This is perhaps Trillium's most important crop.

A month ago, the New York Times published this editorial by Verlyn Klinkenborg. Citing the 2007 Census of Agriculture, he notes that while midsize farms have been consolidated into larger operations, many small farms are being created.

These are interesting numbers — 4,000 Iowa farms under 9 acres and about 1,500 with 2,000 acres or more. Still more interesting is the age differential. The average age of the “principal operator” on a farm has crept upward to 56 years old. But those small farms are being run by young farmers.

In a very real sense, they are going back to an earlier model of farming in Iowa. The farms are more diverse, and so are the crops they grow. To me, this is where the new passion for local foods finds its real meaning, and the best news is that Iowa is not alone. Nationwide, there are some 300,000 new farms since 2002. And the farmers? More diverse than ever, including a higher number of women. This is a genuine source of hope for American agriculture.

We're again seeing this trend at Trillium. This year's first two interns, John and Aaron, are both returning for their second season with an eye toward starting their own farms. Time and again I read that the obstacle to turning our food system away from the industrial model and back toward more local, traditional, and healthful ways is not a lack of land or know-how but a want of farmers. Well, after this year, we'll have at least two more.