Just another week

Everyday occurrences and everyday experiences provide the perfect opportunity to participate in an ever increasing everything sort of day. Case in point a recently concluded week full of activities and opportunities to see the swelling local foods movement in Nebraska. From "Supporting your Local Nebraska Brewery" to participating in a Lincoln Bioneers meeting and drip tape demonstration, it was an all encompassing journey.

Monday began like any other day, kind of slow and an extra pot of coffee. Soon however I was on my way to a farm tour. On this tour we visited a certified organic farm in south central Nebraska. A major focus on this farm was poultry and there was also organic blue corn. I believe the corn primarily went for popcorn, but I am not sure. It was a great opportunity to see first hand a working sustainable family farm in Nebraska. Later in the day was a Nebraska Food Coop- NFC board meeting held in the Linwood area. Now typically board meetings can be boring, or not the most exciting. However there is alot of cool things going on with NFC including a new truck and trailer as well as preparations for very cool advertising, as well as adventures at the Nebraska State Fair. Oh, and there was an awesome Nebraska foods potluck prior to and during the meeting!

Tuesday's adventure into the Nebraska local foods movement was at a recently created event called "Sustainabrew." This is held every Tuesday at the Buzzard Billy's in Lincoln, and the major tenet is the support of your Nebraska breweries. Nebraska has a cache of awesome breweries making awesome beers. Be sure to ask for them at your local dining establishment or hotspot!

Wednesday brought an absolute treasure in the form of the Havelock Farmer's Market, located in historic Havelock in Lincoln. The market is just the right size where you can converse with the farmers and vendors and gain an even greater grasp on the farms and business's that produce the awesome foods. On this day we picked up some potatoes from North Bend and some greens from the Denton area. We also tried Hollenbeck meats fajita beef which turned out quite nice in a stir fry with the greens!

Thursday was perhaps the most intense. The Community CROPS market is on Thursday at Pentzer Park on 27th & Holdrege in Lincoln. We volunteer there for the set-up until around 5:30 or so. It is always fun interacting with the farmers and the CROPS staff does a great job putting on the market. There is always some entertainment at the adjacent open-air shelter and even cooking demo's sometimes! After we were done there we attended the Lincoln Bioneers meeting which included another Nebraska local foods potluck and a really cool hands on demo of a drip-tape installation. We actually, as a group, installed the drip-tape and that was very cool!
After this we attended an awesome concert featuring the coolest bluegrass band I have ever heard, Triggertown. This was held at the Zoo Bar in downtown Lincoln. The music was phenomenal!! If you ever have the chance to hear them, do not pass it up.

Saturday we attended a very neat Solstice Barn party hosted by an area family who are arduent supporters of local foods in Nebraska and specifically the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society and Slow Food Nebraska. We were entertained again by Triggertown as well as another really cool band and even some karoke. The weather was perfect and the food was awesome!



All in all it was a very exciting week and to see and be a part of the local foods movement in Nebraska is a ton of fun. One thing that is also very exciting to see is the recognition of our awesome family farmers in Nebraska. It seems that this is lost sometimes in the understanding of where our food comes from and how it is produces. Instead the focus is on the middle man and trying to get the cheapest possible product with the greatest possible return. Local foods is about understanding and appreciating farmer to consumer connection and vice versa. We are eager to join the ranks of Nebraska family farmers and appear to be closer and closer everyday.

Supporting local foods in Nebraska, my favorite thing to do!

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. The start of the farmer’s markets combined with the planting of seeds allows for our imagination and creativity to grow. In our own garden, we are trying several heirloom varieties of onions, tomatoes, and corn, just to name a few. We are looking forward to the day that our backyard urban garden will become our own family farm, but for this year, our little garden gives us a small 'taste'.

