Is the small American farm a dying species? Not
according to Jeff Rast, founder of the for-profit Center for Small
Acreage Farming in Camas County, Idaho. After working on a
large-scale farm for 10 years and serving as an extension agent for
the University of Idaho, Rast says he has realized his dream of
operating a profitable small farm; now he hopes to help others
succeed as well. Rast believes small-scale farms will outlive their
heavily mechanized, large-scale counterparts because, in the long
run, they are more sustainable. As soil resilience and fertility
become greater concerns for all farmers, Rast says, “Only the
small-acreage farmer is able to see the land closely and give it
the attention it needs.” Rast defines “small” as half the size or
less of an average farm. Whether this means just a couple of acres
in New England or 150 acres in Idaho, Rast says, the major obstacle
facing farmers is finding scale-appropriate technology. He hopes to
fill in this information gap with workshops, a monthly eight-page
newsletter and a 32-page guide called Starting Your Small Farm.
Rast says, in the end, success comes down to management:
“Small-scale farmers can support a family and make a profit if they
plant high-value crops, use labor-intensive equipment and market to
their consumers directly.” For more information contact Jeff Rast,
P.O. Box 219, Fairfield, Idaho 83327 (208/764-2332).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Small is back.
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