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"Community Supported Agriculture Farmers" © Seth Butler

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"Jon and Christopher Piana pose for portrait in their greenhouse at Fable Farm in Barnard, VT. Fable Farm is a community supported agriculture (CSA) project started in 2008 on the site of the first homestead in the town on land leased from Joe Ladoucer, an organic beef farmer and the owner of the now struggling Bowman Road Farm. At a recent legislative hearing on the future of agriculture at the Vermont State House, Jon Piana stated "The average farmer in this state is 56 years old. Clearly, we need more young farmers to sustain us now and into the future. This means that some how we must make farming more profitable, and land more affordable and accessible. Young folks should be encouraged to take up the trade and art of farming, not discouraged. During this period of economic meltdown and job loss, there is lots of work to be done on farms. It is critical that we, as a state, begin taking charge in the local production of food, energy, and other raw materials that are used day to day." Historically, Vermont has been a primarily agrarian economy but with the current economic crisis, many farms are now folding under the added financial pressure of this economic downturn. Community supported agriculture projects may present a very plausible solution for supporting farms and helping to stabilize the diverse local economies of Vermont."