During a recent event promoting Lincoln Farmer’s Markets, I put together a “Nebraska Foods basket” and everyone loved it. The basket included several local cheeses, my favorite local bread in Lincoln, a local honey, and a few local jams and jellies. Everything went over great! This event was held at the KFOR and KIBZ radio stations in Lincoln, and later in the summer I will held back with some more seasonal produce with a goal of promoting local farmers and the foods they produce!

I believe Nebraska is fortunate to not only have great family farms producing awesome local foods, but also organizations to support them. NSAS recently partnered with Slow Food Nebraska for a NET Radio Challenge. Our tag line was “Slow Food Nebraska, and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society proudly support Nebraska Family Farmers and local foods!!” You can read more about Slow Food Nebraska in this issue of the NSAS Newsletter, or by visiting their new website: www.slowfoodnebraska.org

Another partner has been Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska, BFBLN. At the recent Lincoln Earth Day NSAS and BFBLN partnered to create a virtual Nebraska Foods exhibit promoting and recognizing our state's great family farmers and the wonderful products they produce. This partnership will also be at the Nebraska State Fair, so be sure to stop by and visit! For more information about Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska please visit, www.buylocalnebraska.org

Another way to support local foods in Nebraska is to frequent the farmer’s markets throughout the state. We have a list at the end of the newsletter with times and information about the various markets throughout the state and are currently trying to network with even more. There is also up-to-date information on the internet with the latest happenings at markets and you can find this information the NSAS facebook page.

"My Family Farm Idea"

Growing up on a small farm near Plain City, Ohio, I always envisioned myself attending the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, earning a degree and returning back to our family farm. However I openly questioned that as I saw more and more farms going under and the decline in the health of our family’s own farm. During my freshman year of college several things occurred that led me to believe that Nebraska was where I wanted to carry on my family farm idea. The most important was meeting my wife Crystal. Our shared values of stewardship and collaboration of the land and the family farm has lead to an immensely rewarding relationship and that will continue to be the strength and foundation for our farm.

The second was the landscape and the geology of the state of Nebraska. Both the land and the people lend themselves to a culture of progress, of stewardship and of unwavering val-ues. I was not altogether unfamiliar with Nebraska. My father was born and raised in Silver Creek, and I still have quite a bit of family here. I see these same values in my family as I see in Nebraska and I believe that it is a great resource to grow as stewards of the land and of our farms.

I firmly believe in the mission of NSAS, which states: NSAS promotes agriculture and food systems that build healthy land, people, communities and quality of life, for present and future generations. Growing up I was very active in FFA. One event I did was the Creed Speaking Contest, in which freshman recite the FFA Creed. The opening line of the creed is “I believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of words, but of deeds.” This has always stuck with me and I believe it is essential for the future of NSAS. Farm Tours, Farmer to Consumer connections, conferences, annual meetings, farmer’s markets, and youth camps are all ways to further this mission.



We must continue to foster and facilitate the growth of sustainable agriculture and increase the viability of the family farm in order to ensure this way of life and I believe NSAS can be a leader in this movement, both in Nebraska and the Midwest but also nationwide!
Thank you and I look forward to meeting everyone! I am completely accessible, so feel free to call or send me an email. And if you are in the Lincoln area stop by!

Support NSAS on the Web. There are several ways you can support NSAS through the World Wide Web
• Facebook, The Social Media movement collides with the NSAS movement!
• Goodsearch; Use this toolbar to do your internet research and support NSAS at the same time!
• The unofficial blog for NSAS!
• Twitter: The Revoltuion continues!

The Benefit of a Silver Creek

The following are the accounts from one family member in attendance at the Kevin and Mary Robb Family Benefit held March 21st in Silver Creek, Nebraska.

