By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — The owners/operators of one of Mineral County's more successful farms joined members of the Green Jobs Task Force on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to discuss the state of agriculture in the area.
“Agriculture is going through more and more of a transition,” task force chairman and Mineral County Commission President Wayne Spiggle said.
Spiggle, who is a farmer himself, noted that people today “have to change the paradigm of agriculture,” moving from the energy-consuming practice of trucking produce across the country to the more earth-friendly practice of consuming locally-grown produce.
Ron and Tina Higson, of Higson's Farm near Wiley Ford, agreed.
“The demand for fresh farm vegetables is even greater today,” Ron said, noting that his farm has been successful in selling their produce locally at farmer's markets and at their own stand on the farm.
Local restaurants and grocery outlets, however, have not been too receptive to their offers to provide them with locally grown produce.
“We've tried to sell our tomatoes to restaurants, but they want the hard, green tomatoes for their slicers,” he said.
“The tomatoes they use have gotten so bad that we carry our own tomatoes when we go out to eat.”
Task force member Gary Kalbaugh said that he feels there are some local restaurants who would be interested in local produce. He realizes, however, “they are few and far between.”
Task Force member Neil Stylinski also noted that using whatever local produce is available causes a restaurant to “have to change their menu all the time,” which becomes a daunting task for the restaurant operator.
Even without the local restaurants, however, Higson's Farm has remained profitable. Higson said they sell approximately 75 percent of their produce at the local farmer's markets and their own stand, and the rest are marketed wholesale.
He hopes to help promote the “Grow Locally, Use Locally” practice even more, however.
“We've just got to encourage people to come to the farms ... and even to grow their own gardens,” he said.
“We need to educate the people to eat better ... and live a better lifestyle.”
Stylinski added that there needs to be a more concerted effort to educate people how to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables.
“People are intimidated by food; they don't cook any more,” he said.
Scott Staley, principal at the Mineral County Tech Center, proposed using the food preparation facilities at his school for food preparation programs or small-scale cooking schools..
In a related matter, task force member Glen Gilbert reported that efforts to start a community garden are being discussed, with Potomac State College instructor Donna Ballard interested in spearheading the project.
The next meeting of the Mineral County Green Jobs Task Force is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 30, at 9 a.m. in the conference room at the Mineral County 911 Center on Pine Swamp Road.
