Title: Rural Resources Records
Inclusive Dates: 1969-2000 (bulk 1975-1981)

Creator:

• Rural Resources (Organization)

Call Number: Mss 1225; PH 7146

Quantity: 3.8 cubic feet (3 records center cartons and 2 archives boxes) and 0.1 cubic feet of photographs (1 folder)
Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Collection may be stored OFF-SITE: See catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records, 1969-2000 (bulk 1975-1981), of Rural Resources, a nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that focused on rural advocacy, education, and community organizing in the Tri-State region of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. The records document the organization's activities, including conferences it held or participated in, tailgate markets, educational programs, and involvement with other organizations with similar farm, food, and land priorities, as well as support from faith-based organizations. Rural Resources also played an instrumental role in the creation of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA).

Note:

Forms part of the Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Collection.

Language: English.

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss01225

As a response to encroaching development in rural areas, consolidation in agriculture, and the loss of family farms, Rural Resources was founded in 1975 in Loveland, Ohio, by Jodine and Terry Grundy, Sister Michele Teff, Maria Duivenvoorden, and others in their community. An earlier organizing effort, Citizens for a Better Goshen, protected some local farms and led to the formation of Rural Resources. After incorporation the following year, Rural Resources expanded and drew on the expertise of Roger Blobaum, Dan McCurry, Lindsay Jones, David Rosenberg, Ivan Crowe, and Fran Hill, for its programs and direction. Funding from various faith communities and other organizations enabled the new organization to hire staff (Jody Grundy, Kathleen Cusick, and Eileen Frechette).

Extensive collaborative connections quickly formed with other organizations involved in food, farm, and land issues. These included the Federation of Ohio River Coops (FORC), Grailville, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Chatfield College, Xavier University, Rural America, Institute for Food and Development Policy, UFW (United Farm Workers), NFU (National Farmers Union), Rural Advancement Fund and Frank Porter Graham Center, Cincinnati Civic Garden Center, and many others.

Rural Resources engaged in self and community education. The working Board, staff and volunteers attended national organic agriculture and rural development conferences and mounted a series of education, action and advocacy programs. These Rural Resources projects furthered organizational aims through farmer conferences, tailgate markets, community gardens, urban agriculture [and] food co-ops, creation of OEFFA [Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association], support for sustainable agriculture, farmworker advocacy, and creation of alliances locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally. --From "A Brief History of Rural Resources, Inc." by Jodine Grundy, 2021

By 1979 Rural Resources was increasingly in contact with similar organizations at both the state and national levels, and these contacts led to the Ohio Natural Farming Conference that in turn led to the formation of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA). Another conference, Women and the Land, the same year focused on the role of women in U.S. agriculture, and attracted media attention. The organization also became involved in legislative hearings concerning agriculture, including hearings under USDA Secretary Bob Bergland which led to a 1980 report favorable to organic farming that was later suppressed (see Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Publications (M2013-012, Part 21 (M2018-071), Box 6, Folder 18, for a physical copy of this report).

After 1981 with many of its goals accomplished and with OEFFA well underway on its own path, the Rural Resources staff disbanded, although many continued to work on key issues with OEFFA. For information on OEFFA's activities, see its website.

Chronology:

1975	Citizens for a Better Goshen organized in Clermont County, Ohio Rural Resources established in Loveland, Ohio
1976	Incorporation of Rural Resources as a non-profit organization
1977	Organized Rural People, Rural Prospects conference, Chatfield College (January), and New Directions in Agricultural Marketing, Dayton, Ohio (October) Established community gardens
1978	Developed Tailgate Markets with Cincinnati Agricultural Marketing Project (CAMP) Collaboration with Chatfield College and Wilmington College to establish a Small Farm Training Center Worked with Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) Organized Rural Awareness Day (March 4, 1978), Fayetteville, Ohio Co-sponsored Sun Day (May 3, 1978), Cincinnati, Ohio Organized Solar Food Dryer workshop (August 1978), Cincinnati, Ohio Sponsored tour of two Filipino leaders working on food security issues Organized Food Cooperative Exchange Meeting #1 (December 1978), Loveland, Ohio
1979	Organized Food Cooperative Exchange Meeting #2 (February 1979), Cincinnati, Ohio Organized Ohio Natural Farming Conference (March 4, 1979), Columbus, Ohio, where group met to establish the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) Organized Women and the Land … There's a Story conference (April 6-8, 1979), Chatfield College, Ohio Rural Resources Summer Institute (June 1979)
1980	Worked on development of OEFFA Continued community garden and Tailgate Markets work
1981	Staff disbanded but many of those involved with Rural Resources continued work on farm, food, and land issues

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Records, 1976-2004 (Mss 1224)
Roger Blobaum Papers, 1973-2014 (Mss 1169)
Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Publications, 1946-2019 (M2013-012, Part 23: M2022-35)

The Rural Resources records are arranged in two series, largely as they were received from the donor.