I wanted to send out a quick email about the events from Saturday evening. To start off with it was an amazing sight and event to attend. I do not believe I would be exaggerating if I said over 2,000 people attended. Do the Math and that is all of Genoa, Monroe, Duncan and Silver Creek (roughly) (not sure about those towns ask Dad). Crystal and I walked down at around 5:00pm with the food to be served at 6pm. There was already about 30 people there. The place quickly filled up and soon the food was served. We quickly got in line and got some food. And a good thing to the line was about 200 people deep for the first 2 hours. People just kept coming in. I am sure we broke several fire codes, but hey they kept saying that we were not going to run out of beer! The power of this rural community was very evident. Overhearing some remarks a few things stood out. The surrounding communities saw a family in need and a family in crisis and rallied to support them. This is the benefit of a Silver Creek, NE. Community support and unselfish ethic. They had an auction, both a live and a silent one. The hot ticket items were all Nebraska items. We were after all in the heart of Cornhusker country where guys named Bo and Tom and Bob are revered and needless to say those items went for well over $800.00. Another interesting tidbit, just to show you how much items were going for. Afterwards at my Grandpa's house we estimated the total brought in to be around $35,000 to $40,000 which might seem like alot if one did not know how much cancer treatment cost, so it was a meager amount to offset the cost. But dollars had little to do with the event. A family in need and a community benefit to lift them up did!

The benefit of a Silver Creek, NE. Another great advantage of rural communities in Nebraska. The power, the values, and the selflessness displayed all lend to an ideal of character no book can define. These communities are tied to the land and hence tied to the people. As a farmer is tied to his or her land so to is a rural community like Silver Creek tied to their people and to their farmers. This attitude is most recognizable when a family such as the Robb Family is in need. In need of support, in need of salvation, and in need if being picked up, time and time again! It is with this thought that I am proud to have participated and attended the event!




This picture was taken several years ago.
From left to right standing: Grandpa Powers, Brandon Robb, Uncle Kevin Robb, Katie Robb (in front of Kevin), William Powers (holding the cake), Aunt Lorna, Uncle Bob, Aunt Mary Robb, Aunt Francis
Sitting: Sam Robb and Crystal Powers


Up date: Kevin and Mary Robb are the Aunt and Uncle of William Powers. Kevin was recently diagnosed with cancer while Mary has been battling breast cancer for a while.

Feeding Omaha: Getting Organized Around Good Food

Feeding Omaha: Getting Organized Around Good Food

February 24th, 2009 By William Powers

Omaha is a quintessential Midwestern metropolis. It is a bustling city nestled among a sprawling rural landscape. However, if you look you will find something changing and growing. It is the local food movement!

Early in 2005, Michael Braunstein had an itch. He wanted to provide West Omaha access to healthy, safe and humanely-raised local food. He made contact with several area farmers, and soon West Omaha had its own market at the Village Pointe Shopping Center. But would it be successful? Would people literally “buy” into this local food scene for the benefits of health and stewardship?

The Village Pointe Farmer’s Market was established to elevate community awareness of the importance of sustainable, local, family-owned farms, the wholesome food that comes from them, and its importance to our social, environmental and personal health. You won’t find any arts and crafts, and the vendors, while not required to be organic, are encouraged to practice natural, chemical-free, non-GMO and sustainable agriculture.

On opening day in 2006, farmers displayed their fresh produce and all-natural meats. With an estimated 35,000 vehicles entering the Village Pointe Shopping area on Saturdays, the customers soon would be there. Slowly and purposefully, shoppers trickled in to see what was happening. For one young mother, that purpose was to “buy healthful foods and to meet the farmers.” Another remarked, “Now I don’t have to drive so far to get awesome food! Locally grown foods are fresher, more nutritious—and you learn about the food from the person who grows it. When you shop at a real Farmers Market, you are getting the best food you can for your table.”

Braunstein believes that the food chain starts with sustainable, family-owned farms and that leads to healthy people and a healthy planet. He is a backyard gardener and is proud that, for many meals on his table, he can name the farmer that provided each item on the plate.

