As my wife said on her Facebook Page yesterday, "I went into the project as an Optimist. I'm coming out as an Activist."
This probably isn't the blog post that you would expect after the failed KickStarter campaign, but keep reading. It's in here.
This probably isn't the blog post that you would expect after the failed KickStarter campaign, but keep reading. It's in here.
We need to come together, to support each other, and most importantly, to take back control over our FOOD! Sounds like crazy-talk, but watch the trailer to the right for the movie Farmageddon and you'll get a taste for what's happening around the country. Another good one is Food Inc. |
We don't like taking political stances, but we're learning that we have to, because you better believe that others (corporations with vested interests) certainly are - AND IT'S AFFECTING YOUR RIGHTS AND FREEDOM!
There are many pointing out the Problems, but few who are actually giving any of us real Solutions.
The BEST solution is to be educated; perhaps the next best is to BUY LOCAL. Buying Local is a way to vote with your hard-earned dollars. Every time we spend at the Big Box stores, trying to save a buck, we are actually SELLING OUR FREEDOM right out from under us; feeding some corporation in China or elsewhere; and taking food off the table for our own kids!
Is it more expensive to Buy Local? Sometimes, but often not. Besides, the quality of goods purchased locally is often far superior to that produced by other countries. And the more we start demanding local and "US Made", the greater the supply will become to compensate for the demand, which means the prices will come back down!
As for the quality of foods, what is GMO and why does it affect you? In a nutshell, Genetically Modified Foods are grown so that the seed can withstand harmful weed sprays. However, it also renders the seed sterile, so that the seed cannot be saved. At the base level, the seed companies are creating their own demand. If you can't save seed from one year to the next, because it is not viable, then you have to go back to buy more seed the next year. You got it: It's all about the money!
What's more is that most of these seed companies, also are the companies that are producing the drugs to get you better! So, they produce food to make you sick; then the drugs to make you better. Conflict of interest? Yep! (And, don't take this from me - research it yourself.)
What's the big deal with raw milk? First, it's not the health risk the government makes it out to be. People have been drinking raw milk for thousands of years. It's actually the industrialization of the milking process that has created the problem. So, over the past 70 years or so, rather than fix the problem, the Commercial Dairy Industry has spent billions on lobbying to HIDE the problems, and to make the sale and consumption of raw milk Illegal. They've effectively cornered the market.
GMOs and Raw Milk are just two of the food issues at stake.
The real issue is that your freedom to choose has been taken away by the over-regulation of Governments.
Therefore, vote with your dollars, not just at the polls. How/What's that mean? It means shop local. It means support local farmers. Support local businesses. Support your neighbors! If we support each other, then we support ourselves too. Support YOUR freedom for which our fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters have valiantly fought!
As for the Mount Jackson Farmers Market, our first outdoor market will be Saturday, April 14th! We are committed to making this happen, however possible. The KickStarter drive was a great encouragement, even if we didn't meet the goal! We are committed to getting back on the horse, so to speak, and have a lot of great stuff in store for the upcoming outdoor season.
(A fun side note: for years, I - Gerald - have been fascinated by bull riding, and I'm not talking about the mechanical kind at the County Fair or some beer joint. One day an engineer came into the architect's firm where I worked, and I recognized his name. His son, in fact is a professional bull-rider from Martinsburg, WV. A few months later, I found myself on the back of a live bull - for the longest 4.5 seconds of my life! Loved it. My only regret was that each "ride" cost quite a bit, so after being thrown off, I didn't really have the opportunity to do it twice. What I learned is that it's not so much about riding, or getting thrown off - it's about getting out of the way before you get stomped on! Would I do it again? Absolutely! Moral of the story as it relates to the development of the farmers' market: Always get back on. Set backs are merely setups for comebacks, right?)
We've paid our Special Use permit fee for the outdoor market, and have sent a letter to the Town requesting an extension of time to complete the hard-surfaced parking lot, curb, gutters and sidewalk. (Will keep you posted.) We are lining up vendors for the outdoor market, and are finding a way to open a smaller version of the "bigger vision" as soon as possible. At the very minimum, to satisfy the county building requirements, we need to build a handicap ramp, and enlarge the existing bathroom - both easily achievable.
