Nothing stokes the fires of activism like becoming a parent. Passions eroded down to resignation can be quickly reinvigorated by a newly vested interest in the future. As the freshly minted parent of a daughter (a perfect, beautiful, tiny human named Wren) my own desire for a better world has been magnified tenfold. The stakes have been raised for the me to play my part in creating a brighter future for her while ensuring she grows up with strong female role model. 

My convictions on the importance of our food system are shored up with the knowledge that my work in the field will be my legacy to my daughter. If she is to reap what we are sowing in my lifetime, I have an even greater incentive to invest in organizations, projects, and people who share my vision and values for the future.

This spring, thanks to Edible Charleston, I had the opportunity to connect with other local women in the food system to gain insight and perspective on the role they are playing in shaping the future of food. 

FarmHER: How women are shaping the South Carolina food system

Close your eyes, and picture a farmer. There’s a strong chance that you imagined an aged and sun- worn grandfather figure.

But the face of farming is evolving. About one million women are currently running farm-based businesses, representing 30% of the total farmers in the country. And as farmers age out, the next generation is increasingly coming from outside of traditional circles. Individuals with non-agricultural- related degrees, people of color, indigenous people, veterans and members of the LGBTQ community are taking to the fields, and they’re bringing big ideas with them.

According to the National Young Farmers Coalition, these new farmers are more likely to be committed to environmental stewardship and to be advocates for equity and inclusion in the industry. This new wave of farmers is seeking more than a career–they’re after an opportunity to make a difference in their community and in their lives.

“You’re probably not going to get rich farming, but your quality of life is going to be high,” says Danielle Spies, co-owner of Sea Island Savory Herbs on Johns Island, a thriving plant nursery she runs with her business partner, Ella Cowen.

“I really appreciate when people come in and see that we are an all-women’s farm,” Spies says. “I like raising my daughter seeing strong women, and showing her we have the confidence to do it all on our own.”

The two friends purchased Sea Island Savory Herbs in 2013 with the major incentive of having the flexibility of raising their children while growing a strong business. Despite years of working at the farm prior to buying it, the first years were challenging.

“It felt like we had to prove ourselves. There’s pressure to know everything; to have more, grow bigger and look perfect,” Cowen says.

Spies’ advice to farmers getting started is to “surround yourself with people you enjoy working with, do what works best for you and your business, go with the flow and follow your heart.”

Six years later the two still love their jobs, enjoy working together, and have built a successful business that is leveling up the herb game in restaurants and markets throughout the area.

Changes in demographics aren’t the only aspect of agriculture evolving. Farmers in growing numbers are seeking opportunities in urban communities, from empty lots and rooftops to hydroponic tunnels and shipping containers. Traditionally a rural industry centered solely on crop yields, farming has expanded into cities, with urban farmers seeking opportunities for economic development, education and empowerment.

Germaine Jenkins of Fresh Future Farm is one such pioneer, cultivating more than healthy food in the Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood of North Charleston. For Jenkins, her farm not only provides access to healthy food but also teaches farming skills applicable to home gardens or agricultural businesses.

“I want to share so much about what I am learning; to get people’s hands in the dirt and show them it’s not as complicated as we are led to believe,” Jenkins says. Urban agriculture provides many farmers with lower barriers to entry, easier access for customers, opportunities for education and reduced transportation costs.

“Being in the middle of a residential neighborhood is golden because we are where the customers are,” Jenkins says. She also believes it is important for residents in the neighborhood to “see people who look like them growing their food.”

Jenkins is creating opportunities for black farmers to build connections and share best practices with the community by hosting the inaugural SC Black Farmers Conference on March 26. Bringing industry leaders such as Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm and author of Farming While Black, Erika Allen of the Urban Growers Collective as well as an impressive roster of local chefs and artisans, the event aims to provide a balance of best practices, networking and celebration. Community is at the heart of Jenkins’ farm, because from her perspective, you can work smarter and not harder by bringing in experts in to expand your operation. “You can’t do everything yourself,” Jenkins says.

With only 2% of the population in agriculture, the industry is in a position to open the doors to all individuals and production methods.