One of the vendors, Beulahland Farm, is a small family farm located near the town of Lyons, Nebraska. A major component of the farm is the Certified Naturally Grown process. An alternative to the USDA Certified Organic Program, it is only open to family farmers who market and sell their products to local areas. Certified Naturally Grown is recognized nationally and internationally by environmental groups, health organizations, and agricultural groups.

Victor Novak is the owner of Beulahland Farms. The farm produces a variety of fruits and vegetables and Novak is proud of the eco-friendly, diversified, sustainable agriculture on the farm. The livestock are on his farm are raised using no medicated feeds, antibiotics or growth hormones. Novak is also contented that his land is farmed with family labor.

Beulahland Farm sells their products to the Nebraska Food Coop, Wild Oats Market and Village Pointe Farmers Market. Through the years, they have seen the demand for locally and sustainably produced foods grow in Omaha. “Access and demand have contributed to the movement, and it is gratifying to see the movement grow and expand,” said Novak.

Brian O’Malley is a chef-instructor at the Institute for the Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College. As President of the Heartland Chapter of the American Culinary Federation, Coach of the Junior Culinary Competition Team, Board Member of the Nebraska Food Cooperative and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society (NSAS), father of two, and muse extraordinaire for the Institute for the Culinary Arts’s student bistro, called Sage, O’Malley spreads his passion for local and sustainable cuisine liberally throughout the Omaha community.

I first met Chef O’Malley at the annual Healthy Farms conference, held February 2008 at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha. He was frantically setting up the meals for the conference while also conducting several breakout sessions on food and specifically on making cheese. I found it utterly amazing that, in the middle of all this, a food delivery from a farmer showed up and Chef O’Malley stopped everything to chat with him for over 10 minutes. I asked him about it later, and he simply said, “He is my farmer and he cares passionately about his product.” When asked why he prefers local sustainable foods over processed, O’Malley simply says, “It is just better: better quality a better product and better for your health.”

The Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society was founded more than 30 years ago by a group of organic farmers who recognized the need to foster and facilitate growth in both sustainable and organic agriculture. NSAS is active in collaborative projects that support rural communities and the environment. These projects offer mentoring opportunities for beginning and experienced farmers, and opportunities for on-farm research, demonstration and education. NSAS offers opportunities for non-farmers to participate in a food system and network with sustainable Nebraska farmers as well as attend workshops and link with all our projects. It is through NSAS that these three stories intersect.

Michael Braunstein approached NSAS to gather information, research potential farmers and network with current markets and businesses interested in growing the local foods movement in Omaha. One of the first farmers to commit to the Village Pointe Farmers Market was Victor Novak, who also is a member of the Board of Directors for NSAS. Chef O’Malley has seen the quality of the food he prepares increase as a direct result of buying locally sustained products from farmers such as Novak. All three are active participants in a swelling food movement in the heartland of the United States. They have seen the demand and the opportunities increase as more and more residents of Omaha are recognizing the difference and the choice they have in selecting the very best food Nebraska has to offer. They have realized that food comes from sustainable family farms.

It is the result of these collaborative efforts that are enabling the local foods movement in Omaha to gain a foothold. The intersection of the consumer, the chef and, most importantly, the producer is vital. NSAS has played a pivotal role in bridging this gap through programs such as Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska, Slow Food Nebraska, the Nebraska Food Coop, and the Nebraska Local Foods Network.

Photo: farmer Victor Novak

William Powers is the executive director of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society. NSAS promotes agriculture and food systems that build healthy land, people, communities and quality of life for present and future generations. He and his wife hope to create their own diverse family farm based on the native prairie ecosystem, which will incorporate native and heritage species including Guernsey Dairy Cows.

(Originally posted for Civil Eats at http://civileats.com/2009/02/24/feeding-omaha-getting-organized-around-good-food/ )

LB593

"A watered-down version of Nebraska's strict corporate farming ban that was struck down by the courts in 2006 is being considered by lawmakers. A public hearing on the bill (LB593) from Sen. Cap Dierks of Ewing was held before a legislative committee Tuesday.

