policy. The EPA would now have a “cow tax” or “flatulent tax”. For each cow you have, you pay a tax to offset its potential damage.
Let’s analyze the policy. We have to ask ourselves what problem the policy is trying to address. Then we work to get to the root cause of the problem.
First, what is the problem that the policy is trying to address? Global climate change.
Second, the root cause: Why does global climate change happen? Many, many factors contribute and one piece of conventional wisdom says that there are too many greenhouse gases. Why are there too many greenhouse gases? We are burning fossil fuels and cows burp and fart methane. Regardless of your opinions on the validity of global climate change, I will focus on this last question; the answer to which gives a tremendous breakdown in logic.
We visit the sources stated: Fossil fuels and methane.
Fossil fuels: This is not the subject of this article. There is a lot to say about this subject and experts from around the globe are debating the topic and creating new industry that deals with fossil fuels and distribution networks. One note, if we were to stop all burning of fossil fuels, we would not stop the build up of atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Methane: We will address methane in depth, as it is the ‘problem’ that the cow tax policy is trying to address.
Other sources: We as global citizens generally do not talk about fire as a contributor to atmospheric greenhouse gases. One acre of rainforest burning is the equivalent to the annual emissions of 16 vehicles in the United States. Millions of acres burn each year. On average 3.8 million acres burn in the United States alone. Most of the continent of Africa burns annually. The argument goes, that fire is natural. This statement should be visited in depth and the role of fire as opposed to other tools, such as herds of animals, should be visited. The point in bringing this up is that there are other significant sources of greenhouse gases that do not get the attention they deserve.
This argument brings up the fact that there may be more to global climate change than we first assume and therefore we may not be treating the root cause of the problem. But, we investigate: are cows the root cause of the problem?
As far as I can tell, there are studies that measure methane produced in a confined animal lot, or feedlot. A bag is attached to the back end of a cow and a hose to the front end with a meter that accounts for methane and other gases emitted. Measure, average the readings, and enact a tax. But, cows did not evolve to eat grain as their primary feed, rather grass. The microorganisms inside the rumen of a cow behave differently for different feeds. If a cow primarily ate that which it evolved to digest, namely grass, the methane levels would change. And again, if the cow spent a majority of its days on pasture where its manure would decompose outside of a massive pile of anaerobic dung, total methane would be reduced. Furthermore, the activity of a cow can affect the growth of the grass and the microorganisms in the soil, actually removing carbon and sequestering it into the ground. The curiosity: feedlot animals are not pastured animals. Granted, most every cow in the country is in a ‘feedlot’ at some point in its life, and even the anticipated new organic rules state that a cow only needs 30% of its diet for 120 days from pasture. But the interplay with pasture will change the flatulence of cows, and therefore gives cause to reevaluate the cow tax. Conclusions of a study carried out on feedlot animals may not pertain to pasture. Perhaps the management of cows by humans and the resultant behavior of cows are more the root cause of the influx of methane.
So, the policy of a ‘cow tax’ does not address the root cause of the problem of contributing greenhouse gas. I do not bring up the actual build up of gas nor how to remove greenhouse gases. The inability of the soil to sequester carbon may be closer to the root cause of the problem than actually putting carbon and methane into the atmosphere. Even so, the taxation of cows that eat food that they did not evolve to eat, i.e. corn, and managing them in large feedlot operations, address a symptom of the problem. The policy of a ‘cow tax’ is flawed from the outset because it will not do what it intends.
We then look at the externalities. The Upper Arkansas has a limited growing season. Cows are generally pastured in the summer and hayed in the winter. Some grain will be fed, but not to the extent or ration that is done in a conventional feedlot. Across-the-board ‘emission fees’ would jeopardize the solvency of any ranching or dairy in the valley. According to calculations by the American Farm Bureau Federation farmers and ranchers would pay $175 per dairy cow and $87.50 per beef cow. Levying a tax places an additional burden on our local producers and may be a tipping point to encourage ranchers to sell property and water rights to other entities. Perhaps not, but the potential of both water moving out of the county and the area’s green agricultural fields being turned into subdivisions grows significantly. What some call open space or viewsheds could disappear from the valley as well as a potential supply of beef and milk. Furthermore, meat prices will go up as we the consumer offset the cow tax.
The policy fails on all accounts.
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that greenhouse gases may endanger public health or welfare. This discovery will be under public eyes for 60 days of comment. While the statement may be true, particularly given concerns over global climate change, there are some significant unintended consequences that could follow, including consequences that would affect the relatively few producers here in along the Upper Arkansas River Valley as well as the plentiful consumers.
