Something STINKS in MISSOURI - Corporate agri-business has deep pockets... will CAFOs prevail?

STOP The Factory Farm Protection Bills!
The Legislative Spring Break is Over Monday (the 28th)!
Please Call Legislators THIS WEEK--
Tell Them to Vote NO on Senate Bill 187 & House Bill 209!!!
Tell them to VOTE NO on House Bill 100, House Joint Resolution 3
& House Joint Resolution 17!

Hundreds of phone calls and emails are making a difference! SB 187 & HB 209 have become very controversial in the Missouri statehouse. But the PRO-corporate agri-business, ANTI-property rights, ANTI-family farm bills are still moving! The following bills would have a radical and damaging effect on the property rights of Missouri’s family farmers and rural landowners and on our rights to local control.

Senate Bill 187 & House Bill 209 “The CAFO Protection Bills”:

Written to protect Premium Standard Farms (PSF; owned by Smithfield Foods--the largest pork corporation in the world), the CAFO Protection Bills would limit the rights of family farmers and rural landowners to defend their property through the court system.

House Bill 100, House Joint Resolution 3 & House Joint Resolution 17 would:

Restrict the ability of local elected representatives to respond to the needs of their citizens through “local control”.

Please Call/Email “Key Legislators” & Call/Email YOUR State Senator & Representative!

Tell them to VOTE NO on Senate Bill 187
& House Bill 209!

Tell them to VOTE NO on House Bill 100,
House Joint Resolution 3

& House Joint Resolution 17!

* See Below for "Key Legislators".

* You can call YOUR State Senator and Representative by calling the House Switchboard at (573) 751-2000 with your zip code.

An Attack on Rural Private Property Rights (The CAFO Protection Bills)!

Senate Bill 187 & House Bill 209

Corporate agri-business has deep pockets and significant influence in Jefferson City. At the expense of Missouri’s independent family farmers, rural landowners and their constitutional right to protect their property through the court system, corporate lobbyists have convinced some legislators of the need to protect a very small minority of corporate industrial livestock operations. Written to protect Premium Standard Farms (PSF), owned by Smithfield Foods, the largest pork corporation in the world, this misguided and dangerous policy would be protecting CAFOs at the expense of the vast majority of Missouri’s family farmers and rural citizens.

* Please tell Missouri legislators: “Taking away the rights of farmers and landowners to protect their properties through the court system is unconstitutional and just plain wrong! Vote NO on Senate Bill 187 & House Bill 209!”

An Attack on Local Control!

House Bill 100, House Joint Resolution 3 & House Joint Resolution 17

For 8 years, family farmers, rural landowners and county commissioners have fought against attempts to take away local control. Hundreds have journeyed to Jefferson City to ensure that our local elected representatives retain the tools necessary to respond to the needs of their citizens.

Yet again this year, bills (HB 100, HJR 3 & HJR 17) are moving through the House Chamber that would strip Local Control and the ability of local communities to protect family farmers and landowners from the negative impacts of industrial livestock operations.

* Please tell Missouri’s legislators: “Government is best when it is closest to the people. Don’t Mess with OUR Local Control! Vote NO on HB 100, HJR 3 & HJR 17”

You can call YOUR State Senator and Representative by calling the House Switchboard at (573) 751-2000 with your zip code.

Please Call Key Representatives!

Rep. Tom Loehner (573) 751-1344 Tom.Loehner@house.mo.gov

Rep. Jerry Nolte (573) 751-1470 Jerry.Nolte@house.mo.gov

Rep. Casey Guernsey (573) 751-4285 Casey.Guernsey@house.mo.gov

Rep. Diane Franklin (573) 751-1119 Diane.Franklin@house.mo.gov

Rep. Keith Fredrick (573) 751-3834 Keith.Frederick@house.mo.gov

Rep. David Day (573) 751-1446

	David.Day@house.mo.gov

Rep. Kent Hampton (573) 751-3629 Kent.Hampton@house.mo.gov

Rep. Lincoln Hough (573) 751-9809 Lincoln.Hough@house.mo.gov

Rep. Mike McGhee (573) 751-1462 Mike.McGhee@house.mo.gov

Rep. Randy Asbury (573) 751-6566 Randy.Asbury@house.mo.gov

Rep. Delus Johnson (573) 751-3666 Delus.Johnson@house.mo.gov

Rep. Anne Zerr (573) 751-3717 Anne.Zerr@house.mo.gov

Rep. Galen Higdon (573) 751-3643 Galen.Higdon@house.mo.gov

Rep. Ray Weter (573) 751-2565 Raymond.Weter@house.mo.gov

Rep. Billy Pat Wright (573) 751-1494 Billy.Wright@house.mo.gov

Rep. Jason Holsman (573) 751-6607 Jason.Holsman@house.mo.gov

Rep. Joe Aull (573) 751-2204 Joe.Aull@house.mo.gov

Rep. Linda Black (573) 751-2317 Linda.Black@house.mo.gov

Rep. Doug Funderburk (573) 751-2176 Doug.Funderburk@house.mo.gov

Please Call Key Senators!

*You can email all Senators here: http://www.senate.mo.gov/webmail/mail_form.aspx

Senator Rob Mayer: (573) 751-3859

Senator Chuck Purgason: (573) 751-1882

Senator Tom Dempsey: (573) 751-1141

Senator Kevin Engler: (573) 751-3455

Senator Brad Lager: (573) 751-1415

Senator Victor Callahan: (573) 751-3074

Senator Jason Crowell: (573) 751-2459

Senator Dan Brown: (573) 751-5713

Senator Jack Goodman: (573) 751-2234

Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal: (573) 751-4106

Senator Jane Cunningham: (573) 751-1186

Senator Mike Kehoe: (573) 751-2076

Senator Will Kraus: (573) 751-1464

Senator Ryan McKenna: (573) 751-1492

Senator Brian Nieves: (573) 751-3678

Senator Mike Parson: (573) 751-8793

Senator Jay Wasson: (573) 751-1503

Senator Robin Wright Jones: (573) 751-2606

Senator Jolie Justus: (573) 751-2788

Also, Please Call Governor Nixon @ (573) 751-3222-

Tell him to veto any bill (including SB 187, HB 209, HJR 3, HJR 17 & HB 100) that limits the rights of family farmers and rural landowners to protect their property through the court system, or restricts the ability oflocal elected representatives to respond to the needs of their citizens through “local control”.

Thank you for your time to engage in the democratic process to protect Missouri’s farm families and rural property rights!

Please feel free to call Missouri Rural Crisis Center at (573) 449-1336 with questions.

Outstanding in the Field Dinner at Fair Share Farm

Fair Share Farm hosting Outstanding in the Field dinner!

by season

THIS JUST IN, from member farm Fair Share Farm:

We received some exciting news this week at the farm. We have been chosen (and agreed) to host an Outstanding in the Field dinner.

This program travels around the country, setting up their long dinner table in a farm field, while having a celebrated local chef serve up a farm inspired meal. Our event will be held July 24 (rain or heat or shine) with chef Jonathan Justus providing the meal. For more information on Justus Drugstore, the Restaurant read this New York Times article.

The tickets are $180 per person. You get the unique experience of dining in the field and eating arguably the best local food from the area’s most celebrated chef. Along with appetizers, wine parings, a five course meal you get a chance to rub elbows with real live farmers (that’s us!).

More details at Fair Share Farm’s website. Hope to see you there!

ex post EXPO... ;D ~ JAMIE WAS HERE!

From: http://urbanhomesteadx.com/wordpress/?p=1731

Random Thoughts….by Jamie Milks

Mar 26th, 2011 by JamieMilks

EXCERPT:

I have so many other random things to share, though, that I’ll just start a bullet list and dig in.

