{"id":8918,"date":"2012-07-03T07:30:26","date_gmt":"2012-07-03T11:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/?p=8918"},"modified":"2013-07-30T22:59:58","modified_gmt":"2013-07-31T02:59:58","slug":"getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/03\/getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting By, Getting Ahead: A Monadnock Farmer&#8217;s Sustainability Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-8918 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/03\/getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge\/csa_portrait01\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/csa_portrait01-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-9960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/csa_portrait01-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/csa_portrait01-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/csa_portrait01-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-9960'>\n\t\t\t\tAt 34 years old, Tracie Smith runs one of the larger farms in the Monadnock Region using the community supported agriculture model.  &#8220;I started on a small scale, and over the last 15 years, I built it up each year,&#8221; she says.  &#8220;But all of it was with the aim to follow my passion and grow good food.  I&#8217;ve always been an idealist at heart.&#8221;\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/03\/getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge\/img_0891x\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0891x-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-9975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0891x-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0891x-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0891x-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-9975'>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cWe\u2019re aiming every year to be able to keep our employees and pay them more and look into health insurance,\u201d Smith says. \u201cYou can\u2019t have a sustainable business if you\u2019re losing people because you can\u2019t offer them enough.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/03\/getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge\/img_1004x\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_1004x-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-9974\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_1004x-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_1004x-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_1004x-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-9974'>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cBy the time I pay for all the overhead, supplies, and just the pay that I\u2019m paying them&#8211;which isn\u2019t even enough, in my opinion&#8211;insurance is a tough thing,&#8221; Smith says.  &#8220;It would make it almost not profitable for me. That\u2019s my goal, to get to the point so they can justify coming back every year.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/03\/getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge\/img_0893x\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0893x-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-9976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0893x-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0893x-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0893x-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-9976'>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cEveryone was talking about universal health care, and it would be helpful to small businesses, I think, because it\u2019s a huge cost,&#8221; Smith says.  &#8220;But it doesn\u2019t look like that\u2019s happening, so I\u2019m bound and determined to figure it out.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/03\/getting-by-getting-ahead-insurance-and-a-monadnock-farmers-sustainability-challenge\/img_0965x\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0965x-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-9980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0965x-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0965x-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/06\/IMG_0965x-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-9980'>\n\t\t\t\tSince I spoke with Smith, she&#8217;s figured out how to pay for about half of her returning employees&#8217; insurance premiums. &#8220;Whether we have to grow the business, which I keep doing, in the aim to make it more sustainable, financially, that&#8217;s what I&#8217;ll do,&#8221; Smith says.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><em>As part of our weekly &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/voices\/\">Getting By, Getting Ahead<\/a>&#8221; series, StateImpact is traveling across New Hampshire, gathering personal stories from the people behind the economy.\u00a0 In our second installment, we visit a small farm in the Monadnock Region.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">_____<\/p>\n<p>Tracie Smith has been selling mixed vegetables and herbs at farmers\u2019 markets since she went to college.\u00a0 At <a title=\"University of New Hampshire\" href=\"http:\/\/unh.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">UNH<\/a>, she studied environmental horticulture.\u00a0 Today, at age 34, she still looks the part of a college hippie farmer, with her long curly hair and grubby jeans.<\/p>\n<p>But as she inspects the crops at her farm near Jaffrey, it\u2019s clear her casual looks shouldn\u2019t fool you.\u00a0 Smith is a determined businesswoman.\u00a0 For the past 15 years, she has run a farm that uses a model called \u201c<a title=\"Local Harvest: Community Supported Agriculture\" href=\"http:\/\/www.localharvest.org\/csa\/\" target=\"_blank\">Community Supported Agriculture<\/a>,&#8221; or CSA for short. \u00a0It&#8217;s a kind of subscription program where customers buy\u00a0a bulk \u201cshare\u201d of Smith\u2019s vegetable harvest during the spring, summer or fall.\u00a0 And business is booming.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F51583794&amp;show_artwork=true\" height=\"166\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis year we had about 30 spring shares, 320 summer shares, and last year we did 88 fall shares.\u00a0 We\u2019re aiming to do more this year,&#8221; Smith says.\u00a0 &#8220;We also have a farm store onsite, where we sell items in abundance, as well as local goods.\u00a0 And then we have a farm stand out front where we sell transplants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smith is doing well enough that she\u2019s expanding her farm.\u00a0 Standing inside her newly built greenhouse, she points out some of the last crops to be harvested for her spring shares, which were mainly lettuce and bok choi.