Posted 1/26/2016 10:54am by Stephanie Bartel.
Let's face it, farming is cool. Especially organic farming. That simple, albeit subjective, fact is perhaps one of the biggest reasons for the current successes of the local food movement. I’m no trend-setter—although for a brief period I did think that collecting clocks would make me cool—but I am proud to be among the organic farmers who are helping spread the move toward healthier foods and more sustainable growing practices.
As little as one generation ago, I don't think farming was as trendy as it is perceived to be now. You certainly couldn't find "I heart Kale" running socks to wear. Now you can buy them at Target and wear them to local races, like the Old Plank Farmers did last month! Thirty years ago, CSAs were virtually nonexistent. And becoming a farmer? That was anything but cool.
There are many more important reasons to join a CSA than simply because it is cool. But that sure is a powerful one. After all, isn't that why more than a few people tried smoking? I find it encouraging that now something truly positive—growing and eating healthy food—can spread in our society in the same way that smoking once did, but with a vastly more positive outcome. We live in an era where there is potential that eating one's vegetables is cooler than smoking. That's pretty amazing. That's one step toward regenerating our society's health. That’s how we can turn all our friends and neighbors into locavores!
Right now, joining a CSA is kinda cool. Let's make it really cool. Tell your friends to join our CSA. If they ask why, it's great to share facts and information about sustainability and the environment and why natural foods may be healthier than processed foods, and on and on. Or you could tell them Hey! The Old Plank CSA is pretty cool...just try it!