If the EPA settles on its decision, then emissions of methane, among other gases, have to be regulated. Methane comes from a many, many sources, but primarily decomposition in an environment that has no oxygen, such as a landfill, a bog, rice fields, and the stomachs of animals. We are concerned with the latter, cows in particular. Ogden Nash wrote, “The cow is of the bovine ilk; One end is moo; the other, milk." One additional product of the cow is gas. Biogas, if you will. According to one study, a single Holstein dairy cow can fill 140 two-liter bottles with gas in a single day. An 1800 animal dairy (Holsteins) can produce 48,000 pounds of manure in a day, or more than 17 million pounds in a year. The manure can be composted or, with proper grazing management, put out on the fields. Flatulence and burped gas cannot. So, the EPA would have to regulate this methane. A policy is put into place and regulators get busy enforcing this policy. The EPA would now have a “cow tax” or “flatulent tax”. For each cow you have, you pay a tax to offset its potential damage.
Let’s analyze the policy. We have to ask ourselves what problem the policy is trying to address. Then we work to get to the root cause of the problem.
First, what is the problem that the policy is trying to address? Global climate change.
Second, the root cause: Why does global climate change happen? Many, many factors contribute and one piece of conventional wisdom says that there are too many greenhouse gases. Why are there too many greenhouse gases? We are burning fossil fuels and cows burp and fart methane. Regardless of your opinions on the validity of global climate change, I will focus on this last question; the answer to which gives a tremendous breakdown in logic.
We visit the sources stated: Fossil fuels and methane.
Fossil fuels: This is not the subject of this article. There is a lot to say about this subject and experts from around the globe are debating the topic and creating new industry that deals with fossil fuels and distribution networks. One note, if we were to stop all burning of fossil fuels, we would not stop the build up of atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Methane: We will address methane in depth, as it is the ‘problem’ that the cow tax policy is trying to address.
Other sources: We as global citizens generally do not talk about fire as a contributor to atmospheric greenhouse gases. One acre of rainforest burning is the equivalent to the annual emissions of 16 vehicles in the United States. Millions of acres burn each year. On average 3.8 million acres burn in the United States alone. Most of the continent of Africa burns annually. The argument goes, that fire is natural. This statement should be visited in depth and the role of fire as opposed to other tools, such as herds of animals, should be visited. The point in bringing this up is that there are other significant sources of greenhouse gases that do not get the attention they deserve.
This argument brings up the fact that there may be more to global climate change than we first assume and therefore we may not be treating the root cause of the problem. But, we investigate: are cows the root cause of the problem?
As far as I can tell, there are studies that measure methane produced in a confined animal lot, or feedlot. A bag is attached to the back end of a cow and a hose to the front end with a meter that accounts for methane and other gases emitted. Measure, average the readings, and enact a tax. But, cows did not evolve to eat grain as their primary feed, rather grass. The microorganisms inside the rumen of a cow behave differently for different feeds. If a cow primarily ate that which it evolved to digest, namely grass, the methane levels would change. And again, if the cow spent a majority of its days on pasture where its manure would decompose outside of a massive pile of anaerobic dung, total methane would be reduced. Furthermore, the activity of a cow can affect the growth of the grass and the microorganisms in the soil, actually removing carbon and sequestering it into the ground. The curiosity: feedlot animals are not pastured animals. Granted, most every cow in the country is in a ‘feedlot’ at some point in its life, and even the anticipated new organic rules state that a cow only needs 30% of its diet for 120 days from pasture. But the interplay with pasture will change the flatulence of cows, and therefore gives cause to reevaluate the cow tax. Conclusions of a study carried out on feedlot animals may not pertain to pasture. Perhaps the management of cows by humans and the resultant behavior of cows are more the root cause of the influx of methane.
So, the policy of a ‘cow tax’ does not address the root cause of the problem of contributing greenhouse gas. I do not bring up the actual build up of gas nor how to remove greenhouse gases. The inability of the soil to sequester carbon may be closer to the root cause of the problem than actually putting carbon and methane into the atmosphere. Even so, the taxation of cows that eat food that they did not evolve to eat, i.e. corn, and managing them in large feedlot operations, address a symptom of the problem. The policy of a ‘cow tax’ is flawed from the outset because it will not do what it intends.
We then look at the externalities. The Upper Arkansas has a limited growing season. Cows are generally pastured in the summer and hayed in the winter. Some grain will be fed, but not to the extent or ration that is done in a conventional feedlot. Across-the-board ‘emission fees’ would jeopardize the solvency of any ranching or dairy in the valley. According to calculations by the American Farm Bureau Federation farmers and ranchers would pay $175 per dairy cow and $87.50 per beef cow. Levying a tax places an additional burden on our local producers and may be a tipping point to encourage ranchers to sell property and water rights to other entities. Perhaps not, but the potential of both water moving out of the county and the area’s green agricultural fields being turned into subdivisions grows significantly. What some call open space or viewsheds could disappear from the valley as well as a potential supply of beef and milk. Furthermore, meat prices will go up as we the consumer offset the cow tax.