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"related-content alignright\"><h4 class=\"related-header\">Related<\/h4><div class=\"links\"><h5>Posts<\/h5><ul><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/02\/monadnock-region-snapshot-a-growing-local-food-movement-doesnt-translate-to-prosperity\/\">Monadnock Region Snapshot: A Growing Local Food Movement Doesn\u2019t Translate To Prosperity<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/07\/02\/preview-tomorrows-installment-of-getting-by-getting-ahead-focuses-on-farming\/\">Preview: Tomorrow&#8217;s Installment Of &#8220;Getting By, Getting Ahead&#8221; Focuses On Farming<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/05\/10\/survey-says-not-all-nh-counties-equally-small-business-friendly\/\">Survey Says Not All NH Counties Equally Small Business-Friendly<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/01\/13\/qa-outgoing-stonyfield-ceo-on-the-organic-business-model-his-political-future-and-agent-orange\/\">Q&amp;A:  Outgoing Stonyfield CEO on the Organic Business Model, His Political Future and Agent Orange<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"topics\"><h5>Topics<\/h5><p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2011\/07\/2939310563_fa7c7e95f5-60x60.jpg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/topic\/monadnock-region\/\">How The Monadnock Region\u2019s Economy Works<\/a><\/p><p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2011\/10\/1058204843_32496fe28c-60x60.jpg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/topic\/new-hampshire-economy\/\">Your Guide To New Hampshire\u2019s Economy<\/a><\/p><p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/07\/103657967_3b304d2c94_z.jpg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/topic\/getting-by-getting-ahead\/\">Getting By, Getting Ahead: A Regional Look At NH&#8217;s Economy<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>Smith\u2019s growing operation is a good example of what is happening across the <a title=\"How The Monadnock Region's Economy Works\" href=\"stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/tag\/monadnock-region\/\" target=\"_blank\">Monadnock Region<\/a>. \u00a0Situated away from any busy interstates, this rural corner of southwestern New Hampshire is relatively isolated.\u00a0 That\u2019s created a strong sense of localism among residents.<\/p>\n<p>The area is well known for its strong <a title=\"Monadnock Buy Local\" href=\"http:\/\/monadnocklocal.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Buy Local<\/a> movement, and its growing demand for locally sourced food.\u00a0 According to the latest <a title=\"US Census Of Agriculture\" href=\"http:\/\/www.agcensus.usda.gov\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Census of Agriculture<\/a>, between 2002 and 2007, the number of farms in <a title=\"2007 Census Of Agriculture County Profile: Cheshire County, New Hampshire\" href=\"http:\/\/www.agcensus.usda.gov\/Publications\/2007\/Online_Highlights\/County_Profiles\/New_Hampshire\/cp33005.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Cheshire<\/a> and <a title=\"2007 Census Of Agriculture County Profile: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire\" href=\"http:\/\/www.agcensus.usda.gov\/Publications\/2007\/Online_Highlights\/County_Profiles\/New_Hampshire\/cp33011.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Hillsborough<\/a> counties grew by about 30 percent.\u00a0 Most of those are small farms, and many of them are CSAs, like Smith\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFortunately, the local movement sort of grew with me, just on accident, I guess,&#8221; Smith says. &#8220;It felt like more and more people, as I got bigger, were getting into it, so every year, the word spread that we were doing a good job here, and the farm just kept growing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Smith&#8217;s business model is simple.\u00a0 \u201cEvery year, I have a new goal for the farm,&#8221; she says.\u00a0 Five years ago, that goal was moving off her dad\u2019s land and getting 33 acres of her own land that became <a title=\"Tracie's Community Farm\" href=\"http:\/\/www.traciesfarm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Tracie\u2019s Community Farm<\/a>.\u00a0 But\u00a0now, her goal is to be a better employer. Smith has six employees who help her plant, hoe, and harvest her crops, do maintenance on the farm, and help her stock the store. She wants\u00a0to offer her workers benefits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re aiming every year to be able to really keep our employees and look into health insurance.\u00a0 That\u2019s kind of our big goal right now,&#8221; Smith says.\u00a0 &#8220;I really want this farm to be sustainable, and you can\u2019t have a sustainable business if you\u2019re losing people because you can\u2019t offer them enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"module image left\" style=\"width: 250px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/voices\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full\" title=\"Getting By, Getting Ahead\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/files\/2012\/07\/voices-promo.png\" width=\"250\" height=\"247\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Listen to voices of New Hampshire\u2019s economy and share your story in an <a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/voices\/\">interactive audio experience \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>A big obstacle for Smith is the high cost of insurance in New Hampshire.\u00a0 Premiums here are among the highest in the country.\u00a0 Since I spoke with Smith, the <a title=\"NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ET AL. v. SEBELIUS, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.\" href=\"http:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/11pdf\/11-393c3a2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. Supreme Court ruled<\/a> the <a title=\"PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT\" href=\"http:\/\/housedocs.house.gov\/energycommerce\/ppacacon.pdfhttp:\/\/\" target=\"_blank\">Affordable Care Act<\/a> is constitutional.\u00a0 But while many business owners were nervously anticipating the ruling, she decided not to wait for federal action.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t want handouts.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t,&#8221; Smith says. &#8220;That&#8217;s my job.\u00a0 I&#8217;m not going to expect anyone else to figure it out for me.\u00a0 I have to be able to figure out how to make the business be able to afford health insurance.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Smith&#8217;s not yet in a position to pay the full cost of health insurance.\u00a0 But what she can do is pay half her employees&#8217; premiums&#8211;if they come back to work for another season.\u00a0 For her part, Smith hopes this move will help keep her farm, and her workforce, sustainable in the coming seasons.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s my goal, to get to the point so they can justify coming back every year.\u00a0 And I think health insurance would be a big piece of that, since it&#8217;s such a huge cost for people,&#8221; Smith says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As part of our weekly &#8220;Getting By, Getting Ahead&#8221; series, StateImpact is traveling across New Hampshire, gathering personal stories from the people behind the economy.\u00a0 In our second installment, we visit a small farm in the Monadnock Region. _____ Tracie Smith has been selling mixed vegetables and herbs at farmers\u2019 markets since she went to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[51],"tags":[574,537,337,560,509],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8918"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8918"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8918\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}