by milecreekfarm

CSA Week 9

This Week’s Harvest

Farm News
Every 4 years, the Farm Bill gets reworked and renewed and the massive bill is scheduled for its renewal in September this year. The Farm Bill is an effective way to implement organic farming initiatives and incentives on a policy level, so starting last summer, lots of work has been done behind the scenes to advocate for organic farms and regional food systems.
Usually I am happy to let the professionals at Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association lobby for me! It’s always good to know that I can focus my efforts and time on my own farm, but that OEFFA is out there doing good advocacy work on behalf of sustainable agriculture. However, it is important to have farmers representing themselves as well, and so several farmers have been asked for input on OEFFA’s Farm Bill.
Last summer OEFFA hosted several Farm Bill town halls across the state to get input from farmers, consumers, and stakeholders as to what OEFFA’s priorities should be. I was able to attend one in Yellow Springs and Wooster and shared how the Farm Bill as helped Mile Creek Farm in the past. From building soil health with cover crop funding, to supporting human health with farmers market incentives like Produce Perks and Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, we have been able to utilize resources allocated to farms like ours.  

One year we were able to be reimbursed the cost of our crop crop seed. This program, within the conservation realm of the Farm Bill, helps build soil health as cover cropping is one of the most beneficial practice a farmer can do
The Farm Bill has supported regional food systems with grants available to build hoophouses which can lengthen the growing season and therefore strengthen and grow local food availability

After both virtual and in person town halls represented by a diverse group of stakeholders, OEFFA’s policy team then shaped it’s platform which you can find here: https://action.oeffa.com/farm-bill/#platform It includes Increasing Investments in Local and Regional Food Systems, Addressing Consolidation in the Food and Agriculture System, and providing more support for BIPOC and beginning Farmers.
Next week I will write about the next phase of the Farm Bill work – boots on the ground advocacy work- and my time in Washington, DC this past March!

Recipes
Chicken Tomatillo Soup https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-tomatillo-soup/

Baba Ganoush (serve with pita bread and veggies like cucumbers and carrots) https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-baba-ganoush-recipe

Cucumber and Cream Cheese Pinwhells https://www.christinascucina.com/cucumber-and-cream-cheese-sandwich/

Coming Up Next Week (our best guess….) Sweet corn, yellow watermelon, zucchini, potatoes, beets, sweet Italian peppers, tomatoes, sweet onions, salad mix and more!