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This overview explores the history and evolution of organic farming, beginning with the Pure Food Act of 1906 and the devastation of the Dust Bowl. It highlights key figures like Sir Albert Howard and institutions such as the Rodale Institute. The journey spans innovations in farming practices, the growth of significant organic operations like Lady Moon Farms in Florida, and the challenges posed by aggressive wholesalers. It also discusses different farming approaches, environmental impacts, and the sustainable movements that shaped modern organic agriculture.
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Sustainable Organics? Three different approaches
History of Organic Farming • Pure Food Act (1906) • Dust Bowl • Sir Albert Howard • AnagriculturalTestament(1943) • Rodale institute/ press • Emmaus, Pa
Lady Moon Farms • Pennsylvania • 1988 22 acres • farmers markets • wholesale • 1992 160 acres I started • 2001 > FL > year round production • 2004 2400 acres • 1500 plowed • $ 300000-500000/week in produce sales
LMF Florida • 2001 • renting land • year round production • 2002 Land Purchase • 1000 acres @ $1mill
LMF Georgia • Bought 700acres in 2004 • 140 in production
Belief System • Hard worker • realist vs idealist • Risk taker • Evolution of in relationship to growth • aggressive organic wholesalers • Aggressive competition • CAL Organics • the next up and coming farm • Spiral Path
Desoto Lakes Organic Bill Pischer 1978 Sarasota, Fl 5acres leased • Roadside stand • wholesale • Josh’s Organic 2004 5 acres owned
Belief System • Hard worker • Skeptical idealist • Concerned about his children • Development • Sarasota disconnect
Next Step Produce • Heintz Thomet (CH) • Biodynamic approach • Wholistic approach • Swiss apprenticeship • Mid 1980’s USA • seasonal farmer in North East • Spiral Path • disenchantment with organic production • Next Step Produce • Newburg, MD 2001
Belief System • Hard Worker • Skeptical of US environmental awareness concern • Optimist in materializing his dream • Biodynamic
Comparison • LMF • Size • 2400 acres • +70 rows monoculture • +100 field hands • Worth • $300,000-$500,000/wk • $20 million
Economic impact • Broad • FL to ME to MN to CO toTX • Fuel usage / Machinery • single trucks32 plts with $55000 in cherries + grapes • 30-40 tractors, backhoes, grade-alls ect • Trucks • farms to packinghouses / coolers $2000/wk • FL alone • 2x 1500ghm diesel pumps(1000gal diesel/wk) • PA and GA 1x1500gpm each
Energy • 2 acres of coolers • packing house • lights • packing lines • hand jacks • lifts
Nutrient Cycle • Trucked compost (naturesafe.com) • loose system • Constructed Fertilizers • Feed grade quality meals inclusive of meals from blood, bone, feather, fish, meat and grain by-products.How It Is Made • Product Characteristics • mined products • packing 2nds out of system
Farm management • Pests Pyganic • flush, rapid knockdown, kill • Rotation windrow IPM • Weeds • Plastic • Cultivation • Rotations • Disease management • Soil Building • Certification requirements
Processing 2-3 weeks Picked Trucked Vacuum Packing Boxed Vacuum Storage Shipped to warehouse Stored Shipped to Grocery Shelved Sold Eaten
Desoto Lakes • Size • 5 acres • small field size • +-.10 acres • +-5 workers • Worth • $7000/wk in season • $500,000
Economic impact • localized • Sarasota, FL • Fuel usage/ Machinery • 2 Kubota 4x4 Tractors • 1 truck 350 flat bed ‘96 • Energy • walk in cooler • display coolers
Nutrient • Trucked Compost • on site compost • straw and seconds ect
Farm management Pests Pyganic Rotation Field size Weeds Straw Cultivation Rotations soil building Processing 0-5days picked stored on site sold on site
Next Step Produce • Size • 86 acres • small fields • +.5 acres • 3-6 workers • Worth • $3000-$4000 markets/wk • $2,000 CSA/wk • $700 wholesale/wk • Restaurants, other farmers • (-)$336,000
Economic impact • localized DC area • Fuel usage / Machinery • 2 Tractors • 70’s IH • late 80s John Deere 4x4 • Hand carts • Chevy 350 Panel van • Energy • electric wells (rarely used) • 2 walk in coolers
Nutrient • tight / closed system • windrow composting operation • on farm inputs
Farm management • Pests • Biodiversity • Rotations • Field size • Weeds • Plastic • Straw • Cultivation • Rotations • Key to soil building • Pest control
Processing 0-4 days • markets • picked • stored overnight • sold following day • CSA • picked • sold same day • Wholesale • similar to market • often excess sold wholesale