E-I-E-I-O

Over spring break I headed to the Flathead Valley to spend a week at Swallow Crest Farm, owned by an old family friend.  The farm is located in a beautiful spot on the northeast side of Flathead Lake, nestled in the foothills of the Swan Mountains. One of the first things to strike me when I arrived was the complete, utter quiet. There is no interstate, no trains, no Family Guy blaring from the television. Neighbors dot the hills, but the setting feels decidedly rural. I left my computer at home. I had a guest cabin and wood stove all to myself. It was a welcome break to the hustle and bustle (c'mon, let me pretend) of life in Missoula.

Julian, the owner, provides around 150 CSA (community supported agriculture) shares to families around the Flathead Valley. After three solid months of school, it was a treat getting to paint trim, plant starters (basil, cabbage, head lettuce, swiss chard...), transplant starters into bigger containers (tomatoes, peppers and eggplants), build a hoop house frame, water plants in the already standing hoop houses, create soil mix (two parts peat, 1/2 part perlite, 1/2 part soil, 1/2 part compost) and help out with other chores around the farm. It was an even bigger treat to spend long meals and afternoons talking with Julian and the two full time apprentices, Amanda and Kevin.

Talking with Julian and watching him work I was struck by the amount of knowledge it takes to run an organic farm. From soil chemistry to weather patterns to growing schedules to carpentry to animals to dealing with weeds to business to public relations... I could barely keep up. I was also stunned by the amount of labor that goes into producing food. And as Julian pointed out, "A farm isn't particularly sustainable if the farmer burns out, now is it?"

I wonder, how can we make sustainable agriculture more accesible to people as a career choice? How can we make sure it is economically profitable to those who farm (whether it be through government subsidies or individual consumer choices)? How can we make this work on a large scale (even if that means multiple localized food systems)? These are things I would love to study and focus on in school...

In the meantime I am working on starting my own garden in my own backyard. It's no CSA, but a couple rows of peas, lettuce and spinach seem as good a place to start as any.