Occupy Soil - A Micro Revolution

I've just returned from the ACORN conference in Halilfax, Nova Scotia.  ACORN is the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network and it represents and embodies organic agriculture in the Maritime Provinces.

First of all I have to thank ACORN for the fine job they did to bring such a diverse group of people together to represent the organic community in our region.  I spent three days totally absorbed in seminars collecting valuable information, not only about how I'll work my  farm, but to see that more small farmers are putting local agricultural products and farming careers within reach of more families, individuals, partners and local communities.

And I do have to comment on the diversity of participants.  We're all aware of Occupiers and Tea Partiers and the social and political differences rabidly promoted by our spectator media.  But this gathering included those who defied those definitions and divisions.  I met an evangelical Christian, a home schooling mom, a Libertarian, a small business owner, a wealth manager looking for a change in life, a dogged small farmer in pursuit of agricultural profits, a young person interested in shaping their own alternatives, an artist who was engineering his own technology solutions, a "hippie" looking for independence from corporations.  These people of diverse ideology were not in opposition to one another, nor were they actively protesting anything.  They were embracing the means to take peaceful action with their own hands. It was civil. It was orderly and it was radical. We weren't there to protest the status quo. We're already changing it literally from the ground up.

And speaking of ground.  The seminars on soil biology, plant health and permaculture left my eyes wide open. I had previously read Gary F. Zimmer's book, "The Biological Farmer". And this summer I was browsing in Michael Phillips book, The Apple Grower, both of which provide detailed information relating the science of soil biology to plant health.  But Av Singh's presentations at ACORN really bridged the gap for me between science and field experience.  His description of a holistic approach based on science plus farmer observation and experience made my day.  He gave me the scientific keys to unlock what I see in my own fields.

Now.  There's more than one way to do just about everything.  And I was very interested in the seminars on organic standards and allowable inputs.  But the magic happened when a theory I hadn't really understood was explained.  Everything your plants need to be healthy can be found in a biologically healthy soil system.
The key - is making everything available to your crop - at the right time.  This is master level stuff.

But think of it like this.  If you drink too much on Saturday night and your system is out of balance, you won't be at your best on Sunday morning. Which, by the way, is why airline pilots aren't allowed to fly with a hangover.  Now, you can treat the symptom by taking a few Tylenol, or you can work on putting your whole system back into balance and decide not to put too much alcohol into your system again. You can imagine what's going on in our soil body when we don't keep it in balance.  We're trying to grow plants in soil that has a hangover.  

Going for optimal soil biology is probably the hardest way to go about optimal plant health.  It's so much easier to dump in some organically allowed inputs imported from who knows where and call it good.  But then we're just practicing the same bad medicine that got us in trouble in the first place.

So yes, I learned some things about why our crop yields aren't what they could be.  And yes, I 've learned how to apply organic corrections to my soil.  But I'm motivated to face this new challenge of growing healthy soil from start to finish because I know that the only "sustainable" agriculture comes from the micro-biological level up.

Tip O'Neil is famously quoted as saying, "All politics is local". I guess the same can be said for soil.  
Our land has been farmed for 200 years and I'm now 52 years old.  Our short term goal is to take a living from our farm.  But our long term goal is to leave good soil for the next farmer.


    

The Bounty of Organic PEI Produce

What we Grew In 2010 
This is the answer to the question I get most often. I've listed most of what we grew though I did not include things we made from our farm, (pickles, preserved and dried food, catsup, etc) and I left off several trial projects.  The rest is presented here so you can get an idea of what we grow and sell and where we find seeds. The research in seed sourcing is a pleasure, but it is time consuming.  We source as much as we can from Vesey's seeds in York, PEI. They Have US and Canadian catalogs available for gardeners and growers. I encourage you to start a garden and try these varieties yourself. If you've got an idea for a  trial growing project or a seed source to share...please let us know!    


Variety                                                                 Source
Cucumber
Mideast Prolific (smooth skin - salad type)             Seeds of Change
Straight 8                                                               Vesey's
Sweet Corn
Lucious                                                                  Vesey's
Lettuce
Red Iceburg                                                           Seeds of Change
Spicy Mesclun                                                       Richters
Arugula                                                                  Seed Savers
Beets
Red Ace                                                                Vesey's
Carrots
Napoli                                                                   Vesey's
Scarlet Nantes                                                       Vesey's
Peas
Green Arrow                                                         Vesey's
Tomato
Scotia                                                                    Vesey's
Roma                                                                     Seeds of Change
Orange Cherry                                                       Vesey's
Broccoli                                                     
Bellstar                                                                   Vesey's
Cauliflower
Early Snowball                                                       Seed Savers
Dill
Dukat                                                                     Seeds of Change
Hecules                                                                  Richters
Fern Leaf                                                               Richters
Basil
Genovese                                                               Seed Savers
Cilantro
Slow Bolt                                                               Seed Savers
Summer Squash
Black Beauty Zucchini                                            Vesey's
Yellow Crookneck                                                 Seeds of Change
Winter Squash
Sweet Dumpling                                                     Seeds of Change
Waltham Butternut                                                  Vesey's
Young's Beauty Pumpkin                                        Seeds of Change
Potatoes
Gold Rush                                                              Vesey's
Chieftan                                                                  Vesey's
Penta                                                                      Vesey's
Beans
Goldrush Yellow String Beans                                Vesey's
Kenearly Yellow Eye Baking Beans                        Seed Savers
Onions
Cortland                                                                 Vesey's
Peppers
King of the North                                                    Seed Savers
Parsley
Italian Flat Leaf
Asparagus
Jersey Giant
Hops
Halertau and Cascade                                              Richters
Sage
Thyme
Oregano
Red Currants
Lavender
Mint
Tarragon 
Cherries
Apples
Blueberries
Cranberries
Prescott                                                           Homestead Organics
Field Corn 
Reid's Yellow Dent                                                  Seed Savers
Barley
--                                                                     Homestead Organics
Soy Beans
Fiskeby Organic                                                      Seed Savers
Field Hay
Livestock Feed
Oat & Barley Straw
Livestock Bedding and Mulch

We grew a large variety in small quantities this year.  Most of our work is done by hand in our large market garden. The seed we buy is premium quality carefully sourced from organic and heritage heirloom growers at considerable expense - all so that we may support organic seed growers and provide you with an exceptional product.

We serve our local neighbors and we welcome you to visit our farm.  Wherever you may be, you are welcome to share your thoughtful comments and suggestions on the blog.  

JQ's Thought For Today:
Maybe we should get over the idea that little boys are the same as little girls with a behavioral disorder.