Category Archives: Right to Farm

Martha Boneta

It’s time to reflect back on the almost 22 years of On The Commons.  It is Thanksgiving night, the festivities are over with, the kitchen is clean and all is quiet, a perfect time to let my mind wander back to the over 900 shows we have done.  Yes, I say WE, because I didn’t do them on my own- I am so thankful and grateful for the over 900 guests who have joined me, told their stories, explained the laws, talked about the legislation they were proposing, the books they had written, the projects they were working on and the many other issues affecting the place we call home.  Some of their stories have made us extremely angry, others have left us wondering if we heard correctly, some have made us cry and others made us laugh, we have cheered and rejoiced when the homeowner won and we always wished them our very best.  But this show will leave you with so much hope.  You will be energized, excited and anxious to get started. I know   that’s how I felt.

Martha Boneta joins us On The Commons.  Martha owns a small family farm in Northern Virginia.  It has always been her dream to grow food and feed others.  But when she finally got her farm, her dream came with some really nasty surprises.  Not one to roll over and let the bad guys get the best of her, Martha stood her ground and fought back to protect her farm and her rights.  Now she is working on setting up a national grassroots network and invites everyone to join the fight for freedom.  And at the heart of freedom is property rights.  How can freedom exist without the right to own property, whether it is a farm, a mansion or a small condo?  As Martha said, “Now, more than ever, across our nation we need to rise up and answer the call to defend the American Dream.”  You will be excited at her ideas and will agree with much of what she has to say.  You can reach her via her website or by phone, 571-839-1143.  Stay tuned for the official launch of this grassroots movement, scheduled for sometime in January. And when it launches, Martha will be back with details – she promised.  

And this Thanksgiving I am thankful for all of you, all the people who will fight back for justice and freedom and I am really proud to call Martha a friend.  Now you have to tune in, don’t you?

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Bonner Cohen

Bonner Cohen

Claiming to be a 5th generation land owner, Philip Thompson said, “I will do whatever it takes to help preserve the countryside we call home”.  The countryside he calls home is in Fauquier County, Virginia about an hour outside Washington DC.  He inherited much of the land in the countryside he called home,  then proceeded to place a large tract into a conservation easement managed by the Piedmont Environmental Council, (PEC). Much like the Declarations in residential associations, the easements restrict the use of the property. Much like a residential association, power is given to the administrator.  And we all know that “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”(Lord Acton) regardless of who has it.

Dr. Bonner Cohen joins us On The Commons.  Dr. Cohen is a senior fellow with the National Center for Public Policy Research.  He also serves as senior policy analyst with the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow.  He is an author, has spoken at conferences, appears on TV and radio.  Dr. Cohen, a friend of Martha Boneta, has been following the horrors and abuses taking place in Liberty Farms.  He wrote an article  about the latest round of lawsuits.  We find just what Mr. Thompson meant when he said he would do “whatever it takes…”  .

Listen to Bonner Cohen
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Stewart Goodwin

Chickens

Have you ever wondered where your food comes from? With a greater awareness and understanding of health issues and the role our food plays in how we feel, live and age, more people are concerned about the quality of the food they eat and feed their families.  People are willing to pay more for organically grown fruits and vegetables and free range eggs.  Don’t believe me?  Compare the prices, and the taste, the next time you are in the grocery store.  You’d think ensuring a good supply of healthy food would be a top priority for the government, wouldn’t you?   It doesn’t appear that way.

Stewart Goodwin joins us On The Commons this week.  Stewart is an author and the owner of the Elko Poultry Farm and Hatchery in Henrico County, Virginia.  The farm is in an area that is not built up and is zoned agricultural.  But apparently that concept is a little too simple and straightforward for local government types to comprehend.  The county officials, whose job it is to ensure compliance with the county codes and ordinances, seem to be somewhat confused and apparently can’t tell the difference between a chicken and a horse. So they are doing what they do best and that is to issue threats. And when this little war is all over, they may very well end up with egg on their faces.  We’ll be keeping up with Stewart and her ” girls” to see how she is doing.   I enjoyed “going to the Farm” where the only sounds I could hear were on the phone were Stewart’s roosters crowing to register their dissatisfaction with the county government.

Follow Stewart on Facebook as she fights to protect her property rights and our right to have healthy food.

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