May / June 2008 tilth (fr. OE “tillian” + th): Volume 19, No. 2 A. the quality of cultivated soil. FREE B. cultivation of wisdom and the spirit. Global Organics www.tilth.org MAY / JUNE 2008 • IN GOOD TILTH • VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 PAGE Editor’s Desk As I write, there is a “perfect storm” miles play into this? What are the learn- with food all over the world. The combi- ing centers and hubs for alternative ag like nation of spiking energy costs, increased across the planet? This edition embraces demand and shortages have impacted the macro wholeheartedly. populations across class lines around the Just as Cuba has had to reinvent itself planet. We all gotta eat, and for most, that as a permaculture and organic hub in the reality is getting much more expensive. Carribean after the breakup of the Soviet Suddenly, our place in the global Union, the sustainabilty learning centers scheme of things seems that much more profiled here across the world, are like seed stark. All of which makes this issue’s theme banks on the international stage. These a bit more compelling. centers are all places where you can plug in As producers and consumers, we if so inclined. tend to think of impacts in our immediate Speaking of plugging in, there is a realm; our bellies, our fields, our wallets - dispatch from an intrepid WWOOFer and May / June 2008 the micro rather than the macro. As I pon- results of surveys of your fellow organic Vol. 19, No. 2 der organic’s role in the upheaval of global shoppers with surprising discoveries. ISSN # 1065-1527, 2008 agriculture, it is worthy to look at the way Bringing it all home there is a report Oregon Tilth the organic revolution, or restoration, is from the Northwest’s own organic farmers playing out on the ground, wherever that who recently met to compare notes from Editor, publisher, layout and ad sales: ground may be. the field. Andrew Rodman What follows in these pages is far from Can biologically responsible farm- ing be a solution to our global food woes? Contributing Writers: a complete picture of the macro, but it is an attempt. That is the great challenge of our genera- Nick Andrews, Andrew Black, How can organic certification as- tion. Along the road to this new paradigm, Leighton Blackwell, Zoë Bradbury sist in combatting extinction? What are successes and stories from afield can be Kathy Dang, Tracy Grainger, Drew Katz the implications of our food choices with instructive and inspirational. It is in that Marci Krass, Sarah Mazze, Andrew Rodman, regards to climate change, and how do food spirit that this issue is dedicated. Joel Preston Smith, Alyssa Sullivan –Andrew Rodman Erin Volheim, Natalie Reitman-White Subscriptions are free with Oregon Cover collage by Andrew Rodman Tilth membership, which begin at Global $30/year ($40 outside U.S.). page 4 Reprints by permission. Contents Survey Sustainability centers 4 Feedback, Advocacy 6 Tilth’s mission OEC 7 Oregon Tilth, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Russian log: organic vs. poachers 8 organization that supports and promotes bio- WWOOFing down under 11 logically sound and socially equitable agricul- ture through education, research, advocacy and Global warming & food choices 12 Food product certification. Fellow organic shoppers 17 Miles Russia Since its inception in 1974, Tilth has Modern ghost story 18 page 12 page 8 brought together rural and urban produc- Yard and Garden 20 ers and consumers around land stewardship Trouble in paradise 22 and healthy food. Oregon Tilth administers educational programs, supports sustainable The universal garden 23 agriculture research and policy, and offers If I were a Superdelegate. 24 organic certification to producers and food Voices from the field F2FX 25 handlers throughout the Americas. For more The cult of nutrition 28 information about any of the exciting programs International internships 31 of Oregon Tilth, please call on us: En Español Oregon Tilth, Inc. Ghost 470 Lancaster NE • Salem, OR 97301 Un Sondeo de Centros story office(503) 378-0690, • (877) 378-0690 Espectaculares 32 page 18 fax (503) 378-0809 Research Reports 38 Yard& [email protected] Classifieds 41 www.tilth.org Calendar 45 Garden Membership 47 page 20 Submission deadline for Future Farming theme issue is May 10, 2008. PAGE 2 MAY / JUNE 2008 • IN GOOD TILTH • VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 Oregon Tilth Staff ADMINISTRATIVE Enviro. Ed. Coordinator/AmeriCorps Mike Dill, [email protected] Oregon Tilth Quality Control Director Conner Voss, [email protected] (503) 378-0690 Board of Directors Chris Schreiner, [email protected] (503) 798-8906 Darin Jones, [email protected] (503) 566-3012 Editor, In Good Tilth (503) 378-0690 Administration Andrew Rodman, [email protected] Darryl Williams, [email protected] Jody Berry Jenny Smith, [email protected] (503) 779-3929 (503) 378-0690 Wild Carrot Herbals (503) 566-3011 CERTIFICATION Farm Program Manager Administrative Assistants Certification Director Tiffanie Huson Labbe, [email protected] Kate Carman Erin Jensen, [email protected] Kristy Korb, [email protected] (503) 566-3019 Carman Ranch