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5/14/2015 What Is Organic Farming, Really?
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What Is OrganicFarming, Really?Clean Eating | May 14, 2015
Ever wondered what makes your produce organic?Our resident
farmer, Mary Milsap Brower of BluestemFarm, explains all.
By Clean Eating
Organic farming is defined in large part by what organicfarmers
dont do. Organic farmers dont use syntheticfertilizers, pesticides,
or herbicides. Organic farmers dontuse hormones, antibiotics, or
genetically modified organisms(GMOs). These substances are 20th
century innovationsmeant to resolve specific agricultural problems,
but each onehas its own negative long-term impact on health or
theenvironment.
Beyond what organic farmers dont do, the term organic isalso a
legal description. Organic farmers submit to outsidereview and
annual inspection to ensure their practices,records of seeds and
soil amendments and fields align withthe definitions set forth by
the National Organic Program(NOP).
Not everyone understands, however, that the protocolgoverning
organic farming also sets forth a group of positive,holistic
practices that promote ecological balance, soilconservation, and
biodiversity. By valuing these processes,organic farmers help
advance the values of healthy soil,healthy plants, and healthy
human beings. But just how doesone go about enhancing ecological
balance? Or promotinghealthy soil? This time of year, farmers all
over North
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5/14/2015 What Is Organic Farming, Really?
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Anerica are planning the 2015 growing season. Here are a
fewconsiderations we are weighing at my own organic farm.
Building Fertility and Biodiversity in the Soil
In addition to sunlight and water, all plants need minerals
togrow. Healthy soil has good mineral balance and contains adiverse
population of friendly microbes. Plants grown inhealthy soil are
more vigorous and better able to ward offdisease and pests.
Atmyorganicfarm,wesupportsoilfertilityandbiodiversityby:
Reducing the amount we till, or disturb, the soil. Thisserves to
protect the natural structure of the soil as wellas the microbial
communities present in distinct soilhorizons.Testing the soil each
year. When theres a mineraldeficiency, we add specific types of
compost, rockpowders, and micro-nutrients to make up for
it.Rotating animals through resting garden areas. Theextra organic
matter in well-composted manure helpsretain moisture in the soil,
makes it more fertile, andcreates a stable home for
microorganisms.Avoiding pesticides. By using physical barriers,
delayedor early plantings, and crop rotation, we throw off
pestswithout the use of poisons.Avoiding herbicides. Instead we
manage weeds throughcover cropping, shallow cultivation, and
hand-weeding.Not using synthetic fertilizers, which disturb
soilmicrobes, and easily leach out to other areas.
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5/14/2015 What Is Organic Farming, Really?
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Cover Crops
Cover crops are often planted in late fall, after the
mainharvest. Usually not intended for human consumption, theyhold
the soil in place so that bare ground is not eroded byrain and
wind. Theyre often cut and left where they are inthe field so
organic matter and important nutrients feed thesoil.
Thebenefitsofcovercrops:
If bare soil is left unplanted after a harvest, minerals
likecalcium and boron, nitrogen and sulfur leach away everytime it
rains.By out-competing unwanted weeds, cover crops help usreduce
the need for hand-weeding or chemical weedsuppression.Cover crops
maintain the structure of the soil andprovide habitat for a diverse
community of microbesthat are beneficial to food plants.
Crop Rotation
When a single crop is grown in the same spot year after
year,pests and disease easily establish themselves. To avoid
thisinvitation, we constantly move diverse plantings of
unrelatedvegetables around within the garden.
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Croprotationisimportantbecause:
The simple act of moving a crop to a different area helpsus
outwit some insect pests, and naturally reducespressure from many
plant diseases.Different types of plants require different diets
ofminerals. By rotating crops to new locations eachseason, the soil
gets a chance to recover from thedemands of each specific crop.Even
soil needs to rest sometimes. We systematicallyallow different
parcels of land to lie dormant, or fallow,each year.
Why Buy Local?
Putting all these systems in place takes an abundance ofplanning
and practice. At my organic farm, we feel thatsubmitting to the
rigors of certification makes us better atwhat we do. It also
ensures that we support an entire organicsupply chain whenever we
buy organic seeds, planting stock,or farm inputs such as
fertilizer, compost and hay. Thesechoices keep additional
pollutants out of the environment asa whole, not just our own
farm.
Organic food is becoming more widely available in most ofthe
country, and today even box stores carry lines of organicproducts.
But when you choose to shop at a local farmersmarket, or join a
small farms Community SupportedAgriculture (CSA) membership
program, you support thework of environmental conservation, food
security, andpublic health, along with your own local economy.
Evenbetter, when you have a relationship with the person
growingyour vegetables, you can ask direct questions about
thespecific practices he or she uses to grow safe, nutritious
food.
MaryBrowerownsBluestemFarm,asmallorganicfarminnorthernMichigan.Learnmoreatwww.bluestemfarm.net.
SeealsoDEEPENYOURYOGAPRACTICEWITH4GODDESSYOGACLASSES