Echo Valley Hope - Linking Farms & People who want to farm

[Voice for Peace]

Received from a friend (this is a good & legit effort)

<<
Dear Friend,

You are invited to be part of a discussion.

And you are welcome to pass this information to anyone who may be interested.

Echo Valley Hope, Inc, the educational and charitable non-profit, is launching a social network committed to connecting people who want to farm with people who have farm land or are interested in purchasing farmland, and to those interested in helping to increase the number of community gardens in cities and towns.

On Thursday Dec 11 we will host a conference call detailing the initiative and welcoming your input and considerations.

Time: 7:30pm central

Number: 1-309-946-5000 code: 107502

The website will soon be up and running: www.farmslinkpeople.org

It will post community farm / garden initiatives that are happening around the country and will give people a chance to offer their skills in sustainable farming, green building, solar and wind power and other ecological undertakings - and give those with an interest a chance to learn.

There are plenty of people talking about the problems that are facing us.
This is a step towards helping those in need and having fun while we are at it.

Thank you to all who have responded to these messages. Your input has continued to help us refine this effort. These conference calls will continue monthly until spring.

[Kittycat]

1. Area code 309 - I think that's bloomington or peoria, il

Glad to see more people in our state are getting on with this idea. One town near us, Naperville, has a community garden, but it's essentially a private plot on city ground. The waitlist is a mile long for a spot. I'm fortunate enough to have good sun, and enough space to make more than enough veggies and herbs for my family (beans, peas, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and most herbs). I'm still working on what's ideal for us - and hope to add automatic irrigation for next year. That will save the die off I get in the hottest parts of summer, when getting out to water daily becomes a problem.

[Voice for Peace]

16. Echo Valley Hope is in Wisconsin

from their website: http://www.echovalleyhope.com

Echo Valley Hope is an educational and charitable nonprofit corporation created by a group of people wanting to make a difference. In recognition of the need for sustainable living and renewable energy, Echo Valley Hope seeks to educate the general public and supports the efforts of similar organizations in all aspects of ecological preservation.

Charitable activities include providing good nutritious food and clean water to those in need from disaster or long term disadvantage.

Recognizing that community building begins with strong, empowered individuals, Echo Valley Hope supports educational and charitable nonprofit organizations which promote the well being of all people.

We are honored by Wisconsin Trail magazine's Editor Harriet Brown, for her selection of Echo Valley Hope as one of "20+ People Making A Difference" in the January / February 2008 annual conservation issue.

Echo Valley Hope, Inc the educational and charitable non-profit, will begin a series of conference calls dedicated to creating/supporting small organic farms and strengthening farming communities. This endeavor will be called Farms Link People.

[Delphinus]

2. K & R!

[liberal renegade]

3. Although

i'm not a farmer, I have 40 acres of farmland with a fully stocked pond. The farm ground is 1/4 mile from the edge of the Platte River. It is dry land and presently leased to my neighbor who harvests alfalfa 3 or 4 times a year. Quite honestly, considering the cost of fertilizer, it isn't worth leasing.

I would like nothing more than to produce crops for human consumption, but I have no idea how to go about it. I do have 2 tractors, a huge barn that is structurally sound, and several outbuildings.

A well would have to be dug in order to irrigate. Even though the water table is close to the surface, digging a well to irrigate 30 acres would be costly.

DUers feel free to share any ideas you might have. Peace! P.S. I'm willing to share in any bounty that the land brings forth. Oh, I do know how to raise a mean farm egg from free range laying hens. nothing better than a fresh farm egg, yummy!

[Raksha]

5. I wish I were in a position to take you up on this offer.

Unfortunately I know nothing about farming, although I've interested in gardening and seed collecting for years. I bet you get lots of PMs on this post from people who do have the necessary skills, though.

[liberal renegade]

7. I hope your right.

[Tashca]

8. A couple of things

I assume since you are raising alfalfa and that close to the river that flooding isn't a problem? Alfalfa hates wet feet.
Are you close to a residential area??
I wouldn't start with too many acres. I suspect just doing a couple of acres of vegetable production will be a large undertaking. Maybe you should ease into it and see how it works. Nothing worse than being discouraged from too much work. 2 acres could produce more vegetables than you can imagine if done correctly. If you are drilling a well......remember it takes about 27,000 gallons of water per acre to make an inch of rain. So a few acres wouldn't take a large well.
The reason I asked about location....something else you might consider is renting space to gardeners. I rent a 20'x50' area for twenty bucks a year. That would be a thousand square feet. There are 43,560 square feet in an acre. You could easily get 35 plots per acre with driveways in between for easy access. The garden I rent ....they are plowed in the fall and rototilled in the spring one trip. Anything else is left up to me.
Good luck.....I think you are on the right track!!

