Organic Gardening 101

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Organic Gardening 101

• Rhonda R. Janke, Ph.D.
• Assoc. Prof. and Ext. Specialist
• Sustainable Cropping Systems
• Kansas State University

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A brief history of organic agriculture in the US.

• The word organic originated in Europe, where it
  was used to designate a type of farming that
  depended on organic matter (not organic
  chemistry).
• Organic farming has been practiced however for
  about 10,000 years, since humans
  beganintentionally planting crops.

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A brief history of organic agriculture in the US.
continued.

• J.I. Rodale admired many historical writers
  including Sir Albert Howard (An Agricultural
  Testament about farming techniques in India),
  and F.H. King (Farmers of Forty Centuries about
  agriculture in China).
• Lady Eve Balfour, of England, founder of the UK
  Soil Association, first used the term organic
  gardening.

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A brief history of organic agriculture in the US.
continued.

• J.I. Rodale brought the word organic to the U.S.
  when he began publishing Organic Farming and
  Gardening in 1942. He originally financed the
  publication with profits from his plumbing and
  electrical supply business.
• Later his son Bob Rodale took over the family
  publishing business, and started
  the Rodale Institute to conduct research on
  these methods.

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A brief history of non-organic agriculture in the
US.

• Fertilizer products were being tested and used on
  a limited basis in Europe (Rothamsted) and the
  U.S. in the late 1800s.
• Toxic compounds were used to control insects on
  fruits and vegetables in the late 1800s and
  early 1900s, including arsenic (Paris green).
• Solutions including copper and sulfur were used
  as fungicides on fruit crops like grapes. Some
  of these are still allowed in organic production.

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A brief history of non-organic agriculture in the
US. continued

• Post WWII chemicals used in agriculture included
  insecticides originally developed as nerve toxins
  (organophosphates), herbicides such as 2,4-D, and
  nitrogen fertilizers including anhydrous ammonia
  (used to solidify soil to create air strips).
• These and other synthetic compounds are not
  allowed in US organic standards.

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Those flower children

• The recognition that chemicals such as DDT may
  cause significant harm to non-target organisms
  became public knowledge with publication of
  Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, in 1962.
• The birth of alternative agriculture began soon
  after, and continued into the 1970s, when it
  began to be called sustainable agriculture.

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The O word

• At first, the word organic designated a
  particular type of alternative agriculture, with
  no legal definition.
• The 1990 US Farm Bill established a National
  Organic Standards Board to develop official US
  standards.
• Preliminary guidelines released in 1998. A
  record number of comments to USDA required
  re-writing some sections.
• Final standards released Dec. 2000, and came into
  effect in February, 2001. USDA provides
  accreditation to private and state certification
  organizations.

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Results since then..

• Currently 120 organizations are accredited to
  certify, and approx. 10,000 organic farms.
• Continued expansion of organic markets (20
  annual growth rate for over 10 years). More than
  half of consumers report purchasing organic
  foods.
• Continued expansion of acres under organic
  production.
• Trend for more large organic farms, some small
  farms dropping out (of certification programs)

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Some of the rules.

• Small farms may use the word organic IF they
  sell less than 5000 of organically produced
  products.
• If larger than that, must certify, or be subject
  to 10,000 fine.
• Processors must also certify, and follow strict
  labeling guidelines. (e.g. made with
  organic.etc.).
• Many certification organizations also attempting
  to meet IFOAM (international) certification
  standards as well.

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Other new trends

• More emphasis on locally grown, and knowing the
  person who grows your food.
• New labeling ideas on a trial basis
  participatory certification and pledges, as
  an alternative to certification. Still use the
  USDA organic guidelines.
• New local marketing arrangements CSAs
  (community supported agriculture), in addition to
  growth of farmers markets, and sales to local
  restaurants, schools, BBs, etc.

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And this is important because.?????

• To become an informed consumer.
• If you are a gardener who sells occasional
  products (flowers, herbs, vegetables) locally.
• If you are considering a larger scale production
  operation.

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For certification, one must

• Have excellent farm records. Apply for
  certification, participate in annual inspection,
  and meet all requirements.
• Not use prohibited products/substances.
• Include set-back zones to avoid potential drift
  problems, including pollen drift.
• Have a soil improvement plan and practices (cover
  crops, compost, etc.)
• Livestock must have access to fresh air,
  outdoors, 100 organic feed, and no prohibited
  medications on those sold as organic.

