How Organic Farming Works

Humans have engaged in agriculture for more than 10,000 years. Fertilisers, irrigation, mechanisation and genetic engineering have all served to increase harvests and support unprecedented levels of human population. Recently, however, the true environmental costs of these techniques have become clearer, and the Earth is paying the price.

The lifestyle trend for organic food started around the middle 1990s, and really took off around the turn of the millennium. Organic farming is a system of farming in which strong emphasis is placed on the use of organic materials.

In principle, organic farming precludes the use of most chemicals - especially those considered de rigueur in conventional farming and food production methods. The techniques and processes involve holistic and ecologically balanced practices that take into account such things as the fertility of the soil, natural pest control as well as crop rotation. Perhaps the overall premise of organic farming can be summed up best by simple saying: ‘let nature do what nature does best’. Everyday food items, including vegetables, meat, dairy produce, grains and fibres can all be produced on organic farms, and these products are organic due to the fact that they stay as close to their natural state as possible. It is partly for this reason that organic farmers refrain from spraying their crops with synthetic fertilisers or pesticides, while also decreasing the use of synthetic antibiotics and hormones when working with their cattle and livestock. The animals on an organic farm are fed with organic foodstuffs and live in free-range, outdoor conditions.

The methods of organic farming underline the wisdom of the use of all renewable sources supporting water and soil conservation. The very origin of good organic farming begins with the idea of good quality soil. This is important, as the correct and healthy mix of soil will yield healthier and plentiful crops and animals, and will also reduce instances of disease, making the farm more productive. Organic farmers employ various techniques to manage the quality of their soil. This is also a holistic process that takes into account not only soil, but also weeds, pests and water. It involves the use of animal manure and compost, cover crops and crop rotation, as well as green manure.

Compost is made from decayed organic waste to increase the nutrient richness of the soil, and can come from a variety of sources, including leaves and wood chippings, and manure from horses and cattle. This means that an organic farm has a continuous and ready supply of such manure.

Cover crops are also used on organic farms in order to improve the quality of soil. Such crops work by protecting the surface of the soil from water and wind erosion, thereby maintaining the structure and levels of organic matter in the soil. Such crops are also used in preference to conventional synthetic pesticides to keep pests, infestations and weeds at bay. Weeds generally grow where no other plants are growing in their way, so cover crops act as a barrier. These crops also attract beneficial bugs to the crops, such as ladybirds, that will consume more harmful pests.

Finally, crop rotation also aids in keeping soil fertile. The simplest rule of crop rotation is not to grow the same thing in the same place two years running. A mono-soil that has only one crop year after year tends to become depleted of nutrients.