Posts By Marianne Peters
Urban Farming Startup Sees Opportunity in Aeroponic Tower to Increase Local Food Production in New Orleans
December 16, 2013 | Marianne Peters
Image Credit: VertiFarms
Fresh produce in New Orleans usually arrives from places like California or Florida. One company wants to change that.
Vertifarms began providing aeroponic farms for New Orleans food businesses in 2011, when company co-founders Doug Jacobs and Kevin Morgan-Rothschild began partnering with Florida-based FutureGrowing to bring aeroponic tower systems to restaurants, markets, grocery stores, and non-profit organizations that want to grow their own local crops.
Sustainable Ag Org. in Ohio Sees Increased Role in Supporting Influx of New Farmers
December 11, 2013 | Marianne Peters
Source: Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
Ohio farmers new to sustainable agriculture can get a leg up on the learning curve with the help of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA).
The non-profit organization, established in 1979, works to promote and support the sustainable agriculture community in Ohio from producers to consumers including those new to farming. OEFFA assists new farmers through a variety of networking events, an apprenticeship program, and an investment fund created to encourage the expansion of sustainable farming practices.
Former Electrical Engineer Strikes Out on His Own, Turns Profit with Sustainable Hydroponic Farming
November 27, 2013 | Marianne Peters
Source: Eden Farms
After ten years as an electrical engineer in Indiana, Randy Butts knew he wanted to be his own boss. Traditional farming tempted him, but he knew that launching a corn or soybean operation from scratch would be a struggle.
Friends of his were growing tomatoes using hydroponic farming, a process that intrigued him. Plants grown hydroponically use a small fraction of the water, land, and nutrients that conventionally-grown agriculture requires, and they produce abundantly in a shorter amount of time than conventionally grown vegetables. They can also be grown year-round. Read More
New ‘Virtual Grange’ Connects Young Farmers in a Digital World
November 14, 2013 | Marianne Peters
Image Source: Virtual Grange
Though you might find some millennials paying their dues in entry-level office jobs, increasing numbers of “agri-preneurs” in their twenties and thirties are opting for a more independent, agrarian lifestyle by establishing small, sustainably managed farms.
In many cases, these new farmers are the first in their families to choose farming as an occupation. Starting a farm is no guarantee that it will prosper, and many enterprises fail. Without a strong family background in farming or a community to rely on, young farmers’ chances of success are diminished.
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