Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost

Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost | Grist

grist.org 30 Jul '12, 2pm

Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost

Nelida Martinez (right) with farm co-owner Lisette Flores. (Photo by Hilary McMullen.) Nelida Martinez worked as a farm laborer for big conventional farms in California for almost 20 years. But after her son, Danny, was diagnosed with leukemia, she says, “I never wanted to work around chemicals again.” Martinez started selling vegetables from her community garden to help pay for her son’s treatment (he has since recovered), and then got hooked up with Viva Farms , a farm incubator program in Washington state’s Skagit Valley that helped her access land she could farm as if it were her own. Now, Martinez has a three-acre plot there, leases another two acres elsewhere, and sells more than 70 types of organic vegetables at a farmers market, where she also makes fresh tortillas and sells Oaxacan-style tacos. Martinez wants to expand her business, but access to credit or capital...

Full article: http://grist.org/sustainable-farming/nothing-small-about-...

Tweets

@RootsMKE » 08 Aug '12, 8pm
RT @WellspringInc: Young Farmers still face the daunting task of following their dream against the need for land and start-up... [link]
@VisionaryValues » 08 Aug '12, 3pm
RT @OFRF: Growing dreams. [link]
@ryanrutley » 05 Aug '12, 11pm
@vicmicrolending RT @grist: Microlending programs are giving a wider range of people the chance to farm on their own: [link]
@sowloud » 05 Aug '12, 7pm
Micro-loans (and crowd-funding) for sustainable ag: [link]
@sfamn » 02 Aug '12, 10pm
Mmm ... Microloan helps beginning farmer sell 70 types of organic vegetables, fresh tortillas and Oaxacan-style tacos. [link]
@JunctionMarket » 02 Aug '12, 6pm
RT @FarmStart: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@PescaderoGrown » 02 Aug '12, 4am
Interesting insights into the funding behind farming. [link]
@winterthur » 02 Aug '12, 3am
RT @WolfClanWoman: As more & more of us prefer organic fruit & veggies, Microloans will be a real plus! [link]
@WolfClanWoman » 02 Aug '12, 3am
As more & more of us prefer organic fruit & veggies, Microloans will be a real plus! [link]
@Craft3Org » 01 Aug '12, 4pm
Great article about how a #microloan offer a promising future for beginning #farmers in the U.S. [link]
@DownTo_Earth_ » 01 Aug '12, 2pm
Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost via @grist [link] #farming #food #sustainability
@friendoffarmers » 01 Aug '12, 1pm
One idea 2 help support new farmers in #YEG. We'd be interested in hearing about others. #yegfoodag #yeggarden #yegfood [link]
@DonnaJonesSCS » 31 Jul '12, 7pm
RT @Eco_Farm: Great story: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost @grist [link]
@QuiviraAgRanch » 31 Jul '12, 6pm
Micro loans for new farmers. #agchat [link]
@Eco_Farm » 31 Jul '12, 6pm
Great story: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost @grist [link]
@Eatucator » 31 Jul '12, 5pm
RT @plovgh: Micro loans for beginning farmers - Helping raise awareness of the need for financing for new & small farms [link] cc @grist
@plovgh » 31 Jul '12, 5pm
Micro loans for beginning farmers - Helping raise awareness of the need for financing for new & small farms [link] cc @grist
@calisajh » 31 Jul '12, 2pm
Woohoo! Love this. RT @grist: #Microlending programs give a wider range of people the chance to farm on their own: [link]
@RayBeckerman » 31 Jul '12, 12am
Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost ~ #drgrist #eco [link]
@CaseyFrancis » 30 Jul '12, 11pm
RT @FarmAid: RT @grist Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@ideaguy42 » 30 Jul '12, 11pm
“@grist: Microlending programs are giving a wider range of people the chance to farm on their own: [link]” #efs2012
@JuliaShanks » 30 Jul '12, 11pm
In the Boston area, there's @SproutLenders “@grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]”
@grist » 30 Jul '12, 11pm
Microlending programs are giving a wider range of people the chance to farm on their own: [link]
@LocalFood_NM » 30 Jul '12, 10pm
Did you miss the July Ag Collaborative meeting on microloans/funding for farmers and food producers? If so, check... [link]
@FreshPicks » 30 Jul '12, 10pm
Some good news for first-time farmers . . . [link]
@Eric_Chiappetta » 30 Jul '12, 9pm
RT @DRYSoda: Learn how micro-loans help fund local food not only in poorer countries, but domestically as well. [link] via @grist
@DRYSoda » 30 Jul '12, 9pm
Learn how micro-loans help fund local food not only in poorer countries, but domestically as well. [link] via @grist
@TangldUpInGreen » 30 Jul '12, 7pm
Nothing small about it: #Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]" #microfinance #poverty
@PIECExPIECEsf » 30 Jul '12, 6pm
Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link] #SUPPORTFARMING
@MadhooSeth » 30 Jul '12, 6pm
RT @RootsofChange: Farm incubator Viva Farms has set up a promising microloan program to help small and beginning farmers! [link]
@RootsofChange » 30 Jul '12, 5pm
Farm incubator Viva Farms has set up a promising microloan program to help small and beginning farmers! [link]
@farmlandtrust » 30 Jul '12, 5pm
@Viva_Farms and @SlowMoneyNW featured in @grist for new farmer microloan program "Nothing small about it..." [link] Congrats!
@jkoteen » 30 Jul '12, 5pm
We're on the front page of Grist this morning: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a boost [link]
@sterlingvoth » 30 Jul '12, 3pm
RT @Cocoxochitl: RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@reapcalgary » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
@grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link] #slowmoney #localfood
@FarmPlate » 30 Jul '12, 7pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@dgourmetkitchen » 30 Jul '12, 6pm
RT @RootsofChange: Farm incubator Viva Farms has set up a promising microloan program to help small and beginning farmers! [link]
@MDFarmlink » 30 Jul '12, 6pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@OSI_OSC » 30 Jul '12, 6pm
[link] [link]
@drgrist » 30 Jul '12, 5pm
Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@SlowMoneyNW » 30 Jul '12, 5pm
We're on the front page of Grist this morning: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a boost [link]
@Alan713ch » 30 Jul '12, 4pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@1chefdiva » 30 Jul '12, 4pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@lulzR4bb1t » 30 Jul '12, 3pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@CivitasNow » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@Cocoxochitl » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@Ksmitty526 » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@lexiconproject » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
RT @grist: Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@pcfulCOaLiTiON » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]
@dubaitara » 30 Jul '12, 2pm
Nothing small about it: Microloans give new farmers a needed boost [link]