Posts tagged with ‘farmland’
October 14, 2010 by Sara Grady
The benefits of public markets have been widely acknowledged: markets are social, they create community, they are “our neighborhoods’ original civic centers.”
Food markets also educate: the market is where urban meets rural, where city dwellers learn about farms. Going to market is an introduction to the surrounding region. The collection of regional products at a market represents that region’s nature and culture – the food tells us about the land, climate, and water; and the products made from that food tell us about the people and the history of the place.
For all these reasons, Glynwood has collaborated with New Amsterdam Market in New York City to host “Hudson Valley Harvest” at the market on October 24.
New Amsterdam Market, photo by William Coupon.
This special gathering of artisans, producers, and food advocates from throughout the Hudson Valley will celebrate the bounty and the beauty of the region.
Tags: economic development, environment, events, farmland, food system, Hudson Valley, local food, natural resources, sustainable food, video
August 22, 2010 by Judith LaBelle
It’s not often that the Secretary of the USDA comes to the Hudson Valley to hear about our efforts to save farming and to see our region’s farms. In fact, prior to Secretary Vilsack’s recent visit, no one could remember the last time the head of the USDA was actually here.
Glynwood President Judy LaBelle answering questions from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a listening session for America's Great Outdoors.
So the Secretary’s presence here on August 6th, as part of a “listening tour” for President Obama’s
America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, was an unusual opportunity for us to make the case for the importance of the Hudson Valley’s farms and working landscapes.
This Initiative was created by the President to develop a conservation and recreation agenda for the 21st century. He recognized that in some parts of the country, conserving the “great outdoors” requires the conservation of working farms and forests as well.
It was very significant that the USDA, rather than one of the many other agencies involved, was leading the delegation to the Hudson Valley. It signaled the importance of the working lands in this region and the farmers who maintain them, in particular to the Valley’s economy and quality of life.
Tags: agriculture, environment, farmland, food system, Hudson Valley, infrastructure, local food, natural resources, sustainable agriculture, video
May 26, 2010 by Judith LaBelle
Glynwood has just announced the launch of the first USDA inspected mobile slaughterhouse for large animals east of New Mexico. The Modular Harvest System™ (MHS) addresses a critical gap in the infrastructure needed by livestock producers in the Hudson Valley, a region with many dispersed smaller farms near a major metropolitan market, and provides a model for other similar regions.
Cattle and sheep grazing in the Hudson Valley.
The need for additional slaughtering capacity had been recognized – and studied – for several years. In late 2008, Glynwood created a task force to address this need. (To hear the need described by farmers, chefs and others, please take a look at a video we produced early in this project.)
Having the MHS, a “next generation” modular mobile unit, in operation on its first docking site in Delaware County about 18 months later represents a major accomplishment, achieved with the support, assistance and encouragement of the members of the task force and a great many other people from across the Valley.
But why did Glynwood think it was so important to grasp the nettle on this issue — and believe me, that nettle had some very sharp points along the way!
Tags: agriculture, communities, economic development, environment, farmland, food system, Hudson Valley, infrastructure, livestock, local food, meat, natural resources, pasture, processing, programs, sustainable agriculture, sustainable food, video
May 20, 2010 by Sara Grady
Keep Farming in action.
Keep Farming is Glynwood’s community-based program, through which we empower communities to support their local farming. When a community chooses to engage in the program, we become involved in a hands-on process of helping them to identify their agricultural resources and the challenges they may face. We then help them think through options and create a strategy for the future.
Tags: agriculture, communities, farmland, Hudson Valley, infrastructure, Keep Farming, local food, natural resources, programs, sustainable agriculture
May 20, 2010 by Sara Grady
Last year, we created a video about our mission to save farming. We were honored to have the participation of so many leaders in our local system (see the full list of interviewees after the jump).
Since its completion, the video has been touring with the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, and has played in venues across the country, including California, West Virginia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Utah, Wisconsin – and of course, here at Glynwood.
Please watch and share it widely:
Tags: agriculture, communities, farmland, food system, Glynwood Farm, Hudson Valley, infrastructure, Keep Farming, local food, natural resources, processing, programs, reports, sustainable agriculture, video
May 17, 2010 by Dave Llewellyn
Starting this week, dozens of young farmers-in-training from all over the Hudson Valley will begin convening weekly to learn more about their trade. CRAFT, or the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, provides the means for supplementing on-farm training in a cooperative effort with a number of participating farms. A CRAFT visit is an operational tour, a talk or demonstration on a specific farm management topic, a networking opportunity for young farmers, and an occasion to socialize.
Tags: agriculture, CRAFT, crops, CSA, events, farmland, Glynwood Farm, Hudson Valley, local food, programs, sustainable agriculture, workshops
May 9, 2010 by Sara Grady
Glynwood Farm
Welcome to The Glynwood View, where we’ll post news and views about sustainable agriculture and regional food systems. If you’re new to Glynwood, we are a not-for-profit organization located in the lower Hudson Valley — and our mission is to save farming.
It has been a most exciting year so far for our organization! We recently launched the Glynwood Institute for Sustainable Food & Farming – a “creative action tank” that develops and implements realistic solutions to critical issues within the food system. And just this month, we made historic strides by launching a next-generation modular, mobile slaughterhouse that will begin to solve the challenges faced by small and mid-size livestock farmers who often cannot getting their animals processed and to market. Called the Modular Harvest System™, it is the first of its kind in the country!
Tags: communities, farmland, Glynwood Farm, Glynwood Institute, Hudson Valley, Keep Farming, local food, news, programs, sustainable agriculture