To comply with the court decision, the measure wouldn't keep out-of-state individuals or family corporations off Nebraska farmland. Only nonfamily corporations would be blocked. But up to five unrelated people would be able to have a limited liability farming venture in the state. All of those involved in such a venture would have to be involved in the day-to-day operations, including manual labor.

A similar measure fell flat in the Legislature last year."

This was the article posted on KolnKgin's website this evening. Take what you want from it. I was at the hearing today and I can tell you this much, the proponents of the bill outnumbered the opponents of the bill 3 to 1. I can also tell you from sitting between two opponents, that the corporations do not think to much of this bill or its chances for success.

The hearing began with a passionate plea from Chuck Hassebrook about the values and the merits of the family farming culture in Nebraska and the affects these Mega-corporations have had in the sustaining of these farms. Benjamin Gotschall also spoke on behalf of the bill discussing landownership as well as the limited opportunities for new farmers, young farmers and beginning farmers againest these corporations. One of the senators tried to corner Ben with talks of "Getting Out," or basically the idea that Ben would eventually become a landowner, build his operation and sell it for a maximum profit.

Ridiculous! This completely misses the entire point of the family farm movement. It is about succession, about building a quality way of life for current and future generations. Not for some immediate profit that is tangible and limited. A family farm is the basis of life in Nebraska and will continue to be as long as advocates such as Hassebrook and Gotschall stand up for what it right, but they must not do it alone! Anyone who cares about Nebraska and "The Good Life", or who cares about the food they eat and the health of their children and their childrens children, and for the environment and for the land must join in the cause. Contact your Nebraska State Senator, contact your local governments, get involved join movements on Facebook or NSAS. This is immediate and it is dire!

Nebraska State Legislature

http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/

Farming Between Your Ears!

Simple in form and complicated in application it really is amazing the power of the mind and of thought. Farming seems to have lost this idea. In the world where bigger means better, farming has tried to keep pace.

At the recent Organic Symposium held at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln several thoughts rang true. None was truer than the idea put forth by Dave Welsch. Welsch is an organic and livestock farmer in Nebraska. I have known him for only a short time, but his idea of "Farming Between Your Ears" was quite profound. Who would have thought that putting, well more thought, into your farming would make more sense, produce better yeilds, and provide more profit. It really is quite a simple idea. Thinking about the affect you have on your environment, and how that affect trickles down.

On two separate occasions I have heard Dave give the same reasons for his switch from a "conventional" operation to an organic farm. That reason again is simple and requires this idea of "Farming Between Your Ears." He simply wanted his children to be able to come visit him in the fields, to be able to wash his children's clothes with his own and to not have to worry about chemical residues. All of the other benefits of an organic and sustainable farm come with being a knowledgeable and smart farmer as well as caring about the land and being a good steward.

Another thought that was quite profound was put forth by the moderator, Dr. Chuck Francis. It was the idea of teaching these sustainable and organic methods to farmers across cultures and physical boundaries. A major tenet of agriculture today is the idea that we, American Farmers, must feed the world. I have no doubt that America has a wealth of resources in our farmers and in our farming communities. However Francis posed the idea of should we feed the world. My opinion is that he believes we should provide resources, opportunities and education for the world to develop and implement sustainable and organic opportunities that will increase their capacity to feed themselves while building and ensuring local infrastructure to keep it growing. It also seems to me that this would build upon the idea of sustainability within these communities and ensure long-term success.

The symposium was great! Most of those in attendance were college students who seemed to be unfamiliar with organic farming. Dave was quite popular and did a great job of discussing his operation and how and why he switched to organic. There are numerous benefits to attending these seminars and sessions. To me personally it is supporting a smarter and more sustainable way of farming to ensure the vitality of our family farms for future generations! I believe the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society is quite fortunate to have members such as Dr. Francis and Dave Welsch, they are an invaluable resource!!