Relationship Farming

From the Heartland, Margot McMillen writes: We're really lucky in Missouri to have more farmers than any other state in the union--Texas. Texas is big, and has the most farms, but we're second. So that means I can buy almost anything I need from someone I know. ALMOST everything--coffee, chocolate, seafood and citrus fruits are out of reach for mid-Missourians--but if you live in a tropical place you can eat local for those things. And, for my neighborhood, the FFA brings a truck load of citrus every winter. But, hey, yesterday I was thinking about dairy, and here's a lucky thing. Even though all our commercial dairies are in gone, or in deep financial trouble, because they can't get a good price from industry to cover their costs, I have a few local dairy choices. These are folks who pasteurize and bottle their own milk, mostly from grass-fed cows, but I could also find raw milk, goat milk and maybe even sheep milk if I felt like we needed it. Now, about price. you've probably heard that if farmers get parity the price will go to $8 a gallon. I doubt it. I don't pay that much for my milk, but my milk comes straight from the farmers so I'm not paying all the corporate profit, CEO salaries, gasoline taxes and such. And did I mention that it comes in glass bottles, which I take back for re-use? Or that I'm supporting a local family? NO? Silly me! OK. More later!