By Michael Hsu
Ary West just wants to farm and market her produce. But, as one of only 8,600 residents of far-flung Modoc County in California’s northeastern corner, she finds herself producing “everything” to help feed the scattered communities across the region.
In addition to growing fruits and vegetables in her garden and orchard at Trouble Valley Farm, West also sells chicken eggs, pasture-raised pork and a variety of baked goods.
“I don’t necessarily want to sell everything, but I’ve slowly picked up items that nobody else is offering because I’m trying to round out the farmers market and the food hub,” West said.
“The second I find someone else who will make bread, I will stop making bread!” she added with a laugh. “I really want to grow produce and I just kind of got stuck doing absolutely everything right now.”
In Modoc, the general task of “doing absolutely everything” quite often falls to women – even though they comprise about 51% of the population. That includes supporting agriculture, the primary economic engine of the region’s private sector.
“You really can’t talk about agriculture in Modoc County, specifically, without talking about women,” West said.
On top of operating her own farm business, West also oversees Modoc Harvest, a program under local nonprofit T.E.A.C.H., Inc. Originally created to administer the farmers market and advocate for stronger food systems in the area, Modoc Harvest now encompasses a range of food access and nutrition education programs.
Source : ucanr.edu