Subject: Re: Wanted Information about agriculture

From: Greg Thomas <[email-masked]>
Date: 6 Oct 1995 03:04:50 GMT

Hi Peter,

If you do a net search for organic gardening, you will likely run across 
several sites that may suggest that organic farming is the only sane and 
evironmentally prudent means of production. Such an attitude may be 
misleading. I have been working with farmers and horticulturist for a 
long time now. Here are a few observations that I've made through the 
years.

Site location can have a lot to do with how effective organic methods may 
be. For example, here in East Texas we have very mild winters. As you can 
imagine, insects don't ever really disappear at any time during the year. 
Many disease organisms, bacterial, fungi, etc. follow this pattern also. 
With very little seasonal distruction of host plants (weeds) there is 
always a place for pests to over-winter.

Different types of insects and diseases vary in their susceptability to 
organic control methods. One example of this can be seen in the common 
aphid. They are soft bodied little insects that are very bad about 
transmitting diseases into plants. Being soft in nature, they can be 
controlled with materials such as diatomacious earth or mild soap 
solutions. If you sprayed either of these materials onto a stink bug, 
however, the bug would laugh at it. 

Another idea involves the practicality of scale. By this I mean that some 
of the things that you or I might be able to do effectively in our home 
garden simply are not possible or practical in a large scale farming 
situation. We must remember that farmers make their living by producing 
large amounts of high quality commodities. They can not economically 
compete and survive by increasing their cost of producing without 
recieving a higher price for their products.

Lastly, we must recognize a problem inherent in the market. Cosumers 
demand that fruits and vegetables be of the highest quality and offered 
at a reasonable price. Our department of agriculture in Texas made a very 
strong attempt to bring organically produced fruits and vegetables to the 
consumer several years ago. The harsh reality became evident in little 
time,... the consumer wants organic produce. However, the consumer 
demands that such produce be just as big and just as perfect as that 
grown by traditional methods. AND the consumer wants this organic produce 
at the same price as the traditional product. As I mentioned earlier, the 
farmer must receive a higher price if he is going to go to the added 
expense of organic production. I have known many producers, young and 
old, that have tried to make it in the organic market...non have 
survived. Please understand, we can successfully produce several crops 
using organic methods. However, under the current mind set of the 
consumer and conditions of the market, we have yet to see it work in any 
measure over the long term. Good luck on your assignment...make an A+!

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From: [email-masked] (Matt Cowan)
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 1995 19:23:12 LOCAL

My Name is Peter Cowan and I am in grade 7 at Margaret Ave. Senior Public
 School in Kitchener Ontario Canada.  I am doing a project on organic far
ming and was wondering if you had any information.  I am looking for diff
erent kinds of  organically grown plants, pest and weed control methods, 
and different ways of farming.  If you have any information than you can 
E-mail it to me at [email-masked], fax it to me at (519) 742-6094, or mail 
it to me at Peter Cowan 18 McAllister lane Bloomingdale Ontario Canada, N0B 
1K0.  Thanks a lot for your time.

				Peter Cowan Age 12

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: 7 Oct 1995 02:27:36 GMT

Here is the address of some people who farm organically in California.

Be Wise Ranch
9018 Artesian Road
San Diego, CA  92127
USA

(619) 756 - 3088

Good Luck