ponto
September 24th, 2006, 05:03 PM
What Does "Organic" or "Natural" Really Mean?
From the Hidden Ridge Newsletter (http://www.hiddenridgefarm.com/)
When most people think of organic, they probably think "healthy" or "pesticide-free." But did you know that organic farmers must go way beyond "no-spray" and have an understanding of natural biological cycles, often specific to their region? Organic agriculture defies the conventional "input-output" approach to farming. We can't just add more nitrogen, spray weeds with Round-Up or kill bugs with pesticide.
Nutrient, weed and pest management take years of physical work to achieve optimal balance. Organic farmers must incorporate crop rotations, composting, natural pest control methods, cover crops, mechanical (often manual) cultivation, conservation practices, and erosion management into their farming practices.
Why Not Organic?
Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) is just like the USDA's National Organic Program in many of it's core practices. Unfortunately, the Organic program has evolved to the point where it is no longer friendly toward small-scale diversified farms like ours. We grow about a hundred different varieties of vegetables on our farm. Under the USDA's regulations we would have to keep detailed records (how much we plant, how we fertilize, how much we harvest, how much we sell, how much we compost) for each and every variety we plant.
This is fine for large corporate farms in California who can hire someone to keep such records. But it becomes a major hassle when you've only got one full-time farmer who does the majority of the labor, planning, marketing, and sales. The CNG program was created with farms like ours in mind. While we are unable to call ourselves "organic," because of USDA regulations, the "Certified Naturally Grown" label gives us an alternative branding that our customers will instantly recognize and understand.
Where to Learn More
If you'd like more information on the Certified Naturally Grown program, please visit their Web site at http://www.naturallygrown.org.
Information on the National Organic Program is available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm.
Mason County's only Certified Naturally Grown Farm is Herb Farm @ Strodes Run. (http://www.Strodesrun.com)
From the Hidden Ridge Newsletter (http://www.hiddenridgefarm.com/)
When most people think of organic, they probably think "healthy" or "pesticide-free." But did you know that organic farmers must go way beyond "no-spray" and have an understanding of natural biological cycles, often specific to their region? Organic agriculture defies the conventional "input-output" approach to farming. We can't just add more nitrogen, spray weeds with Round-Up or kill bugs with pesticide.
Nutrient, weed and pest management take years of physical work to achieve optimal balance. Organic farmers must incorporate crop rotations, composting, natural pest control methods, cover crops, mechanical (often manual) cultivation, conservation practices, and erosion management into their farming practices.
Why Not Organic?
Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) is just like the USDA's National Organic Program in many of it's core practices. Unfortunately, the Organic program has evolved to the point where it is no longer friendly toward small-scale diversified farms like ours. We grow about a hundred different varieties of vegetables on our farm. Under the USDA's regulations we would have to keep detailed records (how much we plant, how we fertilize, how much we harvest, how much we sell, how much we compost) for each and every variety we plant.
This is fine for large corporate farms in California who can hire someone to keep such records. But it becomes a major hassle when you've only got one full-time farmer who does the majority of the labor, planning, marketing, and sales. The CNG program was created with farms like ours in mind. While we are unable to call ourselves "organic," because of USDA regulations, the "Certified Naturally Grown" label gives us an alternative branding that our customers will instantly recognize and understand.
Where to Learn More
If you'd like more information on the Certified Naturally Grown program, please visit their Web site at http://www.naturallygrown.org.
Information on the National Organic Program is available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm.
Mason County's only Certified Naturally Grown Farm is Herb Farm @ Strodes Run. (http://www.Strodesrun.com)