Back to School - Agriculture Economics 101

By -

Did you see the piece in the New York Times recently that warned: “Don’t let your children grow up to be farmers”?  
Bren Smith’s headline in the op-ed is a warning about what is happening in U.S. agriculture.  Taken from real life farming experience, the article explains why we might not want to encourage our children to become farmers...
Most farms operate at a loss, even in their best years. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the median income for farmers was negative $1,453. This year is looking even worse. The department estimates that in 2014, median farm income will drop to negative $2,534. Smith wrote that the recent increase in farmers markets has only pushed growers to cut back prices to stay competitive. The solution, he said, is for farmers to become part of the food movement—which has been missing their voice.   ~ Bren Smith, The New York Times, Aug 9, 2014
Hearing the farmers voice. That is one thing we ARE doing at The Produce Box.  We listen to what our farmers say they NEED.  When Kevin talks to farmers the conversation goes something like this: 
Farmer:  What will you pay me for my crop? 
Kevin:  Well, what do you NEED to sell it for? 
Farmer: Really? You will pay me what I NEED rather than rock bottom?
Think about it this way, when was the last time your boss asked you “What is the least amount of money I can pay you to do your job?”  Or when was the last time you took the opportunity to ask your boss for a raise or were given one without asking?  How does a farmer ever get a raise?  
At The Produce Box, we like to think that what we pay is giving our farmers a raise!  We can do that THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS. You ordering your box each week makes a huge difference for our farmers. A farmer’s voice and a farmer’s needs are foremost in our minds. One of our core beliefs is how we can help famers keep farming, pay their bills and lose a little of the stress and worry along the way. Because, without our farmers, what will we eat?




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LOCAL LOVE February Giveaway!

By -
Image
Cold and snow, then rain and muggy... we're dreaming of summer already!  And those summer berries! Well dream no more!  As part of our February LOCAL LOVE giveaways, we have 3 jars of TPB BLUEBERRY JAM for 3 lucky TPB members! SImply leave a comment on this blog post with your best guess on HOW MANY varieties of blueberries can be grown in North Carolina... we'll pick 3 winners at 5 pm tomorrow to get our JAM in their next Produce Box!
Read more

The Produce Box vs. The Produce Aisle

By -
Image
If you’re trying to decide if a Produce Box membership is for you, you may be wondering, “Can’t I get this stuff at the grocery store? And is it cheaper there?” Well, the answer to both those questions would be sometimes. The grocery store doesn’t always have everything the farmers of North Carolina can offer.  And sometimes, you may not like the reasons WHY the grocery store is cheaper. Farmers make pennies per pound from the grocery stores, and they often have to wait 30-60 days (or MORE!) to get their payment. At The Produce Box, we pay every single one of our farmers when they deliver the food to us.  In addition to this, the produce at the grocery stores often comes from across the country (1500 miles on average!) or even other countries, and has traveled for days or weeks to get to you -- it's definitely not the most fresh choice or LOCAL by any means! Keep in mind, too, that by buying from us, you’re also supporting their effort to DO GOOD in our communit...
Read more

Recipe Redo - Chicken Enchiladas

By -
Image
Guest post from our friend (and member!) Kate at  Life of A Ginger This week my Produce Box delivery contained Cara Cara Red Flesh Navel Oranges (our favorite variety), Mixed-Organic Salad Greens,   Joyce Farms Naked Chicken  Breast Tenders, zucchini, yellow squash, vine ripe tomatoes, and avocados. Plus, two small bags of my all time FAVORITE chips, made right here in North Carolina,  Carolina Kettle Cozumel Jalapeno Queso Kettle Chips .  They are so good I have to lock them away from my husband and kids! (Want to join The Produce Box? Click here and then read on!) My family and I have been on a real health-kick the past few weeks (except for my small Carolina Kettle chip habit). I’ve been replacing a lot of carbs like pasta and rice for steamed or roasted vegetables. We have been eating a lot more vegetable-laden salads, and cutting out items like juice, sugary cereal, and desserts. But I’ve been avoiding cooking a family favorite, Te...
Read more