permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SANET-MG] SANET-MG Digest - 22 May 2010 to 23 May 2010 
(#2010-98)
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 00:11:34 -0700
From: Mary-Howell & Klaas Martens <kandmhfarm@SPRINTMAIL.COM>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

Hi Kathryn -

Here are some examples of dramatic changes we're seeing on many Northeast
organic farms -

1. Improved utilization of perennial and annual forages that extends the
grazing season and nutritional value of the forage.  This management has
mostly come out of the grazing/grass fed community and research, but the
organic livestock farmers have adopted it quickly.  The advent of electric
fencing, especially temporary 'polywire' type fencing has revolutionized
pasture use and has made intensive grazing management profitable.  Plant
breeding has given us a wider repertoire of pasture  species, allowing
better use of land, season and improved animal health.  Plant breeding has
also given us a wider range of disease resistant crops that adapt to
different conditions and markets.

2. Improved botanical and non-antibiotic medications has given organic and
non-chemical livestock farmers needed effective tools to manage problems,
which has increased production, herd health and herd size.

3. The study of soil health management, soil microbial populations, and
scientific cover cropping has done far more to improve soil quality and to
reduce erosion, and improve production, than organic no-till.  Indeed, we
see very few large-scale organic farmers adopting the no-till/rolled crop
approach for more than a small trial, but we see many farmers adopting a
wider variety of cover crops and crop rotations, targeted to certain times
and purposes.  While the soil health research at Cornell and elsewhere is
not specifically 'organic', it has profound implication on how we improve
organic farming techniques.

4. While perhaps modern weed control tools build on the basic principles of
the organic Pioneers, they would hardly recognize the complexity of styles,
angles, sizes and configurations, plus now the addition of GPS for precision
and ease of use.   While it is tempting to claim that a certain weed control
tool 'descends' from the legacy of a certain Pioneer, it is also important
to realize that once, probably more than one person invented the wheel,
without any knowledge of each other.

5. Demographically, the most dramatic increase in organic dairy/livestock
farms in the Northeast over the past 10 years has been in the Amish and
Mennonite communities.  A similarly large number of non-Plain new organic
farmers are Evangelical Christians. Today in New York, it would be
reasonable to estimate that well over half the organic dairy farms are
Amish/Mennonite/Evangelical - not half the number of cows, but half the
number of farms.  Most of the Amish and Mennonites have an 8th grade
education and minimal scientific/philosophical knowledge, but with some
experience, most make good organic farmers, possibly partly because they are
accustomed to following strict rules, and because they feel organic farming
fits comfortably with their religious beliefs.  Their 25 cow dairies, and
Aurora-style 3000 cow dairies are rapidly becoming the two prominent bubbles
in organic dairy.  This demographic group would be pretty uncomfortable with
a lot of Steiner's work, if they read it.

6. Among organic grain farmers, the most dramatic increase has been from
superior quality conventional farms that transition some of their acres to
organic, while still maintaining a split operation.  Most are very
conscientious and follow organic requirements carefully, producing excellent
quality grain, in a very professional manner.  They also utilize large,
modern equipment, are not reluctant to purchase allowed off-farm inputs,
they study successful organic farms and then actively adapt to fit their
farms, and they often see organic as just one more niche market with
specific requirements.   If they read works of the Pioneers, invariably it
is William Albrecht they find the most useful, although they are likely to
prefer Albrecht pre-digested.  This demographic group would be pretty
impatient with a lot of Steiner's work, if they read it.

I guess my point is that, at least in New York, well over half of the
organic farmers don't remember organic farming pre-NOP.  I'm not saying this
is either good or bad, it just is.

Actually, the people having the greatest impact on our farming practices are
generally our Cornell professors and research support specialists, and other
area farmers.  Because of that, Cornell's weed scientist, Dr. Chuck Mohler
(and his trusty sidekick Brian Caldwell) are indeed our choice for Organic
Pioneers of the Year.

Mary-Howell Martens