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Other
News of Interest
Managing Breeds for a Secure Future
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC)
is delighted to announce the publication of its new book, "Managing
Breeds for a Secure Future", in time for the holiday season.
Written by
livestock conservation leaders D. Phillip Sponenberg and
Donald E. Bixby, "Managing Breeds for a Secure Future" addresses
the many challenges of maintaining genetic diversity within
species and breeds of domesticated livestock and poultry. It is
both a theoretical exposition and a user's guide. It examines
conservation issues and practical approaches for developing
successful strategies for securing both standardized breeds
and landraces. The book is rich with examples that demonstrate
the practical application of the theory and that enable breed
stewards to apply the principles to their own herds and flocks.
May be ordered directly from the ALBC office: ALBC, PO Box 477, Pittsboro,
NC 27312, phone (919) 542-5704, or email albc@albc-usa.org;
or from their web page page: www.albc-usa.org.
In late 2007, Chelsea Green Publishing released the new,
expanded edition of Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community
Supported Agriculture.
This book, by Elizabeth Henderson and the late Robyn Van En, founder
of the country's first CSA, is an essential tool for creating vibrantly
functional community-based food systems. The authors explore different
models for CSAs, the hows and whys, the promise and pitfalls, drawing
not only on their experience, but that of farmers all over the country.
For more information contact:
Michael Weaver
Chelsea Green Publishing
802/299-2422
802/299-2423 fax
877/696-5391 toll-free
mweaver@chelseagreen.com
www.chelseagreen.com
Executive Director Archer Christian
Steps Down at End of 2007
By Mark
Schonbeck
After 15 years of service to Southern
SAWG, Archer H. Christian is resigning as Southern SAWG
Executive Director to pursue new opportunities. We
are all so grateful to Archer for her deep commitment and
dedicated work over the years to help Southern SAWG grow from
a regional network into the vibrant organization it is today.
Archer
began her work with Southern SAWG in 1992, when she began serving
on the Steering Committee, representing Virginia. In 1999,
she
became Policy Coordinator, and in 2002 took on the additional duties
of Funding Development Coordinator. In this capacity, she
played
a leading role in securing grant funds for the three-year training
and technical assistance project that launched our Community Food
Systems (CFS) work; for our eight popular Natural Farming Systems in
the South videos; and for our soon-to-be-released comprehensive
>CD-ROM
on organic vegetable production. She also served as
Co-Project Coordinator
during our first video production project in 2003-04.
When
funds for the Policy Coordinator position temporarily ran out, Archer
continued to serve as a volunteer on the Policy Committee, and took
on additional administrative duties in 2003. She became
Southern SAWG's Interim Coordinator in fall of 2005, and was
hired as Executive Director, starting on March 1, 2006.
"I
feel proud of the gains we have made as a team," Archer said in a
recent
statement. "We have doubled our budget in the past two years,
expanded
the CFS program to national recognition, built a comprehensive
tool box of resources and educational opportunities for farmers,
and enhanced our partnerships across the region and
nationally.
In addition, I am proud of the organization's culture of respect
and collaboration, and feel confident of its future as a growing
force for positive change in our food and agriculture system. I
am honored to have been part of this exceptional organization, and I
leave
with many good friendships and strong memories of our work together."
Archer
is leaving Southern SAWG so that she can concentrate her professional
work in sustainable agriculture closer to her current home in
southeast Michigan. She is actively assisting Southern SAWG
in
the search for a new Executive Director and in making the transition
to new leadership.
New Article to Help Organic Farmers Understand Laws Prohibiting Use of Genetically Modified Organisms
ST. PAUL, MINN. - Most organic farmers are aware
that they may not plant genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or seeds
developed through genetic engineering, if they wish to market their
crops as organic. Yet they may have questions about their legal rights
and responsibilities with respect to the unintended presence of GMOs.
Organic farmers and farmers transitioning to organic production need
information about the regulations governing organic
certification. To try to meet the need for legal information,
Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) has written a new article, If Your Farm Is Organic, Must It Be GMO Free? Organic Farmers, Genetically Modified Organisms, and the Law.
Farmers may download a free copy of the 40-page article by visiting FLAG's website, www.flaginc.org. Printed copies can be obtained by calling FLAG's office at 651-223-5400. Contact person is Jill Krueger @ 651-223-5400 or jkrueger@flaginc.org.
Spanish to English Glossary of Sustainable Ag Terms
The book is divided into three sections, all Spanish to English
and English to Spanish including a long list of crop plants specific to
market gardening and those cultivated for fruit, nuts, and
timber. The other sections have words grouped by theme such as
Construction and Trades, Soils and Water, and Ecology and Landforms.
For more information about the book check out http://www.understory.org/fieldglossary.
Brokenfoot Ranch seeks farm partners/investors
Seeking farm partners/investors for Brokenfoot Ranch, an organic farm
in Carroll County, Georgia. Farm has 66 total acres, mostly mixed
forest with about 10 or 12 open for cultivation. Bottom land fields,
year-round creek, deep well with submersible solar pump, ridgetop
field with county water connection. Beautiful owner-designed and built
passive solar house with high-efficiency woodstove, greywater system
and Phoenix composting toilet. Rainwater cachement system almost completed.
Large shed. New John Deere tractor with several implements plus many
other tools. I am looking for compatible folks seriously interested
in forming a small sustainable organic agrarian community here, to
enjoy and develop the land's ecological and agricultural potential
and the companionship of working together. This would be an excellent
opportunity for those who have at least some experience in organic
agriculture (vegetables, fruit, small livestock, etc.) and/or technical
skills such as building construction and alternative energy technology.
Farm is located close enough to towns that additional job opportunities
would be available to round out the financial picture for folks not
able to work on the farm full time. The Cotton Mill Farmers' Market
and other entities buying organic produce operate in and/or near Carroll
County.
Those interested, please call Myra at 770-258-3344 or 404-895-7057, and/or via e-mail to verdolagas@toast.net. Thanks!
We
will gladly post news or research findings of interest to those
in the South working in the field of sustainable agriculture. Submit
news for consideration to info@ssawg.org
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