more raised beds, then cleared space to plant berry bushes and fruit trees.
Why Go Organic?
The best reason for growing organic is that it’s simply healthier for everyone involved—you, your family, farm workers, and customers—thanks to a lack of chemicals and an abundance of nutrients.
It’s also economical. While organic production takes more time, effort, and understanding at the onset, sustainable practices can save money in the long run by recycling farm waste and avoiding expensive inputs. And if you’re a USDA certified organic farmer, your crops will command a higher price.
The Organic Center, a Washington-based research and education group, lists twelve reasons to go organic. Among them are the following:
• Reduces your risk to harmful synthetic pesticides.
• Avoids unknown genetically engineered food risks.
• Decreases your intake of unnecessary hormones and antibiotics.
• Preserves local crop varieties for future generations.
• Improves water quality and the safety of drinking water. (Chemical pesticides and fertilizers can flow with rainwater into aquifers and rivers.)
Maintains healthy soil. (Organic practices restore nitrogen and nutrients and help sequester carbon to help fight global warming.)
Certified Organic
This book describes numerous methods and techniques for building soil, starting plants, and controlling insects, weeds, and diseases organically. They are all, to the best of my knowledge and research, sound practices. However, this is not a USDA manual for certified organic farming. Once growers decide to sell farm goods under the “Organic” label, the primary source for information becomes the National Organic Program (NOP) as administered through a third-party certifying agent.
The NOP, via the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, defines organic as “a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.”
Organic gardeners and organic hobby farmers who grow food for their own families may use organic practices as they see fit. However, once farmers sell organic foods, they must adhere to the NOP’s program. Small-scale growers who earn less than $5,000 per year from their organic farming operations are exempt from fees and certification but must adhere to NOP standards and keep records of practices and materials purchased for their farms. For more information, see chapter 10 or visit the website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/NOP
Grow healthy, delicious scallions and other fresh vegetables without the use of harmful chemicals; learn how in chapter 5.
Today, we operate a small-scale farming business on our 1-acre (0.4 ha) suburban plot, selling vegetables to neighbors, coworkers, and friends. We use intensive gardening techniques borrowed from such vegetable-growing gurus as John Jeavons, Eliot Coleman, Dick Raymond, Ed Smith, and the late Bob Thomson. We became members of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, and we attend workshops to hone our growing skills. To supplement our income, we keep a small group of subscribers supplied with fresh groceries all season long, using a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) business model.
It’s not always easy, but it’s enjoyable, profitable, and 100 percent possible. You can do it, too. This book will get you started!
• Chapter 1 will help you assess the land you live on to determine whether it meets your plans for organic growing. If you need to lease more land or buy an organic farm, you’ll learn what to look for—factoring in the climate, soil, water, and location.
• Chapter 2 can assist you in selecting the right implements for digging, weeding, seeding, and raking—starting slowly with quality hand tools and determining whether you need to invest in power equipment.
• Chapter 3 will help you understand the importance of organic soil. Cultivating the relationship between plants and underground microbes is the key to successful organic agriculture. You’ll also find information on nutrients, testing your soil, making compost, and planting cover crops.
• Chapter 4 shows you how to develop a farm plan with an organized schedule for growing successive crops all season long. Whether you plan to farm for a growing family or start a small-scale agribusiness, you’ll learn to start your own seeds, schedule crops for production, maximize growing space, and prevent incursion from weeds and pests.
• Chapter 5 covers the best vegetable and herb crops for organic production, with advice on varieties, heirlooms, seed starting, soil requirements, and harvesting.
• Chapter 6 suggests ways to branch out with fruit trees and berries, with advice on choosing varieties, preparing the soil, and dealing with pests and diseases naturally.
• Chapter 7 describes the basics of adding chickens to the farm—for wholesome organic eggs or pastured meat. There are suggestions on the right breeds, tips for raising a flock from day-old chicks, and protecting the birds from predators.
• Chapter 8 will help you add to your organic system with bees or small livestock. Learn the basics involved with keeping honeybees, rabbits, and dairy goats.
• Chapter 9 includes details on marketing your farm-fresh products. Learn what you need to know to sell your goods at restaurants, farmers’ markets, or through a CSA program.
• Chapter 10 covers the things to think about if you want to make a lasting business out of your hobby. Here’s where you’ll learn the basics of crafting a mission statement, setting goals, and creating a budget. You’ll also find information to help you weigh the pros and cons of becoming USDA certified organic.
• Finally, in the “Resources” section at the back of the book, you’ll find information on soil testing, organic certification, local organic farming organizations, publications, and more.
Whether you’re a large-scale gardener or a fledgling organic farmer looking to share the earth’s bounty and earn a second income in the process, it’s time to get started. You’ll eat safer, more nutritious food; learn about the bond between soil organisms and your plants; discover new ways to join the local food movement; and help save the planet—1 acre at a time.
Dig in.
Organic Farming: Its Origins and Evolution
Before the advent of chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, farming was essentially an “organic” operation. Growers kept livestock and recycled their animal wastes to fertilize fields. They conserved their soil, rotated crops, and practiced long-term, sustainable agriculture. However, that all changed dramatically after World War II. Farmers moved away from raising mixed crops and livestock. Thanks to rising market prices, larger machinery, and high-yield varieties, they turned toward large-scale production of grain. Without
