An article in today’s New York Times Magazine tells the story of a crop mob.  This mob is a group of volunteers that band together to help a local sustainable farmer with a day’s worth of work — moving dirt, clearing brush, setting up a greenhouse, whatever needs doing that a band of well-intentioned workers can knock off in a day.  Of course this is a great help to the farmer.  But it is also rewarding to see people taking such an interest in local agriculture.  Traditional small-scale agriculture protects open space, natural resources, and property values while providing fresh, healthy food food to the community.  It is nice to see communities start to show how they value these benefits with a little sweat.

Food – Field Report – Plow Shares – NYTimes.com

By the end of the afternoon, the transformation was remarkable. The towering piles of soil and mulch had dwindled to child’s height. The greenhouse beds were filled and the walls framed out by older volunteers who knew what to do with the table saw… Thickets and trees were removed from the edge of a field, a bonfire built from the haul. Garden rows were tidied while someone sang… The dreary mess of winter had been cleared to make way for a well-ordered spring.

Crop Mob Getting Started Guide

Crop Mob is primarily a group of young, landless, and wannabe farmers who come together to work and build an interconnected agrarian community. Crop Mob is also a group of experienced farmers and gardeners sharing knowledge with their peers and the next generation of agrarians. The Crop Mob is open to all regardless of experience, background or age as it is intended to be a community effort.