04-24-2008, 03:35 AM
I'm putting in the garden now and considering a few things.
My grandfather was a fruit farmer in the Rogue River Valley in Southern Oregon. Many local farms had fruit stands, as that sort of thing wasn't prohibited at the time. As few of of the farms grew a large variety of crops, in my grandfather's case mostly pears, farmers bartered and shared crops to insure that each had a good roadside stand, as people were more likely to stop if there was a bunch of stuff to choose from than simply pears. While I don't want a fruit stand, it's timely to work out a similar solution for we gardeners.
I'd like to steward and organize such a cooperative. I'm interested in being just that, not some convoluted organization. I'm willing to donate a vehicle, that would make daily rounds through Puna, on a weekly schedule, that would be the rolling produce department. Produce is exchanged on a prorated basis, depending on what you have fresh in your garden. Ie, maybe 3 papayas worth one taro mammy worth one handful of basil. We would semi-seasonally work that out. I'd suggest that culls and seconds be free, as they traditionally are, for the taking by any needy family.
So, I start this thread to get the ball rolling. I hope there's interest. Hawaii needs to be vastly more self-sufficient and this is a meaningful way to start.
I'd like replies to have a format similar to the following.
I'd expect I'll be able to produce 600 lbs of taro
50 lbs of tomatoes
Maybe a bushel of basil
5000 lbs of dog meat(kidding)
etc.
I live up the hill a ways and I'm focusing on colder weather understory crops, such as coffee, tea, some herbs, taro. I've got cocoa in the ground and a cashew tree but those are years out, though they seem to be promising. If we work sensibly there's a possibility to in a very effective way cut all our costs and move to a better future.
My grandfather was a fruit farmer in the Rogue River Valley in Southern Oregon. Many local farms had fruit stands, as that sort of thing wasn't prohibited at the time. As few of of the farms grew a large variety of crops, in my grandfather's case mostly pears, farmers bartered and shared crops to insure that each had a good roadside stand, as people were more likely to stop if there was a bunch of stuff to choose from than simply pears. While I don't want a fruit stand, it's timely to work out a similar solution for we gardeners.
I'd like to steward and organize such a cooperative. I'm interested in being just that, not some convoluted organization. I'm willing to donate a vehicle, that would make daily rounds through Puna, on a weekly schedule, that would be the rolling produce department. Produce is exchanged on a prorated basis, depending on what you have fresh in your garden. Ie, maybe 3 papayas worth one taro mammy worth one handful of basil. We would semi-seasonally work that out. I'd suggest that culls and seconds be free, as they traditionally are, for the taking by any needy family.
So, I start this thread to get the ball rolling. I hope there's interest. Hawaii needs to be vastly more self-sufficient and this is a meaningful way to start.
I'd like replies to have a format similar to the following.
I'd expect I'll be able to produce 600 lbs of taro
50 lbs of tomatoes
Maybe a bushel of basil
5000 lbs of dog meat(kidding)
etc.
I live up the hill a ways and I'm focusing on colder weather understory crops, such as coffee, tea, some herbs, taro. I've got cocoa in the ground and a cashew tree but those are years out, though they seem to be promising. If we work sensibly there's a possibility to in a very effective way cut all our costs and move to a better future.