The first series, ORGANIZATIONAL FILES, includes founding documents, administrative files related to programs and conferences which Rural Resources organized or participated in, efforts to establish a Small Farm Training Center, and correspondence. Some notes related to the correspondence are included in the finding aid; further notes can be found in the case file. Two documents relating to the history of the organization which were prepared by the donor are included in the front of Box 3.

The second series, SUBJECT FILES, includes organizations or programs with which Rural Resources was closely aligned, and subjects of concern or interest such as alternative energy, challenges faced by family farms, other farming training programs, rural development, and relationships with faith-based organizations.

Sustainable agriculture -- Middle West.Organic farming -- Middle West.Rural development -- Middle West.Family farms -- Law and legislation -- United States.Manuscript collection.Photographs.Rural Resources (Organization) -- : Archives.; Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association -- : Archives.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Jodine Grundy, Cincinnati, Ohio, February 5, 2021. Accession Number: M2022-033

Processing Information

Processed by Julia Wong, August 2022.

Mss 1225	Series: Organizational Files
Box   3	"A Brief History of Rural Resources, Inc." and "Chronology of Rural Resources and OEFFA"
Box   1   Folder   1	By-laws and articles of incorporation, 1976-1977
	Board of Trustees
Box   3   Folder   1	Biographical data, 1976
Box   1   Folder   2-4	Meetings, 1977-1981
PH 7146 Folder   1	Photographs taken at July 10, 1978 annual meeting
Mss 1225 Box   1   Folder   5	Organizational work, meetings, 1978-1979
Box   1   Folder   6	Prospectus, timeline, 1979
Box   1   Folder   7	Brochure, artwork, layouts, circa 1975
	Cincinnati Agricultural Marketing Project (CAMP)/Tailgate markets Note: CAMP merged with Rural Resources in 1978.
Box   1   Folder   8	General, 1978-1980
Box   3   Folder   2	Funding, 1979-1980
Box   3   Folder   3	Hunger Coalition Directory project, 1979
	Community gardens
Box   1   Folder   9	Cincinnati Community Garden Coalition, 1980-1981
Box   3   Folder   4	Community Garden/Solar Greenhouse Project, Dayton, funding, 1980
	Conferences
Box   1   Folder   10	Conference flyers, mock-ups, 1976-1979
	Co-op Exchange meetings, 1978-1979
Box   1   Folder   11	Loveland, Ohio, 1978 December 10
Box   1   Folder   12	Cincinnati, Ohio, 1979 February 18
Box   3   Folder   5	Farm and Food Issues Consultations, 1976-1977 Note: Omaha, Nebraska: January 21-23, 1977; Louisville, Kentucky: February 11-13, 1977.
Box   3   Folder   6	National Agricultural Lands Study workshops (December 3-5, 1979), 1979 Note: Some affiliated with Rural Resources, including Kathleen Cusick, Jon Schafer, and David Rosenberg, participated in the hearings that led to the 1980 report on organic farming that was suppressed. See also "A Dialogue on the Structure of American Agriculture: Summary of Regional Meetings" in M2022-035.
Box   1   Folder   13	National Conference on Rural America, 1975-1979
Box   3   Folder   7	National Direct Marketing Conference (December 3-5, 1980), 1980
Box   1   Folder   14	Natural Farming meeting, 1979
Box   3   Folder   8	New Directions in Agricultural Marketing (November 19, 1977), 1977-1978
Box   1   Folder   15	Other conferences, events, 1972-1980, undated
Box   3   Folder   9	Festival on Religion and Rural Life, 1978
Box   1   Folder   16	Sustainable Agriculture Conference: A Look at Successful State Programs, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI, March 13, 1991), 1991
Box   3   Folder   10	Rural Awareness Day, 1978 March 4
	Rural People, Rural Prospects (RPRP, January 28-30, 1977, Chatfield College)
Box   1   Folder   17	General, 1976-1977
Box   3   Folder   11	Conference and small group reports, 1977
Box   1   Folder   18	Correspondence, 1976-1977
Box   1   Folder   19	Solar workshop, 1978
Box   3   Folder   12	Sun Day, 1978
	Women and the Land … There's a Story (April 6-8, 1979)
