Our farm truck died today. It has over 300,000 miles on it, and it had been on its last legs for the past few months. But today as I came down the hill from our field, there was a pop or snap sound, and the truck kind of started free falling down the hill in neutral. Turns out the clutch is totally gone, so I coasted it to a stop at the bottom of the hill, and there it sits for now. It also has various suspension/4 wheel drive problems, and a leak in one of its gas tanks.

It was a good truck. We beat the hell out of it, and we definitely got our money's worth. But it is probably not worth the $2000+ it would take to get it back on the road. So we will add "farm truck problem" to the list of things to figure out this winter.

But luckily for us, it seems that every time we have a setback like this, it happens at a convenient time. Right now, our farmer's markets are done for the season, and while we will be harvesting a little for the fall CSA, we don't need the truck as much as we would in July or August. So it is all Ok.

In other news, we had our first snow flurries today, and we have a shot of getting down into the teens tonight! Keep warm everyone!

Waverly is 4 years old and she is very interested in everything these days. Here is a sampling of unprompted questions she has asked me at random moments over the last few days:

Why does medicine make your body feel better?

How do you make meatballs?

How does gas make the car go?

What was there before the Big Bang?

I was a little taken aback by that last one, so I asked her, "What do you mean 'the Big Bang?'" To which she nonchalantly replied, "You know, like before the earth and the universe were created. . . "

I am not sure what it means that our 4 year old has already exceeded my ability to answer her questions, but I suspect it isn't a good sign. I mean, I sort of know how meatballs are made, and I vaguely understand how a combustion engine works, but I am already in over my head with this kid.

I've been getting into trying to learn more about the farm bill and trying to do my bit for reforming it. Anyway, I signed onto this letter from Oxfam to our great Senators regarding cotton subsidies. I know Oxfam is looking for more farmers and farm related organizations to sign on, if you want to, email Stephanie Demmons at Oxfam sdemmons at oxfamamerica.org

The Honorable Senator Patrick Leahy
433 Russell Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Senator Bernard Sanders
332 Senate Dirksen Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senators Leahy and Sanders,

The 2007 Farm Bill, currently under consideration in the US Senate, provides a powerful opportunity to reduce poverty at home and abroad. However, your leadership is needed! As Vermont residents, we are concerned about the effect of our agricultural policies not only here in the US but also abroad. And so, we are writing to request that you lead Senate efforts to reduce trade distorting subsidies for commodities such as cotton, which generate overproduction, reduce world market prices and undercut farmers in developing countries who depend on agriculture to survive.

Cotton subsidies are especially troubling with fewer than 25,000 producers receiving around three billion dollars in subsidies annually. Our taxpayer dollars encourage overproduction, creating a situation that drives down world prices, undermining the livelihoods of millions of small farmers around the world, many who live on just a dollar a day.

Unless the Senate acts, the huge government subsidies will continue, and so will the export dumping. According to a recent study by agricultural economist Dan Sumner of UC Davis, reforming US cotton subsidies would increase world cotton prices, resulting in additional income that could feed an additional million children for a year or pay school fees for at least two million children living in extremely poor West African cotton growing households. Cotton is the most important agricultural crop in West Africa, one of the poorest regions of the world.

Your leadership can bring about change. Please work to reduce our harmful trade distorting cotton subsidies, such as counter-cyclical and loan-deficiency payments.

In addition to the much needed reform of our trade distorting subsidies, I hope that you and your Senate colleagues will also:

* Provide full funding, a requested $500 million, for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers here at home. This will improve upon the $175 million authorized in the Farm Bill that was passed by the House of Representatives.

* Support local and regional procurement of international food aid to save lives, improve efficiency and save taxpayer dollars. Strong consideration should be given to a pilot project for ?cash in lieu of commodities,? such as taking $500 million from traditional farm-subsidy programs and giving the cash to governments and relief organizations abroad to buy food from local farmers.

I realize that these are complex issues. However, there can be no moral justification for providing millions in subsides to the wealthy, while millions around the world go hungry and struggle to send their children to school. You can succeed where the House of Representatives have failed. Please do not miss this rare and powerful opportunity to reduce poverty. Thank you for considering our request.

Sincerely,

Got three great emails about the Farm Bill and I sent one myself!!

My sister in law Sheri sent me a link to the Community Food Security Coalition who have tons of great information on the farm bill and the activism around it. On the recommendation of that group, I wrote to our great Senator Leahy to thank him for his support of Community Food Projects in the Farm Bill. Thank you Senator Leahy!

Sheri also forwarded me a link to a report posted by the National Farmers Union finding that the top four companies in the beef, pork, poultry, flour milling, and soybean crushing sectors controlled more than 40% of the market, which is the limit at which economists say that competition starts to decline. That report can be accessed here.

Stephanie, a blog reader from Delaware, recommended Barbara Kingsolver's site, which does have a good summary of the issues in the Farm Bill and tons of resources on food policy, but also has lots of great recipes!! Might have to raid some of those for the fall CSA . . . Thank you Stephanie!!

Last but by no means least, tomorrow is Nationwide Commit to Conservation Call-in Day when groups like the American Farmland Trust are trying to get as many people as possible to call their senators and ask for at least $5 billion in additional funding for conservation programs to be added to the Farm Bill. I'm going to call. Thanks JDLA for the tip!!