Last time I wrote about Four Winds Farm and some of agricultural techniques they use to be more energy efficient. This week I'm going to write about the other ideas they have incorporated that you might not typically associate with a farm. I apologize for diverging into more general green practices and not sticking strictly to food based practices. But as I describe all of the eco-friendly precautions Jay takes, I think readers will appreciate that Four Winds Farm is a great example how farming can be sustainable.

One of the main goals of local food is to address the lack of sustainability in our conventional food production system. I think it follows that we should think holistically at the environmental impact of the farm, not just at the impact of techniques specific to food production. Of course it is not good to rototill, use chemicals, keep animals in overcrowded inhumane conditions, transport your food thousands of miles, and employ countless other strategies which are necessary in conventional farming. But examining the environmental impact of farms goes farms beyond this.

For example, Jay has set up to run his van on vegetable oil. This means whenever he drives to farmer's markets, he is using sulfur-free, carbon neutral fuel. He also has installed a photovoltaic system which converts sunlight to electricity, so that he actually contributes energy to the grid. This is in contrast to conventional farming, which drains more energy than the food grown contains! Studies that take into account farming practices, transportation, and packaging of conventionally-produced food estimate that it takes 7-10 calories of input to produce 1 calorie of edible food! 

I know I have spent a lot of time discussing varied green methods of running a farm and farming. But, you may be asking, how does local food relate to farming techniques? Strictly, it only specifically relates to transportation in food production. However, this is tied in with many other energy-efficiency issues, such as refrigeration and packaging. On Four Winds Farm, Jay uses the least refrigeration possible. He only really needs it for meat, as all of his vegetables are sold within a few days of harvesting. He has root cellars that are underground and insulated, so they can be kept cool only using a fan system. He doesn't have a heating system installed in the main farm building, and instead relies on hay-bale insulation. When you buy food from your typical grocery store, refrigeration is a necessity (along with chemically controlling the ripening process). This is because produce travels thousands of miles and wait months to get on the shelf, and it needs to look good, despite its taste.

Jay's root cellars (top right) and the main bulding at Four Winds Farm, equipped with solar panels to run the photovoltaic system and his veggie oil truck (below center)

Furthermore, while local food is not necessarily sustainable, it is easier to determine if you support the farming techniques used to produce your food if you can figure out where it came from. smaller farms that make an effort to bring their produce to farmers market or run CSA's may be more inclined to think about sustainable farming and the environment.

Local food is also about learning how food is produced, and highlighting Jay and his farm highlights sustainable food production methods. By purchasing local food from farmers like Jay, you can support them directly for all their creativity and hard work while decreasing your carbon footprint. I hope these past few posts have taught you about how food can be grown sustainably, and encouraged you to see what farms are near you. Hopefully you have something just as amazing as Four Winds Farm!