Box   1   Folder   20	General, 1979
Box   1   Folder   21	Correspondence, 1979 January-July Note: See also Subject Files for related information on hunger, land use, rural development, and related issues.
Box   1   Folder   22	News clippings, 1978-1979
Box   1   Folder   23	Planning, 1979
Box   1   Folder   24	Report: draft and final (partial), 1979
Box   1   Folder   25	Women and labor, articles, resources, 1974-1979
Box   1   Folder   26-30	Correspondence, 1975-1983, 1987
Box   3   Folder   13	Blobaum, Roger, 1977-1980, 1991
Box   1   Folder   31	Chavez, Cesar, 1980 January 25
Box   1   Folder   32	Lappé, Frances ("Frankie") Moore, Institute for Food and Development Policy (IFDP), 1975-1979
PH 7146 Folder   1	Publicity photographs of Frances Moore Lappé
Mss 1225 Box   3   Folder   14	United States Catholic Conference (USCC), 1974-1980 Note: Includes Rural Resources comments on USCC final draft policy on energy, December 9, 1980, and paper on nuclear power.
Box   3   Folder   15	East Central Cornucopia Alliance (ECCA), 1981-1982 Note: ECCA became part of Rural Resources.
Box   1   Folder   33	Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), 1978-1979
Box   1   Folder   34	Fundraising, 1974-1981
Box   3   Folder   16	Individual donor correspondence, 1978-1980
Box   3   Folder   17	Reports to funders, 1976-1979
Box   3   Folder   18	Letterhead, undated
Box   1   Folder   35	Mailing, media, and resource lists, 1975-1979
Box   3   Folder   19	Mailing lists, 1978-1979, undated
	National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC)
Box   1   Folder   36	General, 1972-1979, undated
Box   3   Folder   20	Diocesan Directors meetings, 1975-1978
Box   3   Folder   21	Rural Life Conference meeting minutes, 1976-1978
	National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC)
Box   1   Folder   37	Family Farm Development Act (HR 6295), 1978-1980
Box   1   Folder   38	National Family Farm Education Project (NFFEP), 1979-1980
Box   3   Folder   22	News clippings, 1976-1979
Box   1   Folder   39	Newsletter articles, 1979
Box   1   Folder   40	Newsletter mock-up, 1979 February
Box   1   Folder   41	Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA), 1979-1982, 2000
Box   3   Folder   23	Presentations, reports, 1974-1981 Note: David Rosenberg, Roger Blobaum, Maria Duivenvoorden.
Box   2   Folder   1	Grundy, Terry, speeches, paper, 1976-1979
Box   2   Folder   2	Rural America, 1975-1978
Box   2   Folder   3	Rural American Women, 1978-1979
	Small Farm Training Center (SFTC)
	Crow, Ivan P.
Box   3   Folder   24	Correspondence, 1976
Box   2   Folder   4	Curriculae development, 1976
Box   3   Folder   25	Edinburgh School of Agriculture syllabus, undated
	Grailville Long Range Planning (LRP) Group
Box   3   Folder   26	Models
Box   3   Folder   27	General, 1977
Box   3   Folder   28	Earth Stewards, Putney, Vermont, 1977
Box   2   Folder   5	Frank Porter Graham Training Center and Experimental Farm, Anson County, North Carolina, 1973-1975
Box   3   Folder   29	"The Next Five Years: An NSF/RAF Working Paper," 1976 September
Box   2   Folder   6	Rationale, proposal, timeline, 1972, 1976
Box   3   Folder   30-32	Staff binder ("OHIO 70-82"), notebook, 1979 Note: Jody Grundy and Maria Duivenvoorden.
Box   3   Folder   33	Take Stock in Agriculture project, Catholic Conference of Ohio, 1986-1987
Box   3   Folder   34-35	Tax-exempt status, 1976-1980
	Xavier University
Box   3   Folder   36	Earthbread, 1975? Note: Food and environment group.
Box   3   Folder   37	Food Day (April 8, 1976), 1976
Box   2   Folder   7	Food Week (November 12-17, 1979), 1979
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   2   Folder   8	Action Center, 1977-1979
Box   3   Folder   38	Ag-Land Fund I, 1977
Box   2   Folder   9-10	Agri-business, 1973-1976
Box   2   Folder   11	Agri-business Accountability Project (AAP), 1973-1976
Box   2   Folder   12	Agricultural Marketing Project (AMP), 1976-1979
