We bumped into Farmer John from New Earth Farm at the airport a few weeks ago and had a good conversation about organic farming. Farmer John is a pioneer in Virginia Beach, particularly for water conservation and sustainability. A few years ago he expanded his acreage and set out to build a certified organic farm in the heart of Sandbridge, Virginia Beach’s farming hub. When we talked at the airport, we found out that some of his plans had changed.
Like many small family farms, he found the burdens of certification through the USDA to be onerous, and the benefits to be negligible. He said that from his perspective he was already doing far more than was required for the certification, and that the organic movement was being co-opted by the same mega-agribusinesses who supply the vast majority of our food. Food processing companies like Perdue, Kraft, and Kellog are buying up small organic suppliers, and farming conglomerates like Monsanto and ADM are also moving into the organic market. See this study from Michigan State. Most of the certified organic products at the grocery store are “industrialized” organic. They don’t come from small, local farms, and they still treat their products with pesticides and fertilizers, albeit organic ones. It does offer some peace of mind when you see the “organic” label, and many small farmers do pursue it in order to increase the value of their products. There’s no problem with that approach, but we believe it doesn’t fit us.
Kiwi Berries
Joel Salatin has championed the concept of beyond organic for many years, and permaculture generally eschews any form of treatment, whether organic or not. So, we’ve been leaning toward this approach ourselves. Our chat with Farmer John confirmed our thoughts. Sweet Bee Orchard will not apply for organic certification. We may pursue alternative, private certifications such as Certified Naturally Grown. We will also operate with full transparency, and we will use sustainable methods that go well beyond what the government regulators and big businesses are settling for. So, the farm is open. There’s not much to see yet, but anytime you want to stop by for a visit, let us know.