What do you get when you bring together a group of people who care about community and who don't care if their hands get dirty? Well, a Crop Mob, of course. A recent New York Times article featured this volunteer group that is making a difference for small, sustainable farms in North Carolina. In a single afternoon, they lend a much needed hand at these farms, which are significantly more labor-intensive than large, industrial-sized farms because they do not use fertilizers and pesticides. And that's part of what brings these volunteers out to local farms. They have a real desire to connect with the land and the people who are growing their food.
A few days after the Times article ran, an even larger group of about 80 Crop Mobbers gathered at Edible Earthscapes, one of the new Western Wake Farmers' Market vendors, to help farmers Jason and Haruka Oatis make rice paddies in a large, dry field. (Photo above by Debbie Roos, Chatham County Agricultural Extension Agent.) See more pictures of the day's activities and learn about how the Crop Mob helped with this project. And if you're looking for a great way to be part of the local food movement beyond shopping the farmers' market, check out Crop Mob's web site.
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