Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, November 30, 2007

Conference in Lynnwood challenges farmers to break new ground

By Sarah Jackson
Herald Writer

 LYNNWOOD -- Climate change, gourmet local food and new ways to farm all came together Thursday when 600 farmers, residents and public officials met at the Lynnwood Convention Center for Snohomish County's largest farming conference yet.

The fourth annual Focus on Farming not only drew attendees from throughout the state, it also attracted people all ages, including 14 students from the Monroe High School chapter of the Future Farmers of America.

"I thought it was really neat to find out what's going on in the farming community," said 17-year-old FFA member Christina Leid.

FFA adviser Anne Lowe wanted the students to network and to expand their horizons as the next generations of farmers.

"I'm so pleased," she said. "It's one of the more valuable days I've spent with my students."

Energy and its role on and off the farm was the topic of the day.

Keynote speaker Fred Kirschenmann urged farmers to start thinking about cutting back on energy and fuel now, before oil prices hit $100 per barrel or, perhaps, one day, $250 a barrel.

"Everything that farmers use is based on a petroleum economy," he said. "It's going to particularly hit farming hard."

Kirschenmann, a North Dakota organic farmer and fellow at Iowa State University's Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, received a standing ovation from about half the audience after his speech.

"Most of us don't like change. We'd rather be comfortable in what we are doing," he said. "Imagine what kind of future we could have that's better than the one we have now."

Snohomish farmer Neil Landaas, who runs numerous area farmers markets and his own Flying Tomato Farm, said the speaker gave him a new insight into energy consumption.

"It was kind of scary," Landaas said. "But it was kind of uplifting as well."

Thursday's event wasn't all doom and gloom about the climate and economics, of course.

Lunch was a celebration of food produced in Snohomish, Skagit and King counties, including a creamy squash soup made with produce from a Stanwood family farm.

"I think the meal was fabulous," Landaas said. "That squash soup was really good."

Breakout sessions, meanwhile, covered a variety of topics, including how to earn certified organic status, biofuel crops such as switchgrass and canola, ways to deal with water and flood issues and even how to safely compost large animal carcasses.

Ryan Foxley, who manages Little Field Farm near Arlington, attended a session on how to start a successful community-supported agriculture program, or CSA, in which farmers sell seasonal shares of fruit and vegetables directly to consumers.

"You don't have to be in Boulder, Colorado, or Seattle, Washington," said Foxley, who once ran a successful CSA in a small Wyoming community. "People are ready for this kind of thing."

Though some participants seemed energized and optimistic during the conference, John Postema, owner of Flower World, a nursery and produce operation in Maltby, was pragmatic.

"I think it's great, but I'm always very practical," he said. "What do people get from it and what are the impacts? It's going to be a long road to profitable agriculture."
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA