812-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, April 17, 1999
Food, Faith, Farming Initiative Begins
Reconnection Between Consumer, Producer
DAVID HIEBERT
Westmoreland Co.
Correspondent
LITITZ (Lancaster Co ;
Food, Faith, Farming Initiative
recently began what organizers
hope will be a new connection
between the creator and created,
people who produce food and
those who eat it.
Joel Satalin, Swoope, Va,
gave his point of view on how
farmers need to control their
cost “The hardest thing for any
of us to do is to get control. The
easiest thing is to run down and
buy the latest genetics, the
newest gadget, or a bag,” he cau
tioned “Make do with the mate
rials you have ”
One of his examples is a ani
mal shelter added to his barn
Using post and lintel construc
tion, family labor, and local trees
he improved the structure at a
cost of about $2,500 —the com
mercially built equivalent comes
in at about $20,000
Greg Bowman, Bally, brought
the group together under the
conviction that food, faith, and
farming need to be connected
Greg used Psalm 104 as an out
line of how God provides for us
through farming. Bread (carbo
hydrates) give us energy, oil
helps things run smoothly, and
wine symbolizes celebration
(You cause the grass to grow for
cattle, and plants for people to
use, to bring forth good from the
earth, and wine to gladden the
human heart, ojj to ifiake the
face shine, and bread to
strengthen the human heart Ps.
104:14-15).
In his evening presentation,
Satalin illustrated his point
with two columns on the paper.
In one he listed the keys to the
industrial revolution. In the sec
ond he contrasted each of those
elements with the created order
In the furor of an evangelistic
preacher, he begged those pre
sent to respect the boundaries
inherent in the creation.
Industrialized farming, he said,
goes against the created order.
“God set patterns we should fol
low. GMO’s (genetically modified
organisms) such as a chicken
with 10 percent genes from a
goat, or tomatoes with 10%
genes of a soybean go against
the Creator The problem I have
with worshipping at the altar of
science is that we have reduced
life to protons and neutrons—
industnal stuff”
Satalm views the 400 fami
lies who buy directly from his
farm to be the heart of his liveli
hood. These customers buy
salad bar beef, pasteurized poul
try, egg mobile eggs, pigaerator
pork, forage-based rabbits, and
forestry products The key to
raising these products is control
ling capital investment through
low-cost hoop house shelter,
reducing feed costs by rotational
use of grazing land, and selling
at retail through direct market
ing.
Joel has authored two books
about alternative farming man
agement and has gained a
national following through his
lively talks, writings, and
attracting many visitors to the
farm near Staunton, Va.
In perhaps the most wide
reaching information brought
out at this gathering, Manon
Bowlan, Manheim, presented
some of the conclusions
researched by the USDA
National Commission on Small
Farms. The most disturbing fact
they discovered includes the
report that on the average,
small farms - with gross
receipts between $50,000 and
$250,000 - had a negative
return on equity
Another sign of pressure
reported by Bowlan and the
Small Farms Commission is
that farm receipts for food
expenditures amounted to only
23% in 1996, down from 37% in
1980, Other conclusions and
their recommendations to the
Secretary of Agriculture are
published in a 120-page booklet
A 15-mmute video also present
ed a few of their findings The
30-member group held hearings
in six locations, and made 146
recommendations
Bowlan also represents
Pennsylvania Farm Link, a ser
vice that connects existing farm
owners with people who want to
work on farms and, eventually,
own them Farm Link has infor
mation about properties whose
owners are planning to transi
tion out of the business, and peo -
pie interested in a farm career.
For more information, cal)
the Maryland Farm Link office
at (410) 841-5770.
In addition to the regionally
know speakers, representatives
of three local producers shared
their faith and experiences with
the group. Roman Stoltzfoos,
Kinzers; Ray and Hope
Brubaker, Mifflintown; and
Katy Reist, Washington Boro all
made a connection between
their faith and farming.
Roman, one of three genera
tions in his family at the confer
ence, cautioned the group
against persons who come in as
experts, but who start out on the
wrong premise. They leave out
the Creator “You will come up
with the wrong conclusions
100% of the time when you don’t
start with the right foundation,”
he proclaimed passionately.
