BY JOHN TECKLIN
The other day as I walked down the muddy path between 300-foot long rows of dino kale, I realized that I was no longer in charge of the harvesting crew at my farm, Mountain Bounty Farm in Nevada City. I had delegated that job to Missy Neville, 26, and now she was making sure that my bunches were big enough. What a pleasure to just do the work! And what a great opportunity for her to get to experience the responsibility of being in charge.
I share Gary Romano’s lament about the demise of small farmers, which he expressed in the column, “The Last of the Farmasaurs,” in the April edition, but I have also witnessed a huge increase in the numbers of young people getting involved in local organic farming. The small farm movement I am part of seems to be exploding with talented young people. This past winter I received more than 100 applications for the five intern positions on my farm. Most of these applicants are passionate 20-something college graduates who could be seeking their fortunes in Silicon Valley, but instead want to learn how to become farmers. Often they already have a year or two of experience under their belts.
Many of them go on to work at other farms or start their own farms. This year, four out of five of last year’s interns chose to continue to develop their skills and stay at Mountain Bounty. A surprising number of other farms in our area have been started by Mountain Bounty alumni. At least six former crew members are currently farming in Nevada and Placer counties. Many others have started or joined farms in other parts of California, as well as in Oregon and Nevada.
While the local organic farming movement is a small minority in the big picture of farming in this country, it is a bright spot where young people are getting involved. In my world, the image of the American farmer has already shifted from the stern gentleman with his overalls, pitchfork, and straw hat to the young hipster with her ironic trucker’s cap and thrift store plaids. These young farmers use their iPhone flashlight apps to work underneath their broken tractors.
I love their energy and enthusiasm. And I love their brains. Whenever there is a problem on the farm they usually have the smart ideas. Increasingly, I have realized that it’s better if I just get out of the way.
Everyone knows that farming is hard work and you get dirty. Why would all these wonderful youngsters want to do it? I asked a couple of our interns that exact question.
Neville, our energetic crew leader, studied biology in college and then went to work on organic dairy and vegetable farms.
“I believe in providing sustainable and healthy food, supporting my community in this important way,” she said. “And I like working outside in the dirt.”
Rachel Klein, 26, had a television production job in New York and gave it up a few years ago to become a farmer. An idealistic college graduate, she had hoped to affect change by producing educational programming. But she became disillusioned by the realities of television. She chose farming as a way to blend her desire for meaningful work with a healthier lifestyle.
“I was disappointed by how much time went into advertising reality TV, working long days at a desk where I didn’t get to see the sun,” Klein said. “I would rather enjoy my life than make a bunch of money.”
For others, the national recession left college graduates with few appealing job choices. So they are looking for a simpler life and meaningful work. Budding computer scientists, engineers, and physicists have all joined our crew.
As with any business, many new farmers will not succeed. But some will. Agriculture has so many problems — from the consolidation of farm operations and farmland into fewer and fewer monster farms, to the related obesity and diabetes epidemics, to the environmental costs of conventional farming. But perhaps this new community of passionate farmers and entrepreneurs can start to make a change, for the better.
John Tecklin is the founder and owner of Mountain Bounty Farm. Info: mountainbountyfarm.com
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