Farming For Our Future- Organic and Sustainable Practices at Branches & Batches Flower Farm
Did you know that Branches & Batches Flower Farm practices 100% organic and sustainable methods? In today’s marketplace, terms like “Organic” and “Sustainable” are frequently tossed around, particularly in food and consumer goods marketing. Often, “Organic” is linked to higher costs. While this may hold true at the point of purchase, let’s delve deeper into why the “true cost” of comparable non-organic/sustainable goods might actually be higher. First some definitions:
Organic Gardening- Organic gardening entails growing plants, fruits, and vegetables without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, or other artificial additives. Instead, organic gardeners rely on natural methods and materials to nurture plants and maintain soil health.
Sustainable Agriculture- Sustainable agriculture seeks produce crops to meet present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own. It strives to balance economic profitability with environmental stewardship.
Key Principles of BOTH
1. Soil Health– Both organic gardening and sustainable agriculture prioritize soil health through practices such as composting, crop rotation, and reduced tillage. Healthy soil is essential for nutrient cycling, water retention, and providing a stable foundation for plant growth.
2. Biodiversity– Both methods promote biodiversity by incorporating a variety of crops and native plants, fostering balanced ecosystems that naturally resist pests and diseases. This diversity enhances resilience and vitality in agricultural systems. For an informative and interesting read on how the Native American’s utilized biodiversity in their farming practices, check out one of my favorite books, “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
3. Natural Pest, Integrated pest management (IPM), and Weed Control– Instead of relying on chemical controls, both organic gardening and sustainable agriculture employ techniques such as crop rotation, companion planting, and creating habitats for beneficial insects. This reduces the need for synthetic pesticides while maintaining effective pest management.
Did you know that when pesticides are sprayed on crops, they often harm not only the pests but also beneficial insects? These beneficial insects, often referred to as “Good Bugs,” play crucial roles in ecosystems. Some are pollinators like bees and butterflies, essential for crop production, while others, such as predatory bugs like wasps, spiders, and assassin bugs, help naturally control pest populations by preying on them.
It’s a delicate balance in nature: while pesticides may target pests, they can inadvertently disrupt this balance by harming beneficial insects. As a result, relying solely on pesticides can lead to unintended consequences, including reduced pollination, increased pest resistance, and ecological imbalances.
4. Avoidance of Synthetic Chemicals– Both methods avoid the use of synthetic chemicals, which can harm beneficial insects, pose risks to human health, and degrade soil and water quality. Natural alternatives are preferred to ensure a safer and healthier environment for all.
- Trace Amounts of these genetically engineered chemicals end up in our bodies, which has been linked to health issues.
- Run off ends up in waterways, potentially detrimentally affecting aquatic wildlife.
- Soil Health is degraded.
5. Water Conservation- Both organic gardening and sustainable agriculture implement water-saving techniques such as mulching, drip irrigation, and rainwater harvesting to minimize water usage and promote efficient water distribution. For insight on this, check out what’s happening in California!
SOME Differences
1. Scope- Organic Gardening primarily focuses on immediate practices for cultivating plants, fruits, and vegetables without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or GMOs, relying on natural methods and materials. Sustainable agriculture, however, has a broader scope, aiming to create resilient and environmentally friendly food and crop systems that support current and future generations, while preserving natural resources and promoting social well-being.
2. Long -Term Perspective- While organic gardening emphasizes immediate practices, sustainable agriculture takes a longer-term perspective, aiming to balance economic profitability with environmental stewardship. Sustainable agriculture incorporates practices such as reduced tillage, water-efficient crop varieties, integrated pest management (IPM), and energy efficiency, which contribute to long-term soil health, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem resilience.
3. Approach to Tillage- Organic gardening may or may not involve tilling to prepare the soil for planting, while sustainable agriculture may incorporate reduced tillage or no-till farming systems to minimize soil disturbance and reduce negative environmental impacts. These approaches promote soil conservation, improve water and nutrient management, and enhance long-term soil health and productivity.
- Reduced Tillage- Tilling has been a practice that farmers have utilized since the beginning of time! The idea is that the earth needs to be broken up in order to create loose soil which helps aeration and drainage and is easier to amend, weed and plant in. HOWEVER, more recent studies have shown that tilling has can be incredibly detrimental to the soil ecosystem! It can cause increased soil erosion, compaction, and loss of organic matter, in addition to just being lots of work!
- In recent years, there has been a growing interest in reduced tillage or no-till farming systems, which minimize soil disturbance and rely on alternative practices such as cover cropping, mulching, and crop rotation to achieve similar objectives while reducing negative environmental impacts. These approaches promote soil conservation, improve water and nutrient management, and enhance long-term soil health and productivity.
4. Energy Efficiency- Sustainable agriculture minimizes energy inputs (e.g. no till!) and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by optimizing resource use, adopting renewable energy sources, and implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices.
Some Organic/Sustainable practices being done at Branches & Batches
- Pest Control: Beneficial Predatory Insect (I import them!), Neem oil and Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
- Companion Planting
- Fungicide: Cinnamon, Vermiculite
- Herbicide- my hands and a hoe! I pull A LOT of weeds.
- Natural Fertilizers: Horse compost from the neighboring farm and worm castings
- Irrigation- Drip irrigation, well water, Incorporating Endo Mycorrhizal Fungi, no tropical or high-water needs crops
- Soil Health- No till, raised bed farming, Applying Endo Mycorrhizal Fungi.
FYI- I will be doing in depth future posts/blogs on all of the above, but if you are dying to know more about any one of the subjects, feel free to reach out!
Summary
Organic gardening and sustainable agriculture share many principles and goals, with organic gardening being a subset of sustainable agriculture. While organic gardening focuses on immediate practices, sustainable agriculture takes a broader, longer-term view, aiming to create resilient and environmentally friendly food systems that support current and future generations.
Unfortunately, many farms have historically relied on short-term solutions with long-term consequences, so the shift towards organic and sustainable practices is more important than ever. By considering the true costs of conventional farming methods, we recognize the value of supporting local, organic, and sustainable producers. I urge you to do your part in cultivating a healthier, more sustainable future for ourselves and generations to come.
