A Brief but Interesting History of Organic Farming

In the history of organic farming, it is fair to say that the first farmers were of course organic farmers. Before the introduction of toxic chemicals and before there were new injections to beef up the cattle and increase fat production of pigs, farmers tended to the earth with a steady hand and a knowledgeable heart. Farmers worked the earth and they were a part of it, finding new but natural methods of keeping their stock alive and watching over their vegetation. They learned how to gauge weather patterns year after year in order to produce the best crops possible. They fed their families from their farms, made a life off their farms, and taught their children the beautiful rhythm of nature that they would need to know in order to be part of the action one day.

One the outbreak of World War II took effect; many farmers were presented with a choice. Now there were petroleum goods that would make the farm run faster, smoother, and supposedly easier. Those products led to more products and between the end of the second World War and the beginning of the Vietnam War, the entire face of farming had changed into an unrecognizable industry. Suddenly farmers did not need to know the population of the local wild animals and their roaming patterns nor did they need to worry about bugs infiltrating their crops. It seemed like a good idea, and farmers got on board as fast as their loans were approved.

Some farmers as early as the 1930s didn't see a need to introduce new equipment into the game. They simply viewed it as the bank's way of forcing farms to pay out more and borrow more every year. Whether or not that was part of the intention, they were right. More and more farms began having drastic financial difficulty as they fought to keep up with the technological trends. The banks began to own more farms than farmers did in some rural counties and soon factories were built to replace the farmland.

There have been some farmers who never gave into the ideals that modern chemistry brought. While the livestock flourished and the crops grew taller and more plentiful, the soil began to refuse to hold nutrients and disease and illness began to rise. Some people looked to the air for a cause while others looked into the oceans and rivers. Some farmers looked to themselves and started to change their methods as their land grew barren, nursing the soil back from near inhabitable dust through natural organic methods that started working. In fact, these methods more than brought the soil back. Over time, farmers had richer farmland that could boast larger and more plentiful crops simply through the miracle of natural enhancement. The history of organic farming is farming's only real history.

Group Delivers Thousands of Pounds of Produce to Foodbank - 10TV

Group Delivers Thousands of Pounds of Produce to Foodbank 10TV An organic produce company made a large donation to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank on Wednesday. Green BEAN delivered 3000 pounds of onions and potatoes Wednesday morning to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank warehouse in Grove City. The company delivered organic produce ... and more »

Local organic seed growers take on Monsanto in federal court - Mountain Xpress

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Local organic seed growers take on Monsanto in federal court Mountain Xpress "Unlabeled and untested, pollen drifting from GE crops is a threat to the integrity of organic and non-genetically modified crops," says Zommer. "This is in direct conflict with our right to produce and consume pure, natural food. Business: Monsanto, genetic or organic but the same strategyExaminer.com all 15 news articles »

Hilltop Hanover Farm Offers Fresh Vegetables With Community Supported ... - Patch.com

Hilltop Hanover Farm Offers Fresh Vegetables With Community Supported ... Patch.com Hilltop Hanover Farm is a 187-acre Westchester County owned organic crop farm and environmental center. The farming production and educational classes are managed by the Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center Inc. Community Supported ... and more »

Former teacher means business with organic food business - The Press, York

Former teacher means business with organic food business The Press, York Caroline, who previously grew her own vegetables in an allotment, sells organic vegetable boxes in the York and Ryedale area, which are picked freshly each morning and delivered that afternoon, as well as selling directly from the shed on the site ...

Farm Credit Producing Excellence Program Reveals Four 2012 Agricultural Trends - MarketWatch (press release)

Farm Credit Producing Excellence Program Reveals Four 2012 Agricultural Trends MarketWatch (press release) Organic grower Scott Edwards of Fertile Crescent Farm in Ga. sells the majority of his produce at the local farmer's market, and says, "I know that as much as we can grow, we can sell." The local food movement isn't limited to rural areas: ... and more »