NOFA-VT Farm Share

I'm sure alot of you know that NOFA-VT does alot of stuff around the state year-round to help farmers, but I would like to single out one that effects us pretty directly.  Every year around this time we get an application or two from NOFA for people who would like to get a farm share but can't afford one.  NOFA actually forwards me their handwritten application, which puts a human face on it, even before I meet the actual human face.

I suppose I identify with people who can't afford farm shares because part of why I started farming was to eat lots of healthy stuff without breaking the bank, and that is also why Open Heart tries to keep its share price reasonable.

I am also really impressed with how easy NOFA  makes this program for both the farmers and the customers.  This always seems like a barrier to entry for me with alot of programs that might finally be able to subsidize farm shares.  For a small farm (and I imagine a busy family who wants to eat healthy), too much bureaucracy can be hard to wade through, but the farm share program has been very easy.  The goal is that the customer pay 50% of the price, NOFA pays 25%, and we, the farm and hopefully its members who can afford to help, pay the other 25%.  Thus far our farm has never been able to get our end, but that hasn't stopped NOFA from being extra generous, so, yes, this is a little reminder that should you have a few extra bucks kicking around, NOFA has also made it super-easy to help fund other peoples veggies.  You can do it one of two ways, send them a check and just make sure it is labeled with our farm name, or send it directly to us.  The benefit of sending it to NOFA is that it is tax deductible.


On another note: If you are wondering where the pics are of all that is happening on the farm (which is alot), the cameras on the fritz, so . . .