Posted: 9/5/07
North Circle project developing new markets for local farmers, small family farms
 Katie Zerwas is a familiar person at the WEI farm stand at the Good Soil Farmer's Market in Central Park on Thursday evenings. |
The Women's Environmental Institute (WEI), a local non-profit organization, has moved into the second phase of its plan to develop organic farming opportunities in our community. They have added two new members to the staff -- Katie Zerwas and Randy Dietel - to develop an organic farming community network and a food processing facility to increase farmers' profits and decrease farmers' reliance on potentially harmful and expensive synthetic chemicals found in pesticides.
In the next few months, they will be working with industry professionals to draft a business plan and feasibility study for the processing facility and they are seeking farmers and community people interested in supporting and participating in the project.
According to the last census (2002), farms in Chisago County and seven surrounding counties reported a 64 percent net earnings loss after government subsidies. WEI's program, known as The North Circle Project, is designed to support our rural farm community by working with local farmers to increase their revenues by using organic food production techniques and value-added processing.
According to Jacquelyn Zita, WEI's Director of Operations and Education, "The future path for small family farms is not likely to be in competition with larger farms or corporate farming, but in banding together as a community of small farmers to grow produce to feed our own community with healthy organic food and to deliver our produce and value-added products to the Twin Cities and other markets where customers want to buy local, buy fresh, and buy organic and value-added."
Katie Zerwas, the new WEI program coordinator for the North Circle Project, is a full-time AmeriCorps* VISTA volunteer trained in community outreach and resource development.
Zerwas is currently coordinating community outreach for the North Circle project and establishing markets for local farmers who want to become involved with the North Circle Project. She is also developing educational resources to share with local farmers interested in growing their products organically, without the use of pesticides or herbicides.
She is looking for farmers and growers interested in joining the fastest growing food market in U.S. agriculture. According to the USDA, the market for organic produce is growing at a rate of 20 percent a year, compared to only 1 percent a year for conventionally grown foods.
Zerwas has become a familiar face at the WEI farm stand at the Good Soil Farmers' Market at Central Park in downtown North Branch every Thursday from 4-6.
"I'm really excited to get involved with the farmers in our community," Zerwas says. "I think that there is a real demand for locally grown food, and I'm looking forward to bringing consumers and growers closer together."
Zerwas is replacing Jo Williams, a fellow VISTA volunteer who worked on the North Circle project in its first year and developed the "North Circle Newsletter."
The North Circle Project has also received financial assistance and support from the University of Minnesota through the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) and from the Minnesota Initiative Foundation. This support has allowed WEI to hire Randy Dietel, a University of Minnesota graduate with expertise in applied economics and business planning for small farms. In the next few months, Dietel will prepare a business plan and feasibility study for the Project that will be made available to local farmers and investors.
WEI is currently seeking community members and farmers interested in being involved with the project.
Plans are in the works to sponsor public meetings to discuss these and other measures to improve our local economy, and to invite the community to share food and ideas at the WEI Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 6.
The Women's Environmental Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, located on Amador Hill in Amador Township, and is a member of the North Branch and Taylors Falls Chambers of Commerce.
WEI is known for their certified organic apple orchard and community supported agriculture farm that serves 100 families locally and in the Twin Cities.
WEI supports many programs promoting environmental and social justice in Minnesota, including the Organic Farm School, Eco(A)Ware Home Project, Healthy Legacy Collaboration, Climate Justice Community Advocacy, and the Environmental Justice Education and Advocacy Collaborative. Their Web site, www.w-e-i.org, features information and resources about these and other WEI programs.
For more information about the North Circle Project or to get involved, call Katie at (651) 583-0705 or send an e-mail to northcircle@w-e-i.org. If you are interested in receiving the North Circle Newsletter, please sign up at the WEI Web site www.w-e-i.org/north-circle-project.
©ECM Post Review
6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com