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  • From: "RDH" <rdhopkins AT americanpasturage.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: new terminology
  • Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 14:21:29 -0500


A great concern in establishing the Homestead Foods project was not to
exclude any farmers organic, chemical, or otherwise. I watch just as many
sales from growers who do use chemicals sell as the ones that don't. That
is as much a personal choice as for the consumer. The bare bones facts are
that small producers who do use chemicals don't use them just to use them,
but use them conservatively as it eats into their profit.

We have plans on the site to differentiate organic, better than organic,
conventional as the subscriber base increases. We also wanted to let the
smoke clear on the NOP before we started identifying the certified growers
as such. What we didn't want to do was leave any growers behind in
excluding methods of production. The consumers have as much right to choice
as the growers.

The Homestead Foods project is a choice. I'm all for ANYTHING that helps
family farms sell their products direct to the consumer. If a successful
KISS program is developed, I would gladly hang that sign right beside the
Homestead signs at my place.

Rick H.

-----Original Message-----
From: Wiediger, Alison [mailto:awiediger AT HART.k12.ky.us]
Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 10:27 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: [market-farming] RE: new terminology


The problem that I see with American Homesteads Foods certification is that
it certifies, yes, we are a family farm and we grew this food. But, as far
as I could tell, it doesn't assure the consumer that the foods are grown
without agricultural chemicals. That means any conventional grower at our
market could so certify, and, believe me, most of them LOVE their chemicals.
The organic way of growing is what many, although not yet all, consumers are
concerned with - especially when it comes to produce. Wholesome Foods and
Certified Naturally Grown programs are essentially organic growing programs
- just without the 'O' word. We also raise grass finished beef, and to us
and our customers, the grass finished is more important than "organic". To
many of our farmers' market produce customers, the fact that we are local
and fresh is more important than that we are organic. But a large segment
of our customer base cares that we are organic and don't use any synthetic
chemicals in the production of their food. Whatever designation we use has
to carry that set of ideals - without "saying" organic, and then we have to
educate the consumer.....again.

Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm


> ----------
> From: RDH[SMTP:rdhopkins AT americanpasturage.com]
> Reply To: Market Farming
> Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 10:12 AM
> To: Market Farming
> Subject: [market-farming] RE: new terminology
>
> Joan,
>
> I would say we have been a bit more successful, I only saw two subscribers
> on the Wholesome Food site, both in the UK
>
> Rick H.
>
>

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