There is another way to live and think: its called agrarianism. It is not so much a philosophy as a practice, an attitude, a loyalty, a passion---all based in close connection with the land. It results in a sound local economy in which producers and consumers are neighbors and in which nature herself becomes the standard for work and production.

Sandy Lerner is no stranger to the battlefield. Whether it be strewn with venture capitalists, FDA regulators or Colin Firth aficionados. But the fifteen year fight to create a 21st century Piedmont farm that meets her exacting standards has taken a toll. "Farming is very hard work," she says emphatically. "But my parents taught me to love hard work. That's not the problem.

"The problem is that the American food system has been destroyed by big producers and big banks. If these changes had resulted in better food for us all, I'd applaud. Sadly, the opposite is true and we all know it.

"When I was in school, I took care of our cows on my aunt and uncle's Northern California farm. I knew those cows well. I can still tell you what a cow is thinking from across the field.

"I did my homework sitting with those cows every day after school. They were kind and patient friends. We took very good care of them, and they, in turn, provided us with excellent food. It was a symbiotic relationship that served all involved. That is hardly the megaagribusiness model that calls the tune today."

At a certain point in Sandy's life, when becoming a farmer again held great appeal, she visited fifty farms before deciding to purchase Ayrshire in Upperville in 1996. The 800-acre Virginia property was in serious disrepair, but with the help of her farm manager, her not-insignificant assets and her determination to create a certified humane and certified organic farm, she set to work.

"I thought I was prepared to go the distance to produce beautiful, healthy food," she says. "I wanted to create an organic ecosystem on my working manor farm that could be a 21st century agrarian model.

"I was naïve. I didn't understand that big growers don't need to play fair with smaller farmers.

"Agriculture has changed so much.. and not for the better… there is no longer a food system to support smaller farms in the US… 40 years ago there was a great food system in California… and all across the country. But as the concentration of banks occurred, and the Bechtels, Tysons, Cargills and their ilk bought up the small farms, slaughter-houses, local transportation systems, and processing plants, the food system was destroyed. Years ago, according to Sandy, local bankers had available equity in their local farms, but as banks merged and the traditions of smaller institutions were subsumed, the rug was pulled out from under the local agricultural supply, production and distribution systems.

"I remember a time when my uncle's Auburn banker would stop by our farm just to say hello and see how we were doing. Those days are long gone."

Today, major universities are so dependent on large multinational seed, chemical, and agribusnesses for research funding, that small farmers have a difficult time gaining enough influence and leverage to promote their interests.

Transportation is another problem. As suburban development began to ring the cities, farmland disappeared and moving your produce or product to market became prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, especially so as the local food system disappeared simultaneously with local trains, canning and processing facilities, and skilled labor.

"I quickly learned that, in order to have viable local growing, production and distribution systems, we had to design, staff and manage them ourselves."

"It has taken years to perfect our poultry system and this year we will process 200,000 chickens. The quality of our birds is superb. They meet every certified humane and certified organic standard. We have shipped to 40 states, and it is clear that we could market 200,000 more if we could process and distribute them. We could not scale up to double our production, so I finally understood that the very best way to meet demand and continue to contribute to the local economy was to spin off our chicken production to an independent farm run by a local farmer who used to produce under contract to Tyson.

"That's what we've done, and the outcome is an enormous success. The farmer is delighted. He thoroughly understands the regulations and requirements of a certified humane and certified organic business, and our customers could not be more pleased."

As a certified humane farmer, Sandy must ensure that every step of the transportation, growing, and slaughter processes meets code. HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points, a management system created by USDA,) plans have to change every time anything on the farm changes, and the regulation manuals are three inches deep. Unless one is willing to stay abreast of every nuance, it is almost impossible to remain certified.

Although Federal regulations for certified humane and organic categories can be nightmares… Virginia is, in Sandy's opinion, the worst agricultural business state in the nation.

"Virginia has very little attention focused on local food systems (except wine), and there is little, if any, attention given to "specialty crop" production or distribution. Virginia, on the other hand, is a great place to be in business. But when you ship out of state, our product is controlled by Federal regulations."

Mega-agribusinesses like ADM, Tysons, or Cargill employ departments of people to ride herd on the regulators and they invest major sums in lobbying to shape the regulations. Smaller farmers simply cannot play in this arena. With little local bank support, land overvalued by developers, and absent processing and distribution infrastructures, it has become almost impossible for independent farms to thrive.

Not everyone who wishes to farm has Sandy Lerner's dedication, vision, sense of stewardship and resources. But even Sandy Lerner, with all these assets and one of the most beautiful farms in The Piedmont, is frustrated with the challenges she faces as she tries to help open an era of American agriculture that contributes significantly to the health and well being of 21st century citizens.

A few challenges along the way have included:

"When I realized one-third of my rare heritage cattle were clinically anemic … I had to create an 'organically acceptable' way to bring them back to health…. It took weeks of research and testing to solve this problem… research and testing that I did myself. We've run up against compromised reproductive systems directly attributed to the consumption of tall fescue. Fescue kills the reproductive system in any animal… I don't plant it, but it arrives airborne on the farm. I lose six animals a year to fescue toxicity, thanks to the suburban desire for a year-round green lawn. Sod farming requires more chemicals than any other "agricultural" crop. Those chemicals run into the streams, foul the water table, and compromise the health of the population whether animal or human."

The labor challenge can also be difficult.

"There are no longer any ag. classes in Loudoun county high schools, and no organic ag. classes at any Virginia university. I was recruiting and training wonderful workers who were, in time, recruited by others. If I had been in the recruitment business, it would have made good bottom-line sense. I wasn't. And, it doesn't."

The Bottom Line

Fifteen years ago, when Sandy started farming at Ayrshire, she wanted to prove that she could create a local, humane, organic, profitable farming business.

"For millennia, Europeans have been hybridizing animals and produce for health and taste. Beautiful food during all seasons of the year.

"I can do that, I thought. Totally confident that I was capable and dedicated enough to succeed."

"I would find ancient breeds and bring them back. I would work closely with Mimi Stein, Dave Stephens, and others, who have been with me since the beginning, to ensure that the Ayrshire Farm quality was consistently producing the best food anywhere. I knew it would take time. But we had time and capital."

What she did not understand was that she would have to solve every problem herself. From designing new processing systems to defining what precisely the problems were, what were their causes, and finding humane, organic solutions.

"If you have to define the problem before you can solve it, it is a real roadblock in farming. Time is seldom on your side and seasons go by very quickly. An ill-defined problem can lead to a poorly considered solution. A poor solution is often worse than no solution at all."

Ayrshire has not yet reached profitability, and to succeed, the farm must be a profitable business. "Our poultry model may be a big part of the future for us," Sandy muses. "By working with farmers that contribute to our growing, production, and distribution processes, we can make a major contribution to the health of the country and of the local economy. That may be our future…."

"My goal has not changed," she insists.

"All I want to do is create delicious, beautiful food that is good for you, create local jobs, and be kind to animals."

"I had no idea it would be so difficult."