Box   3   Folder   39	Agriculture papers, 1978-1979 Note: "Advanced Capitalist Insertion in Midwestern Agricultural Production and Income Inequality" / by Jan L. Flora, Ivan Brown, and Judith Lee Conboy, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Regional Research Funds, 1979?; and "Agriculture in the Transition to a Sustainable Society" / by Frederick H. Buttel, Ohio State University, January 1978.
Box   3   Folder   40	American Village Institute, 1977-1978
Box   3   Folder   41	Antioch College Farm, 1978 Note: Also Folk College Association of America 1978 Conference at Antioch College.
Box   2   Folder   13	Appalachia, 1976-1979 Note: Includes Appalachian Regional Commission, 1978-1979; and periodicals relating to Appalachia: Gammaliel: A Catholic Pacifist Quarterly, Spring 1976; and Urban Appalachian Council Cultural Events News, March-May 1979.
Box   2   Folder   14	Apprenticeships, rural learning, 1976-1978
Box   3   Folder   42	Appropriate technology, 1976-1977
Box   2   Folder   15-16	Audiovisual resources, 1975-1979
Box   3   Folder   43	Avon Woods outdoor program, 1979
Box   2   Folder   17	Bibliographies, 1976-1978, undated
Box   3   Folder   44	Bibliographies, 1976-1978, undated (continued)
Box   3   Folder   45	Brooklea Farm Project, 1978-1979
Box   3   Folder   46	Brown County Overall Economic Development Program Plan, 1976 November
Box   2   Folder   18	Center for Rural Affairs, 1978-1979
Box   3   Folder   47	Center for Rural Manpower, undated
Box   3   Folder   48	Center of Concern, 1975-1977
Box   3   Folder   49	Chatfield College, 1976-1979
Box   3   Folder   50	Cincinnati Rural Life Conference, 1976-1979 Note: Meeting minutes, position paper.
Box   2   Folder   19	Citizens' Energy Project, 1976-1980
Box   3   Folder   51	Civic Garden Center, 1979
Box   2   Folder   20	Community Center Foundation, 1979
Box   2   Folder   21	Community Service Inc., 1977-1978
Box   3   Folder   52	Composting toilets, 1978, undated
Box   3   Folder   53	Control Data small farm program, 1979
Box   2   Folder   22	Cooperative banking, 1978
Box   3   Folder   54	Cooperative development, 1978 Note: See also correspondence with Urban Alternatives Group.
Box   3   Folder   55	Cooperative Extension Service, 1976-1979
Box   3   Folder   56	Cooperatives, rural, 1970-1977
Box   3   Folder   57	Corporate farming, 1975
Box   3   Folder   58	Countryside magazine, 1977 Note: "Energy Costs of Food" event.
Box   2   Folder   23	Earlham College Farm Project, 1976-1978
Box   3   Folder   59	Eco-farming study, 1976-1978
Box   3   Folder   60	Ecology Action of the Mid-Peninsula, 1976
Box   3   Folder   61	Economic alternatives, 1972, 1974
Box   3   Folder   62	Energy issues, 1975-1979
Box   2   Folder   24	Family farm, 1973-1979 Note: Supportive articles.
Box   2   Folder   25	Family Farm Development Act, 1978-1979
Box   2   Folder   26	Family farm model legislation, 1976-1978
Box   4   Folder   1	Farm as business, exports, 1972-1978
Box   4   Folder   2	Farmers markets, national models, 1978
Box   4   Folder   3	Farmworkers, small farmers, 1975-1978
Box   4   Folder   4	Federated Department Stores annual meeting, 1979 May 31 Note: J.P. Stevens boycott.
Box   2   Folder   27	Food cooperatives, 1973-1979, undated
Box   4   Folder   5	Food preservation, 1977-1979
Box   4   Folder   6	Food reserves, 1969-1978 Note: See also 1976-1977 issues of Hunger in M2022-035.
Box   4   Folder   7	Food security, regional 1977-1979
Box   4   Folder   8	Food tax, 1977
Box   4   Folder   9	Futuristic planning, 1974, 1977
Box   4   Folder   10	Glenmary, 1976-1978 Note: Rural missions.
Box   4   Folder   11	Goddard College, Institute for Social Ecology, 1977
	Grailville
Box   4   Folder   12	Earth/Land Committee, 1991
Box   2   Folder   28	Grail Women's Educational Equity Act Project, 1979 Note: New Directions for Rural Women: A Workshop Leader's Manual : draft, New Directions for Women: Education for Jobs : draft and project final report (September 7, 1979).
Box   4   Folder   13-14	Hunger, 1974-1978 Note: Correspondence, articles, news clippings, brochures.
	World hunger
Box   4   Folder   15	Analysis, studies, 1974-1977
Box   4   Folder   16	Church and legislative responses, 1973-1978
Box   2   Folder   29	Intensive agriculture curriculum for southwest Ohio, circa 1975
