October 30, 2009
According to the latest 2007 USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service, roughly 4 million family farms have been lost since the 1930’s, though it should be noted that small farms (50 acres in size, or less) have increased about 13% compared to the earlier USDA 2002 census data). As the population of family farmers continues to age, there is also a critical shortage of young farmers to take their place. Michael Paine is a rare breed; he doesn’t come from a farming family, and he’s relatively young. His story is a good example of the unique challenges facing those who wish to take up farming.
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The harassment, abuse, and sometimes death of the marine observers who uphold sustainable seafood standards are the industry’s worst-kept secrets. Critics say the people and companies that earn the most money on tuna aren’t doing enough to secure their well-being.
May 17, 2023
Yes, we are seeing the same thing, farming today is very difficult, when Jane and I first started living off the grid we did market gardening to make a living, and found success there. It's not all about energy production anymore either, food has become a real focus for us, and it is good to see people like Michael taking it on. We might suggest he switch to soil block technology, I see all of those plastic growing containers in the background... it worked great for us.
I think these days it helps to be open to new ideas and be very creative at how you go about it.