Market Farming

["GlobalCirclenet" <webmaster AT globalcircle.net>]

Perhaps we need to admit first, that market farmers are going to use
whatever terminology they think best for their own market, and second, that
we need to give our buyers more credit for knowing what they want and
understanding what we have to sell. I'm not at all sure they need to be
educated to know what "grown without chemicals" means. A simple sign "we
don't use pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers" is pretty easy
to understand. And too, those who do use chemicals at some stage of growth
can easily customise their claims as need be. Those who grow locally
instead of reselling should say so loud and clear. I think it's going to be
a mixed bag and we have to live with it. 

I don't like agribusiness corporations putting out their fake organics
either. But I believe it's going to come down to us promoting local
production for local consumption, rather than just splitting hairs about
the organic label. We tell them market farming is greener. We don't fly and
truck produce a thousand miles with all that hidden cost to society and the
environment. We tell them the profit goes to us instead of corporate
middlemen, and they want to support us. We aim at that niche market and go
after it like we're killing snakes ;-) That's my take on it.

paul & barb - on the continental divide
http://globalcircle.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 10/15/2002 at 10:57 AM RDH wrote:

>I wonder if we could be effective in using the term "traditional" vs.
>"conventional"?  Anything we use will require some education for producers
>and consumers, but literally these terms best segregate the issues.  It is
>unlikely that traditional (of more than 2000 years) would become obsolete
>in
>the near future.
>
>Rick H.
>