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Next up on our list of interview’s is Karen Maher from Gilboa, New York.  She is the County Leader for Delaware County and serves as the Chair for the Legislative and Membership Committees.  I have had a pleasure getting know Karen through New York Agri-Women.  Please also note that Liberty Farm and Equine Institute of Complementary Practices are both generous business sponsors for this website.  Our business sponsors made this website and blog possible.

Let’s see how Karen answered my questions:

1.  Karen, thanks for taking the time for this interview.  Can you briefly describe your involvement in the New York agriculture industry?

I have a 135 acre pc. of property in which 25 acres houses Cows, Cattle, Sheep, Llama, Zebu, Pigs, Chickens and Horses. Several head of Cattle for beef and sheep are for processing and sold via direct mail; We bag and sell the manure from llama, sheep and Zebu as fertilizer and with great success many customers have had the pleasure of oversized vegetables this year!  Chickens have eggs that are sold and the pigs are also to be used for processing when they become mature. I

I attend the Institute of Integrated Nutrition in NYC online program and find I am beginning to create a chart of what I have on the farm can be turned into a nutrition chart based on ingredients from the garden, through the wild flowers/weeds and animals we have.

As for Equine Institute of Complementary Practices we teach youth – adults how to work around horses, basic A&P as well as basic equine massage techniques. This allows for owners to appreciate the needs of their equine companion as a pet or athlete.

2.     Can you please take moment to tell us about your family and what you like doing outside of your day job?

My family consists of my two daughters, mother and sister all who live in New Jersey. I moved up and away from New Jersey to become a farmer. My daughters are in college in NY and I visit my mother and sister whenever possible in NJ. My day job is to work as the Director of Community Outreach for a Hospital in Delhi, NY – Bassett Healthcare Network/O’Connor Hospital. What I like to do is enjoy the outdoors, hike, walk, ride and be with nature; I have learned a great deal about my variety of animals by watching them and how they interact – or not.

3. Why did you become a member of New York Agri-Women?

To support other women who want to share in what natural resources we have and what these resources can offer to our health and wellbeing.

4. Are you on the leadership board?  If yes, what do you hope to do in that position?

Collaborate efforts with other organizations, so our efforts become viral.

5.     Are you on a committee?  If so, which one(s) and what do you hope to accomplish on the committee(s)?  I am on the membership committee with Kristine Rogers and I hope we can accomplish developing valuable presence in NYS and have people gravitate to us because of what we stand for as an organization.

I am on the Legislature committee and our direction is to tentatively follow the Farm Bureau’s style. This needs to be vetted out with much discussion and coordination once we have our mission and bylaws established.

6. What do you hope the organization will accomplish in the next year?  Next 5 years?

a)  Membership growth;

b)  New opportunities to educate children in schools ( K – jr. high) about what agriculture is and the importance of agriculture

c)   When we determine our message, to pick one great aspect of it and get the Advertising Council to support that effort and message.

d)   To become a pillar in New York State Association for rural realth, i.e. farming and food productions impact on public health, economy and environment. Find a spokesperson for this challenge in our organization.

7.     If you could have coffee with a New York elected representative and talk about anything you wanted, what would you say?

Pallidino  – Agricultural business opportunities for growth is needed  & to make fresh food markets tax free.

Cuomo – get NY back on its feet in agriculture; stop neglecting farmers/producers; – stop overspending in government and over taxing

Bloomberg – get more sustainable fresh food markets into poorer areas in NYC year round

Paterson – increase funding opportunities  for farmers for sustainable food production and processing (not corn)

8.        In your opinion, what is the best way to connect New York agriculture producers to consumers – both in rural and urban areas?

I do not have a short answer to this. So I will give the bullet points:

Producers to Consumers – 1) educating consumers what producers do and why buy from them. Consumers should pay a different tax for these purchases, like no tax. 2) Direct Mail  3) Get bigger organizations involved like the NY Ad Council. Get them to join and participate.  Producers should not go through grocery stores of course, but should have their own market centers throughout the city and state. This will need public health to ultimately support these efforts. Get Cornell University advocate involved to support how we can provide a clean line to consumers in NY like TV advertising for awareness campaigns and education.

9. Do you consider yourself an “agriculture activist?”  If so, what type of activities do you partake in?

I do not know.  I do not partake in activities such as these (yet).

…..I know I believe that  every human being has a right to eat nutritious food without going broke. That a family should be able to cook good healthy food at home for the same price as taking their family of (4) to McDonalds’s. I believe that there are more people who are starving for good nutritious food than we know (due to the increase in chronic disease in NYS)  and that obesity in NYS is off the charts because people cannot afford to pay for good food.

10. What producer education programs would you like to see New York Agri-Women participate in?

We should create our own education programs and I think that would be a great hit and I truly believe we can do this with some influential support.

I am very thankful for all the great members like Karen that really helped me get the organization off the ground.  I am excited to see what direction Karen takes the legislative committee to help make a positive impact on New York agriculture at the state and local level.