Page 18 November 1977 RAIN CeGRICULTURE ·FOO~ The Student Farm Project Plant Sciences D~partment University of California Davis, CA 95616 Project Coordinator: Dan Cohen Five years ago, students at Davis started working to get a student farm. Just recently they were given 20 acres where they will conduct experiments in both urban gardening and sma_ll scale agriculture. The projects will research ecologically sound 'methods of agriculture, as well as work to show the economic viab\lity of small farming and the use of appropriate technologies. Their projects include planned hedgerows for biological pest control and windbreaks, soil amendments and composting, drought tolerant crops, and intercropping (here they are planting legumes with non-legumes). California Agrarian Action Project 1007 ,Chestnut Lane Davis, CA 95816 916/756-8518 The displa,cement of farmworkers by machines is the final blow to the remaining fragments of our rural culture and heritage. This group focuses both on the impact of farmworker displacement and the research priorities which allow that to happen. Mechanization research at the University of California at Davis receives $1.8 million annually. In the last two years, 11,000 farmworkers were displaced by the electronic tomato sorter, a product of that research. By 1980, the total number of workers without jobs due to this machine will amount to 24,000. This fall and winter the CAAP will be traveling aroun'd the state with an exhibit to focus attention on this crucial issue. You •can contact them to find 6ut when they will be in your area. Northern California Food Co-op Directory, Southern California Food Co-op Directory, Food Co-Op Bibliography and Guide for California, Form a Buying Club in California, free from: The Department of Consumer Affairs 1021 0 Street . Sacramento, CA 95814 Just about everything you will want to know about buying clubs and food cooperatives. Ann Evans, who is the consumer cooperative specialist with the.Depar~ment of Consumer Affairs, has pulled together these extraordinarily thorough guides. The directories were , compiled to help stimulate direct marketing, help newly formed co-ops find other co-ops in their area to use as models and share skills and moral support, and to facilitate collective purchasing among co-ops. How to Form a Buying Club explains the basics, and covers all the essentials such as bookkeeping, ordering, distribution, finding equipment and the legalities of forming a club. All this information is supported by the Co-Op Bzbliography and Guide, which annotates co-op histories, general .references, technical training programs, films, directories, periodicals and other co-op related educational material. These publications are an example of the "highest and best use" of people's tax dollars. The·Harvest Comes Home, documentary film, 16mm, 18-1/2 minutes, free loan from: Department of Consumer Affairs Division of Consumer Services Attn: Charlotte Nyheim 1020 N Street, Room 588 Sacramento, CA 95814 A film on direct marketing, which tells the story of alternative mechanisms for 'consumer control over the food delivery system. It describes the small, independent farmer's position in the agricultural economy, and touches on buying clubs, food co-ops, farmers' markets, community canneries and producer, wholesaJer and retailer food systems. Earthwork 1499 Potrero San Francisco, CA 94110 415/648-2094 There are some groups which can be mentioned again and again. This is one. Earthwork not only has an extensive library of their own, but also houses the files of the San Francisco Food System and the libraries of the Center for Rural Studies and the National Coalition for Land Reform. The Buying Club/Community Store Resource Center contains all the information one could want to• start a buying club or cooperative .and has resource people who can talk to groups who are starting clubs and stores. Earthwork is now publishing a community calendar of films, lectures, televisions shows, wor~shops and benefits for and about , food and land issues in and around the Bay Are<l,, A visit to Earthwork is recommended. If that is i:iot possible, write for more information about their various projects. Norcal Worms Sonoma County Farm Bureau 970 Piner Road Santa Rosa, CA. 95406 707 /544-5 57 5 The Northe~n California Worm Growers Associ_ation (Norcal Worms), the marketing organization for 65 worm growers, was started nearly a year ago to help small worm growers expand their markets. Located in and managed by the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Norcal advertises -for the growers, takes ord·ers and arranges for the shipping of worms. Membership is limited to 65 growers whose operations range in size from small (20 bins) to large (100 bins). Qr_ders are rotated to give each grower an equal opportunity to sell. Harvesting usually takes place on weekends, and •worms are shipped air freight collect each Wednesday. Norcal does not have a'coordinator at this time, but the Farm Bureau is helpful and will answer all questions. Many of the drawings in this issue are by Ken Kaji from .the Central Valley Atlas (p. 5).
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