1. The first of two EAT LOCAL! & Organic Expo’s was TODAY in Independence, MO, and it was so awesome. People of KC listen up! If you did not go today then you need to check it out next weekend in Shawnee. If you did go today then you should probably go again next weekend in Shawnee. I’m really trying to not sound like a cheerleader, but it is like an All-Star Game for farmers in Kansas City so I can’t help it. Forget March Madness — this is far more exciting! The Parkers, Brooke and Dan from BADSEED/URBAVORE, ACME Grain, KCCUA, New Roots for Refugees, Green Dirt Farm, Hidden Hills Farms, Bear Creek Farm and so many more will be there that I’m unfortunately leaving out due to a run on sentence violation. They’re selling meat, eggs, fresh flour, transplants and on and on. That doesn’t even get into the workshops and speakers. GO KANSAS CITY!!!

KCMO - Grahovac's Army of Volunteers

Grahovac's Army of Volunteers - Gardening with Urban Farmers Weekly Meetup will happen on Saturday, April 2, 2011 When: Saturday, April 2, 2011 8:00 AM Where: Faith Lutheran Church - 530 Quindaro Kansas City KS Who is going: 1 Volunteers ( 19 more spots left! )
We doing gardening work with low-income urban farmers who sell their produce at Farmer's Markets and use the rest of what they grow to feed their families.

EAT LOCAL & Organic! - Kansas City Food Circle's 13th Annual Exhibition of Farmers - starts SATURDAY, March 26th at 9:30am - Independence, MO

EAT LOCAL! & Organic
EXPOs 2011

RAIN, SNOW or SHINE…
…these EXPOs will be FINE.

Two (2) Saturdays

March 26th, 2011 – in Independence, MO

April 2nd, 2011 – in Shawnee, KS

KCFC’s 13TH Annual Exhibition of Farmers
EAT LOCAL! (& Organic) Expos 2011

Hungry for the green of spring? Kick off the farmers market season at the Eat Local! (& Organic) expos. Meet and buy direct from local, organic farmers and vendors. Learn how to buy, preserve and dish up seasonal food in our free workshops. Snatch up early seedlings, fresh greens, free-range meat & eggs and our free local, organic producers directory. Get farmers market and CSA information. Admission and parking are free.

Note: The order of the expos has changed this year. Independence (MO) is first… Shawnee (KS) is second.

Help us to get the word out…
…click on our FLYER for a BIG, printable .PDF! (2MB)

Saturday, March 26
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Roger T. Sermon Community Center
Truman & Noland Rd., Independence, MO

Saturday, April 2
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Shawnee Civic Center
13817 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS

Join us for:

Local, organic produce
Free-range meat & eggs
Vegetable seedlings
CSA information & sign-up
Free directory of local producers
Free workshops

Free parking ~ Free admission

Free How-To Workshops at the Independence Expo
(Scroll further down for the Shawnee workshops.)

Buy It, Eat It! 9:30-10:30 a.m., North Room, upstairs
Learn how to buy direct from family farms using CSAs, farmers markets, buying clubs and co-ops from Season Burnett, Kansas City CSA Coalition Director, and Emily Akins, KCFC Co-Coordinator.

Can It, Freeze It! 10:45-11:45 a.m., South Room, upstairs
University of Missouri Extension Expert Karen Elliot shows you how to enjoy the fresh, delicious taste of local, organic food year-round. Bring your pressure canner gauges and the extension will check them for free during expo hours before and after the workshop. (Experts recommend you have your pressure canner gauges checked at least once per year.)

Dish It Up! 12-1 p.m., North Room, Upstairs
blue bird bistro owner Jane Zieha shares her secrets for delectable seasonal dishes at our Independence expo only.

Free How-To Workshops at the Shawnee Expo
(Scroll up for the Independence workshops.)

Buy It, Eat It! 9:30-10:30 a.m., Little Theatre, just inside the Civic Center’s main doors
Learn how to buy direct from family farms using CSAs, farmers markets, buying clubs and co-ops from Season Burnett, Kansas City CSA Coalition Director, and Emily Akins, KCFC Co-Coordinator.

