[Market-farming] Dennis Avery article

road's end farm organic101 at linkny.com
Fri Sep 7 20:31:50 EDT 2007


On Sep 7, 2007, at 12:37 PM, Brigette Leach wrote:

> Put aside the fact that Dennis Avery is the author, and that he insults
> your every sensibility.
>
> Do ask yourself if highly erodible lands should be farmed via any
> practice. On that point, I would have to agree with what he has 
> written.
> Different soils necessitate the use of different practices and tillage
> isn't a good solution on some soils. Just as not every soil is suitable
> to grow every type of crop, not even organic practices are always
> suitable. Preventing the movement of soils via wind and water is a
> critical and fundamental aspect of sustainability.

A plan to protect highly (or even moderately) erodible lands is part of 
any decent organic farm plan. Certifiers should be refusing to approve 
plans that have a high likelihood of erosion. Otherwise the farm (and 
the certifier) would be in violation of 205.200, 205.203, and 205.205 
of the USDA standard; as well as in violation of any reasonable meaning 
of the term "organic farming" before the USDA got ahold of it.

I'll try to take apart Avery again at some point when I'm not getting 
ready for a market the next morning. Several things in his article are, 
as usual, sheer nonsense.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
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