Rosemary
Herbs ready for spring plant sales
Ladybug on our pineapple sage
Wow, it’s been a whole month without a blog post. We had some students from Los Angeles email us because they were doing a report on organic. Here are there questions and our answers below:
1. My major concern is what made you go organic? We chose to start off without any chemicals because we knew we didn’t want to expose ourselves to those chemicals, so why should we expect anyone else to want to? We also wanted to take care of the land and the soil we were using, so chose to do that with organic soil amendments rather than just adding lots of chemicals to kill all the microbiology of the soil. Ultimately, using lots of chemicals seemed scary to us, a science beyond which we were comfortable with, and I am definitely glad we chose to farm that way.
2. What exactly are the main sources you guys grow? We grow mainly flowers- sunflowers, lilies, zinnias, lisianthus, cosmos, and lots of other mixed bouquet flowers. We used to grow vegetables, but flowers are our niche and so we decided this year just to focus on them. The only vegetables we will be growing this year are to feed ourselves and our employees in our own garden. We specialize in mixed bouquets, and they change throughout the season based on what’s blooming that week.
3. Has organic affected you in any way? How? We can feel good about the products that we are providing our customers with and the demand for organic, local flowers has begun to increase with the awareness growing both of the local food system and the effects chemicals have on our environment and our own bodies. Some florists will wear gloves when handling flowers that have been shipped in from all across the world as they are sprayed with chemicals to fumigate them as they enter the country, on top of the chemicals that may have been used in their production. With our flowers, florists and designers feel more comfortable with handling them and can put the scraps in the compost without having to worry about harmful chemicals. Growing things organically is definitely a good selling point too. With farmer’s markets, you are there to talk directly to the customer about your growing practices, but when you sell to a grocery store, the label has to say it for you.
4. Do you believe that organic is better? Why? I do believe that organic is better. You are being proactive about creating the right environment to grow healthy plants by adding compost and planting things that attract beneficial insects. We are taking care of the land that feeds us, building the soil for future years of production. If we sprayed chemicals and were more reactive, then I feel like it would be more of a struggle to keep everything happy and the nutrients in the soil. Plus, we get to enjoy being a part of nature rather apart from nature.
5. How can you compare your business to others? I don’t think that people know about the international floral industry that they are buying into when they purchase that $5 bouquet at Wal-Mart. We work towards educating that knowing where your flowers come from is just as important as knowing that about your food. We always say that food may feed the body, but flowers feed the soul! So, why not feed the soul with something that feels good, fresh, and as lively and colorful as possible. There is a great book written by Amy Stewart called Flower Confidential which goes into further detail about the international floral industry and helps bring awareness to the consumer.
6. What do you use instead of pesticides to help grow your flowers? I kind of touched on this in one of the answers above, but we attract beneficial insects to our farm to help us with control. There are tons of praying mantises around, ladybugs which eat aphids, and there are also beneficial nematodes that will help kill fungus gnats. We are actually lucky that we are a flower farm as a lot of flowers that we are already growing will attract beneficial insects- things like yarrow, echinacea, and zinnias.
& What are some organic gardening methods you can recommend to home gardeners? Definitely start composting! It is a great way to cut down on the waste that is coming out of your home and builds the microorganisms and nutrients in your soil. You can even make compost tea and spray it on as a way to foliar feed plants that need a little extra boost. For someone who is even on a really small plot, they sell compost tumblers, or get a worm bin. Also, flowers need just as much TLC as vegetables do, so take care of your flowers the same way you would your vegetable garden.
7. Why would you recommend others to go organic? Because you can feel good about what you are doing and be confident that you are creating a better environment for the future. Plus, if you’re growing vegetables, they just taste better!
8. Is organic expensive or cheap? Why? The certification is expensive as well as buying organic seed, organic soil, and other organic necessities. Therefore, things are a little bit more expensive when you buy organic products. Ultimately, I just look at it as my own personal healthcare plan. I would much rather know that what am I doing is good for me, then handling or eating something that could be potentially hazardous.
