How to Make Your Backyard Vegetable Garden Certified Organic

Around the 1930's, a small group of farmers reacted against industrial farming and its use of artificial fertilizers. The burgeoning movement had another growth spurt in the 1940's when chemical pesticides were perfected, coming into wide use across the country. Starting on small family farms, anywhere from 1 to 100 acres, organic farming spread in the 50's and 60's before exploding on the scene in the early 70's when organic produce went from a supply-driven commodity to a demand-driven one. Now consumers and growers alike know that organic produce is not only delicious, but also makes good sense for its sustainability, long term environmental benefits, and its ability to reduce reliance on nonrenewable resources.

Organic Methods Were Made For The Backyard Farmer

Organic methods consist of traditional farming practices along with modern knowledge of ecology and natural pesticides and fertilizers. The backyard is the perfect size for organic farming due to its smaller space, which is easier to manage than large-scale farms with thousands of acres or more. Gardeners can devote more attention for greater yields and healthier plants.

The organic process begins with seed selection and is implemented every step of the way, from composting, to mulching, to insect control. Organic growers document each detail from start to finish. Because there are strict guidelines ensuring standards of quality and safety for consumers, there are governing agencies that oversee organic certification and maintenance of organic processes for long-term sustainability.

The organic industry is filled with techno-babble and jargon that can take some getting used to, but the actual practice of backyard organics is pretty straightforward-all you green thumbs could be certified organic just by using specified fertilizers, seeds, and mulches, and learning a few new techniques. Going organic is much easier than it would appear at first glance. All it takes to master the forms, applications, and documentation is slow, practical experience, one step at a time. And there are numerous advocacy groups and support organizations who are willing to go the extra mile to help. Go to the USDA website, Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, and HowToGoOrganic.com for advice, strategies, and an abundance of info on what steps to follow.

How To Raise Organic Fruits And Vegetables

A backyard gardener's main concerns are soil composition, seed quality, and pest control, just like on the big industrial farms. The big difference is you have a much smaller area to contend with, smaller overhead costs, and you stand to make a larger profit. Even the cost of going organic is defrayed in most states as the government pushes organic farming.

Crop diversity will be your biggest advantage as a small-scale grower. This is one of the leading features of organic farming, in technical jargon known as 'biodiversity.' In other words, you'll want to grow tomatoes, peas, lettuce, cucumbers, rosemary, chives, and potatoes (or whatever combination is best for your locale and personal taste). Another advantage you'll have is a compost station for mulching, in which you'll accumulate all your organic waste from indoors and around the garden. Raising green manure is a trick you'll learn, a crop intended for soil enrichment that you turn into the soil for fertilization.

Also, there are numerous methods for insect control in organic gardening, some of which encourage beneficial predatory insects, companion crops that discourage or divert pests, crop rotation, and using robust seed strains, ones that are resistant to insects and disease. Many organic growers allow for a tolerable level of insect damage, as most organic plants can withstand it before succumbing to disease. Mulching provides a variety of techniques for defeating weed and insect infestation in your garden. There are two very handy books loaded with advice for the organic grower that I highly recommend: Organic Gardening Techniques, Nick Hamilton, New Holland Publishers, and Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, Fern Marshall Bradley, Rodale Press.

Get Help Every Step Of The Way

Go to the California Certified Organic Farmers website (CCOF.org/certificationassistance) for help, a political advocacy for organic growers nationwide. At that site, you can get advice on anything from forms, fees, maintenance procedures, representatives to contact, and much more. Going organic can take a considerable amount of time due to cumbersome documentation and compliance issues, but there are organizations and groups willing to help every step of the way, and who may be able to cut the time involved. These groups exist and are willing to help because they believe sustainable organic farming is one of the leading ways to solve the issues of our time. They count on its continued growth as the globe heats up and natural resources dwindle.

We can do our part and help the environment while also helping our wallets-cut and paste the byline above and email it to anyone with even the slightest interest in backyard gardening. And see my related article, Go Green & Start A Backyard Vegetable Garden, by clicking on the byline. Let's do it not to send some grandiose message to the industrial food complex, but because we care about quality foods and a sustainable future.