Ann Larkin Hansen - The Organic Farming Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Running a Certified Organic Farm

The Organic Farming Manual

A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Running a Certified Organic Farm

Ann Larkin Hansen

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Nancy Ringer, Deborah Burns, and Sarah Guare
Art direction and book design by Dan O. Williams
Text production by Patrick Barber/McGuire Barber Design

Photography by Jason Houston
Illustrations by Bethany Caskey
Map on page 130 adapted from GeoNova Pub Inc./www.stockmaps.com

Expert reviews by Harriet Behar, Organic Specialist, MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service) and Ralph Moore, Market Farm Independent (Equipment chapter)

Indexed by Eileen Clawson

2010 by Ann Larkin Hansen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information.

Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396.

Storey Publishing
210 MASS MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com

Printed in the United States by Versa Press
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hansen, Ann Larkin.
The organic farming manual / Ann Larkin Hansen.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-60342-479-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-60342-480-6 (hardcover : alk. paper)

1. Organic farming. I. Title.

S605.5.H355 2010

635.0484dc22

2009049116

To all organic farmers those who blazed the trail, those who
are making it happen now, and all those to come

Organic farming is a vibrant and growing sector of agriculture in the United States and across the world. This comprehensive manual covers many aspects of farming, from vegetable crops to many types of livestock. This book contains practical how-to options to help the reader decide how to best use their agricultural land, as well as historical background on how and why various practices and equipment were developed. I wish I had this book 30 years ago when I started my lifelong adventure in organic agriculture!

There are few activities in life that offer the same sense of accomplishment as farming, accompanied by the spiritual fulfillment gained by understanding, cooperating, and being a part of the natural world. Organic farming, with its reliance on natural systems rather than synthetic purchased inputs, is attractive to young adults seeking to make their place in the world, people in middle age who want a change from their current path, and older folks who are semiretired and want to pursue an agrarian lifestyle. For those wishing to manage their land and produce a wide variety of foods in harmony with nature, The Organic Farming Manual offers the background and options necessary to start a wide variety of farming systems.

From what to look for when buying land, to deciding what to do with that land once you have it, this book offers clear guidance for those who wish to farm organically, whether solely for their own food production or as a business venture. The United States has laws governing the use of the word organic on agriculturally produced products. Ann Hansen has incorporated the regulations of the USDAs National Organic Program into these pages, allowing the reader to have a better understanding of what they would need to do in order to access the dynamic organic marketplace.

Organic farming is not difficult, but it does have its own unique set of challenges. The Organic Farming Manual helps the reader navigate the various challenges and possible approaches to these issues. Even after a lifetime working with organic farmers, I found so much useful information in this book. Whether for providing a basic overview or explaining nitty-gritty details, this book should be kept as a reference through the years, as one explores and experiences the joys and rewards of organic farming.

Faye Jones

Executive Director

Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)

For the novice farmer who intends to follow an organic philosophy, this book provides an overview of basic farming practices and organic principles. For those who intend to sell farm products under a certified organic label, the book includes discussion of the federal rules for organic agriculture and the certification process.

Experienced farmers interested in transitioning to organic farming will find here the general information they need. But since much of this book is devoted to basic farming knowledge, which they already possess, a more efficient way of getting the technical information they need to make the transition would be to contact one of the education services devoted to organic production, such as the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES). General information on transitioning to organic production is also available from various land-grant universities and from ATTRA National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (See the resources section at the end of this book for more information about these and other education services.)

The depth of knowledge you need to be successful with an organic farm enterprise can be obtained only by experience and constant learning. This book provides a starting point, one that I hope will serve to put you on the right road. Your most important resources as you continue the journey will be other members of the organic farming community and your farming neighbors, who know your soils, climate, and local resources.

The knowledge anyone would need to intelligently discuss all types of farms in all types of soils and climates cant possibly be contained in the head of a single author. I want to thank all of the farmers who have talked with me or whose farms Ive toured, all of the writers, researchers, and conference participants who have contributed to my understanding, and all of the many others who directly contributed to this effort. This book wouldnt exist without their help.