Sow the Seeds: Local Longer

By Barth Anderson

Imagine serving ripe, local tomatoes at Thanksgiving dinner. How about eating fresh raspberries and blackberries from Minnesota while an October frost hits?

The Sow the Seeds Fund, created by the Institute for Agriculture and the Wedge Co-op, wants to make these dreams a reality by helping farmers create a longer growing season for themselves, and in the process, create a more sustainable food system in the Upper Midwest.

In 2007, Sow the Seeds (STS) rallied a unique coalition of groceries, restaurants, churches and non-profit groups to help flood-hit farmers, funneling nearly $400,000 to impacted farms (the Wedge Co-op and its members and shoppers gave nearly $30,000 to STS last year).

For 2008, STS is setting its sights on a long-range campaign that will make the local season longer for farmers and shoppers who love local food. We hope Wedge members will take up the challenge with us.

STS wants to continue campaigning for sustainable farmers, but this year, we'll stay one step ahead of the disasters. By helping farmers develop strategies to grow local longer, our hope is that their businesses will become more sustainable and better compete with California and Florida growers that have such long growing seasons.

Extending the local season might sound far-fetched, but it's closer to a reality than you may think. Farmers in northern Minnesota are growing local longer right now, using season extension methods, like hoop houses, to make their businesses more lucrative and sustainable. Organic farmers like Chris Blanchard of Rock Spring Organic Farm in northern Iowa have been using season extension methods to great effect.

"With light weight hoop houses, we've been able to produce greens out of season and harvest tomatoes earlier," Blanchard says. "But the really nice thing about hoop houses is that we get higher quality produce, and we get more yield for our effort."

Furthermore, hoop houses help farmers better withstand the highs and lows that naturally come with farming.

"This year [2008], we planted in the greenhouse a month earlier than we were able to till in the field, due to the rain and cold," Blanchard says. "Hoop houses are a great way for us to get a little control over the weather."

STS's dream is to gather the same coalition that we rallied for Flood Relief - and to invite more partners, too. Through the use of hoop houses and other season extension strategies, farmers have the opportunity to bring in more dollars through the farm gate. And, for shoppers, season extension might even mean local strawberries on Mother's Day...

Join us in 2008 for Sow the Seeds: Local Longer.