Have you ever wondered how the lovely meat, fruits and veggies you love get to your plate?
Contrary to our current day-to-day experience the food we eat does not grow in supermarket fridges!
All our food comes out of a partnership. On one side nature brings in the crops we eat; the soil that sustains them; all the species of microbiomes, insects and birds that help them thrive and reproduce; and the animals that give us meat, milk and eggs. On the other, our hard working farmers act as the living world’s stewards. They plant, guide, pick up and process all those natural gifts so that we have them available to us at dinner time.
The way this relationship works can take many forms. Growing food can bring prosperity to both sides but in most cases tends to produce quite an impact on our nature and our climate.
Organic farmers are trying to bring more balance to this process making use of less impactful ways of managing their farms:
- No damaging sprays! They don’t use bug sprays or weed killers that can be harmful. They keep damaging insects away with things like planting special herbs that repel them. For weeds, they might hand-pick them or use friendly insects that eat them up!
- Happy Soil, Happy Plants! A healthy soil means healthy food. Instead of chemical fertilisers, they use compost, which is leftovers for the ground made from things like leaves and kitchen scraps. This compost feeds tiny creatures in the soil who help plants grow big and strong.
- A bit of variety, please! Crop rotation refers to using different types of plants on a given field to bring extra nutrients to the soil and fight pests and erosion due to bad weather.
- More biodiversity in the farm. By leaving more space for hedgerows and wild meadows birds and insects thrive bringing many extra benefits to the farm such as extra pest controls and pollination of plants.
Organic farming has a lot of challenges. It tends to be more expensive and less intensive than other modes of farming.
How can we help these unsung heroes continue this labour of love that brings us food that does not jeopardise our future?
One thing that can help is to know and support them. What farms do you have around you? In Amersham we are surrounded by farms. Find out where they are and what they do! Sustainable Amersham is organising a visit to an organic farm in Prestwood for families. We will learn what can be done to keep getting tasty food that does not cost our planet.
If you want to find out more about organic farming and the principles it follows why don’t you try some of these ideas?
- Label investigator. Have a look at the supermarket. Try to find the Soil Association Organic logo or items branded as Organic. Can you compare organic and non-organic prices? Have a look also at meat, dairy and eggs. Do they come from happy animals? Have a look at this article for more info.
- Plant Your Pants. Yep, you heard that right! Explore the health of your garden soil by burying your pants (or a piece of cotton fabric) and seeing how it disappears with the Country Trust’s fun scheme. There are a lot of activities for kids to learn about the soil under our feet.
- Have a look at Riverford’s campaign www.getfairaboutfarming.co.uk where our local farmers request help from our government ensuring supermarkets pay fair prices.
- Join an organic farming veg and fruit box! There are a number out there that bring you seasonal food with a low transport footprint that has been produced with nature and not against it. And because they bring you a variety of food stuff it will help you and your kids try out items that you may never have thought to use!
So next time you bite into a juicy organic fruit or veggie, remember all the hard work and care that went into growing it naturally. Organic farming is a fun and healthy way to take care of our planet, one delicious bite at a time!
Photo by Steven Weeks on Unsplash