BEYOND ORGANIC

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BEYOND ORGANICBy Eliot Colemanhttp://www.fourseasonfarm.com/main/authentic/beyond.htmlNew ideas, especially those that directly challenge an establishedorthodoxy, follow a familiar path. First, the orthodoxy says the new ideais rubbish. Then the orthodoxy attempts to minimize the new idea's growingappeal. Finally, when the new idea proves unstoppable, the orthodoxy triesto claim the idea as its own. This is precisely the path organic foodproduction has followed.First, organic pioneers were ridiculed. Then, as evidence of the benefitsof organic farming became more obvious to more people, mainstream chemicalagriculture actively condemned organic ideas as unfeasible. Now that thefood-buying public has become enthusiastic about organically grown foods,the food industry wants to take over. Toward that end the USDA-controllednational definition of "organic" is tailored to meet the marketing needs oforganizations that have no connection to the agricultural integrity"organic" once represented. We now need to ask whether we want to becontent with an "organic" food option that places the marketing concerns ofcorporate America ahead of nutrition, flavor and social benefits toconsumers.When I stated as an organic grower 35 years ago, it was a simpler world.Organic was a way of thinking rather than a "profit center." The decisionto farm organically was a statement of faith in the wisdom of the naturalworld, to the quality of the crops and livestock, and to the nutritionalbenefits of properly cultivated food. It was obvious that good farming andexceptional food only resulted from the care and nurturing practiced by thegood farmer.The initial development of organic farming during the first half of the20th century arose from the gut feelings of farmers who were trying toreconcile the biological truths they saw in their own fields with thechemical dogma the agricultural science-of-the-moment was teaching. Thefarmers came to very different conclusions from those of the academicagronomists. The farmers worked on developing agricultural practices thatharmonized with the direction in which their "unscientific" conclusionswere leading them. Their goals were to grow the most nutritious foodpossible, while protecting the soil for future generations.The development and refinement of those biologically-based agriculturalpractices continues today. It's what makes this farming adventure socompelling. Each year I hope to do things better than I did last yearbecause I will know Nature's systems better. But my delight in theintricacies of the natural world -- my adventure into an ever deeperappreciation of the soil-plant-animal nutrition cycle and how to optimizeit -- is not acceptable to the homogenized mentality of mass marketing. Thefood giants that are taking over "organic" want a simplistic list ofingredients so they can do organic-by-the-numbers. They are derisive aboutwhat they label "belief systems," and they are loath to acknowledge thatmore farmer commitment is involved in producing real food than any numberof approved inputs can encompass.The transition of "organic" from small farm to big time is now upon us.Although getting toxic chemicals out of agriculture is an improvement wecan all applaud, it only removes the negatives. The positive focus,enhancing the biological quality of the food produced, is nowhere to beseen. The new standards are based on what not to do rather than what to do.They will be administered through the USDA, whose director said recently,"Organic food does not mean it is superior, safer, or more healthy thanconventional food." Well, I still agree with the old time organic pioneers.I believe that properly grown food is superior, safer and healthier. I alsobelieve national certification bureaucracies are only necessary when foodis grown by strangers in far away places rather than by neighbors whom youknow. I further believe good, fresh food, grown locally by committedgrowers is the very best to be found."Organic" is now dead as a meaningful synonym for the highest quality food.Responsible growers need to identify not only that our food is grown tohigher, more considered standards, but also that it is much fresher becauseit is grown right where it is sold. Therefore, we have come up with a newterm, one we define to mean locally grown and unprocessed, in addition toexceptional quality. It's a term we hope will be used, as "organic" wasused when we began, by those local growers who accept that if you carefirst about the quality of what you produce, a market will always be there.We now sell our produce as "Authentic Food." We invite other seriousgrowers to join us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pray to God, do the right thing, and let Him worry about and take care of the details! http://www.so-fab.comBe AWARE, the terrorists are the government so there will be no surveillance of that group...

 

I do not want to be a Global Citizen,I want to be a FREE AMERICAN.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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