Buy Local Food In Kitsap

Scott Hall Feeding Kitsap Cattle

Next Meeting of The KCAA:
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
7:00 – 9:00 PM
Norm Dicks Center
345 6th Street, Civic Meeting Room, Main Floor
Bremerton, WA

A healthy farm is a microcosm of a balanced relationship among the mineral elements, microbes, plants, insects, animals, the seasons, water, air, the farmer and the community of human beings that the farm supports. The role of animals, their production as food is probably understood by most but their irreplaceable role as consumers of plants and producers of manure, their treatment of the soil with their hooves and other activities are a key in the farmer’s efforts to build a self-contained “whole” farm.

In Kitsap County the role of animals in building soil fertility has diminished greatly since the years of peak cultivation in the 19th and 20th centuries. Much of the grazed land, hay and grain production and animal infrastructure had since disappeared but the proper care and enhancement of raising healthy animals may well determine the success of efforts to re-build agriculture in Kitsap County.

The decline of animal husbandry in the county also points to the loss of knowledgeable practitioners available to teach succeeding generations of farmers their understanding of animals in order to carry on and grow this important component of farming. The Kitsap Community and Agricultural Alliance is fortunate to have amongst our members many of the most experienced and knowledgeable practitioners of this art. The challenges of raising healthy livestock in an increasingly urbanized and highly regulated environment calls for a new generation of farmers and consumers to work out new ways of doing it.

The next meeting of the KCAA will feature educational presentations by among others Jerry Darnall, Sharon Howard,  Nikki Johanson, Joy Garitone and Jade Pope, experts in the management of cattle, hogs, poultry and sheep. This will be an invaluable opportunity for current and prospective farmers to learn how these successful farmers have managed the changing landscape themselves.

As a consumer you will learn what questions you should really be asking of the people who supply the meat and poultry for their family’s table, what opportunities there might be for urban gardeners to raise animals and birds and gain some insight as to how to demand sensible health regulations from agencies who all too often prevent local community farms from producing healthy animal protein for consumption because of their bias toward creating rules for industrial animal production.

Every person who eats meat, poultry and wants vegetables from healthy soil will benefit greatly with education about this.