There are lots of people who justifiably wish all the conflict and legal stuff associated with Rawesome Food Club would just go away. Even those who are sympathetic wish it weren’t so messy.
If only Sharon Palmer wasn’t involved. If only Aajonus Vonderplanitz hadn’t gone public with his accusatory web site. If only James Stewart weren’t so loyal to Palmer. If only…if only…
In going through such mental calisthenics, it’s easy to lose sight that the government–it’s hard to say which agency or locale because so many different entities have participated in the get-Rawesome campaign–is determined to throw the book at everyone involved. And that’s the part that is essential to remember.
Why would they be going after felony violations in connection with the allegedly illegal distribution of raw milk? Why would they be filing several dozen felony counts against Palmer and Stewart in California’s Ventura County in connection with mortgages and loans in connection with Palmer’s acquisition of the farm, when there are much less painful remedies?
The fraud-related charges against Palmer, as well as James Stewart and Larry Otting, aren’t the result of a devious effort by some to pocket investors’ money and get rich. They grow out of an effort to develop a local farm that would produce organic nutrient-dense foods. The process of raising the money was not unlike effprts that take place all around America every day, commonly known as “informal” or “angel” financing.
Organic Pastures Dairy Co., for one, benefited from such informal financing when it became a raw dairy producer in 2001, as owner Mark McAfee noted in a recent comment: “As I hear people and see people picking up stones and throwing them on the souls of Lucky (Larry Otting) and James….I remember well the beginning days of OPDC when the bank would not loan us a dime because we were producing raw milk. Alta Dena had just closed its doors after years of raw milk torment…James and Lucky deserve credit for raw milk being available in CA. It was their assistance that made it possible.”
I’m not saying that certain technical rules around mortgages and fund-raising weren’t violated in the case of Palmer-Stewart-Otting, but they weren’t of a sort to justify potential state-prison sentences of thirty-plus years for Palmer and Stewart. (Palmer remains jailed as of this moment under the $500,000 bail.) Nor am I suggesting that individuals who loaned money weren’t damaged in not getting their money repaid in a timely way.
Just keep in mind that, unlike most serious frauds, the alleged perpetrators haven’t left town. Indeed, Palmer has retained contact with the borrowers. Nor is this any kind of Ponzi scheme. There are real assets to cover the loans–the Healthy Family Farms property is located in one of America’s wealthiest counties, and my understanding is that it may well have appreciated in value since Palmer took it over in 2008. It is possible to file civil suits and liens to gain financial redress.
Keep in mind as well that Aajonus Vonderplanitz, one of Rawesome’s founders, went to the authorities to file a complaint about his allegation that Palmer was substituting conventional food for organic nutrient-dense food for Rawesome, and in his judgment jeopardizing members’ health. The authorities ignored him, probably laughed once he departed. That’s because the authorities don’t consider such outsourcing a serious matter–they definitely don’t see any health problems associated with consuming lots of conventional food.
So why, then, are the authorities throwing the book at Palmer and Stewart over the mortgage and loans? For the same reason they did so about distribution of raw milk. First of all, they want to scare away those who may be thinking of setting up a similar kind of farm, with a goal of producing raw-milk cheese, which is how Palmer’s farm started. Next, they want to create confusion in the food movement, via a divide-and-conquer strategy. And finally, they want to assert control, discourage privately contracted food arrangements.
Those of us who believe in food rights don’t need to support everyone involved in the Rawesome situation. Just don’t turn away from the situation. If the individuals here, who took big risks to supply nutrient-dense foods to people seeking them, are locked up, it will cast a pall over the entire food rights movement. The authorities are picking and choosing our battles to an important degree. We can’t make it easier for them.
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As you might imagine, I’m relieved that the blog move came off as smoothly as it did. The developers told me not to worry, piece of cake, but I’ve heard that one a few times before. I appreciate the favorable comments a number of you have posted. And hopefully those few who ran into glitches are getting them straightened away. Please feel free to send along suggestions for improvement to Andrew Ward, the webmaster (webmaster@davidgumpert.com).
Joelie Hicks
I posted a picture as my avatar as a reminder about why I get so ticked over all of this. I care what I feed the child in the picture (and even another child not pictured). Pictured in the background is my five acres in the Sequoia National Forest. “Know you farmer” has become difficult here in California. My mantra: Become your farmer.
For those concerned that outsourcing issues are causing division, I invite you to close ranks and give the outsourcers some treatment from the inside.
