gasp. it's communism, I tell you.

[cali]

A growing movement
(Interview with Tom Stearns of High Mowing Seeds, an organic seed production company)

Q. You are one of the leaders of the farming community around Hardwick, Vt., often cited as a model of sustainable agriculture. What lessons will you bring to the Farmer-to-Farmer conference?

A. One is collaboration. Many farmers collaborate by borrowing a piece of equipment here and there. But what sets our region apart is the depth of the way we collaborate. We buy equipment together, share employees, do major co-branding and co-marketing arrangements. We’ve been sustaining this for more than five years.

Q. Is that model replicable?

A. Yes, but not in cookie-cutter fashion. By their very nature local food systems and local economies are going to be different. What is replicable is the process: how we’ve addressed these issues, how we’ve identified the gaps. This is a very place-based thing we’re talking about. While the rest of the world is building Facebook communities, we’ve been building something that’s rooted to a place, and that is core to what we’re talking about.

<snip>

Q. It’s surprising that a New England farm community is considered a leader in the food revolution.

A. Not really. Agriculture in New England has always been harder than other places, which means there’s a history of being innovative and creative. You never innovate when it’s a cushy environment. There needs to be competition, stressers, hardship. The small size of New England’s farms is also a plus: We can take advantages of niches that bigger farms can’t. People say, “I can’t believe that this is happening in Hardwick.’’ But that’s exactly where it should be happening.

<snip>
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2010/12/01/advice_to_new_farmers_from_tom_stearns/

[OneGrassRoot]

1. And this model needn't be limited to food systems...

Below is a discussion about co-ops. We are way behind in this country. I've been researching all types of co-ops -- worker owned, member owned, professional, marketing co-ops -- for the last year. There are many options, even if the tax structure here makes it more complicated.

I'm trying to find an attorney knowledgeable about cooperative structures, as well as new legal entities being introduced, for guidance.

Here is a recent thread discussing this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=439&topic_id=16560

K&R

Thanks. :hi: