Support organic farming

[jsizemore]

organic banana farm

One of my trips I would love to see an organic banana farm. I would still like to know if there are any other produce producers in the DR that have some sort of indepenadant certification process to tell me yes they are right.
In the mean time I feel I will just go for the best quality I see from the street vendors. I also think if I can I will develope a relationship with someone that I knows grows it themselves and if I pay a little extra so be it.
My understanding of agriculture may be alittle flawed but it is my thought that it is hard for a large producer to do the organic thing because when you start gettign too many of the same types of plants together you create bug nirvana. A mono culture concentates the food and there for concentrates the pest. Where a small farme with many tyopes of small plots leaves the natural balance of predators workign to help keep the bufgs at bay.
I may be worng but I feel my chances of getting good qaulity organic would be the small scale porducer.
John

 

[Hillbilly]

Dear John

I would be happy to take you up to the banana farms. they are some of our favorite people.

Now, you are right about monocultivation breeding problems, in this case, especially nematodes. For these farms, the only way will be to harvest for two years, maybe three, and replant. By then the roots will be so weak any little breeze will knock the plant down.

Even now they spend a lot of money bracing plants and tying them up...."blow downs" are the bane of banana growers..

HB

 

[sancochojoe]

jsizemore

You're right, in our little vegitable world, my wife and I try to follow a rotation schedule so that we do not plant our vegetables in the same spot every season. Farmers in my area tend to follow the same method as well when it comes to growing corn and others. They will plant on 50 acres on one side of the road, than the next season they will plant on the other, and leave the previous plot bare for the season, sometimes longer than that, or they will plant something completely different then the previous.

We do that in a smaller scale but with multiple vegitables and herbs, to prevent the insects and soil desease.

I would hope that the "ORGANIC" (i HATE THAT WORD) growers in DR are using the same process. I would image they they are.

But like you, I hardly believe large growers can truly follow a strict "organic" (there I go again) regiment like the smaller growers can.

 

[jsizemore]

crop rotatation

This may be taking the thread off course a is there another two or three year to maturaity high value crop that could be rotated with the bananas. Some kind industrial crop such as flaz or similar(I know hemp aint gonna work) to try and help with the BUGs.
Also while I usually prefer organic because f the lack of chemicals I am not really agaiants chemicals. I remeber using the chemical fertilizers as akid. We used Manure as the primary and compost but when we tesed our soil we would add just enough of the chemicals to bring it into balance. The trouble is with the organic cert you know how much chemicals are used. In the modern world the science of farming is no longer alifestyl or art. The days of a farmer knowing it was going to rain based on the smell of the air is gone.
Show me a farmer that has a good amount of eart worms in his soil and I trust that produce.
John

 

[Tom F.]

I like chemicals too. Just not in my body or my water. It's flax, good stuff. Oil or seeds are what I can get here. Are the seeds the only edible part?

 

[jsizemore]

chemical fertilizers

I have no trouble with a little lime or 5-10-10 if it is needed. I would rather make sure the plants had all the nutrients they needed and give me all the ones I needed. My trouble comes when the chemical is used to replace stewardship of the land. Basically as long as the top soild is worked rigth adn manure and compost is added then a very micro amount of 5-10-10 is not going to harm the crops or the soil.
For me unless I know the farmer and can see his fields I can only trust the words certified organic to ensure that the stewardship is followed.
I will tell you though I feel in America the most sucessful farmers are the Amish. They accept no subsidies from the goverment and there net per acre is higher than anyone elses and the imput of calories compared to output is higher. Makes you wonder how much we have progressed.
John

 

[sancochojoe]

Like I posted in PIB's web site, my wife and I prepare
a compost tea. Pure cow manure mixed with mollasos and other natural enzymes then we airiate it with a air pump for a few hours creating a very active natural mix and pour that over our vegitables. We also havea a compost bin that is mixed with everything and anything. Dryed leaves, grass clipings, disposed vegetables, worms and soil. Every year we get a rich black compost.

we are also thinking of worm ranching as well.

 

[jsizemore]

natural

When I am home and garden I use the natural method. We use wood ashes fromt he wood stove adn Munuare form the rabbit pens. We compost our chicken waste in leaves form the woods and so forth. But here in the city I compost my yard waste and I go around on trash day and I get the grass clipping from my neibors and put in my pile. The only thing I buy is slow release lime.
I don't garden here as I did at home. i am gone months at time so all I grow is roses and grass but I feel that while my yrad is not this little perfect home and gardens lawn I can walk out in the yard and not worry about getting poisened. If I tested my yard and found it was missing a trace element I felt was needed thoug I would use a chemical fertilizer to give it if I could not find a resonable organic option.
Sometimes a farm is like your health. Natural works but sometimes you need alittle presrciption medication. I do not like the name organic because it is too restrictive. I prefer natural though. I feel that certain infestation of mold or insects may take something drastic. I feel the artificial chemicals should be used sparingly or not at all if reasonable but I feel the farmer should have the option of major fire power if needed.
I hate to say it but where topsoil has gone it may take some chemicals plated with some ground cover crops to try and rebuild the topsoil.
There are areas in the DR I would say are similar to the strip mine sites in WV that there is nothing to be doen but plant a cover crop and hop for the best. If some type of nitrogen fixing nut bearing tree could be planted on those areas adn the nuts fed to poultry or hogs then I feel the cycle could be broken.
But that might be another thread so I need to shut up.
Just a thought.
John

 

[MaineGirl]

tales from an organic life...

We always rotated our crops and planted oats, winter wheat, rye etc. in the fallow fields to help re-build some of what was taken.

We used chicken manure, horse manure, fish scales. Pops also spread lime. Like an old yankee he'd taste the soil to see if it was sweet or not. We weeded, picked bugs, and had 101 natural remedies for problems. Some problems just couldn't be fixed and we lost crops some years. I think we were fortunate not to go bankrupt in the organic years.

I think the most acreage in production was between 20-40 acres, that was when we had a contract with a baby food company.

We were certified organic in a tough state to achieve that designation.

It is a lot of hard work and dedication to organic methods. It is a lifestyle. When the choice is abvailable to me I buy organic and encourage others to do the same.

Next trip down I want to see some organic operations. Pops told me the other day he is interested in warmer climates...I am working on getting him to visit and for sure he would be interested in Dominican organic farming methods.

 

[jsizemore]

get him down

Hey you start alittle home stead I may just ride what ever means of trasnport up and buy direct from you guys.
I am a cook because I like to eat. I prefer my meat cooks well done but I like my vegies either raw or still crisp and natural does best like that.
John

P.S. Did I mention 507 days until I retire.