Can It, Freeze It! 11:00-12:00, Little Theatre, just inside the Civic Center’s main doors
University of Missouri Extension Expert Karen Elliot shows you how to enjoy the fresh, delicious taste of local, organic food year-round. Bring your pressure canner gauges and the extension will check them for free during expo hours before and after the workshop. (Experts recommend you have your pressure canner gauges checked at least once per year.)

Dish It Up! 12:30-1:30 p.m., Little Theatre, just inside the Civic Center’s main doors
Local Burger chef and owner Hilary Brown shares her delicious secrets for cooking local, organic fare at our Shawnee expo only.

We heartily thank our wonderful expo sponsors:

Sierra Club
FreshConnect.com
Whole Foods Market Local Vendors Program
Greens KC
KKFI 90.1FM
Food Circles Networking Project – Missouri Extension (MU)
Growing Growers Kansas City

Kansas City Food Circle is a non-profit organization connecting local eaters and
local, organic, free-range growers for over 20 years.
Do you have questions about our programs, membership, donations,
volunteering or how to pick a ripe tomato?
Please contact us at
coordinators (a) kcfoodcircle . org
913-620-8427

NO MO GMO - Rally for the Right to KNOW... Truth in Labeling rally on the Plaza (KCMO) Saturday, 10:30am, March 26th, 2011

IF you, like us, are all about TRUTH IN LABELING and ultimately getting GMO/GE (Genetically Modified/Genetically Engineered) products out of our diet...

IF you care enough to make a difference...

IF you aren't coming to the KC Food Circle EAT LOCAL! & Organic EXPO in Independence on Saturday...*

SHOW UP ON THE PLAZA AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Time	Saturday, March 26 · 12:00pm - 3:00pm

Location	Country Club Plaza Downtown Kansas City, MO


More Info	We want Truth in Labeling so we will know what is in the foods we are buying. This rally will coincide with the national Rally being held in Washington, DC. Everyone is encouraged to attend! Please visit our Millions Against Monsanto Kansas or Missouri page on Facebook for discussions and updates. These are our demands: 1. We have the right to know & want GMOs labeled. 2. We want factory farmed animal products labeled 3. We want independent, long-term studies done on the safety of GMOs. 4. We want organics preserved. Where: At the fountain across from M&S Grill. When: Noon to 3pm Bring information fliers, dvds, yourself, your voice and whatever you can and need to help spread information about GMOs and Monsanto and how we want our right to know what is in our food!

Full Details - RSVP - pass the word...

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169031716479348

* We have a NO MO GMO mini-rally planned at the EXPO, too.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Millions-Against-Monsanto-Missouri/209695045712235

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IF you can't get to either event... WRITE IN...
http://www.capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/alert/?alertid=36102531&type=ML

Message Recipients:

Barack Obama (D), President

Cindy Smith, Administrator

Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary

SAMPLE LETTER:

I am writing to urge you not to deregulate a new generation of super-toxic GM crops designed to survive repeated sprayings of the herbicide 2,4-D (a component of the notorious poison Agent Orange).

Monsanto and Dow are promoting these toxic varieties after their first generation of herbicide-resistance Frankencrops generated a growing army of superweeds.

For farmers who were told RoundUp Ready crops would make weed control easier, the super-weeds have been an absolute nightmare. Nearly half of farmers have a problem with these weeds, forcing them to spend more money and time to come back and spray crops with ever more deadly pesticide combinations.

But for Monsanto, Dow and other chemical companies, it's just an opportunity to sell more pesticides. 2,4-D, one of the pesticides Monsanto supplied to the military during the Vietnam War for use in Agent Orange, is linked with cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, neurotoxicity, kidney and liver damage, and birth and developmental defects.

Deregulation of 2,4-D tolerant crops would only increase the use of this dangerous pesticide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BADSEED & URBAVORE Spring Up-Date!!