“Before we didn’t have enough markets and now we don’t have enough farmers,” says Helen Fields, co-owner of Joseph Fields Farm on Johns Island. “We need to continue to get more young people involved.” Fields and her husband, Joseph, have been running their farm as partnership since the early 2000s, with Helen handling the business side of the farm while Joseph focuses on production and sales.

“If it wasn’t for mentorship, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Fields says. “A farmer needs to be affiliated with other farmers and farming organizations because that is your teaching tool. As things change, you need to be prepared.”

Having started one of the first USDA-Certified Organic Farms in South Carolina, the Fieldses have worked hard to keep up with industry trends and they are passionate about mentoring the next generation through farming apprenticeships.

For aspiring farmers, these apprenticeships provide invaluable hands-on experience.

“I was mentored by a very strong-willed woman,” says Jess Martin of her apprenticeship with Casey Price. Price owns Jeremiah Farm & Goat Dairy on Johns Island, where in addition to running a Grade A goat dairy, she also provides mentorship for new farmers interested in livestock.

After gaining invaluable hands-on experience working with animals, Martin became the farm manager at Wishbone Heritage Farms in St. George, where she oversees pasture-raised sheep, hogs, chickens, ducks and cattle. Martin credits Price as well as Celeste Albers of Green Grocer with providing her the support necessary to face the challenges of livestock farming.

“These are women who aren’t afraid to get in there and do the dirty work. I’m lucky to have connections with both of them. Those relationships help me stay confident,” Martin says. As a petite woman of 5 feet 3 inches working with 500-pound hogs, she is often questioned about her ability to handle animals. But she feels that being a woman in the livestock industry is an advantage.

“I think that we are more nurturing and take a more of an intuitive approach to things,” Martin says. “I feel like I can interact with animals without having to rely on physical strength.”

Martin is passionate about pushing her industry towards more humane practices that include quality grazing and feed, which honor the animal and ultimately result in a superior product. As a livestock farmer, Martin wants “to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.”

Agriculture’s capacity to effect positive change is a draw for many new farmers. But if you weren’t raised on a farm, finding the resources and a network to get started is challenging. For Laura Mewbourn, owner of Feast & Flora Farm in Meggett, it came down to finding the right people.

Similar to many new farmers, Mewbourn’s collegiate roots are not agricultural; prior to farming she spent years working in academia.

“I went to college and picked the major I was supposed to pick, and ended up in an office job like I was supposed to. But I would walk past landscapers working and think ‘oh gosh, that looks really nice’ but I never let myself go much deeper than that.”

Upon moving to Charleston, Mewbourn stumbled across the Growing New Farmers Program and decided to explore farming as a potential career. While preparing for the transition from academics to agriculture, she immersed herself in podcasts and read countless books on the life of a modern farmer. Yet it wasn’t until her first few weeks in the program, working with her farm mentor and gaining hands-on experience, that she knew she could physically and mentally be a farmer. Without land to inherit or an experienced farm family to lean on for technical support, Mewbourn looked to other farmers in the local network for help.

“You need to find farmers who understand the position you’re in and who are willing to lend their assistance,” Mewbourn says. In order to build a farm from scratch, she relied on these farmers to provide guidance on everything from plowing the fields to buying equipment. Mewbourn acknowledges that farming is a trade requiring a lifetime of research and learning but at some point you have to take the leap, even if it is a small one.

“At the end of the day, you just have to do it,” Mewbourn says. Three years later, she’s managing a successful farm and hosting apprentices of her own.

The challenges these women have overcome represent the greater obstacles the industry is experiencing as farmers across the country work hard to feed their communities. It’s important that as consumers, we not only support farmers at the market but that we invest in the programs and policies focused on building an equitable, inclusive and resilient food system. If the industry continues to attract hardworking, innovative farmers like these, the future looks bright . . . and delicious.

Original article in Edible Charleston available HERE.

What makes one farmer, one market, one system more successful than another? Are these lessons transferrable to other communities or is the success so deeply place-based and too nuanced to replicate? As someone passionate about building a strong local food system (and not reinventing the wheel) I am fascinated by all of the variations and models of getting food from the farms to the table in communities around the world.

