CRAB ORCHARD, KY – Two grassroots non-profits, the Greenhorns and Community Farm
Alliance’s Agricultural Legacy Initiative, team up for a beginning farmer mixer at Food Leaf Farm starting at
4pm in Crab Orchard. The mixer will bring young and beginning farmers from all across the state for fellowship
and a potluck. There will be a screening of the Greenhorns documentary film followed by a panel discussion
of local, notable agriculturalists. Afterwards, a bonfire and live music from Kyle James Hauser and The
Meadowlarks. Guests are invited to bring tents and camp out.
“Its a quite a phenomena to see all these ambitious people, both young and old, coming into Kentucky
agriculture and starting their own food businesses. The age of the Average American farmer has been going
up every year since 1978– with this group of new farmers and entrepreneurs, we can reverse that trend. ”
Carolyn Gahn, Agricultural Legacy Initiative
The Agricultural Legacy Initiative is Community Farm Alliance’s beginning farmer network. Their work
addresses the issue of farmers without farms and farms without farmers. This group of over 150 beginning
and established farmers, initiate programs, policies, and practices that benefit the next generation of Kentucky
agriculture. As the average age of farmers rises, CFA wants to ensure there are enough farmers to take their
place and carry on the agricultural legacy of Kentucky.
“What kind of farmers are these? Its a great diversity of farm products that these new farmers are producing,
indeed diversity is a market strategy for startup farmers trying to cash flow their new businesses: Pork from
hogs raised outdoors, poultry on grass, organic vegetables and pick-your owns, natural beef, honey, cheese,
beer, fresh breads, pickles and jams. These startup business focus on high quality, direct markets, and high
animal welfare standards– this is what consumers are looking for in their food these days, and for these
motivated growers environmental concerns, and high quality of life drive production values ” – Severine v T
Fleming, The Greenhorns
Community Farm Alliance is a grassroots, member based organization whose mission is to organize and
encourage cooperation among rural and urban citizens, through leadership development and grassroots
democratic processes, to ensure an essential, prosperous place for family-scale agriculture in our economies
and communities.
The Greenhorns is a non-traditional grassroots non-profit organization made up of young farmers and a
diversity of collaborators. The mission is to recruit, promote and support the new generation of young farmers.
They do this by producing avant-garde programming, video, audio, web content, publications, events, and
art projects that increase the odds for success and enhance the profile and social lives of America’s young
farmers. Their latest publication is the 2013 New Farmers Almanac.
Food Leaf Farm is located at 3212 Hamilton Valley Road, Crab Orchard, KY 40419. Guests should bring a dish
to share. This event is family friendly.