Utopian 'Harvest Your Own' Groceries Coming Up

Heather Callaghan

Places like Wal-mart brag that they eliminate the middle man; but they haven't seen the likes of The Farmery.

What if your food was grown at your store - and it's not even picked yet until you come by to cut the plants. You're not a shopper, you're a harvester. Better yet, what if Farmeries come to urban neighborhoods - both high and low end?

Meet the Willy Wonka of agriculture...

 
Farmery Vimeo from Gary Breece on Vimeo.

Founder Ben Greene (for real?) wanted to "tighten the gap" more than any retailer and farmer with an all-in-one 'stop, shop and grow.' A greenhouse shop made from shipping containers where shoppers can talk to the people who grew and learn like they never have before. Be assured of the absolute highest quality and fresh factor available. The plants are grown with 50/50 aquaponics/hydroponics technology.

Failure of Monsanto Seed Leads to New Rootworm Insecticide Surge

Consultant, Dan Steiner

Heather Callaghan

Are farmers getting disillusioned?

In the Midwest states like Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, farmers are baffled by a resurgence of corn rootworm that Monsanto technology promised to protect against. A lot of new insight comes from independent farm consultant Dan Steiner whose phone rings off the hook after a storm where farmers face blown over crops because rootworm larvae have destroyed the root systems.

Let it be known that, for awhile, biotech crops did seem to rescue farmers around 2003. Bt corn delivered results with initially satisfactory yields, pest control, and limited chemical use. This has been shortlived, however, and has created more issues than the original problem of decreased crop yields - but still more money for Monsanto in the way of increased insecticide use.

New Round of Persecution Aimed At Heritage Pig Farmer

David Michael

More Suspense and Twists: Heritage Pig Farmer “Criminal” vs. State of Michigan DNR and Their Demand for $700,000 and Destruction of 70 Animals - State Increases Opposition

Citizens Want Sheriff to Protect Family of Ten While State DNR is Still Demanding $700,000 and Destruction of Pigs

650 donors this week totally $37,000 making it #1 most popular and fastest growing campaign on the leading Pledgie crowdfunder– from lots of bloggers and Facebookers.

Start with Part 1 for full story http://wp.me/pZzqp-1Vl

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Our investigative report posted last week focused on Mark and Jill Baker, owners of Baker’s Green Acres and their lawsuit against the state of Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). MDNR issued on Order under its Invasive Species Order (ISO) which forces small, heritage pig farmers to destroy their pigs because of the way they look—a little different than “approved types”. Pigs that have erect ears or floppy ears, straight tails or curly tails, and other attributes (such as being black) may be shot and killed on a farm and the carcasses burned on site. This resulted in a demand for $700,000 from Mark and his family of ten. The demand occurred after MDNR monitored and pursued Mark after speaking at a public hearing with state representatives at the capitol in Lansing.

Farmer Hershberger Attorneys Seek Full Vindication with Appeal

Heather Callaghan

All’s well that ends well, right? Perhaps it’s just not over yet. Were you in any way a part of the riveting saga of raw dairy farmer and private food club coordinator Vernon Hershberger? If you read anything about it you may have been amazed at the long battle the state of Wisconsin waged against him, threatening to put him in jail for three years, destroying his property, maligning his intentions, and obfuscating the facts to blind the jury responsible for vindicating him on three counts of licensing accusations, but guilty on the last count of breaking the holding order issued after a raid in June 2010. 

The jury was upset to find out more afterward; for instance, that the holding order was based on the licensing issues for which they acquitted Vernon. Any prosecutor documents they were allowed to see were heavily redacted. They befriended Vernon and some joined his food club which now has 100 new members, and petitioned Judge Guy Reynolds for lenient punishment. Towards the end, Hershberger still faced a maximum penalty of $10,000 dollars in fines and possible probation. The final punishment was around $1500 paid by a couple of supporters. All seemed well; closure, relief.

Mark Baker Asks Americans for Help

Brad Jordan

Michigan levies $700,000 in fines against a small farmer and veteran for raising healthy hogs

After serving his country for 20 years in the military and ten years as a farmer, Mark Baker is “at the end of his rope” and is asking Americans for help.

Baker’s Green Acres is an idyllic, bio-diverse, sustainable farm in Marion, Michigan. Baker, his wife and his six children raise pastured poultry, grass-fed beef, goats and dairy, and a heritage breed of hogs called Mangalitsa.

In December of 2011, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources informed Baker that his hogs were an “invasive species of wild boar” that needed to be exterminated in order to protect wildlife and other farms.

The agency said he had until April of 2012 to destroy all of his pigs or else it would destroy them for him. Baker refused and filed a lawsuit asking for relief.

State Demands $700,000 from Michigan Farm Family and the Destruction of 70 Farm Animals

David Michael

[Editor's note: Over $10,000 has been raised to help the Baker family fight the motion for all farmers nationwide, with $14,000 left to go. It is encouraged by the author to consider donating $17.76 to make a statement. More ways to help below.]

On this Independence Day we should be celebrating freedom and thankful for those who died, were injured and served in the military over the decades to keep the freedom we have. This is the thanks this 20-year military veteran has received from the Michigan state government and this is an example of those freedoms being lost.

Late last week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) demanded the payment of $700,000 from a small farm family of ten and the destruction of 70 of their pigs at Baker’s Green Acres, operated by Mark and Jill Baker and their eight children. This action followed Mark Baker’s comments during testimony opposing a new rule at a state congressional hearing where he identified himself as owner of three hogs deemed illegal (because of their looks). He understood the new rule, called an Invasive Species Order (ISO) to mean the state would threaten him with fines, criminal charges and a two-year prison term and an order to destroy his animals. Baker answered the ISO by filing a lawsuit against the state agency for the damages and their reckless behavior.

Hershberger Verdict In After Judge Orders Jury NOT to Vote With Conscience

Heather Callaghan

Into the wee hours of last night, after about 16 hours of deliberating, the Baraboo, Wisconsin court decided not to wait until Tuesday for a verdict.

Four criminal misdemeanor charges are aimed at Vernon Hershberger for providing fresh food to his community through a contractual agreement with members. Paraphrased by Derrick J Freeman the "crimes" include:

1. distributing milk from his “Grazin’ Acres” dairy farm without a milk producer’s license,
2. operating a retail food establishment without a state license,
3. operating a dairy plant without a state license, and
4. violating a “hold order” placed on his dairy products after the state raided his farm.

Prosecution (State) tried to drive home the twisted view that Vernon's family and barn was a "retail operation," instead of the membership agreement where the members (who are owners) thereof put in a lot of the hard work there, like a co-op. Also, there have never been complaints. The 2010 armed raid was initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).