The policy fails on all accounts.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Farmhands Announce Education Program for Spring/Summer 2009
As spring emerges, Farmhands education programs are getting underway! April 11th marks our first program, hosting the Chaffee County Mentors for a tour and fun on the farm. Youth In Action will also be participating in a farm-based program a few days later. There are many unique learning opportunities available to groups through Farmhands. To schedule a Farmhands program, please call Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175.
Kid’s Summer Programs at Weathervane Farm
Farmhands is expanding its summer programming! Join Farmhands Education staff for one or many of these fun, hands-on programs based at The Meadows at Cottonwood Creek in Buena Vista. Designed for children ages 5-11, all programs are interactive, educational, and exciting opportunities to experience a working farm, meet the farm animals, assist with farm projects and explore the surrounding natural habitat. Local producers Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy provide the hands-on “classroom.” Some of the class titles include:
- Farm & Wilderness Camp
- Chicken & the Egg
- Kids N’ Kids
- Little Sprouts
- Fun with Fleece
- Tracks & Signs – Who Lives Here?
- Diggin’ for Decomposers
- Farmer’s Helpers
Pre-registration is required for all programs. To register or for more information, please call Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175.
** Farmhands, Guidestone's youth education program, gives children and school groups an opportunity to learn about their food source and what it takes to provide a safe, healthy food supply.
Kid’s Summer Programs at Weathervane Farm
Farmhands is expanding its summer programming! Join Farmhands Education staff for one or many of these fun, hands-on programs based at The Meadows at Cottonwood Creek in Buena Vista. Designed for children ages 5-11, all programs are interactive, educational, and exciting opportunities to experience a working farm, meet the farm animals, assist with farm projects and explore the surrounding natural habitat. Local producers Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy provide the hands-on “classroom.” Some of the class titles include:
- Farm & Wilderness Camp
- Chicken & the Egg
- Kids N’ Kids
- Little Sprouts
- Fun with Fleece
- Tracks & Signs – Who Lives Here?
- Diggin’ for Decomposers
- Farmer’s Helpers
Pre-registration is required for all programs. To register or for more information, please call Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175.
** Farmhands, Guidestone's youth education program, gives children and school groups an opportunity to learn about their food source and what it takes to provide a safe, healthy food supply.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Cultivating Relationships with Land and People
By: Caitlin RobertsAs we fold brochures and finish website updates, the green grass begins to push through the brown carpet of winter and the perennial plants display emerald crowns of new growth. A new garden season is upon us. With seeds started in the greenhouse, baby chicks on order, and a season of field plantings on the schedule, we set the course on a new farming adventure.
This season marks our tenth year working on farms and our third as business owners of Weathervane Farm. In our first year here we grew a small garden for farmers market sales and worked with a West Slope fruit grower to provide fruit CSA shares. We also started egg production. Last year we expanded our operation to include vegetable CSA shares from our garden, wholesale accounts, pasture raised poultry, and lacto-fermented vegetables.
Our direct and local marketing provides us with great opportunities to cultivate relationships within our community. It is a pleasure for us to feel connected to the folks eating the food we grow.
When food dollars go to support local agriculture, there are many positive outcomes. Where shopping at the grocery store can be a detached and anonymous process, eating locally is about cultivating relationships with food, people, and land.
When we know the biological roots of our food and can connect with the source, there is more opportunity to learn about and be involved with the farming practices that directly impact us. Visits to the farm to pick-up shares, volunteer, or attend farm events, are activities that aid in connecting members to the land and food producers.
The Asian Palate, Mother’s Bistro, Simple Foods, Nature’s Pantry and Colorado Grown also help keep you close to the source by incorporating our products into their offerings.
Fruit and garden shares are still available. For more information about our farm and products visit our website at www.weathervanefarmbv.com.
Caitlin Roberts and her husband, Seth own and operate Weathervane Farm in Buena Vista, CO.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Guidestone Seeks New Board Members, Advisors, and Volunteers
Buena Vista, Colorado - Guidestone, a local non-profit devoted to supporting a sustainable future for the bioregion of the Upper Arkansas River Valley currently has positions open for new board members. In addition, Guidestone is looking for interested participants to serve as advisors and volunteers as the organization will be expanding the scope of its work in supporting the local food economy, farm based education, and local agricultural resource preservation in the coming months.
