today, we went on a farm tour at marin sun farms, which is up the coast in inverness, ca. it was a gorgeous spring day in the bay area (sunny, cloudless, high 50s / low 60s); literally something you would see on a postcard.
we met at the "historic H ranch" @ 10am. marin sun farms is located on land that's part of the point reyes national seashore (the evans family leases it from the gov). we spent the next 2 1/2 hours walking around the farm with dave evans - the man responsible for turning part of the farm's ranching operations into a "sun farm" (or grass farm, for those of you who've heard of joel salatin and his polyface farms). he showed us how they raise the cows, chickens, and goat. it was pretty interesting to get a glimpse of what goes into ranching sustainably.
that said, a word to the curious, but not yet converted: this farm tour is probably not for you.
let me start off by saying that after having read michael pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, i'm a believer in supporting local producers who use sustainble farming methods. it feels like this "food movement" is gaining momentum around the country; what would really boost awareness are "ambassadors," for lack of a better word, to help educate consumers and businesses (e.g., supermarkets, restaurants, cpg companies) about why old skool "traditional foods" (NOT to be confused with conventional and/or processed foods) are better in the end for us, not only health-wise but environmentally as well. and by ambassadors, i mean persuasive and articulate individuals who can effect change not only at the grassroots level (convincing common folk like you and me) but also at the corporate and government level. michael pollan, absolutely, is an incredible example of one.
so having said all that, if you're open to learning about why you, too, should join this movement, i honestly think you shouldn't go on this particular farm tour to be convinced. on the major plus side, you get to see proof that the farm does what it claims to do (raise animals humanely and sustainably): happy animals = tasty meats and eggs; so yummy. but on the minus, there's a little preachy (and somewhat contradictory) narrative that goes along with it that may actually do the opposite of what's (passionately and from-the-heart) intended: turn you off.
like i said, i'm already a convert, and i've spent a lot of time reading about the obstacles that sustainable farming faces, so i get it and i wasn't at all turned off. i understand where the anger and frustration comes from. but, if you don't know the backstory, you may walk away thinking the guy who runs the farm is one angry, leftist dude. he railed against the whole foods execs who don't get what it means to be a local, small-scale supplier because they seem to only care about having as much consistent supply and profit margin as possible. but he also told a story about how he was burned by an up-and-coming farm who he'd helped distribute, only to have this farm, once successful, leave him. so now he's setting up distribution agreements with new farms that will guarantee him - yup, you got it - consistent supply and margins. apparently capitalism on the small, local scale is ok, but not so much when it's a national corporation.
but whatever, i didn't go there thinking they were going to be a bunch of saints, and it was actually great to see dave's a normal guy with opinions about his career / life (a la US magazine: "farmers and ranchers, they're JUST LIKE US!"). dave, if you ever read this, i hope you don't get mad and cut me off.
all that aside, i actually had a lot of fun today, despite the fact that it was UNBELIEVABLY WINDY. it's a good thing i wore my puffy vest (i luv mah puffy vest). we got to see cute little lambies, goats, baby chicks, chickens, and cows. btw, have you ever seen cows RUN?! me either, but those ladies were running around like you wouldn't believe. it was awesome to see them out and about and (i'd like to think) happy. they were also super pumped to see us, at one point lining up all along the fence like paparazzi when we walked near them and mooing excitedly. (although, we found out it was b/c they thought we were there to move them to the next pasture, where new fresh tasty grass awaited them.)
we also learned that the laying hens and roosters live together [in sin!!!] because, surprise surprise, hens and roosters like being together, which makes them happy. i didn't know until then that the eggs the farm sells are fertile; to be honest, i wasn't sure what to feel. but the eggs are really good, and their being happy is pretty important, so my conclusion so far is that it's cool.
ok, so maybe "happy" is a little wishful anthropomorphisizing, but the animals at marin sun farms are given freedom to do what comes naturally to them, so this is immensely appealing to me. they should have only one bad day (the day they're slaughtered), and every day before that day shouldn't be one where they're trapped in places like feedlots, gestation crates, or other factory-farming constructs, living miserably and sometimes tortured. :( i love meat, but i have a conscience, too.
anyhoo, enough of my own proselytizing (how's that for irony?). the farm provided us with an extremely delicious lunch afterwards. i've never tasted goat before, and i have to say...yum! i had some roasted goat leg on a slab of country bread, slathered with green garlic aioli. damn, it was good. we also got to taste super fresh raw milk - i swore i could taste a grassy finish to it. wishful thinking? (who...me?!?) i can't remember the last time i had milk with lunch (maybe 2nd grade?), but today, it was the perfect beverage.
oh and props to kevin for willingly going with me on the tour. he's been pretty openminded about my "sustainable food" thing, but he had to get up early on a sunday and then endure several hours on a SUPER WINDY farm (he's convinced the wind-chill factor made it feel more like 40. i was wearing mah puffy vest, so i wouldn't know. HA. not), so yes, there's a big credit at the bank of caroline. :D
i'll leave you with photos of our day up in inverness so you can get a glimpse for yourself of what a sustainable farm is like. snuck in a gratuitous photo of the froons, too.
