Ellen Bynum, Executive DirectorGene Derig, PresidentFriends of Skagit County110 N. First St. #CP.O. Box 2632 (mailing)Mount Vernon, WA 98273-2632360-419-0988friends@fidalgo.netwww.friendsofskagitcounty.org"A valley needs FRIENDS"20th Anniversary lCommon Goals lCommon Ground lCommon GoodlDONATE NOW atNetwork for GoodPlease consider the environment beforeprinting this email
Begin forwarded message:
From: Chrys Ostrander <farmrchrys@gmail.com>
Date: February 16, 2014 10:04:42 AM PST
To: WSFFNet <wsffnet@npogroups.org>
Subject: [wsffnet] Identify Arable Land Owned by the Gov't or Corporations and Donate it to Farmers!
Reply-To: Chrys Ostrander <farmrchrys@gmail.com>
In Italy there's a law that land the government has confiscated from criminals can be donated to farmer cooperatives! And, the project is succeeding. We need to take a look at this in the U.S.A. This could be a step we could take towards rebuilding "the Commons." Also, an idea that has been floated by the fledgling organization the Food Commons (www.thefoodcommons.org), is that land currently owned by banks resulting from non-performing loans, could also be donated to land trusts for farming. A common barrier that is mentioned, especially in regards to young, upcoming farmers, is the lack of access to affordable farmland. These ideas begin to point at solutions. All we need is to come together and press for these things to be implemented.
Article in Modern Farmer:
Taking Land From the Mafia, Giving It to Farmers - Modern Farmer
--
Chrys Ostrander
Chrysalis Farm at Tolstoy
33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
Davenport, WA 99122
(509) 725-0712
Text: (914) 246-0309
farmrchrys@gmail.com
http://chrysfarm.wordpress.com/