A bit of background.


I have a small farm and have been kicking the idea around of growing more vegetables and maybe some pumpkins instead of hay and grains. I did extensive volunteer work in Hancock Co Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina back in '05-'06.  A local guy remembered this and contacted me a couple of weeks ago about joining a "committee".  His pitch was centered around small (20 acres) family owned produce growers and how to open up a market for the crops.

He gave me a couple of websites to check out and today, I finally had a chance to look at them.  Social, economic and environmental justice are some of the first words on the rural action home page.  Sustainable this, sustainable that, all kinds of "buzz" words that sound too familiar.

Links left cold:

http://ruralaction.org/about-us/who-we-are/
http://www.cannetwork.org/about_us.htm


Has anyone had an experience with these groups?  I haven't looked at how or who funds them, anyone know this stuff off hand?

While my first instinct is to RUN, there is a meeting this week with one of the regional directors, I might go just to hear what they are thinking.  

The "social and economic justice" part would make me run far and fast.



I have found that people who use such phrases are generally communists.

Could these organizations stem from here ?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/09/executive-order-establishment-white-house-rural-council

CAN has been around since 2002, ruralaction since '98.

Funding is likely from the usual suspects.

This. And I damned sure am not interested in feeder their leeching asses.



 

My wife used to work at Rural Action in Glouster (OH), up until recently. She still works with a local produce auction. I have to say, the socialistic grant-framing aspects of the org. struck both of us as offesnive (read: we're not supportive of that kind of behavior), but there are some related things going on in the community (like the produce auction) that are really taking off for the benefit of the farmers involved.

PM me if you have any specific questions, I'm sure she (and I) would be happy to help!

There is a meeting this Wednesday in my area, Ashtabula County.  I think I am going to check it out, only because I'm curious how this is supposed to work.  

I will let you know if I have any questions.