April… the month of awakening. March might be noted as the month of change, however April is the month that leads once the script is flipped from winter to spring. With the last of the snow receding from the foothills, a menagerie of birds have returned. Meadowlarks; sparrows; hawks and eagles. Swallows, robins, jays and yes bluebirds! To name only a few. Nothing so brilliant as a handful of male mountain bluebirds flitting about the otherwise drab countryside. Oh my; it is no less shocking of a sight year after year. To be sure, one that sanctifies the season.
I know from the years here that a wet late fall, followed by an earlier and solid winter, often gives way to a damp and invigorated spring such as the one that lies before us. Already spring beauties, yellow bells and bluebells dot the greening slopes. Soon enough we will see our first balsamroot in the lower valley and then the aspen will leaf-out and from there it will be a flood of daily changes. I suspect the wind will kick up any day – another harbinger of April in the Methow. This season for the senses is like no other. Welcome!
As we say goodbye to winter and switch out the snow removal equipment for farming tools, I am always amazed how fast the seasons come and go. This may have something to do with growing a year older myself, but how can a place like this fit 4 full seasons into a year were it not otherwise? As I walk the fields that were buried in snow only a month ago, I see the winter peas are not only awake, but beginning to color up and grow! Our soil profile is in terrific shape moisture wise. The snow pack in the mountains is decent and we will have plenty of moisture for our more user friendly annual crops here at Bluebird. Bluebird farming partners in the Columbia basin and on the northern plains are also stirring and anxious to begin the farming season.
Our flour mill has been staying busy as the baking season never really ends. The fresh milled einkorn flour just flies out the door weekly, and we are pleased how well used it is. As are all of our other whole grain flours, and whole grains themselves. Inventory is solid, and with planting season around the corner, there is little risk we will run short of your favorite grains and mixes.
The organic food business has grown to be about $70 billion in this country. It has done so largely unsubsidized. This speaks volumes to consumer confidence, demand, and choice. It is estimated that for every dollar invested in organic agriculture, there is a $20 return. In the next 7 years, this national value is predicted to almost double. Economy, food security, independence and health are all cornerstones of what organic agriculture has always been. These are all points the National Organic Coalition – of which I was a guest member of this year – brought to Washington DC the last week in March during our “Fly-in” event.
Bluebird was asked to participate this year by NOC member PCC Markets, as we are one of PCC’s suppliers. Their hope was for a farmer from District 4 to join the cause, as Representative Dan Newhouse ( District 4) sits on the Ag appropriations committee, and has shown support for organic agriculture over the years. Thus, yours truly jumped on a plane for Dulles airport, DC.
I will say it was a full 3 days. All of our meetings on the Hill were condensed into one day however, we took a full day to prep, and a full day to debrief. There were about 25 of us in total, and we broke into sub-groups for most of the meetings. Our Washington State group consisted of PCC Markets, Seattle; Nature Path’s Foods, Blaine; the Organic Seed Alliance Port Townsend, and myself from Winthrop.
Policy, policy, policy. Each year, US taxpayers hand out roughly $30 billion… yes billion in subsidies to farm business and agriculture. A whopping $23 million of that goes to the National Organic Program which has to cover label enforcement, research, minimal certification cost share and a host of other things. Still, organic thrives. It remains the only growing sector in Agriculture.
NOC was there simply trying to save what little organic support we have at this point, and did ask for a $7 million increase to and even $30 million. This was an ask directly to Newhouse, who I felt we had a very good meeting with, as well as several other Senators and Congress members while we were there. Given the fact that the Farm Bill flounders along on extensions – going on two years now – all of this “discretionary “ spending is at risk. It may seem like small potatoes, but seed spuds at the very least, to what I like to think will become a much bigger movement. I think the timing could be ripe. Organic: Independent, (import free), free market (capitalism), healthy (MAHA). Making Agriculture Great Again.
I had a dear Uncle who once quipped that there were three basic rules to business: Politics, politics, politics. Everyone seems to be enthralled with politics these days. I encourage us all to be civil as we get involved while attempting to move the needle back toward the middle. One way to do this is to work with one another on the ideas we agree on, not always the ones we don’t. This is politics – frustrating as it is at times.
Thank you NOC for inviting me along on this informative trip. Thanks to all of you conscientious and loyal customers! I wish you all a healthy spring!
Your farmer, Sam