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Mikey Azzara is the Outreach Coordinator for the North East Organic Farming Association of New Jersey. Mikey’s an inspirational young man who’s performing some really important work connecting New Jersey’s organic farmers with the local communities they serve. In his quest to learn more about how our food is grown, as well as the sustainable practices needed to support future generations, Mikey has studied extensively and has also travelled to Italy to learn from Italy’s much-respected organic farmers. Mikey’s rightly proud of his New Jersey roots and with his obvious leadership capacity and stated desire to bring organics to the youth generation, he’s someone we’re bound to hear a lot more of. Keep...

There are some exciting models emerging within the organic community. Some of these aim to connect local farmers with schools. A wonderful - and hugely successful - example of this type of model exists in Marin County. Marin Organic are an association of farmers, ranchers, agriculture advisers and marketing experts. The organization serves the local community by linking growers with local consumers. In this video, Scott Davidson, School Lunch Program head, explains how Marin Organic is forming a bridge between organic farmers and local schools. Apart from helping to provide approximately 12,000 children each week with nutritious locally produced food, the program also enables children to learn about, and connect with, where their food comes...

With the global demand for organic food continuing to outstrip supply, it comes as no surprise that India is emerging as an important supplier of staple and commodity-based organic food items. However, with the dramatic increase in the number of farms coming under organic management in India, the country’s training systems are being stretched to the limit. This video looks at the increasingly important role India is playing in global organic markets and how, through the formation of large family-based partnerships, it intends to continue its growth. The video also addresses the often-overlooked reasons regarding why chemical intensive agriculture was becoming untenable (and unsustainable) in many regions within India.

Andrew Moore is an organic farmer from Balladoole on the Isle of Man. Concerned with the quality of food available, Andrew switched to organic farming several years ago. In this video he explains why he made the switch from conventional to organic farming, what the switch entailed for him, as well as the traditional seven year crop rotation cycle he now uses to maintain soil fertility. We’re also introduced to the beautiful Belted Galloways he rears on his farm. I think this video will make you wish you lived on the Isle of Man. At the very least, I’m sure you’ll be left wishing you could routinely access the wonderful fresh produce (spuds, beetroots, cabbages, and turnips) Andrew sells at the local farmers’ markets....

Shade grown coffee requires higher levels of commitment to sustainable land management practices than conventional coffee growing. In this video, Gary Stenlin introduces us to La Patriana, the only certified bird friendly organic coffee plantation in Costa Rica. As Gary explains, shade grown coffee requires significantly higher labor inputs than conventionally grown coffee. This benefits the local community of San Ramon in a number of important ways, not the least of which is through its capacity to deliver employment and training opportunities to local people. If you’re someone who is contemplating a semester abroad, you might like to check out some of the experiential learning opportunities provided by Earth Education International.

The main threat to black pepper crops is the fungus Phytophthora capsici. This particular fungus causes root and crown rot in black pepper crops. In this video, Jose Elanjhimattam, an organic farmer from Kerala, India explains how, by applying the liquid captured from his compost heap, he is able to effectively eliminate the impact of the fungus on his organically grown black pepper crops. He also explains how the worm castings from the compost heap provide a rich source of soil nutrients.

Like many organic farmers, Jose Elanjhimattam is both a practical and abundantly resourceful man. Starting with cow dung, Jose has created an ingenious system that simultaneously captures and separates nitrogen-rich organic manure and methane gas. Unlike dried cow dung, which tends to lose nitrogen throughout the drying process, the liquefied organic manure produced through Jose’s slurry provides soil with far higher levels of nitrogen. Additionally, the methane gas removed is used as a form of fuel. Jose estimates that the dung from two cows is sufficient to provide enough biogas to support the cooking requirements of a family of four. Resourceful, intelligent, simple – great stuff!

Michigan State University’s Student Organic Farm is a 4-season farm that was started in 1999 by a group of students (and dedicated staff) keen to put into practice the concepts they were learning (and being taught) in the classroom. The farm provides students with an opportunity to learn the principles of organic farming through completion of a certificate program and by participating in a range of community supported agricultural initiatives. This short video, accompanied by some neat toe-tapping music, gives us a look at this beautiful farm. Not surprisingly, the farm relies on volunteers to remain viable. If you’re keen to volunteer, or if you’ve been thinking about taking a course in organic agriculture, please check out...

Cotton is grown from Brazil to West Africa. Unfortunately, the conditions for cotton growers in many of the world’s poorer regions are not the same as those enjoyed in, for example, the United States. Organophosphate and organochloride pesticides are routinely applied to conventional cotton crops in many developing countries. This is despite the fact that these chemicals have long since been banned in Western countries. It is estimated that 220,000 farmers die from pesticide poisoning each year, while approximately 1 million farmers suffer from adverse health consequences as a result of pesticide exposure. The following documentary, which was produced by the UK’s Pesticide Action Network, looks at the differences between organic...

Jose Elanjhimattam is an organic farmer from Kerala, India. He is one of a growing number of Indian farmers who are making the switch from chemical fertilizers to organic principles. In this video, Jose explains how the loss of soil nutrients arising from past chemical fertilizer misuse had rendered his land sterile. During the three year transition phase Jose’s soil was incapable of supporting crops. Armed with an academic background in agriculture as well as knowledge of traditional Indian farming practices, Jose has been able to successfully reinvigorate his farmland into a productive asset supporting organically grown black pepper crops.