Growers Going Organic

Growers Going Organic

Rick Worthington
Rick Worthington
Growers Going Organic

The end of the harvest signals the start of prep work for the next planting season.

And an increasing number of farmers and producers also are preparing for a transition to organic certification.

Kim Bayer handles a mixed vegetable operation, and recently became certified as an organic producer. She says the process is a bit tedious, but well worth it.

Bayer was already doing some outreach to community members about what it takes to bring food to the table, and she sees becoming organic as part of creating a sustainable future.

"It's kind of a shorthand way of communicating that this food was grown with the highest standards of promoting health for the environment, for the community and for individuals," she states. "When people know the farm that they're buying the food from, they care more about the place where they live."

At Bayer's farm, people can pick their own produce, which she says allows them to see, smell, touch, and better understand local foods.

"It gives people a different and a deeper experience of the incredible range of flavors and colors, and shapes and sizes, and people start thinking about how little choice there is in a grocery store," she states. "We don't even know the names of the varieties in the grocery store that were grown to travel well instead of taste good."

She says Organic Growing scared her initially, but the more she read up on it, the more sense it made.

Previous ReportPost Election Concerns
Next ReportBeef Sustainability