By Admin, BuyLocalBG.com, BuyLocalBg@gmail.com/
Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 11:30 AM CST
We asked Jackson Rolett one of Bowling Green’s young farmers to share his story and about his CSA. We’ve shared our views with others of the concern of the growing age of the average farmer passing the age of 60’s. Jackson and his young family are taking the plunge and dedicating their work to the small farm life. Here’s their story:
We never thought we’d be here: farming in South Central, Kentucky…
April 7th, 2012, is when our farm story really began: our first day as volunteers at the Community Farmers Market. My soon to be wife and I had decided, after several years away from home, that we were staying put—to be “stickers” as Wendell Berry wrote—and settled down in Bowling Green to be close to our families and where we grew up. As we began to consider this place our home, we searched for ways to give back to the community in order to make it a better place for everyone.
Coincidentally, so were the farmers at Community Farmers Market. It is part of their philosophy to invite everyone to the local food table, so to speak, and it was that inclusiveness that so strongly appealed to us. Every Saturday, bright and early, we showed up to help them in whatever way we could. We put out signs by the road, were extra hands for the farmers during setup and teardown, and were the warm bodies (or cold, or wet, or really warm bodies, depending on the weather) at the information table. It was the least we could do to contribute our time and show our appreciation for our local farmers, especially those at the market that provided us not only with fresh local food, but also with the strong sense of community we so desired and wanted to provide for others. We have missed very few Saturdays since that first one.
Throughout all of this time, our little family became increasingly involved with Hickory Lane Farm (formerly Need More Acres Farm). What began as a pair of extra hands on the farm every so often and an occasional farm dinner with friends has increasingly become a very desirable lifestyle. Our long-term goal is to one day be the kind of farmers that inspired us to dig into the dirt and the local food system in the first place: community farmers, so to speak. In May, my family started our very own seasonal micro-CSA (Think Little CSA) from the land and mentorship provided by Nathan and Michelle Howell and the support of our friends at Community Farmers Market. On October 7th, we’ll be taking another leap of faith and expand our CSA from six to twenty shareholders.
We feel that the main purpose of a CSA is to create a meaningful relationship between a farm, the farmers, and those for whom the farm provides. Through a membership in Think Little CSA, not only will shareholders receive a weekly share of the harvest from our labor, but will also support the next generation of small-scale farmers and the mentoring farmers who have made it a reality for them. Nathan and Michelle Howell have opened their farm on Hickory Lane to our small family so that we may begin down a path to—one day—be able to farm on our own. They have inspired us to not only grow good food, but to do good in our community, too. Think Little CSA is our way of supporting ourselves while learning what it takes to sustain a small-scale family farm and truly give back to our community.
Thanks, Matt!
Jakson, Jordan, & Avery Rolett
Please check out the Think Little CSA facebook page for more information! For those wanting to join their CSA email them at thinklittlecsa@gmail.com.
