One of our favorite local farms around here will be soon closing and it makes us very sad! We recently went over to the farm, where I've watched my girls every season look at the flowers, pumpkins and Christmas trees and were met with empty shelves. At first it was subtle but now, it's clearly disappearing before our eyes. The shelves are becoming barer each week.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Of course to the farmers, this is their livelihood and farming as we know it, is disappearing at alarming rates.
Tuttles Red Barn is the oldest working family farm in the US. Operating since 1630, it sits on conservation land that can only be used for agriculture but to what extent, nobody knows. After reading a bit more about the sad state of farming, these facts struck me:
- From 1982-2007, more than 13 million acres of farmland in the country was lost to development, according to a recent survey by the United States Department of Agriculture. Texas lost 1.5 million acres during that period, while Massachusetts saw a 24 percent decline in farmland � fifth highest among all states.
- From 2002-2007, more than 4 million acres of farmland in the country was lost to development, according to the latest federal figures. During that same time period, Maine lost 8,700 acres, while New Hampshire lost about 3,000 acres.
We can only hope that someone will purchase this farm and use it like it has been previously used for so many years. If you're interested in reading more about the history of Tuttles, you can check out the book of the farms history, available at bookstores. If you are interested in learning more about the future of our food and the farming industry, take a peak at some of these documentaries...I dare you.
Just eat your meal before you watch these documentaries....
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