If you work in the industry, you know that in agriculture, everyone’s way is the “right way” and it likely looks very different than their neighbors “right way”. These days, I dig down to the root of individual successes to understand WHY a technique, method, or product was working so well. It often takes looking closely at the variables associated with people, place, price, process, and preference in each situation to understand what ingredients create the ideal blend.

Most of my lesson are learned close to home, focusing on those projects gaining traction in the Southeast, navigating the region’s nuanced culture, climate, and clientele but sometimes you need to get out of your own pasture and look over the fence to see if perhaps the grass is greener. I plan to spend the next few posts sharing some of my adventures farther afield, starting with visit to an island across the ocean.

This Spring I found myself exploring a hidden gem known as Terceira Island, home to more cows that people and more cheese than one would think possible for a 150 square mile radius. This dairy and livestock haven is a part of the Portuguese Azores archipelago, located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean and due to the temperate climate, the grass really IS greener. Beyond the ecological and cultural appeal of the island, their approach to dairy farming was of special interest given the challenges facing our local dairy farmers at home. In case you weren’t aware, the American dairy industry is in a crisis, with small farms being forced out of the business by continued drop in prices and vertical integration of larger companies that cut-out the remaining dairy cooperatives. After a few emails and phone calls, I was able connect with Dr. Moreira da Silva, a professor at the University of the Azores willing to provide a behind-the-scenes tour. Through his connections we were able to meet a diverse range of individuals across the food system of the islands from farm to table and understand the special ingredients (place, people, process) helping their farmers to thrive.

The Place: After a surprisingly short direct flight from Boston (direct to the island!!) my stepmother and I arrived at sunrise to discover a magical place combining the emerald Scottish countryside with picturesque colorful Mediterranean villages. Town and country alike, there were cows everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE: in the road, tied in front yards, and next to the beach.

Throughout the island, walls of volcanic rock enclose lush fields of green, interspersed with clustered coastal communities full of simple whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs punctuated by incredibly colorful ornate churches. Although small, the island is packed full of diverse landscapes beyond the fields including lava fields, caves, eucalyptus forests, and rocky ocean baths. As we traveled through the city center of Angra do Heroismo on our way to our hotel, we quickly realized why the area was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site with its cobblestone roads, unique building designs, and cliffside views of the ocean. It was here we were able to connect with our gracious host Dr. Silva at the University of the Azores where we discovered an incredible range of tours, introductions, and experiences for us (his wonderful wife Maria even picked us up).

The People: Dr. Silva gave us the rock star treatment, introducing us to his entire agricultural network. Our tour began at the University with a meet and greet with all of the department heads and many of the students (to my delight it also included multiple tea breaks). My academic side glowed hearing about research extremely similar to studies found at my own home base at the College of Charleston including studies of sea-level rise, impacts of climate change on the natural environment as well as the economy, and the island’s biodiversity. On the agricultural side the studies ranged from testing probiotics in yogurt and agricultural marketing to milk fat and artificial insemination. Despite my lack of Portuguese (I naively thought Spanish would work) everyone enthusiastically shared their industry insight and were curious to hear about life in Charleston, South Carolina.

Following the on-campus tour, Moreira and his colleague drove us to the off-campus Experimental Farm and Dairy where we met calves (mini-moos!), cows, herding doggos, and cross-eyed farm cats before visiting the milking parlor and checking out the equipment, feed, and fertilizers. During the tour, we discussed how their dairy industry has traditionally operated with many individual farmers rotating small herds through the fertile fields of grass and milking their cows using portable parlors. Milk is either sold to cooperatives or processed for a variety of dairy products (primarily cheese). This system has allowed residents to participate in the industry without a lot of infrastructure (barns, parlors, processing equipment) and the ability to stay at a smaller scale. Cows grazed on healthy pastures produce better milk and since farmers get paid based on the quality or grade of their milk, there is a built-in incentive on the island to rotate cows regularly and not overgraze. The result: beautiful pastures, happier cows, delicious dairy products, and more profit for dairy farmers. It is important to note that the island is not only in great proximity to European markets but also enjoys a grass-loving climate that stays between 55 and 80 degrees and regular rainfall, two keys to their success harder to replicate at home.

