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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Kathy Somers" <SomersFarm AT kingcon.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: compost
  • Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 18:35:42 -0500

Hi
I was just talking with a fellow gardener who is looking to be Vermont Certified Organic this year.  We have discussed at length the rules on manure etc:  We hay thier land for them and apply uncomposted manure from non organic cows.  As far as food consumption goes, all manure has to be composted.  She read to me in the organic rule book how it is really hard to enforce proper composting.  What some call properly composted really isn't. 
 
I just don't get how so many people at least in Vermont get to call themselves organic, but not really be organic, using compost not properly made.  How will these certifiers know if the compost is being turned properly and on time.  And then to say in the book of all things that they will have a really tough time making sure the standard is followed.  Seems to me like an omission of "Nobody's really doing it anyway, so why bother" 
 
I guess I shouldn't be saying anything.  I am not organic certified, I use promix and aged, but not composted manure in my gardens. I do not use non organic herbicides or pesticides on my veggies.   It just gets me to see organic prices sky high knowing the public is really trusting that the produce is truely organic when in fact it may not be.  The only source of chemicals we have in our manure is from purchased grain. For me that is too much, but again it is not feasable to feed 70 cows with organic grain.  It is of very poor quality etc:  We are in the minority for sure when it comes to manure that is not laden with antibiotics, wormers, pesticides, herbicides etc: etc: etc: 
 
How is this rule in other states?  How closely are you who are organic monitored when it comes to proper composting of manure etc: Is this a Vermont only Problem.  I am not insinuating that you folks who are organic are not doing things properly.  It just really bothered me to read in the book that this composting thing can not be enforced or followed. 
 
Kathy in Vermont


  • compost, Kathy Somers, 03/17/2001
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Re: compost, Jill Taylor Bussiere, 03/18/2001

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