[liberal renegade]

12. Thanks for the input.

The Platte does flood occasionally after very heavy rains or when low lying bridges get jammed up with ice, fortunately it doesn't reach my ground.

Your wisdom is greatly appreciated and your idea of leasing out plots is most excellent. Thanks a million!

I am located 6 miles from town on a blacktop road, it is a very pleasant and scenic drive.

[Voice for Peace]

17. be sure to join the call. these are really great people.

[BeHereNow]

4. WOW! Thanks- just sent this thread to my daughter-

She's been researching and looking for a situation like this!
BHN

[mopinko]

13. hey bhn

how is your daughter doing?

[BeHereNow]

14. MUCH better!!! Thanks for asking... how is your son?

She is actually making art again- no longer in Çhi-town.
Living here with us until she figures out what to do next.
No rush to go back to school... is fearful the stress will
set her off again.
Very mature of her to be aware of her triggers, I think.

She has an excellent pharmacologist- conservative
yet effective.
I kiss the hands that invented Wellbutrin and Tegretol.
It's so great to see her making art again-
She had a show recently and sold three pieces and she
has a tall dark and handsome boyfriend now-
he's a HUGE Saddlebred that lives down the street
from us that she is riding.
Horses make the BEST boyfriends...

BHN

[mopinko]

15. that sounds awesome.

welbutrin has helped a lot of kids like her, for sure. hope she can stay on the right track. i know she knows her mom is there for her, no matter what it feels like at any given minute.

my son got his ged, and recently went to a 10 day buddhist retreat. right now he is helping a friend, working at a sports memorabilia store. he needs to get his ass registered for school of some sort, but he will be ok, i think. he has learned how to listen, finally. sorta. in a boy sort of way.

my daughter moved back home. said it was money, but knew bf was not invited. a few weeks later, she said he was done. she realized that we were right, that he was a bum and a loser. ended up owing her $3K. (and us $1.5K over that stupid dog bite thing. she admitted the pit bull was his idea. no duh!)
so proud of her that she stayed on track through all that, has 1.5 years of school left, money in the bank, and now thinks mom can see into boys heads.

three cheers for time moving things in the right direction.

[BeHereNow]

19. I'm so happy for all of us... yours, mine and those who walk behind us.

I'm hoping our experiences can one day help others at the
beginning of the road. You surely helped me, and for that I thanks you.
BIG old BHN to you.
BHN

[mopinko]

23. and people here helped me.

especially sfexpat. we do have to keep it going.

[BeHereNow]

24. Yes, the support we have from each other is so important...

I am DAMNED sick and tired of people who know NOTHING
about it chiming in as if they do.
As is occurring on another thread here today...
I'm sure you've seen it by now.



BHN

[mopinko]

25. you mean panther?

sigh.

[Voice for Peace]

18. They take visitors and "interns" (sort of) at E.V.H.

I had planned at one time to spend a few months there during harvest season. They've got animals too. A good place for a healing retreat and I think affordable, or maybe work for food and board for a young person.

[BeHereNow]

20. THAT is exactly what she is looking for.

She's great with critters... just helped a neighbor welp some
pups and gets along withe every fur person she's ever met.
Likes to garden, is not afraid of hard work and enjoys process.
Wants to learn more about farming etc...
A VERY talented artist too, in case they need a logo.
BHN

[Voice for Peace]

21. She should definitely contact them

They also have workshops & classes in traditional forms of healing.
And I know the person who started the place - there's a lot of wisdom and heart there.

[BeHereNow]

22. I told her about the conference call on Thursday night- I will remind her to tune in!

Thanks again for this thread- it's like an answer to my prayers.
It's been a HARD year for her.
Friday is her 22nd birthday, perhaps your thread is
a surprise present for a turning point in her life with a new year.
Thank you.

BHN

[alphafemale]

6. thanks. nt

[me b zola]

9. K&R

[Raksha]

10. K & R

[awoke_in_2003]

11. I wish that something like this...

along with a person to give farming tips, existed around me. More of us should know how to grow our own food, and how to deal with livestock. Most city folks have no idea what it takes to get food to your table.