Mulberry Creek Farm CSA

Fun But Pointed

Kermit Interviews Old MacDonald

Humorous and educational animated cartoons (based on the Matrix) about the ugly realities of today’s food production industry. Featuring Moopheus, defender of family farms. Some is a bit over the top, but a lot of it is frighteningly close to the truth.

Store Wars

A short film inspired by Star Wars promoting organic food advocacy. Besides the film itself, the site has educational materials about organic farming and connects consumers with local producers.

The Organic Debate

This cute video from England really hits the nail on the head!

Laurie Moore of Moore Farms in Alabama adds these thoughts: I would like to add a sobering point to the discussion regarding the true cost of local and organic foods. You should know that the price you pay for the foods you buy at your local farmer's markets and with Moore Farm's Online Market are accurate reflections of what it actually costs to pay someone to grow your food and deliver it to your community. We can assure you that none of us are making big profits, our farms are sustainable and we make a very modest income (you would be surprised, maybe shocked to know how little we earn!).

The economic factors that no one wants to discuss are real though difficult to contemplate. Two of the most influential components of our food economics are (1) cheap labor and (2) government subsidies. The reality is that both our conventional and organic food systems rely on virtual slave labor provided by a poverty-level workforce. Even here in the United States the amount of money spent on labor costs is miniscule. This is because we still have access to a large pool of workers who are forced to accept extremely low wages due to their immigrant status and lack of representation. I can assure you that none of us would ever accept the working conditions and wages these people do. There are groups in California who are trying to make changes in agricultural worker rights but these are not very popular issues. Tax-payer funded government subsidies also figure heavily in the bottom line when it comes to our grocery bill. Large-scale agricultural producers worldwide are propped up by this false food economy. Some sobering thoughts as we contemplate the economic challenges these days.

Take Action

SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE FARMING

1. BUY LOCAL

There are many ways that YOU can help support local sustainable farming practices. Of course, the most basic way is to buy as much of your food as possible from local farms practicing ecologically-friendly sustainable agriculture. This not only keeps small farms such as ours in business but also helps increase demand for healthy food and encourages the long-term viability of small, local producers while pushing for a higher standard in the food industry as a whole. Our present day agri-business model will never change until there is a shift in demand along with an informed public outcry against the industry as a whole. To learn more about farms in the Miami Valley please visit our links to local producers. If you do not live near Dayton, OH, you can visit our links page and find producers close to you through websites such as eatwellguide.com, eatwild.com, and localharvest.com.

2. BECOME EDUCATED

Another way to support local sustainable agriculture is to educate yourself on contemporary issues about the food industry. There are a number of great websites and books on this subject. We'll try to get some added to our links page.

3. TAKE ACTION

If you become convinced, as we have, that the standard factory-farm methodology is unhealthy and unethical, then please take a few minutes to find out more. There are lots of issues out there that affect good stewardship of the Earth, healthy living, and so forth. Several CSA / Organic Farm websites list information about various issues.