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Diverse Organic Farming Methods: A Sustainable Evolution

Explore the rich history and varied approaches of organic farming, from the Pure Food Act in 1906 to present-day practices of Lady Moon Farms in Pennsylvania and DeSoto Lakes Organic in Florida. Learn about the evolution, beliefs, and economic impacts of different farms, comparing their sizes, energy usage, and nutrient cycles. Delve into the processes of farm management, processing, and distribution in the context of sustainable agriculture. Discover how these farms adapt to challenges, integrate eco-friendly practices, and contribute to local economies, showcasing the dynamic nature of sustainable organic agriculture.

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Diverse Organic Farming Methods: A Sustainable Evolution

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  1. Sustainable Organics? Three different approaches

  2. History of Organic Farming • Pure Food Act (1906) • Dust Bowl • Sir Albert Howard • AnagriculturalTestament(1943) • Rodale institute/ press • Emmaus, Pa

  3. 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

  4. LMF Florida • 2001 • renting land • year round production • 2002 Land Purchase • 1000 acres @ $1mill

  5. LMF Georgia • Bought 700acres in 2004 • 140 in production

  6. 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

  7. Desoto Lakes Organic Bill Pischer 1978 Sarasota, Fl 5acres leased • Roadside stand • wholesale • Josh’s Organic 2004 5 acres owned

  8. Belief System • Hard worker • Skeptical idealist • Concerned about his children • Development • Sarasota disconnect

  9. 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

  10. Belief System • Hard Worker • Skeptical of US environmental awareness concern • Optimist in materializing his dream • Biodynamic

  11. Comparison • LMF • Size • 2400 acres • +70 rows monoculture • +100 field hands • Worth • $300,000-$500,000/wk • $20 million

  12. 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

  13. Energy • 2 acres of coolers • packing house • lights • packing lines • hand jacks • lifts

  14. 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

  15. Farm management • Pests Pyganic • flush, rapid knockdown, kill • Rotation windrow IPM • Weeds • Plastic • Cultivation • Rotations • Disease management • Soil Building • Certification requirements

  16. Processing 2-3 weeks Picked Trucked Vacuum Packing Boxed Vacuum Storage Shipped to warehouse Stored Shipped to Grocery Shelved Sold Eaten

  17. Desoto Lakes • Size • 5 acres • small field size • +-.10 acres • +-5 workers • Worth • $7000/wk in season • $500,000

  18. Economic impact • localized • Sarasota, FL • Fuel usage/ Machinery • 2 Kubota 4x4 Tractors • 1 truck 350 flat bed ‘96 • Energy • walk in cooler • display coolers

  19. Nutrient • Trucked Compost • on site compost • straw and seconds ect

  20. Farm management Pests Pyganic Rotation Field size Weeds Straw Cultivation Rotations soil building Processing 0-5days picked stored on site sold on site

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. Nutrient • tight / closed system • windrow composting operation • on farm inputs

  24. Farm management • Pests • Biodiversity • Rotations • Field size • Weeds • Plastic • Straw • Cultivation • Rotations • Key to soil building • Pest control

  25. Processing 0-4 days • markets • picked • stored overnight • sold following day • CSA • picked • sold same day • Wholesale • similar to market • often excess sold wholesale

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