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First Aired - 08/12/2010 02:00PM
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This week on Greenhorn Radio Sev speaks to Cody Hopkins of Falling Sky Farm in Marshal Arkansas. Cody speaks on everything from the spark that inspired him (Joel Salatin and Michael Pollan) to his efforts to inspire others (leasing his own land to jump start interns who want to farm). Tune in for an in-depth conversation on what infrastructure is and isn't there for a small sustainable farmer. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of fine grass-fed and finished beef from the California coast.
Photo: Falling Sky Farm
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Falling Sky Farms & On-Sight Buying vs. Farmers Markets (17:41)
Tags:
Hearst Ranch, Island Meadow Farm, Falling Sky Farm, Marshal Arkansas, Cody Hopkins, pasture livestock farm, the origin of the name Falling Sky, Cody started with chickens, Chicken Little, sustainable farming can be a way to mitigate climate change and the use of non-renewable resources, Cody and Andrea Todt started in 2006, The Omnivore's Dillema, Joel Salatin, an economically challenged area of the Ozarks, per-capita income where Cody is is below 15,000 dollars, Cody wanted to make a living in a way that was envornmentaly responsable, Joel Salatin was the main impetus to see if they could farm and make it economically viable, started with 40 acres, broilers (meat chickens) then laying hens then beef then turkeys then ducks and pigs, plucking ducks is very frustrating!, the key is getting a good scald at 148 degrees, a rotary scalder, let the chickens run in the scalder for a minute, ducks run in the scalder twice then stay in the plucker longer then go into the scalder and plucker again!, central and northwest AK are the populated areas, farmers in less populated areas of AK have to team up, Cody has to market to central AK, when Cody started the local food movement was just starting in central AK, opportunities to construct the local food system, a lot of farmer's markets in AK didn't have meat, being in a nascent local food system comes with opportunities to offer products for the first time but people may not be accustomed to how you deliver it, Certified Arkansas Farmers Market Association, allowing only AK-grown products, people were bringing in tons of stuff from Florida and flooding the market, farmers discouraged by outside farmers in warmer climates formed their own market, Eric Wagoner, Locally Grown, LocallyGrown.net, Conway, an online farmer's market with centralized pickup, donating twenty percent of a membership fee to a local food pantry, over time customers meet their farmers and build relationships,Infastructure or Lack Thereof (7:52)
Tags:
the infastructure of Falling Sky Farms, Cody has to drive 2 hours to get the closest USDA facility, Cody can do chickens on the farm under the USDA exemption, the USDA exemption says a farmer can process up to 20,000 birds (sometimes rabbits) on site and distribute them only within state, the USDA exemption is state-specific but must be at least as stringent as federal guidelines, you are still subject to inspection, Cody would like to plant soybeans or corn or wheat in the future, the Ozarks plateau, netiher Cody nor Andrea have any business background, Cody has a degree in physics, Cody is wondering what size is appropriate for the farm to grow to, cash flow is often a problem, there is a baby on the way!, Southern Sustainable Agricultural Working Group, ATRA is a great resource online, Hiefer International,To comment on this episode click here. There are currently Comments
