I am skeptical of planning. I see it as a
I am skeptical of planning. I see it as a

useful tool, don't get me wrong,
useful tool, don't get me wrong,

and we do lots of it.
and we do lots of it.

But the idea that you you can actually
But the idea that you you can actually

believe that your plan that supposedly
believe that your plan that supposedly

leads over here to B or C or D or X
leads over here to B or C or D or X

that you're actually going to get there
that you're actually going to get there

instead of something coming up that ends up
instead of something coming up that ends up

bringing you over here. That I think is
bringing you over here. That I think is

an extreeme self-deception. Also to me
an extreeme self-deception. Also to me

completely uninteresting. I'm Amy Klippenstein
completely uninteresting. I'm Amy Klippenstein

from the class of 1989 and I majored in
from the class of 1989 and I majored in

English when I was at amherst. A set of
English when I was at amherst. A set of

skills that maybe was not great
skills that maybe was not great

preparation for being a dairy farmer but,
preparation for being a dairy farmer but,

here I am. I'm Paul Lacinski, also from the class
here I am. I'm Paul Lacinski, also from the class

of 1989 and I majored in American
of 1989 and I majored in American

Studies. Once again I guess not
Studies. Once again I guess not

specifically relevant to dairy farming,
specifically relevant to dairy farming,

but then I don't really have
but then I don't really have

any idea how it is exactly that we ended
any idea how it is exactly that we ended

up dairy farming, so it is relevant is
up dairy farming, so it is relevant is

anything else.
anything else.

There's no question around the time that
There's no question around the time that

we graduated from Amherst that we both
we graduated from Amherst that we both

had some sort of a growing
had some sort of a growing

ecological consciousness I would say. But
ecological consciousness I would say. But

that was the better part of 30 years ago
that was the better part of 30 years ago

and it wasn't much framework for that
and it wasn't much framework for that

the way there is now. After we graduated
the way there is now. After we graduated

from college we started construction
from college we started construction

company together. And so for about 10
company together. And so for about 10

years we had a construction company
years we had a construction company

called greenspace collaborative where we
called greenspace collaborative where we

built houses out of natural materials. I
built houses out of natural materials. I

stepped back from that and went back to
stepped back from that and went back to

school to study landscape architecture.
school to study landscape architecture.

I got a master's degree, worked for a
I got a master's degree, worked for a

local landscape architect here in
local landscape architect here in

Ashfield, and found that my focus and a lot
Ashfield, and found that my focus and a lot

of the projects that we're working on
of the projects that we're working on

was around agricultural land use
was around agricultural land use

planning and realized after time that I
planning and realized after time that I

was kind of walking around the pool
was kind of walking around the pool

about the agriculture thing. My
about the agriculture thing. My

grandparents on both sides were
grandparents on both sides were

agriculture and so I quit my job and I
agriculture and so I quit my job and I

started growing vegetables.
started growing vegetables.

At one point we had the idea that, well
At one point we had the idea that, well

we'd kinda like to have a family cow what
we'd kinda like to have a family cow what

if we got a couple cows and started
if we got a couple cows and started

making yogurt and that was ten years ago.
making yogurt and that was ten years ago.

Four years ago we moved up here to Hawley
Four years ago we moved up here to Hawley

this farm was formerly an organic potato
this farm was formerly an organic potato

farm. We built everything related to the
farm. We built everything related to the

dairy new here.Creamery, milking parlor
dairy new here.Creamery, milking parlor

and barn for winter housing. Right now
and barn for winter housing. Right now

we're talking about 40 cows. The whole
we're talking about 40 cows. The whole

herd is about 85 or 90 when you count
herd is about 85 or 90 when you count

all the young stock and heifers and
all the young stock and heifers and

steers that we raise for beef. Our
steers that we raise for beef. Our

thing is not to produce a high-end
thing is not to produce a high-end

boutique product. A lot of people ask us
boutique product. A lot of people ask us

"How come you don't have cheese? You
"How come you don't have cheese? You

"can sell cheese for twenty or thirty"
"can sell cheese for twenty or thirty"

"dollars pound." But that's not what we're
"dollars pound." But that's not what we're

trying to do. We're trying to produce
trying to do. We're trying to produce

food that everybody, your average
food that everybody, your average

middle-class person can afford to eat
middle-class person can afford to eat

every day. It's not a luxury item. And I
every day. It's not a luxury item. And I

feel like everybody who works here is
feel like everybody who works here is

really behind that mission. As we were
really behind that mission. As we were

out of school longer and as the
out of school longer and as the

framework for people to be interested in
framework for people to be interested in

ecological food and land and animal
ecological food and land and animal

welfare and polution. As that became much
welfare and polution. As that became much

more common and acceptable thing to be
more common and acceptable thing to be

concerned about I think we realized that
concerned about I think we realized that

we had the skills to be able to do this
we had the skills to be able to do this

for other people also. And that was
for other people also. And that was

interesting to be able to provide food
interesting to be able to provide food

for people in our community. If you think
for people in our community. If you think

about the scale of land use to feed
about the scale of land use to feed

seven billion people it is a pretty
seven billion people it is a pretty

significant impact on how the surface of
significant impact on how the surface of

our planet is used.
our planet is used.

That is in turnned to this very specific
That is in turnned to this very specific

purpose of feeding people. And we could
purpose of feeding people. And we could

say the degree to which agricultural
say the degree to which agricultural

systems make an effort to learn from
systems make an effort to learn from

natural systems versus learn from
natural systems versus learn from

industrial systems has a huge amount to
industrial systems has a huge amount to

do with the long-term health of the
do with the long-term health of the

planet. We also think a lot to do with
planet. We also think a lot to do with

the health of the people who eat food.
the health of the people who eat food.

We're fully where there's nothing
We're fully where there's nothing

whatsoever we're going to do about that
whatsoever we're going to do about that

in the big gigantic picture, but I also
in the big gigantic picture, but I also

think that problems of that scale are
think that problems of that scale are

solved by thousands and thousands of
solved by thousands and thousands of

people working in their little areas on
people working in their little areas on

little pieces of it. And so we feel that
little pieces of it. And so we feel that

what we're doing to produce food is
what we're doing to produce food is

ecologically responsible way as we
ecologically responsible way as we

possibly can, is our small contribution
possibly can, is our small contribution

to this very large matter that is going
to this very large matter that is going

to be a bigger and bigger deal with find
to be a bigger and bigger deal with find

the change and more people as time goes on.
the change and more people as time goes on.