Yesterday I attended the Carolina Farm Stewardship Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference for Commercial Growers in Mount Olive, North Carolina. No, I don’t grow produce, or raise livestock (our chickens are for non-commercial egg-laying), or have plans to become a commercial-grade farmer – but I like to write about agriculture.
I’ve written articles on camel dairies, spiral gardening, backyard chickens, plus several trade articles on produce marketing, and I have a piece forthcoming about farm site location. Out of all the topics I write about for magazines, agricultural topics are one of my favorite and a large part of the pie.
Yesterday’s conference was worth the nearly two-hour drive each way. I went to sessions on food labeling, legislation changes, and farmer challenges and marketing – plus I met a few people who I expect will be resources for future articles.

Great food label insight from Animal Welfare Approved’s Callie Casteel.
If you are an agro-journalist, or a writer interested in branching off into these markets, here are a few tips to help connect with farmers and get ideas for articles:
- Look for your local cooperative extension. I’m fortunate to live in a place where agriculture is a big part of the local economy. My local cooperative extension offers great classes on changes and challenges specific to our area. Plus, a new agricultural conference center is being built right in town! (Maybe I won’t have such a long commute to next year’s conference. Hint, hint.) And our community college has a sustainable agriculture track. Search for a cooperative extension near you.
- Join a local or state-level agriculture group. Use a general Internet search for this if you are not familiar with nearby groups. I’m a member of the Carolina Farm Stewardship, which is how I learned about yesterday’s conference.
- Go to farmers’ markets and talk to farmers. I usually ask market vendors about how best to prepare whatever they are selling. Then I shift into how the growing season is going, what items to expect soon, and sometimes that sparks a dialogue that triggers an article idea for me.
Two things about your newest post…
WildesArt is a great supporter of CFSA. I have many prints for which they are the beneficiary of profits. Many of my Paleface-inspired prints benefit Lomax Farm/CFSA. And I’ve contributed a blog post on their website. Oh, and I have an interview on Wildes with one of their farm managers, Aaron Newton. I love what they do!
I have seen a car around Fearrington with a sign: Camel Milk (camelmilk.com I think). I’m intrigued whenever I see it!
B
Barbara Hengstenberg WildesArt Pittsboro, NC
WildesArt@gmail.com http://www.WildesArt.com
Art from the HeArt
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Yay, another supporter of CFSA! 😀 I will check out your interview.
Yes–that car you see is the lady who introduced me to the concept of camel dairies. I’ll fill you in the next time I see you!
Great post! I had a newsletter a few years back, DFW Green Scene, which featured a lot of local, organic farms along with other Recycle, Reduce, Reuse concepts. You had such good information here, I’m itching to lean towards more writing in this direction again. I’m printing off for future reference!
THANK YOU!
Thanks! That newsletter sounds fantastic for your neck of the woods. I am honored you are printing this out. 🙂 Hope it jumpstarts your new direction.
Great tips, Tara Lynne! I was hoping you’d talk a bit about markets for these stories, maybe that’s your next post? I just got a story idea from the Farm Bureau insurance magazine. http://www.ncfieldfamily.org
Thanks! I will check out that magazine. I included a few agro-related markets in a post last year when we first got our chickens: https://writenaked.net/2015/03/17/a-writer-welcomes-chickens/
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