Have to respond to at least one point. To become
certified organic there is quite a bit of testing that
is involved, however the fields can still be farmed
during the transition time between the use of
pestasides and becoming certified organic. You have to
stop the use of all pesticides and fertilizers listed
as banned items, but during the first three years your
harvest can be sold as transitional. Many health food
stores sell these transitional items.
Money can be made raising organic crops, it just takes
time to make the transition from "traditional" farming
to organic practices.
I agree that buying all of your food as organic is out
of the reach of many people (including myself), but I
believe that the point Neil was making at farm aid is
to be aware of what is going on, and do what you can
to change the current trend towards factory farming.
There are many family farmers who grow crops that are
not organic, but still need to be supported.
Anyhow, just a bit to add to the discussion.
Cheers,
Tom.
--- Blaine Broderick <blainebroderick@...>
wrote:
To which I respond:
For a farmer to start farming organic food he/she
would have to leave their
field fallow for at least two years (it then gets
tested for acidity etc.).
My father-in law tried organic farming on a quarter
section about 4 years
ago. He said that the final yield was much less
than another quarter
section of the same crop and that as a result it
generated less money.
Many farmers don't have time or money to farm
organically (after all they
are ordinary people also)...there's bills to be paid
and land to be
mortgaged.
Newf (who's married to a farmgirl)
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