Organic Growing

Plant: Redbud Tree

Term: Organic Certification

RedbudCercis canadensis

• Plant type: Deciduous, Flowering, Tree • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b to 9a • Height & Spread: 15 to 30’ • Exposure: partial shade to full sun • Bloom Color: Lavender, Pink, Purple • Bloom Time: Early to Late spring • Growth Rate: fast • Landscape Uses: Specimen, Street tree, Woodland

garden • Native tree with commercial cultivars

Organic Certification

• An approval of the process of food production that meets the government standards for Organic Labeling which requires:– avoidance of most synthetic chemical inputs (e.g.

fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics), genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of sewage sludge;

– use of farmland that has been free from chemicals for 3 years

– keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail)

– maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products;

– undergoing periodic on-site inspections.

NOP Approved

• National Organic Program

• Regulation is in CFR Title 7 Part 205

• Link

Organic

• Permitted– Blood, Bone, Seed Meals– Fish/Seaweed Emulsions– Lime– Minerals– Sodium Nitrate (<20%)– Neem Oil– Rotenone– Pyrethin– Bt

• Not Permitted– Synthetic Fertilizers– Synthetic Insecticides– Genetically Modified Seeds– Sewage Sludge– Ash (depends on source)– Nicotine Dust– Strychnine– Arsenic

3 reasons to go Organic

• Environment– builds life in the soil – avoiding the use of toxic chemicals – Less fossil fuel resources 

• Economics– fastest-growing sectors of agriculture – allows farmers to reap up to three times the profit

margins of non-organically raised produce.  • Community

– supports local and regional businesses– reestablish partnerships between regional agricultural

and urban areas

Marketing Horticultural Products

• Traditional– Sell to a broker, wholesaler– Broker consolidates & sells to retailers– Farmer receives 10% of the retail price

• Direct Marketing– Farmer sells directly to consumer, restaurant,

grocer– Farmer receives 50-100% of retail

CSACommunity Supported Agriculture

• Farmers sell shares of their crops

• Consumers buy a subscription to the local farmer’s crops

• The farmer delivers to the consumer or an urban/suburban distribution point

• Cuts out the middleman– Farmer retains more income– Consumer gets fresher food

Think about

• Is organic:– Healthier? - Video– Better Quality?– Better for the environment?

• Remember that organic certification is authorization for labeling food for marketing purposes.

Organic vs Local

Organic Produce from California

• Grimmway Enterprises

• Grew 54,000 acres in 2008

Today

• Review plants

• Slides from Friday

• Loose ends– Weed garden– Start seeds– Divide perennials