Box   4   Folder   17	International Independence Institute, 1970-1977 Note: Land trusts.
Box   4   Folder   18	Interreligious Taskforce on U.S. Food Policy, 1975-1980 Note: See also Publications in M2022-035 and Food reserves under Subject Files.
Box   2   Folder   30	Land reform, stewardship, 1971-1978
Box   2   Folder   31	Land use planning, 1975-1979
Box   2   Folder   32	Legislation, 1977 Farm Land Act, 1975-1978 Note: See also Terry Grundy correspondence with Congress, et al.
Box   4   Folder   19	Liberation: economics and justice articles, 1974-1979
Box   4   Folder   20	Little Miami River, undated
Box   5   Folder   1	Marijuana legalization, Kentucky, 1977-1978
Box   5   Folder   2	Midwest Regional Farms Conference, 1978 Note: See also USDA and CSA hearings, correspondence.
Box   5   Folder   3	Migrant workers, Ohio, reports, 1971, 1973
Box   5   Folder   4	Miners, Stearns, Kentucky, labor strike, 1978
Box   5   Folder   5	National Farmers Organization (NFO), 1972, 1977 Note: See also Terry Grundy correspondence with NFO regarding Grundy presentation, 1977.
Box   5   Folder   6	National Land for People, 1978 Note: See also correspondence regarding legislative action, 1979.
Box   5   Folder   7	National Rural Center, 1978 Note: Regarding and including Directory of Rural Organizations.
Box   2   Folder   33	News press guides, 1976, undated
Box   5   Folder   8	Ohio Biodynamic Association, 1978-1979
Box   2   Folder   34	Ohio Farmers Union (OFU), 1976-1979
Box   2   Folder   35	Ohio Public Interest Campaign (OPIC), 1978-1979 Note: Fair Tax Initiative, Father Ben Urmston, Merrill Goozner.
Box   5   Folder   9	Organic farming coalitions, 1978-1980
Box   2   Folder   36	Organic vs. chemical agriculture, 1975-1979
Box   2   Folder   37	Parity research, 1978-1979
Box   5   Folder   10	Resources for Communication, 1979
Box   5   Folder   11	Rodale, 1975-1978
Box   5   Folder   12	Rural development, 1973-1977
Box   5   Folder   13	Rural ministry, 1975-1978
Box   2   Folder   38	Rural women in agriculture, 1976-1979 Note: See also related correspondence on women and agriculture: University of Wisconsin-Extension, Constance F. Threinen, 1978.
Box   5   Folder   14	Save Our Valley, Ecumenical Coalition of the Mahoning Valley (ECMV), 1977 Note: See related correspondence between Jody Grundy and ECMV.
Box   2   Folder   39	School nutrition, legislation, articles, 1977-1979 Note: See related correspondence between Kathleen Cusick and Dr. Joseph Crawford, Hazen, North Dakota.
Box   5   Folder   15	School of Living, Green Revolution, 1976-1978 Note: See related correspondence between Jubal and Terry Grundy regarding mutual organizational support.
Box   2   Folder   40	Self Help Action Center, 1974-1975
Box   5   Folder   16	Simple living, 1977
Box   5   Folder   17	Small Farm Viability Project report, 1978 Note: "The Family Farm in California," California Employment and Training Advisory (CETA) Office.
Box   2   Folder   41	Small farmers struggle for survival, articles, 1976-1978
Box   5   Folder   18	Small industry, crafts, 1976-1978
Box   5   Folder   19	Social justice and peace work flyers, 1980
Box   5   Folder   20	Solar energy, 1974-1978
Box   5   Folder   21	Blueprints, 1973-1977
Box   5   Folder   22	Stevens, David Ross, 1977-1978 Note: Grant proposal regarding solar energy for low-income rural communities project and demonstration house in Louisville, Kentucky.
Box   5   Folder   23	University Without Walls programs, 1977-1978
Box   5   Folder   24	St. Mary's College, St. Mary, Kentucky, 1976
Box   2   Folder   42	United Farm Workers (UFW), 1971-1981 Note: Cincinnati Citizens for United Farm Workers, lettuce boycott. See also Rural Resources biographies and correspondence (Cesar Chavez).
Box   5   Folder   25	United States Catholic Conference, Office of International Justice and Peace, 1970-1978
Box   5   Folder   26	United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS) reports, 1975-1976 Note: Rural population statistics, trends.
Box   5   Folder   27	VISTA Project, 1978-1979
Box   5   Folder   28	Wilmington College agriculture program, 1977