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Join Farms Not Arms
September 8, 2007, "The War and Rural America Public Forum"
September 9, FarmAid 07 in Manhattan
The annual FarmAid concert featuring performers Neal Young, Dave Mathews, Willie Nelson and others is being held at Randall’s Island New York, just outside Manhattan.
Farms Not Arms has purchased a block of 50 seats which are being made available at cost ($110 each) to farmers and veterans. The concert is scheduled to begin on Sunday at 1 PM and ends around 10 PM that evening.
Saturday the 8th at Union Square in Manhattan, FarmAid will host a Farmer’s Fair in conjunction with a weekly Farmer’s Market which attracts up to 100,000 people. The FarmAid display will feature booths from NY Hunger groups and NY Farming organizations as well as hands-on displays for the whole family.
Farms Not Arms is hosting a Noon to 6 PM PM afternoon event at the Warwick Hotel to call attention to the new Farmers Veterans Coalition.
The Coalition has been hosting meetings with farmers and groups such as Iraq Veterans Against the War, Gold Star Mothers for Peace, and Not This Time Vets. The coalition has been planning ways to provide training, employment and therapeutic healing on farms and land based veteran centers.
The event will be a forum with speakers and a dialogue session with participants to discuss how to move forward on this and other issues, such as rural energy production and independence.
There are also plans for a Saturday night party/gathering for farmers in Manhattan. Stay tuned for details.
Contact Douglas Stevenson of Farms Not Arms to purchase tickets or get information on the Saturday events. 931-964-2590, info@farmsnotarms.org
Stay tuned for updates. See you there!
| Our first National Meeting after FarmAid a Huge Success
| A number of us went to FarmAid on September 30, 2006 in Camden, New Jersey. Besides enjoying the entertainment and supporting a wonderful cause, we held our first national get-together to plan our agenda and our activities on the following day, Sunday, October 1.
Friday night began with the distribution of about 50 Farms Not Arms long sleeve t-shirts to farmers and other people attending the concert. The shirts were beautiful and between our crew of about 20 and these other 50 folks, the shirts and Farms Not Arms made a great, if subtle statement at the event. |
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Farms Not Arms co-chair Michael O'Gorman |
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Our media crew interviewed over 20 farmers, giving them a chance to address subjects such as immigration, energy dependence and alternatives, and the affect of war on farmers and farming families. These interviews are now being edited for TV and radio distribution.
Our first national FNA organizing reception/meeting brought in farmers, FarmAid staff and volunteers, experienced organizers, media strategists and more, representing a broad diversity of people and skills.
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National Family Farm Coalition President
and Iowa soybean farmer, George Naylor |
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Attending and leading the meeting:
Farms Not Arms co-chair Will Allen and Kate Deustenberg
of Cedar Circle Farm in East Thetford, VT.
Farms Not Arms co-chair Michael O'Gorman
of Agroproductos Del Cabo, Ensenada, Mexico.
National Family Farm Coalition President
and Iowa soybean farmer, George Naylor.
Wisconsin dairy farmer John Keifer,
representing Wisconsin Family Farm Defenders |
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Representatives of the Organic Consumers Association
were also in attendance. |
Farms Not Arms co-chairs Will Allen
& Michael O'Gorman |
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Stay tuned for a more complete update, including the minutes of our meeting and fplans for the coming year.
If you are a farmer and or someone interested in our message and our work, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Douglas Stevenson
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Farms Not Arms co-chair Jim Cochran,
and members of Farms Not Arms |
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