Amanda
In the classic style of pro-con and con-pro and mostly biased-con….The San Jose Murcery News covered raw milk on its cover today. The story emphasized the recent CDC study that concluded that raw milk is sooooo dangerous and pasteurized milk is sooooo safe. They never mentioned anything about CA raw milk standards or testing. Nothing…not a thing. Never mentioned that 1600 people were sickened in 2006 from pasteurized milk!!! Makes me nauseated.
The CDC study was so biased that it was clear on its face that it was erroneous. The CDC counted numbers of outbreaks and not numbers of illnesses…..and then…cherry picked the dates and data to avoid the 50 deaths from the Jalisco Cheese incident in 1985 and the 3 deaths from Whittier Farms in 2007…all from pasteurized super-guaranteed safe by the FDA dairy products. They fail to mention that “just one of the outbreaks” from pasteurized guaranteed-safe FDA gloried dead milk….sickened more than 190,000 consumers in one fell swoop.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_20183754
I am sure that this news will stimulate the seekers of truth and our markets will again grow and grow. It was great that several strong raw milk consumers were quoted including Christine Chessen.
He thrives! He is never sick.
That may be possible in your neck of the woods but I cannot keep a chicken on a patio, or can I? Surely not a goat, and I can grow a limited amount of food. But it’s easy to say grow your own when you have the means to do so. What about the millions of us living in cities?
I live in an apartment in the middle of the city. I did used to buy from Palmer. I currently buy from many other farmers now whom I trust.
TRUST. I keep going back to that word. Why should I support a farmer and a food provider (James) I didn’t trust? What if the hand that fed me BIT ME?
This is a picture of my children. Besides being a mom and feeding my family well, my other passion is photography.
David, what risks did they take to supply the foods? Small farmers supply food to people, including raw milk without problems all the time.
“If the hand that feeds you was selling you conventionally produced eggs at a premium when you thought they were something else, you need to find another hand to feed you. ”
Amanda is so right. Honesty, integrity and ethics will keep the food rights movement strong. Word of mouth is very strong and with the internet, regarding those who do fraudulent actions, their reputations with precede them. Those who cheat, lie, etc will eventually fade away, people will stop buying from them.
Amanda is so right. Honesty, integrity and ethics will keep the food rights movement strong. Word of mouth is very strong and with the internet, regarding those who do fraudulent actions, their reputations with precede them. Those who cheat, lie, etc will eventually fade away, people will stop buying from them.”
I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF, SYLVIA!!! Thank you!
please keep us updated on developments with the Rawsome case. How about a jail-house interview with Sharon Palmer? And Aajonus vonderPlanetiz, too.
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just, but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him” : meaning, the Prosecutor blazed to the skies, nation-wide, how bad they are, … now let’s hear the other side of the story from the mouths of the Accused
Sylvia,
I’m not trying to justify outsourcing and/or misrepresenting your product, as Sharon Palmer is alleged to have done. I’m simply saying that that doesn’t justify charges that could lead to 40-plus years in jail (the combination of potential jail time in the two cases against her). The severity of the charges and possible penalties signifies, more than anything else, that this is a political case that has nothing to do with the trust issues you and others bring up. In fact, the authorities care nothing about the outsourcing, or it would have shown up somewhere in the charges, and it didn’t.
James Stewart assumed huge risks, keeping Rawesome open for six years, in the face of on-again-off-again threats from various agencies that he was violating various laws and regulations. He assumed the risk because of his belief in the sanctity of privately food contracts and private food distribution.
David
No person deserves to be in jail for a food related issue….there have been no illnesses. Someone does not want Sharon free….In my book of karma, jail is inhumane and barbaric….not to mention brutal and medieval. Jail is a hold over from the times of kings and feudal lords that used fear of god, public floggings and be headings as a method to keep the minions paying taxes and indentured and scared.
http://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/final-report—organic-pastures-raw-milk-linked-to-2001-e-coli-outbreak/
At the time of the outbreak I was struck by Mark McAfee’s press comments that left over product from all households had been tested. I asked him point blank about this issue in December in the comments here:
http://www.thecompletepatient.com/article/2011/december/17/deja-vu-all-over-again-mix-opdc-cdfa-raw-milk-and-you-get-potent-brew
I was surprised by the claim because it is unusual for any product to be left over. The probability of having leftover product in four households would approach zero.
The state report clarifies. There was product left from one family and it was apparently a month old and cultured into kefir. My concern is that the “all products were tested and were pathogen-free” in the 2011 case will become the new urban legend, comparable to the “it was spinach” in 2006.
Families cannot make informed decisions if they are given incorrect information.
Amanda
That’s the pot calling the kettle black!
