18 Organic Farms Changing the World
Organic farms work daily to solve the puzzle of sustainable agriculture while providing their local communities and markets with fresh nutritional foods.
Organic foods have no chemical additives or pesticides. They are also free from flavor enhancers, sweeteners, and preservatives. In most cases, organic and minimally processed foods are more nutritious than their mainstream process alternatives. They generally have more beta-carotene, polyphenols, antioxidants (to fight cancer), flavonoids (to fight heart disease), fatty acids, and minerals.
When it comes to sustainability, organic farms have many questions to answer:
- How do they reduce their carbon emissions?
- How do they conserve water and slow the rapid depletion of groundwater?
- How do they save plants from pests and vermin on a large scale without using pesticides and chemicals?
- How do they farm while nourishing the land and not eroding topsoil?
- How do they provide economic sustainability and social sustainability, such as fair wages and healthy working environments, to employees?
Each of the farms listed below have found a way to answer these questions as they take control of their food production.
How Farms Prioritize Education
Many organic farms prioritize outreach, community engagement, and education. Farms host community events or hold classes for adults as well as children to learn anything from gardening to cooking. Many farms seek to empower individuals to grow their own food and plant their own gardens. Organic farms also offer free resources such as their favorite recipes for cooking with natural ingredients.
Farmsharing and Community-Supported Agriculture
Many local farms use community supported agriculture (CSA) programs or farmshares to connect with local community members. Members support the farm upfront and are rewarded with the best fresh produce or meat cuts. This allows farmers to plan ahead with their seasonal demand and minimize potential risk and waste. If you’re interested in a CSA or farmshare, you can use LocalHarvest to find one local to you.
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