Applegater
Winter 2012 17
MY OPINION FROM BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR
Some perspectives on 2011 and beyond
BY CHRIS BRATT
Opportunities to support
local agriculture
Last year Joan and I decided to become
members of a Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) program that began this
past December. The CSA winter program
we joined is run by Barking Moon Farm.
It’s a small-scale organic home farm a half
mile beyond us on Thompson Creek Road.
They also use two other leased parcels close
by on Highway 238 and North Applegate
Road. The farm family consists of two
adults, their two small children, and one
farmhand. (During the main season the
crew expands to about seven people.) The
Barking Moon folks are happy and excited
to have our support, but they can’t be more
excited or happier than we are by receiving
their local fresh vegetables through these
colder and darker months.
By joining the Barking Moon CSA,
we are receiving fresh organic vegetables—
broccoli, beets, cabbage, carrots, chard,
various lesser-known greens, kale, spinach,
turnips, onions, shallots, leeks, rutabagas,
parsnips, potatoes, winter squash, radishes,
salad mix, cauliflower and a couple of other
surprises—every two weeks into February.
The boxes of produce we have received so
far are remarkable in size (we could feed a
family of four), freshness and taste. They
even provide recipes to cook common and
uncommon vegetables. This is such a great
way to get our fresh food and support our
local farmers at the same time. They are
also our neighbors, who are committed
to growing wholesome organic food.
Community Supported Agriculture is such
a good idea to patronize wherever you live.
Whether urban or rural, all CSAs
are helping to make a healthier food
system and more sustainable communities
and agriculture. You might think about
signing up for a CSA program in your
area this coming year. You’ll be supporting
your local farmer, eating well, and saving
money. For more information about the
above CSA, call 541-973-6914 or email
barkingmoonfarm@gmail.com.
for the forest and the community.
BLM indulges in collaboration (again)
Given that the Pilot Thompson
The Bureau of Land Management area contains important salmon habitat,
(BLM), also our neighbor, manages most several pairs of northern spotted owls,
of the public forestland near residents in the old-growth trees and me, BLM must put
entire 500,000-acre Applegate drainage. forest restoration activities first and timber
Once again, they are experimenting with sale volume as the secondary consideration.
collaborative efforts between various All concerned Thompson Creek and other
interest groups when planning timber sales interested folks should be taking BLM
and other projects in our community. They up on their offer of inviting participation
are also inviting community members and in these Pilot projects that are testing
yours truly to participate. So, you may these latest theories of restoration forest
receive a letter asking for your comments management.
when they begin planning projects in your
BLM’s Medford District is also showing
area. Hopefully these efforts will continue additional good faith and cooperation
to improve relations.
with these Pilot projects by allowing a
Community folks should be aware community person to participate on their
that Thompson,
Pilot Thompson
iven
that
the
Pilot
Thompson
Slagle, Humbug,
Interdisciplinar y
area contains important
Forest and Bishop
Team (ID Team).
C r e e k s a r e a l l salmon habitat, several pairs of
T h i s I D Te a m
northern
spotted
owls,
old-growth
currently designated
includes agency
f o r t i m b e r s a l e trees and me…
staff and biologists
activity as part of a
who take the
larger Middle Applegate Planning Area. lead in planning projects and making
BLM is calling each of these subdrainage recommendations to the eventual decision
timber sales, “Pilot” projects. Pilot Joe makers.
Timber Sale (thinning and fuels reduction)
The Applegate community is lucky
in the Chapman/Keeler drainage area was to have someone as competent and
planned and sold without any protests to knowledgeable as Applegate’s volunteer
the Boise Forest Products last year. The citizen forester, Luke Ruediger, working
participation and cooperation between with BLM on these ID Teams. Luke has
all the interested parties paid off. Pilot already attended an ID Team meeting and
Thompson, now being planned for sale in has raised issues within the group that are
2012, will be more of a cooperative telltale of concern to many residents. Luke will
since it is three times larger than Pilot Joe. be making email reports (one is already
These Pilot projects were proposed available from the first meeting) as the ID
by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Team meetings progress. If anyone has any
who is BLM’s appointed boss. The idea ideas, comments or suggestions for Luke
is to demonstrate the forest restoration to bring forward, or if you would like to
principles of well-known forest scientists see his reports, he can be contacted at
Jerry Franklin and Norm Johnson. Their elliottcreek@yahoo.com.
Pilot restoration principles are designed The recovery of a species
and being put forward as a model for all
I’m not reporting here on the dramatic
future BLM forest management in this and comeback of some rare, vulnerable or
other areas. Monitoring and evaluating the endangered wildlife or fish species.
“on the ground” results of instituting these Rather, evidence is showing that the real
principles will be key to see if they work endangered species is our own human
G
race and we are
in dire need of
rehabilitation. I
believe we, the
Chris Bratt
human species
with our perceived dominance over the
earth, have put ourselves and all other
species on the planet at risk. We can no
longer ignore the unpleasant realities we
have created in every area of our human
activities.
Like the BLM and local farmers above,
we have to try some new theories of living
in harmony with the earth and each other.
We must overcome our predisposition of
self-interest, over-consumption and greed,
and make new, enlightened choices of how
we can live together. There are many small
local opportunities and actions we all could
take as first steps to a more certain and safe
future for all creatures.
Let me know if you are willing to try.
Chris Bratt
541-846-6988