Ditty Bops sowing seeds of support for family farming

On a philosophical level, The Ditty Bops believe it is better to sow a seed than curse the brambles. On a practical level, they really, really love food.

Which is why Amanda Barrett (vocals, mandolin, washboard) and her musical and romantic partner, Abby DeWald (guitar, vocals), decided to embark on The Green Tour, which began on July 28 in Los Angeles, where they live, and will end this month in New York City.

The two are playing not only conventional spaces with Greg Rutledge (piano, accordion, bongos) and John Lambdin (violin, lap steel guitar, dobro), but also selected farms. On Sept. 9 they will cultivate a new audience for their engaging hybrid of folk, western swing, blues and pop-rock at Farm Aid 2007 on New York City’s Randall’s Island.

The root of the freewheeling Dittys’ latest cross-country expedition can be found in last year’s 12-state jaunt during which Barrett and DeWald rode their bicycles 4,600 miles to 40-plus shows to underscore the need to cut fossil-fuel consumption and reduce traffic congestion.

“We had planned to visit farms on our bike tour,” says Barrett, who is riding in a van that is en route from Lincoln, Neb., to Lawrence, Kan. “We were going to play at one somewhere near Ann Arbor, Mich., but the owners were worried too many people would come, so we had to cancel the gig.”

By the time Barrett and DeWald had pedaled to Chicago, they had decided to make time for farm performances on their next tour, “and have a good time learning about different ways of farming.”

Their friend and tour manager, Paul Matkin, who Barrett says “has been doing Farm Aid photography for 20 years,” put them in touch with Farm Aid organizers.

Another thing that whet their appetites for a Green Tour was their fascination with comestibles. “During the bicycle tour, all we could talk about was what we were eating,” says Barrett.

Asked to name some favorite edibles, Barrett sounds horrified. “You can’t ask a parent to pick their favorite child! We love all varieties. We’ve eaten fresh food on the farm. We’ve found a lot of great things in restaurants.”

However, Barrett admits she tasted “the best yellow plum I ever had” at the Full Circle Community Farm in Eugene, Ore., where the Dittys played earlier this month.

“When we make our choice of food, we’re supporting different kinds of economies,” she points out. “By buying local, you’re helping out your own communities and lessening dependence on foreign oil, and there’s more freshness. The animals and vegetables were raised with care, love and attention. That all goes in to the food you’re eating.”

Barrett also mentions that the Dittys have established a new nonprofit, You and I Save the World. “It’s to raise awareness for environmental issues that affect us all,” she says. “Our first project is a Plastic Reduction Petition. We’re trying to gather signatures on-line. We have about 1,100. Our goal is 5,000.”

Unlike last year, the Dittys’ show will not include unicycling or the stiltwalking by Tuba the Clown (who also did some juggling with Barrett).

But Barrett and DeWald will be sporting “vegetable outfits” made especially for this tour and showcasing tunes from their new “Pack Rat” EP (the five songs are leftovers from their two CDs) as well as material from their unreleased new album, “Summer Rain.”

The title track, says Barrett, is “about global warming, about someone who misunderstands it and thinks the Earth is going to be an island paradise,” while “Skinny Bones” is “about people who are always made fun of finally getting some retribution.”

In general, says Barrett, the new record “is more mellow, more relaxed and somewhat less produced. ... Some songs will emphasize our early jazz influences. Some are kind of folkier, and there’s a cowboy feel to some of them, too.”

While Barrett cannot say when “Summer Rain” will be released, she notes that it won’t be on Warner Bros. “We would have had to stay for another couple records,” says Barrett, explaining why the Dittys split from the label. “They offered to keep us on, but didn’t feel it would make sense to stay there. ... We’re not a big money-maker for them, so it didn’t make sense.”