More information about Guidestone can be found at www.GuidestoneColorado.org and at www.GuidestoneCO.blogspot.com. Residents of the Upper Arkansas River Valley who are interested in becoming involved with Guidestone in any of these capacities are requested to send an email to guidestoneco[at]gmail[dot]com.
More information about Guidestone can be found at www.GuidestoneColorado.org and at www.GuidestoneCO.blogspot.com. Residents of the Upper Arkansas River Valley who are interested in becoming involved with Guidestone in any of these capacities are requested to send an email to guidestoneco[at]gmail[dot]com.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Jumpin' Good Goat Dairy Opens in Buena Vista
Posted by: Allison A.
The past two weekends here in Buena Vista have marked the long anticipated grand opening of Jumpin' Good Goat Dairy. As they say on their website, the cheese is, "Made by hand, with love." And you can clearly tell that this is true by how amazing each variety tastes. The dairy creates a number of aged and flavored cheeses and has them available for sale at their on-site country store. To learn more about the dairy, visit their very fun website at this link.
Welcome to the valley... we're glad you're here!
The past two weekends here in Buena Vista have marked the long anticipated grand opening of Jumpin' Good Goat Dairy. As they say on their website, the cheese is, "Made by hand, with love." And you can clearly tell that this is true by how amazing each variety tastes. The dairy creates a number of aged and flavored cheeses and has them available for sale at their on-site country store. To learn more about the dairy, visit their very fun website at this link.Welcome to the valley... we're glad you're here!
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Response to the National Animal Identification System
By: David Lynch
Very often, focusing on our “local minds” we lose sight of the impact that state or national legislation may have on our personal lives. Take NAIS for example: even as I write this, the National Animal Identification System is a new regulatory process being implemented by the USDA. What is NAIS? It is an identification system for all U.S. livestock that will keep track of the movement of all domestic animals intended for our food supply. It is being couched under the auspices of national food safety and Homeland Security.
Sounds good, doesn’t it! Very American! But the facts are this regulatory proposal creates a huge imposition on the small, family farmer. Not only will require everyone who raises livestock for food production to register their farm premises in a national database, by 2010, the USDA will mandate the microchip identification of every cow, sheep, pig and eventually chicken on a farmer’s property. The cost? Estimated at $37.00 per animal!
In reality, the regulation is primarily intended to keep track of interstate and global commerce. However, it’s unintended consequences become a huge burden to our local family farmer. Shouldn’t there be an exemption for local and regional movement of livestock from farmer to consumer? After all, this is easy to track. For example, take the cow share program for distributing raw milk. The dairyman is required to keep on file a copy of every consumer’s contact information: the tracking system is already in place.
On all of our behalf, the Farmer to Consumer Legal Defense Fund has sued the USDA in opposition to NAIS. The Raw Milk Association of Colorado has joined this fight, as have many grass roots consumer advocacy organizations. Trust me folks: NAIS is bogus regulation, an unnecessary invasion of our privacy, a substantial burden on the small farmer, and a complete waste of taxpayer money!
For more information, visit these links:
- Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
- Livestock Tracing Bill Could Be End of Family Farms, Ranches - a recent opinion article from the Washington Examiner
Very often, focusing on our “local minds” we lose sight of the impact that state or national legislation may have on our personal lives. Take NAIS for example: even as I write this, the National Animal Identification System is a new regulatory process being implemented by the USDA. What is NAIS? It is an identification system for all U.S. livestock that will keep track of the movement of all domestic animals intended for our food supply. It is being couched under the auspices of national food safety and Homeland Security.
Sounds good, doesn’t it! Very American! But the facts are this regulatory proposal creates a huge imposition on the small, family farmer. Not only will require everyone who raises livestock for food production to register their farm premises in a national database, by 2010, the USDA will mandate the microchip identification of every cow, sheep, pig and eventually chicken on a farmer’s property. The cost? Estimated at $37.00 per animal!
In reality, the regulation is primarily intended to keep track of interstate and global commerce. However, it’s unintended consequences become a huge burden to our local family farmer. Shouldn’t there be an exemption for local and regional movement of livestock from farmer to consumer? After all, this is easy to track. For example, take the cow share program for distributing raw milk. The dairyman is required to keep on file a copy of every consumer’s contact information: the tracking system is already in place.
On all of our behalf, the Farmer to Consumer Legal Defense Fund has sued the USDA in opposition to NAIS. The Raw Milk Association of Colorado has joined this fight, as have many grass roots consumer advocacy organizations. Trust me folks: NAIS is bogus regulation, an unnecessary invasion of our privacy, a substantial burden on the small farmer, and a complete waste of taxpayer money!
For more information, visit these links:
- Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
- Livestock Tracing Bill Could Be End of Family Farms, Ranches - a recent opinion article from the Washington Examiner
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