In the meantime, we are working to have the large concrete pad in the parking lot removed. This will provide much needed additional parking spaces, and clean up the site nicely. We also hope to begin some of the landscaping requirements.
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, if you haven't already. We will be publishing a lot of the happenings at the market, including specials and coupons. The sign up box is in the lower right hand corner of the home page.
There are many pointing out the Problems, but few who are actually giving any of us real Solutions.
The BEST solution is to be educated; perhaps the next best is to BUY LOCAL. Buying Local is a way to vote with your hard-earned dollars. Every time we spend at the Big Box stores, trying to save a buck, we are actually SELLING OUR FREEDOM right out from under us; feeding some corporation in China or elsewhere; and taking food off the table for our own kids!
Is it more expensive to Buy Local? Sometimes, but often not. Besides, the quality of goods purchased locally is often far superior to that produced by other countries. And the more we start demanding local and "US Made", the greater the supply will become to compensate for the demand, which means the prices will come back down!
As for the quality of foods, what is GMO and why does it affect you? In a nutshell, Genetically Modified Foods are grown so that the seed can withstand harmful weed sprays. However, it also renders the seed sterile, so that the seed cannot be saved. At the base level, the seed companies are creating their own demand. If you can't save seed from one year to the next, because it is not viable, then you have to go back to buy more seed the next year. You got it: It's all about the money!
What's more is that most of these seed companies, also are the companies that are producing the drugs to get you better! So, they produce food to make you sick; then the drugs to make you better. Conflict of interest? Yep! (And, don't take this from me - research it yourself.)
What's the big deal with raw milk? First, it's not the health risk the government makes it out to be. People have been drinking raw milk for thousands of years. It's actually the industrialization of the milking process that has created the problem. So, over the past 70 years or so, rather than fix the problem, the Commercial Dairy Industry has spent billions on lobbying to HIDE the problems, and to make the sale and consumption of raw milk Illegal. They've effectively cornered the market.
GMOs and Raw Milk are just two of the food issues at stake.
The real issue is that your freedom to choose has been taken away by the over-regulation of Governments.
Therefore, vote with your dollars, not just at the polls. How/What's that mean? It means shop local. It means support local farmers. Support local businesses. Support your neighbors! If we support each other, then we support ourselves too. Support YOUR freedom for which our fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters have valiantly fought!
As for the Mount Jackson Farmers Market, our first outdoor market will be Saturday, April 14th! We are committed to making this happen, however possible. The KickStarter drive was a great encouragement, even if we didn't meet the goal! We are committed to getting back on the horse, so to speak, and have a lot of great stuff in store for the upcoming outdoor season.
(A fun side note: for years, I - Gerald - have been fascinated by bull riding, and I'm not talking about the mechanical kind at the County Fair or some beer joint. One day an engineer came into the architect's firm where I worked, and I recognized his name. His son, in fact is a professional bull-rider from Martinsburg, WV. A few months later, I found myself on the back of a live bull - for the longest 4.5 seconds of my life! Loved it. My only regret was that each "ride" cost quite a bit, so after being thrown off, I didn't really have the opportunity to do it twice. What I learned is that it's not so much about riding, or getting thrown off - it's about getting out of the way before you get stomped on! Would I do it again? Absolutely! Moral of the story as it relates to the development of the farmers' market: Always get back on. Set backs are merely setups for comebacks, right?)
We've paid our Special Use permit fee for the outdoor market, and have sent a letter to the Town requesting an extension of time to complete the hard-surfaced parking lot, curb, gutters and sidewalk. (Will keep you posted.) We are lining up vendors for the outdoor market, and are finding a way to open a smaller version of the "bigger vision" as soon as possible. At the very minimum, to satisfy the county building requirements, we need to build a handicap ramp, and enlarge the existing bathroom - both easily achievable.
In the meantime, we are working to have the large concrete pad in the parking lot removed. This will provide much needed additional parking spaces, and clean up the site nicely. We also hope to begin some of the landscaping requirements.
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, if you haven't already. We will be publishing a lot of the happenings at the market, including specials and coupons. The sign up box is in the lower right hand corner of the home page.
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