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Soil improving practices include

• Crop rotation
• Cover crops legumes and/or grasses.
• Soil amendments such as composts and/or manures.
• Mulches
• Reduced tillage
• Soil is the mother of all things
• Chinese proverb

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Pest Control Possibilities

• Systems Approach passive
• Systems Approach moderate
• Systems Approach active
• Note none of these is a business as usual but
  do nothing approach. Also, they all incorporate
  aspects of Integrated Pest Management IPM.

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Pest Control Possibilities- Weeds

• Systems Approach passive
• - high planting density, leafy crops to shade
  weeds, targeted irrigation, rotation
• Systems Approach moderate
• -pre-plant tillage, lots of mulch, landscape
  fabric, hand weeding
• Systems Approach active
• - corn gluten pre-emergence, flame weeding,
  between row cultivation, soaps as post-emergence,
  livestock grazing

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Pest Control Possibilities Insects

• Systems Approach passive
• - resistant/tolerant crops, attract beneficial
  insects to area
• Systems Approach moderate
• - row cover/barrier, clay film barrier,
  diatomaceous earth, vacuum or hand pick, sticky
  traps, pheremones (distruptants and traps).
• Systems Approach active
• - botanical pesticides (pyrethrum, sabadilla,
  neem, rotenone), microbial pesticides (Nolo bait
  for grasshoppers, Bt for various larvae.

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Pest Control Possibilities Diseases

• Systems Approach passive
• - grow species that arent affected in our
  climate, live with it, rotation, compost and soil
  improvement for root diseases.
• Systems Approach moderate
• - sanitation (residue management, pruning),
  choose specific varieties for disease resistance,
  disease free seeds and plants.
• Systems Approach active
• - sulfur, horticultural oils, baking soda
  (sodium bicarbonate), potassium bicarbonate,
  compost tea foliar spray (still experimental, E.
  coli concerns?).

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Pest Control As Integrated Systems

• Plan ahead, anticipate, take a design approach to
  your garden.
• Prevent as many problems as possible, build
  resilience into the system.
• Monitor plants and pests on a regular basis.
  Problems that are identified early are easier to
  solve.
• Use least toxic methods first, to preserve the
  beneficial insects and microbes as much as
  possible, and maintain system integrity.

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This is not a systems approach.
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Systems approach examples bees and chickens
integrated into a fruit orchard.
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Marketing innovations Community Supported
Agriculture, or CSA, and wild salad mix, i.e.
weeds.
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Bins can be used for worm composting. Compost can
be either active or static pile. Use screens to
get quality material.
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Comfrey, a perennial herb, can be composted into
a tea to be used later as fertilizer.
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Good cover crops for the garden
White clover
Yellow-blossom (biennial) sweet clover
Hairy vetch, Lana vetch, and Purple vetch
Crimson clover
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Friends or foes?
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Friends
Green lacewing
Ichneumon wasp
Syrphid Flies
Two-spotted lady beetle
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Derived from Kaolin clay, a natural mineral,
forms a barrier film that acts as a broad
spectrum crop protectant. It works to control
insect pests and disease, protect against sunburn
and heat stress. Applied as a water-based slurry
before pests arrive.
Examples of physical pesticides.
D.E. is the fossilized shells of tiny
water-dwelling organisms called diatoms, with
microscopically fine, sharp edges which break the
outer protective layer of the insect and
desiccate them. Applied as a dust or mixed into a
slurry for foliar spraying. Barrier to crawling
pests and soft bodied insects, used in the garden
and as a stored grain additive. Can be used as a
dust on manure for fly control and for intestinal
parasite control.
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Other barrier methods can protect crops from
insects, and provide early season growth
enhancement, and some frost protection.
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Winter is for planning. These are thought
intensive methods.
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Websites and books of interest

• www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/ National Organic Program
• www.kansassutainableag.org/organic KSU website.
  Also look for other Univ. sites.
• www.attra.org good alternative pubs on many
  topics
• www.ucsc.edu/casfs Course on Organic Farming and
  Gardening

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More websites of interest

• www.organicconsumers.org for news and articles of
  general interest, GMO updates, etc.
• www.ifoam.org International Federation of Organic
  Agriculture Movements
• www.ota.com Organic trade Assn.
• www.ocia.org Organic Crop Improvement
  Association, certifier
• www.groworganic.com Peaceful Valley Farm Supply
• www.harmonyfarm.com Harmony Farm Supply
• www.growingformarket.com good newsletter
• www.rodale.org and www.newfarm.org
• The_Organic_Garden_at_yahoogroups.com