Amanda Brown [email protected] (503) 566-3024 (503) 378-0690 Farm Program Reviewer Inspection Coordinator Miguel Guerrero Accounts Manager John Stalley, [email protected] Ben Ezzell, [email protected] Catherine Steffens, CPA (503) 566-3015 (503) 580-1854 OMRI [email protected] Global Organic Program Manager Inspectors (503) 566-3021 Jim Pierce, [email protected] Andrew Black, [email protected] Joe Snyder Information Tech Specialist (541) 740-1410 (503) 779-5876 Myrtle Point Vet Hospital Heather Smith, [email protected] Latin American Specialist Pat Moore, [email protected] (503) 566-3023 Garth Kahl, [email protected] (541) 621-1777 Adam Zimmerman RESEARCH AND EDUCATION (503) 507-4122 Andrew Bennett, [email protected] ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia Organic Education Center Program Processing Program Manager (541)760-9328 Coodinator Connie Karr, [email protected] John Caputo, [email protected] Marci Krass, [email protected] (503) 566-3022 (503) 638-0735 (503) 798-8216 Garden Coordinator Processing Program Reviewers Callyn Trujillo, [email protected] Kathy Dang, [email protected] Gwendolyn Wyard, [email protected] (503) 798-5974 (503) 779-4631 (503) 566-3017 MIDWEST OFFICE Mike Mountain, [email protected] Midwest Certification Coordinator New (503) 566-3018 Dave Engel, [email protected] (541) 740-1420 Inspector OTCO certified farms & processors Robert Caldwell, [email protected] DOMESTIC, SINCE FEBRUARY, 2008 Mohawk River Blueberries Dan & Teresa Young Farm Max Seed Company (Marcola, OR) (Altura, MN) (Olympia, WA) NEW GROWERS: North Fork Dairy NEW PROCESSORS: Raining Rose, Inc. (Arlington, WA) (Cedar Rapids, IA) A2R Farms, LLC Alpine Slicing & Cheese (Corvallis, OR) Palmer Dairy Conversion Rising Sun Farms (Preston, ID) (Monroe, WI) (Phoenix, OR) Duncan Island Ranch (Mapleton, OR) Paradise Creek, Inc. Cascade Peak Spirits, Inc. River Point Farms LLC, (Richland Center, WI) (Ashland, OR) (Hermiston, OR) Dutch Organic LLC (Dublin, TX) Rising Sun Jersey Farm Del Monaco Specialty Foods Inc. The Fearless Chocolate Co., LLC (Soldiers Grove, WI) (San Jose, CA) (Oakland, CA) Hayat Farm (Portland, OR) Three Mile Farm Full Tank Foods, Inc. The Pictsweet Company (Grants Pass, OR) (Seattle, WA) (Bells, TN) Klamath Algae Products, Inc. / Vision, Inc Sorensen Dairy Golden Avatar Wiscon Corporation (Klamath Falls, OR) (West Concord, MN) (Portland, OR) (Melrose Park, IL) Mac-Lane Farms Jim Valdez Jack’s Produce (Goodhue, MN) (Nehalem, OR) (Pearsall, TX) Oregon Tilth certifies: 545 organic processors • 667 organic growers • 3 organic restaurants • 1 retailer MAY / JUNE 2008 • IN GOOD TILTH • VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 PAGE A survey of stunning sustainability centers By Erin Volheim whole system. Initially, their crops are more programs CERES engages the com- I spent late winter on a virtual tour of affected by pests and disease. munity, and hosts over 75,000 visitors organic farms. What I found is that around The technologies of organic production a year. Powered by alternative energy, the world, organic agriculture helps mani- require little investment other than labor. The this urban oasis hosts a café, sustain- fest positive changes in host communities, evaluation found those family farmers who ability education center, a twice particularly when the farmer is growing already produced more or less organically weekly food and craft market, an food for local markets. found it easier and less costly to meet the cer- orchard, 2.5 acre organically certified Globally, organic agriculture is now tification requirements, making only marginal market garden, permaculture gardens, practiced in more than 120 countries of the changes. Their yields did not fall. Farmers native and edible plant nursery, world. Its share of agricultural land contin- with stable land access were also able to carry composting center, walking trails and ues to grow in many countries. According out land-conservation measures. In con- a worm farm. to a 2005 survey, almost 31 million hect- trast, farmers already using chemical inputs, ares are managed organically worldwide: with little family labor available (a frequent New Zealand Australia / Oceania (39 percent), followed situation among women farmers) and also ex- Otamatea Eco-Village • by Europe (21 percent), Latin America (20 periencing unstable land tenure found it very www.otamatea.org.nz/index.htm percent), Asia (13 percent), North America difficult to succeed in organic production. Founded in 1997, 15 families (four percent) and Africa (three percent). While ministries of agriculture, jumbo have created an intentional perma- A 2004 thematic evaluation by the farms and international trade groups are culture community on 250 acres, International Fund for Agricultural De- focusing on getting a piece of the organic pie, 90 minutes south of Auckland. A velopment examined seven small-farmer let’s look at a sampling of innovative projects principal aim of this community is to associations (in six Latin American and around the world with a vision of keeping it repair the deforested and eroded areas Caribbean countries) who successfully ad- local.