Jenn Halpin with Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews and other stars of Farm Aid 2012
Patriot News
Farm Aid 2012: Musicians vow not to quit
By David N. Dunkle
September 23, 2012
Excerpts:
Before taking the stage to perform on Saturday, Farm Aid icons Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews gathered at noon in a former ice skating rink outside Hersheypark Stadium to talk about the plight of America’s family farmers — and to pledge their continued support for the cause.
…Young drew the loudest applause after an impassioned plea for family farmers to get more organized.
“Farmers out there have got to get together, even more than they have so far, so that all farmers have a big voice,” he said, then called for young people to get involved in farming. “Be a rebel,” he said, “become a farmer. It’s a mission from God. We need young blood on the farm.”
“You heard it here first,” said Brian Snyder, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and a longtime Farm Aid supporter. “This is a mission from God. I don’t see how we can top that.”
…A trio of local farmers also participated in the news conference, which featured a lot of wild cheering by a clearly partisan crowd of bloggers, farmers and Farm Aid volunteers.
Among the locals was Jenn Halpin, who manages a farm for Carlisle’s Dickinson College. Halpin was named a farm hero by Farm Aid in the run-up to today’s event.
“I’m trying to educate the next generation of farmers,” Halpin said. “It’s important to show them that while it is hard work, it is work of integrity.”
Read the full article at Pennlive.com.
Dickinson College Media
Farm Aid’s “Work of Integrity”
By MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
Photos by Carl Socolow
September 25, 2012
Excerpt:
Hope prevails
Halpin and her fellow panelists spoke passionately about the need to support the legacy of family farming.
Nelson, the president of Farm Aid Inc., struck a somber tone when he told the roomful of journalists and volunteers that the problems family farmers face in the wake of the rise of corporate farming “should have been solved many years ago.” But, he added pointedly, “We’re not going to stop until every family farmer thrives and everyone has access to good food from family farms.”
Matthews, who owns a farm in Virginia, encouraged attendees to buy local food whenever possible and lamented the political sway that he said the wealthiest Americans have over current farming policy. “It’s the opposite of where most of us want to be,” he said, adding that America was built on democratic ideals. “If everyone’s doing better, we’re all doing better.”
Young drew thunderous applause when he declared the virtues of a farming career and stressed the need to organize, “so farmers have a big voice.” He said that education is paramount to securing the future of local farming.
Halpin agreed, and offered hope for the future. “My goal is to help grow the next generation of farmers,” she said. “I work with the students and show them that [farming] is hard work, but it is work of integrity.”
Read the full article on Dickinson’s website.