A self-supporting ecosystem

 

Organic farming is not simply the substitution of approved input materials. It is the replacement of a treatment approach with a process approach to create a balanced system of plant and animal interactions.
 
Once it is up and running, the organic system gains its own biological momentum. You begin to rely more on your own expertise and less on outside experts. As an organic farmer, you can be:
 
•        More self-sufficient
 
•        Less dependent on purchased inputs (which tend to get more costly as the price of oil rises)
 
•        Paid for what you know as well as how hard you work
 
•        The proprietor of a more family- and community-friendly business
 
•        Building a complex enterprise focused on improved environmental and human health as well as long-term sustainability
 
"In particular, we've seen that the ‘input substitution' approach is often not that successful. Transitioning farmers must understand that organic is a different farming system, which requires a deep understanding of the importance of soil health and the interconnectedness of all on-farm systems."
 
~Ron Strochlic, California
Institute for Rural Studies