Here is a pediatric physician, Lindy Woodard MD, who is a raw milk advocate & prescribes raw milk for her patients. She has been running an alternative practice for over 12 yrs and has seen the significant improvement in her patients when consuming raw milk. There is also a video at this link that is very informative & extremely interesting.
I spoke with as many people on both sides as I could, including Palmer herself. If you are looking into fraud, you don’t just go right to the source, or the source’s supporters for all of your information, because what are they apt to tell you, AnnMarie?
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20183193/recent-cdc-study-reveals-dangers-raw-milk-but
T-shirts!!!!
I have heard others state words similar to Mary’s. Couldn’t this be said about any food, water, environment? There was a time I had no clue what pathogens could be in lunch meats, yet I consumed them, same goes for fast/processed foods, as with home canning. Potential contamination is always present.
Oh, the irony!
Second, while raw milk can be regulated, it cannot be prohibited. The Supreme Court of Nevada said:
In order to prohibit the prosecution of the trade altogether, the injury to the public which furnishes the justification for such a law must proceed from the inherent character of the business. no trade can be prohibited altogether, unless the evil is inherent in the character of the trade. The government, under the guise of regulation, cannot prohibit or destroy. Marymont v. Banking Board, 33 Nev. 333, 351-352 (1910).
From the book “The LAWFUL Remedy to Tyranny,” NaturalLawRemedy.com.
A threat to public health is not inherent in the character of raw milk, states safely regulate it without a problem. Government cannot prohibit it. http://www.westonaprice.org/press/government-data-proves-raw-milk-safe.
SO could someone help me with this. If you have a cow on your property and store the milk at what point is it considered retail vs private consumption .
With a cow-share you own part or all of the cow. You are paying the farmer to care for your cow which includes milking, no different if you were boarding your race horse on a farm…you pay extra for the farmer to care for the horse and yes, sometimes the mares need milking if the foal has issues. Again the cow-share is not opened to just anyone it is a private agreement between you and the farmer.
I’m sure others can explain it better.
but the REAL MILK is flowing today, in BC, because we figured out that the anti-dote to collectivism ( quaintly called by simpletons : ‘social-ism”) is, asserting our right to use and enjoy our private property
To my deep chagrin however both James Stewart and Sharon Palmer violated my trust and defrauded and stole from me by selling me chicken and eggs which I would never have bought at any price, let alone the grossly inflated one that I paid because of the feeling of trust and friendship which the genuinely personable Mr. James Stewart engenders. I understand why so many can not bring themselves to believe that James Stewart and Sharon Palmer defrauded those of us who purchased chicken and eggs from Rawesome in good faith. The facts about this are the most significant piece of information we have as a reference on the character of these individuals.
On the other hand, Aajonus Vonderplanitz, weird name and extreme dietary beliefs notwithstanding, has been a long-time fighter for the rights of people to choose real, unadulterated food if they believe it is what is best for them. It is because of Aajonus V. that raw milk is ostensibly legal to buy for human consumption here in California. I am not a primal raw fooder (more of a Weston Price convert personally) however I have observed that Aajonus is the one who fought in the courts, for my right to have raw, pasture-fed milk and he is passionate about food quality standards. Aajonus claims that he tried to resolve his concerns about the source of the eggs and chicken with James for months and that James dismissed him and treated him like a troublesome crank. Finally Aajonus put the matter before the Rawesome membership to allow them to review the information and decide what they wanted to do about it. I was buying food from Rawesome because I care about health. The principle of honest representation of the product I was paying top dollar for is more important than the cult of personality or ‘loyalty” to a “friend” who was personally profiting by selling me commercial grade filth with a hug and repeated reassurance that it was the highest quality food to be had.
I do not see this as a “pissing contest” between two business owners. James Stewart and Sharon Palmer committed fraud against their customers… if many of their customers will go to any lengths not to believe that… that is their business, until they use Mike Adams and Alex Jones to misrepresent the whole issue by attempting to character assassinate Aajonus V by inference. Their misplaced sense of moral outrage is what really jeopardizes the future of real food availability. This plays right into the hands of the “divide and conquer” power brokers.
Stand up against the tyrannically unjust charges, bail amounts, jail sentences, abuse in incarceration which have been used against Sharon Palmer and James Stewart because these injustices are directed at our Bill of Rights. Stop insisting that Sharon and/or James are some kind of heroes because they cynically ignored their personal responsibility to their customers, food rights activists who were relying on them to operate from the highest integrity as food providers. They may well be victims but I do not agree that they are heroes.
I totally agree with your comment.