Organic.

It seems to be the new buzzword for 2000. It runs the gamut from magnificent produce to “organic junk food,” not much better than its conventional counterpart. I snicker when I read articles about “new” natural farming methods. I remember as a 10 year old riding with my uncle on his tractor, manure spreader in tow, on his dairy farm in upstate New York. No one back then even thought about natural farming. It was the only farming they knew. I remember asking why he didn’t plant all of his fields with corn. He taught me about crop rotation. I can never remember him ever spraying anything on his fields. As I recall, he didn’t even have that type of equipment.

Prior to 1992 anyone could use the word “organic” on their product. No one really knew what that meant. It would mean whatever the person selling the product decided it to be.Then came along the Federal government and the USDA. Generally I shudder when the government gets its hands into something. In this case, it was a very good thing. The National Organic Program came into being and now we have a standard for organic foods and products.

It seems like today we are coming full circle with the growing practices of a hundred years ago. So what does organic really mean? Put simply, it’s not about the end product, the vegetable, fruit or the egg. It’s about the way the product was grown or produced.
To use the term organic on foods it must be grown using methods that sustain the health and harmony of the ecosystem, including the people and animals living in it.

Organic food is produced with:

• No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides
• No fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge
• No irradiation
• No hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients or trans fats
• No genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Recently we had a tour of our farm and one of the participants asked, “So if I just water my trees and use nothing on them, then I would be organic right?” I had to say “no” as although it technically could be called organic, it is contrary to the spirit of the National
Organic Program.

Being “certified organic” by a USDA certifier is, quite frankly, a pain. You have to keep meticulous records of your day to day activities. Records must be kept of all materials you use. Everything you do from fertilizing to delivering your product has to be recorded and kept for inspection. You are inspected at least once a year by your certifier. You can be randomly inspected by the state or county inspectors at any time. And you get the privilege of having to pay for all this extra hassle. Farmers that misrepresent or lie about their farming methods will lose their accreditation and face heavy fines.

People ask us frequently why organic produce costs more. I always reply, “Materials and labor”. The materials we use - fertilizers, amendments, etc…. generally cost more. Many of the methods used by organic farms require much more physical labor. Production costs for organic produce are generally higher than non-organic methods.

Not all organic farmers are certified organic.  Certification costs are expensive and for some small growers the cost is prohibitive. You can get to know some of these farmers at your local farmer’s market. Talk to them about their growing methods and visit the farm if they will let you.

I’m always wary of produce vendors that have little signs on their produce that say “no pesticides.” If you know the farmer, and perhaps have visited his/her farm and can verify what they are telling you, then buy from them with confidence. If not, I would pass.
Certified organic is generally the best choice if you’re concerned about the genuineness of the person selling the product’s claims.

One last word on genetically modified food (GMOs). We believe it is potentially the
worst thing that has ever happened to our food supply. Recent estimates are that 60%
of the food now available in stores is made from some genetically modified products.
GMOs have never been fully tested for safety. They were introduced into the food supply
without our consent or knowledge. Imagine plants that produce their own pesticides. These pesticides reside in the plants’ cellular structure and no amount of washing will ever make them go away. Scary stuff! Remember no GMO’s are allowed in products labeled organic.

About the Inland Empire CSA: Our CSA is made up of two Certified Organic farms, Sage Mountain Farm in Aguanga, California and De Luz Farms and Nursery in Temecula, California. Each farm has its own unique growing climate. Sage Mountain Farm is well known in the inland empire for their wonderful vegetables grown with pure well water. De Luz farms and Nursery located in the hills above Temecula has been growing avocados, citrus and other subtropical fruits for many years. This arrangement allows our CSA to offer a wider variety of fruits and vegetables than many other CSA’s. We can currently accommodate new members in certain areas. For further information you can find us on the web at: http://www.inlandempirecsa.com or call us at 951-693-0272.

By Gary Leavitt

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