Dearest Eaters & Food Revolutionists -

Long time no see!! I miss your growling bellies and voracious appetites. Speaking of bellies, my pregnant farmer belly is getting HUGE!! I look like Humpty Dumpty waddling around my 13.5 acre urban paradise as I madly seed spring crops and try not keel over with exhaustion....

Life has been totally NUTS to say the least and I thought I better sneak in a quick "spring up-date" before I get swallowed up by my dirt-crazed, 71/2 month pregnant, agrarian madness!!!!

Before the madness unfolds, be sure to mark your calendars for these up-coming openings and events......(and if you really miss me, come see me this Saturday or next at the Local Farmer's Expo). Details are as follows.

Up-coming GREEN Events:

1) 13th Annual Exhibition of Farmers - EAT LOCAL & ORGANIC!!
March 26th in Independence, MO
April 2nd in Shawnee, KS
(get your hands on organic transplants for the garden and farm-fresh foods including meats, eggs, early spring produce, and more!!!!)
Go to www.kcfoodcircle.org for directions and details!!

2) Organic Transplant Sale at BADSEED, Friday, April 15th, 4-9 PM
"Join your favorite gang of farmers and go wild over heirloom tomatoes,
eggplant, peppers, herbs, flowers, and more for your glorious homestead garden!!"

3) BADSEED Farmers' Market Season Opening, Friday, May 6th, 4-9 PM
"....yay for Spring! Feast upon the first "fruits" of the season. Our usual gang of
growers will tantalize your tastebuds with the freshest flavors in town. Expect new
vendors and a whole host of local/organic goodies!!!....plus live music and festivities!"

4) URBAVORE Urban Farm - Weekly FARMSTAND Grand Opening!!!
Saturday, June 4th, 2-6 PM
(the farmstand will be open every Saturday through October)
Come and visit our 13 acre urban farmstead in it's very first season of production and experience first-hand where your food is grown!! Enjoy a wide array of delicious, seasonal vegetables and fruits grown organically and with love in the Kansas City dirt...

5) City-Wide Residential Composting Program - Grand Opening
Saturday, June 4th, 2-6 PM
Drop-Off Hours: Wednesday thru Saturday, 9-6 PM (starting June 4)
*Sponsored by BADSEED, the MARC Solid Waste Management District, and the MO Dept. of Natural Resources
(That's right folks! It is a double whammy with our farmstand opening!)
WE WILL TAKE ALL YOUR FOOD SCRAPS AND TURN THEM INTO LUSCIOUS ORGANIC PRODUCE!! Read more on our website!

News from URBAVORE - KC's wildest URBAN FARM :

ur-ba-vore [ûr'bə-vôr] noun
(1) any animal that consumes urban-grown foods.
(2) an organism that feeds from the energy, surplus, and/or waste of a city.

Pastoral beauty fuses with urban decay as Farmer Dan and I cultivate life on our new 13 acre land just off of Blue Parkway on KC's east side. Goats and chickens sing and dance along with the constant hum of the industrial truck yard next door. Occasionally golden silence and the gentleness of nature purify the air, and it is only a glimpse of the downtown skyline that jolts me back into reality. I throw down my hoe and think to myself...."oh yeah, I'm in the freakin' city!". In those moments I cannot help but fantasize about cities across the nation filled with backyard farms, gardens, honey bees, baby doll sheep, dairy goats, ducks, chickens, glorious fruit trees, and heavenly FOOD!!

As the endless days of March drone on the farm tasks seem to take over every orpheus of my being. Somedays, as I glide my eyes over fields of progress, I feel like superwoman!! Other days, I use my hoe as a cane as I stumble like a beaten-down mule over my "wannabe" farmstead. At over 7 months pregnant I went from cultivating 1 and 1/2 acres of land on the former BADSEED Farm to managing over 13 acres of RAW land transitioning into intensive vegetable production, orchard grounds, vineyard, rotational pasture for animals, and off-grid infrastructure. Are we f%$#ing nuts.....why yes we are!!!