Joel Satalin, Swoope, Va.
outlines the differences
between “industrial” and “The
Creation.” The pillars of the
industrial revolution included
simplification, specialization,
routinization, and mechaniza
tion. By contrast The Creation
is complex, diverse, dynamic
and living. Photo by David
Hiebert.
Greg Bowman, Bally, consults with Marian Bowlan, Manheim, during one of the
informal times at the Food, Faith and Farming Initiative Gathering near Lititz. Photo
by David Hiebert.
Ray and Hope Brubaker who
produce organically grown
strawberries, asparagus and
rhubarb, noted their journey
from being missionaries to the
unsaved peoples, to their pre
sent work in stewardship. Ray
explained that non-conformity
to the world has been a religious
conviction expressed in the way
he dressed early in his life. Now
that same conviction motivates
many decisions in his fanning
practices.
Kate Reist, Simple Gifts
Farm, Washington Boro, will
begin her eighth season of
organic farming this year. She
spoke of the community support "
she received through both her
Lancaster
Lancaster Society 18 of Farm
Women met at the home of Mae
Weaver for a chalk talk by Elva
Hurst. Her theme centered on farm
memories. As her picture prog
ressed, taped music, and farm yard
noises gave voice to various
reminders of sunrise and the crow
ing of the rooster. Special lighting
beautifully showed dawn rising.
Brighter lights heralded the new
Berks Society 6
Berks County Society 6 of Farm
Women held its March 16th meet
ing in the home of Beth Click.
Mary Townsley from Hospice was
the speaker.
The group will tend the bake
stand from noon to 4 pan. at the
Olcy Community Pot Pic Dinner,
April 11. Final plans for the Spring
Rally were discussed. Five mem
bers plan to attend. Marian Gehris,
Naomie Mest, and Karen Hoffman
CSA (Community Supported
Agriculture) customers and the
church when her husband died
of cancer in January 1998. She
said that in farming you learn
two things: control and steward
ship. On control, she said that
farmers soon learn that God is
in control and that you need to
rely on God. Then you learn that
stewardship is care of the earth,
God’s creation.
One of the goals of the FFFI
conference was to help people
become aware of resources close
to home. About a dozen farmers
stood in response to a plea from
a woman seeking a local grower
of pure food. Thirteen producers
Society 6
day and gently fading light showed
the end of the day.
Devotions by Pat Lueck pre
ceded the roll call with members
naming the school attended as a
child.
President Martha Stoner dis
missed the meeting. Many com
ments of enjoyment of the after
noon were expressed.
will attend Bingo at Berks Heim on
April 8. The group voted to give 4
monetary donation to the outstay
ing senior in agriculture at t)ley
Valley High School. Wcpnan’s
Restaurant was chosen *or the
Christmas party in Dec
The April 20 meeting will be at
7:30 p.m. in the Pleasantville
Diner. Members are asked to bring
a $5 gift to celebrate everyone’s
birthday.
registered for the initial net
work director of food producers,
customers and advocates in the
Mid-Atlantic region. One partic
ipant quoted an article “Sunday
News,” (published 02/07/99,
Lancaster), which reported that
90% of the produce consumed in
Lancaster County comes from
more than 1,300 miles away
The conference was brought
together by representatives of
three groups including Greg
Bowman, phone (215) 256-0364,
Food Faith and Farming,
Franconia Mennomte
Conference; 1 Marian Bowlan,
Farm Link, Inc.; and Suse
Greenstone, Creation Continues
Educational Services.
Lancaster
Society 20
Lancaster Farm Women No
20 met at the Memorial United
Methodist Church, Quarryville,
on Thursday, April 1, at which
time they entertained Societies
#l5 and #35.
Following the covered dish
luncheon, Jean Ressel had the
devotions and read from Psalm 1
and a poem. She spoke on the
importance of memories and
friends. The Lord’s Prayer was
prayed in unison and the Pledge
of Allegiance was used.
The president, Valana
Ferguson, presided at the busi
ness meeting and in answer to
the roll call the 15 members pre
sent responded by naming a war
our country has fought in After
introducing themselves the
guests also responded. The
Sunshine Committee reported
two cards had been sent to shut
ins
For the program Tina Voltz
told some very interesting Cm*
War stories and wore a dress,
hat and gloves of that era The
meeting closed with “music” by
the Kitchen Band and ended
with “Brighten the Comer.”
For the May meeting #2O
members will be going to L°f>
Cabin Trees and Trim.