Thaddeus’ Ruminations

What makes it organic

Published: December, 2006

For 30 years my family has been farming the same land in a manner different from conventional farming methods. In the beginning there was not a term that represented our style of agriculture. Growing crops in a manner that eliminated the need for chemicals while maximizing sustainable use of the land was not normal. Selecting varieties based on their taste and culinary traits opposed to their yield and shelf life was unheard of.

My parent’s generation toiled to get the public to realize the value of this alternative way of producing food. This movement encompasses much more than simply not using chemicals. It reduces the intensive use of land, promotes natural biodiversity and reduces soil erosion. It creates an environment where the farm workers work with the farm owners. It creates a marketing network that connects small farms directly to consumers. One word was being used to represent the movement and these changes — organic.

Today, the detail of not using chemicals in the long process of farming is the only thing that the term organic represents. The certification that defines organic does not verify or even encourage a complete, sustainable farming system. It means nothing of the size, farming procedures, management goals and marketing techniques of a farm. When the organic movement began these details were more important than limiting the amendments a farmer used when cultivating crops.

While my family and many other families still farm in a method consistent with the original movement, we are put in the same category as factory farms that have slightly altered their conventional farming process to meet the legal definition of organic. These farms can be huge corporations whose management practice is to harvest three to four different crops on the same piece of land in one year to maximize revenue from that land for the year’s profit. In contrast, our farm’s practice is to grow one crop per year then leave that land fallow for a season, or grow a cover crop that is incorporated back into the ground — maximizing the sustainable use of the land for the next generation.

Today the organic certification our farm completes every year does not do our sustainable farming practices justice. It has one-dimension standards that extend no further than the list of materials that have been used in our fields. The challenge of my generation is to make consumers realize that the farming method is what is important, and to build a produce distribution system that allows consumers to support individual farms and those farms’ practices. Unfortunately, today the word organic has shifted to a marketing term that loosely enforces a set of amendments that are considered organic in order to earn a premium price for a farm’s product.

Winter Kale

One bunch kale – cut the stems out. I prefer the lacinato (dino) kale.

One shallot – finely cut

Four cloves garlic – finely cut

Olive oil - enough to put a thin layer on the pan

Soy Sauce – 1/8 cup

Heat olive oil in pan on medium heat.

Sautee chopped garlic and shallots in the oil for a couple of minutes.

Add kale and soy sauce.

Cook until kale is completely wilted and tender (about five minutes).