New Era Farming

Small-scale hobby farming is a growing trend in the USA, particularly among the young. When environmental-news Web site Mother Nature Network published the article  “40 Farmers Under 40″, their website attracted close to 100,000 hits, one of its most popular features since the site’s launch.

It’s an inspiring read…

“40 Famers under 40″

They’re urban, they hold advanced degrees and they’re often female. They sprout up in not-so-bucolic places like Brooklyn, Oakland, Atlanta and Indianapolis, and they sometimes work as educators, eco-entrepreneurs, yogis, journalists, filmmakers, activists and doting parents on the side. They’re passionate and adventurous. And most notably, they’re focused on sustainability and community building.

Meet the new crop of American farmers — young and energetic idealists who are bringing local, sustainable food back to the table >>>

I loved the idea of Earth Dance Farms in St. Louis, Mo…

Celebrating Culture in Agriculture

“EarthDance is a unique social enterprise model, bringing the synergy of local activists, artists, business owners,  dancers, educators, event planners, farm apprentices, local residents, organization leaders, musicians, and youth together to create a fully sustaining community farm.

EarthDance is a community and culture catalyst – We envision farms that not only grow food and flowers, but also the arts, relationships, and music … sustainably.”

EarthDance is not only preserving farmland — it’s growing food and farmers. The farm’s primary program is an organic farming apprenticeship program — combining field work, weekly enrichment sessions, field trips to local farms and selling at farmers markets into a season-long commitment to sustainable agriculture training.

Besides being a source of organic farming education, Rockaman’s passion for music and the visual and performing arts comes through in EarthDance’s mission, as the farm hosts concerts and open-studio artist sessions. One day she even hopes to create an artist-in-residence program on the farm, living out EarthDance’s mantra of “Celebrating the Culture in Agriculture.”