Save The Farm
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Jeff Wallace and I live on a small all natural farm in Warren County , NJ, with Susan Bates, we named it Agrestic Acres. Our mission is to operate a pasture based system that will provide grass fed meats, pastured pork & poultry, pastured eggs and all natural vegetables.
I did not use the word "organic" for a reason. I believe that word has been hi-jacked by big agribusiness and the government and the decision was made to operate in a transparant way, allowing customers to visit and see all aspects of the farm and how we do things and to also use a more local, grass roots organizations, Certified Naturally Grown. Our farm is surrounded by conventional agriculture and there is all sorts of government assistance for them.... we are trying to do this in a better way. A sustainable way. A way that provides great food to us and the local community. It is a tough thing to do in NJ.
NJ farmland is some of the most expensive to acquire in the nation and we believe it has led to a food void and a disconnect between the people in Northern NJ and their food supply. We are trying to take a step in the right direction.... but it is financially hard, and draining as a start-up.
We have been doing this for 3 years now, this year is the first year on our own land. We have a loyal and growing customer base through marketing and selling over the last 3 years at markets and farm stands. This year we created a way to keep in touch with our customers over the winter months and allow them to order online and get a once a month drop-off of our products. This was a big step in helping cashflow over the most difficult time of the year.
The money will be used first to pay-off some feed costs and a small loan for our market trailer, which has 3 freezers mounted inside, runs off a solar generator and is very cleanly stickered with our logo helping spread the word as we trailer our product to homes and markets. We also will need to place our seed order for the year and finish our aquaponics high tunnel. I have paid for this mostly myself, but there is some work to do to complete this project and it will provide salad greens, vegetables and herbs year round and will be off-grid, using solar panels and a battery bank. I also need to install some high tensile fencing to prepare for rotationally grazing our beef cattle and other animals we will pasture.... AND KEEP PREDATORS OUT! There are many predators here and it is a constant battle.
We would need the funds in the next few months, certainly by the end of March 2016. There is no turning back for us, we have committed to doing farming in a different way here in NJ, and hopefully reconnect people with local food raised in an all natural and humane way. We are not the platic wrapped stuff you get in a supermarket that is trucked in from very far away. This is very different from what we grew up on here in NJ and it means everything to us to be able to continue. I believe our sales trend and our very friendly and honest approach with our customers will actually get us to a sustainable point financially this year with some help.
We have done this all on our own, but things need to keep moving forward and we could really use some help. We have not gone to the USDA or other government agencies because much of that funding comes with stipulations and is tied to conventional agricultural methods, which we feel is the problem. It would mean the world to us if we could get the needed help. We actually feel we are making a difference and our customers do as well. Please be a part of this with us and we will be so grateful for your support in this mission of ours
Sincerely
Jeff Wallace
Agrestic Acres
GrowingDirt.com
I did not use the word "organic" for a reason. I believe that word has been hi-jacked by big agribusiness and the government and the decision was made to operate in a transparant way, allowing customers to visit and see all aspects of the farm and how we do things and to also use a more local, grass roots organizations, Certified Naturally Grown. Our farm is surrounded by conventional agriculture and there is all sorts of government assistance for them.... we are trying to do this in a better way. A sustainable way. A way that provides great food to us and the local community. It is a tough thing to do in NJ.
NJ farmland is some of the most expensive to acquire in the nation and we believe it has led to a food void and a disconnect between the people in Northern NJ and their food supply. We are trying to take a step in the right direction.... but it is financially hard, and draining as a start-up.
We have been doing this for 3 years now, this year is the first year on our own land. We have a loyal and growing customer base through marketing and selling over the last 3 years at markets and farm stands. This year we created a way to keep in touch with our customers over the winter months and allow them to order online and get a once a month drop-off of our products. This was a big step in helping cashflow over the most difficult time of the year.
The money will be used first to pay-off some feed costs and a small loan for our market trailer, which has 3 freezers mounted inside, runs off a solar generator and is very cleanly stickered with our logo helping spread the word as we trailer our product to homes and markets. We also will need to place our seed order for the year and finish our aquaponics high tunnel. I have paid for this mostly myself, but there is some work to do to complete this project and it will provide salad greens, vegetables and herbs year round and will be off-grid, using solar panels and a battery bank. I also need to install some high tensile fencing to prepare for rotationally grazing our beef cattle and other animals we will pasture.... AND KEEP PREDATORS OUT! There are many predators here and it is a constant battle.
We would need the funds in the next few months, certainly by the end of March 2016. There is no turning back for us, we have committed to doing farming in a different way here in NJ, and hopefully reconnect people with local food raised in an all natural and humane way. We are not the platic wrapped stuff you get in a supermarket that is trucked in from very far away. This is very different from what we grew up on here in NJ and it means everything to us to be able to continue. I believe our sales trend and our very friendly and honest approach with our customers will actually get us to a sustainable point financially this year with some help.
We have done this all on our own, but things need to keep moving forward and we could really use some help. We have not gone to the USDA or other government agencies because much of that funding comes with stipulations and is tied to conventional agricultural methods, which we feel is the problem. It would mean the world to us if we could get the needed help. We actually feel we are making a difference and our customers do as well. Please be a part of this with us and we will be so grateful for your support in this mission of ours
Sincerely
Jeff Wallace
Agrestic Acres
GrowingDirt.com
Organizer
Jeff Wallace
Organizer
Great Meadows, NJ
