Ian McSweeney of Agrarian Trust

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Southern Exposure offers more than 700+ varieties of vegetable, flower, herb, grain and cover crop seeds. Their offering emphasizes Southern heirlooms as well as outstanding newer open pollinated varieties selected for pest and disease resistance as well as flavor—very important—and that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Some heirloom varieties have not available anywhere else and have been grown and preserved by a single families or small communities that have faithfully worked to ensure these crops are available for future generations. Gardeners and farmers from all over the country grow their seeds. They work with a network of 70+ and growing small farms as well as university plant breeders to offer newly selected open-pollinated varieties. Get a copy of the catalog, loads of information on gardening and seed saving and—of course—to order your heirloom organic seeds.

Barn 2 Door is passionate about helping farmers build more resilient businesses. They provide farmers with the software, services, and resources to grow and manage their business. Your farm can earn 70% or more in recurring motnly revenue by selling subscriptions to your products online. Farms that provide convenient ordering and delivery options reach more buyers and make more money. Data shows farmers can double revenue when they offer online subscriptions and direct delivery. Barn 2 Door powers farmers who sell direct, helping them increase sales, access more local customers, and save time.

We’ve heard about land trusts, conservation easements, maybe community trusts before, but what if there was one modeled with the farm and the farmer in mind? The mission of Agrarian Land Trust is to build local agrarian commons to hold farmland to ensure its sustainable and productive stewardship for generations to come. Director Ian McSweeney is going to tell us how agrarian commons work, why their an important model, and where to begin.

Mentioned in the show...
Guidebooks & Resources
Agrarian Commons Guide
FaithLands Toolkit
Somali Bantu Maine
Find Agrarian Commons in the US