One of Dr. Silva’s former students joined us to share her insights on the agricultural industry in the Azores and gave us a glimpse at the future of farming on the Islands. Alexandra M B Ramos operates a small beef cattle operation while also managing the marketing for the local Beef Cattle Breeders’ Association that focuses on a regional certification for the Azores. Initially considered a secondary by-product of the dairy industry, beef has become a burgeoning market for the islands and Alexandra is interested in making a name for grass-fed beef raised on the lush pastures of the Azores. She invited us for a morning on the farm to get a first hand perspective into the industry at her farm AMBR-Lady Angus Beef. Across an entire ocean, it was comforting to connect with a fellow woman agriculture shamelessly kicking ass (while driving a pink tractor AND truck, no less).

Another highlight of the agricultural adventure (outside of driving a pink tractor) was having the opportunity to meet a group of aspiring farmers and the faculty supporting them. At the request of the program, I provided an overview of the US agricultural system and shared stories of the farmers I am proud to work with in the Southeast. After spending time with Dr. Silva, it is clear that he passionate about connecting students from abroad. Paired with the University of the Azores supporting visiting groups through housing and travel aid, I would highly recommend US universities take advantage of this opportunity!

Process: Throughout the tours, the topic of cooperatives came up frequently and with my interest in both local value chains and food hubs, I was curious how these systems were working on the islands. Dr. Silva coordinated a private tour of the newest local agricultural cooperative and I was completely blown away. Funded with government grants, the facility was completely decked out with full security measures, gleaming white walls, shining stainless steel equipment, large wash/pack lines, and spacious coolers. The facility was capable of processing a diverse range of product including dairy, fruits, vegetables and during two months of the year the processing, packaging, and export of over a million and half stems of protea flowers. The cooperative was distributing product all across the island as well as into national and international markets. One surprising element to the operation: farmers that sell their product to the cooperative were not allowed to sell into any other markets.

After touring farms, we obviously made time to sample the fruits of the labor and visited farm-to-table restaurants to sample cheese and local fare that ranged from small batches on cheese boards to commercial production with an agri-tourism focus.

What were the take-aways and thoughts from our agricultural adventure?

Invest in Farmers: The European Union invests in farming through direct payments (including those linked to environmental practices, small farmers, and those industries facing a volatile market) as well as incredible investments in new farmers under the age of 40 through grants to help launch their businesses and acquire land.

Small but Mighty: The dairy industry seems to be successful because it focuses on utilizing their most abundance resource: grass. Paired with low-infrastructure, portable parlors, and small herds the system allows for less risk and less overhead. The resulting high quality milk and cheese are in steady demand, helping keep the price of the product high enough for continued farmer participation. Interestingly, on my tours I realized I had traveled across an ocean to see a set-up just like one in my own backyard at Sea Island Jerseys and Green Grocer on Wadmalaw Island operated by Celeste and George Albers. Perhaps there is an opportunity for mid-sized dairies in the US to adopt some of these methods in order to participate in local markets hungry for grass-fed, small batch milk and dairy like that found in the Azores.

Cooperatives: The majority of products are processed and sold by cooperatives with much of it exported to the mainland, creating a culture where farmers don’t focus on marketing or sales but stick to production. All of the cooperatives we discussed provided additional benefits to their farmers such as training, equipment sharing, breeding support, and profit sharing. Based on the conversations we had throughout our trip, most farmers were okay with this system but there were definitely a few were interested in learning about direct sales.

Focus on the Future: Young farmers are facing similar challenges regardless of location: land access, financial limitations, need for training in business and production, and the inability of the existing systems to keep up with their changing needs, changing markets and their desire for innovation.

Crowdsource Ideas: There are incredible opportunities for students to travel to the Azores to exchange ideas or host students from the islands in the US to expand their horizons.

My unsolicited advice: As a burgeoning tourist destination with unique natural ecology, the island could greatly benefit from a stronger farm-to-table movement, a focus on agri-tourism, and the increased adoption of organic practices to secure a higher market price while preserving the natural beauty of their land.

In the end, I left with something much more valuable than information or insight: friendship. In the future, I hope to bring students to visit this incredible island to build an even stronger bridge between our communities. Obrigada to Dr. Silva and Alexandra for your incredible hospitality!