I’m an 8th-generation farmer living in Dutchess County, in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. I grew up working on my grandfather’s dairy farm, milking a herd of registered Holsteins. My grandmother put up vegetables. Chickens were slaughtered and frozen and a steer was trucked to the local butcher for processing.

After I took over operation of the farm from my parents, Warren and Betty, I converted to vegetables. My wife, Robin, and son, William, help me grow 40 acres of produce and hay. My parents still pitch in.

In my years on the farm, I have seen a lot of changes. When it comes to a farmer’s livelihood, not all have been good changes. But some trends—even bad ones—are cyclical.

I work full time as the produce buyer and farm liaison at the Culinary Institute of America, the world’s premier culinary college. Here I have a unique perspective for observing trends in the evolving industry.

The newest trend is an old one. It’s buying local. This is not merely a marketing ploy; it is a growing movement. In this region, buying local is a part of life. I talk up buying local at seminars and practice what I preach—spending more than $500,000 annually for the CIA, buying produce, cheese, milk and eggs from farmers within 50 miles of the college. Most Hudson Valley restaurants are very committed to buying local.

Likewise, local farmers are becoming more savvy in self-promotion, emphasizing their artisanal cheeses and heirloom vegetables. This probably is a reaction to the numerous and well-publicized food safety scares of the last couple of years that have eroded customer confidence. When people buy local, they can be assured of freshness and they know the provider.

Local farmer Chuck Abraham and I have created a plan so farmers can service big-order institutional customers. The idea is simple—provide a single large delivery to major customers that consolidates local produce from many farms. This results in greater convenience for all, ensuring fresh deliveries, a wide variety of produce and fuel conservation. Best of all, the farmer gets to spend time on the tractor and not in the truck.

We may never go back to a time when America was an agrarian society. But this current economic downturn may prove an unexpected benefit to farmers as people get back to eating basics. Here’s an unexpected trend I heard about recently—canning is back. Maire Ullrich of Cornell Cooperative Extension notes a huge increase in attendance at food preservation programs. Likewise, our local Agway cooperative has been selling more canning jars and equipment. In the farming world, everything old may be new again. Stay tuned.

--Paul Wigsten, Buyer/farm liaison, Culinary Institute of America
Editor’s Note: Paul Wigsten is a New York Farm Bureau member.