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Time Magazine included her amongst the hundred most important figures of the twentieth century and there wouldn’t be many organic gardeners or producers who fail to recognise her contribution to their cause. Her research skills and clear writing style alerted a wider audience to the environmental implications of chemical based agriculture. Rachel Louise Carson was born in Springdale, Pennsylvania in 1907 and demonstrated an early interest in nature, literature, and the arts. She commenced college as an English Major but was encouraged to change to Zoology after taking an introductory course in Biological Science. She earned her Masters degree in Zoology then undertook teaching duties in Maryland. Summer vacations involved further studies...

Sir Albert Howard was an organic pioneer of considerable stature. Throughout his scientific and publishing career, Howard benefited significantly from opportunities of travel and the ability to observe practical applications and results from a diverse range of agricultural systems. It is well recognised that his scientific work and publications provide an inspiration for many contemporary individuals who continue to adapt and refine his principles. As its name would suggest, the organic movement is a dynamic and evolving one. This potential is captured in the best of Sir Howard’s work and helps to explain its ongoing popularity. Born in England 1873, Howard was raised on his family’s rural estate. Formal education at Cambridge provided...

With reference to the philosophical and practical concerns of its founders, the organic movement of today has been thoroughly transformed. This becomes quite evident when we respectfully investigate the pioneering efforts of influential figures like J.I. Rodale. Born in 1898, Jerome Irving Cohen (Rodale) was raised in New York City. He expressed an early interest in the physical training, health and dietary philosophies of Bernarr McFadden but initially pursued an accounting career which helped him become a federal income tax auditor. During the Depression, he started an electrical manufacturing business in collaboration with his brother. During this time, J.I. Rodale experimented with writing and publishing enterprises but encountered very...