2010-08-02

Back to basics: farming

Farming surges in state with new crop of devotees
From 2002 to 2007, the number of farms in Massachusetts jumped by about 27 percent to 7,691, according to the US Department of Agriculture census. That’s a reversal from the previous five years, when there was a 20 percent drop in the number of farms and, presumably, farmers, many of whom sold land to developers.

But the start-up farms are smaller than the family enterprises of the past. The average farm in Massachusetts, 85 acres in 2002, was 67 acres five years later.

The next census won’t be until 2012, but Scott Soares, Massachusetts Commissioner of Agriculture, said his department can see the growth continuing. “We keep seeing an increased demand for’’ training, he said.

The state ran a record six farming courses this year, serving 120 students in total. “Last year, we broke the record for attendance,’’ said Rick Chandler, director of the training program, “and this year, we broke the record again.’’

The new, smaller farms capitalize on demand created by environmentalists and “locavores,’’ people who favor locally grown food, as well as the creation of new outlets for local produce. Small farmers can sell their modest harvests to community-supported agriculture programs, farmers markets, and restaurants that value fresh ingredients from nearby farms.
Turning inward, local economy, back to nature, back to basics, simple over complex. Social mood in decline.

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