Needless to say, I take it one day at a time. The unplanned phenomenon growing in my belly sleeps soundly as I work, and only when I lay down to sleep does the baby madly begin to kick and punch and dance and jive. Despite our night-time fiestas, we are a team (this baby and me) and baby understands that if momma doesn't sow seeds now, momma cannot pay bills later......(and that means momma and baby don't eat!). So, it's pretty straight forward in this family. We sink or swim. Dad has been as supportive as any Dad can be......but pulling mom out of the field after 12 or so hours is hopeless if there is still planting to be done! This pregnant farmer has a mind of her own!!

Anyway, it's not so bad. We are overwhelmed and overworked, yes, BUT on top of our priorities thanks to my AWESOME field crew of 4 hardworking individuals. Calvin, Mark, Rachel, and Kim bust their booties for me 4 days a week and I LOVE them more than I can begin to express. This is my very first successful experience with farm apprentices!! In past years it has been a joke. Every young, hip, idealistic kid thinks they want to grow up and be an organic farmer, right???......WRONG! As soon as the work begins that fantasy is loooong gone. But not this year. My crew is smart, dedicated, reliable, compassionate, and responsible. Without them, this baby and this farm would surely have killed me. Oh but wait.....it's only March 24th!!...(I guess there is still plenty of time to bite the bullet).

Okay, okay....enough rambling! What the heck have we gotten done, you're wondering?? Well, we've laid out nearly two acres in "no-till" veggie production and seeded beets, turnips, salad mix, asian greens, fava beans, peas, and the list goes on!! We've transplanted cabbage, onions, leeks, lettuce heads, and tomorrow goes in the broccoli. Dan pruned the entire apple & pear orchard that was planted last Fall and staked out the placement for the stone fruits that arrive this Monday.....(peaches, cherries, and plums). We've completed all the perimeter fencing and almost completed the pasture fencing that serves as rotational grazing plots for our chickens, goats, and future ducks & geese that arrive in mid April! The pond is slowly filling up and by the time those ducks go out on pasture, they will be able to swim about!!

Oh lord!!!.....there is so much more, but I will restrain myself from elaborating. The last thing I will mention is the barn...THE BIG BAD BARN. As you know, Dan and I purchased an antique barn from the 20's in St. Joseph, MO for next to nothing. For the past couple months Dan has been tearing it down board by board to be re-built on our land. It is only the CRAZIEST DAMN project we have ever gotten ourselves into. Poor Dan!! Since I got "knocked up" I haven't been able to crawl around and rip off roofing and giant laterals 40 (+) feet in the air SO Dan has been at it ALONE with the occasional help of some farmers and friends. This "bitch" was supposed to be down well before spring planting arrived, but "the best-laid plans of mice and men....." (you know the rest). Story of our lives.

Well folks, that's just the farm stuff. I don't have the strength to go into the insanity surrounding BADSEED, the market, the Composting Program, and everything else we have gotten our sorry selves into!! It's all GOOD STUFF.....I just wish someone else had to make it all come to fruition, not me. Come June, "superwoman" will have to retire and "supermom" will have to take over. I plan to "do it all" but at the end of the day it is my baby that I responsible for and the kale and chard will simply have to suffer! I will be giving birth naturally at home, with Dan, and my midwife. Keep us in your thoughts. I need all the positive energy I can get.

Much love and thanks to all of you. Your support of Crazy Radical Farmers & Righteous Local Food makes BADSEED possible. We love you.

Remember - you are what you eat......(and I look forward to feeding you in 2011).

Yours Truly,

Brooke
- farmer and mistress of the BADSEED

BADSEED
An Urban-Organic Farm & Market
Celebrating Local Food, Culture, and Community
Fridays, 4-9pm
OPENING May 6th 2011
1909 McGee*KCMO*64108
www.badseedfarm.com

Join the BADSEED
on Facebook! -- CLICK HERE^^click it!^^