Organic GROWER Growers Alliance
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The Spring 2019 No.46 ORGANICThe journal of the Organic GROWER Growers Alliance IN THIS ISSUE Kate’s Comment .......................................2 ELIOT COLEMAN IN THE UK News .........................................................3 OGA members survey .............................5 The Eliot Coleman roadshow ...................6 Eliot Coleman at Glebelands CG ........6 When Elliot met Tolly .........................7 Dealing with diamond-backs! ................12 Black tarps for reduced tillage ................14 Nature notes – Stoned ...........................17 Changes at Glebelands City Growers ....18 SDOP invests in new machinery ..........20 Work dynamics in market gardens ........22 Oxford Real Farming Conference 2019 ..24 Agroecology training network ...............27 Peer to peer learning across the UK ......30 Online learning (part one) .....................32 Book reviews ...........................................35 Events .....................................................36 Page 1 - The Organic Grower - No 46 Spring 2019 Meanwhile for the next few weeks at least, many of us will simply be keeping our heads down, gritting our teeth and hoping for the Kate’s comment best on March 29th: there are many petitions around from both sides, and a march on 23rd of March for those who want to campaign for a When you’ve seen a handful of bees, second referendum; but at the end of the day I’ll be in the polytunnels, you know it is officially spring; and watering the seedlings and keeping my fingers crossed. what has traditionally been the ‘rest’ season of winter is over. This winter Kate Collyns, Chair Organic Growers Alliance doesn’t seem to have been terribly restful however; the season seems to be stretching out longer at the end of the year, and Editor’s notes starting earlier in the new season too. However, this should mean that we can grow more veg, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing - Welcome to the Spring Organic Grower! It is great to be able only if we can ignore the worries that it’s connected to climate to bring you lots of OGA content, including reports from the change. Climate change may hopefully be coming back on the workshops we ran at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (p24) agenda in 2019, following the world-wide climate change protests and from the highly succesful Eliot Coleman events (p6). We have that took some children out of school, and the myriad Extinction a big focus on training and grower learning in this issue, one of Rebellion protests going on round the country. the needs that emerged from the OGA member survey (p5). Dee Butterly writes on the embryonic development of an agroecology Much of the political agenda will depend on Brexit however, training network (p27) and reminds us of the importance of and by the time the next issue of the OG is out, the deadline for supporting and guiding the next generation of farmers and leaving the EU will have passed on 29th March. It’s still anyone’s growers. Following on from Dee’s article, Olivia James looks at guess what will actually happen on that date, and many of us some peer to peer examples in greater depth (p30) and asks how growers are trying to Brexit-proof ourselves professionally as well the OGA can support the growth of groups that can help growers as personally. Organic standards and food safety standards are get together and learn. In the first of a two-part series Joel Rodker, currently governed by EU regulation, so it will affect us all, even with lots of your input, reviews online and farm-based market those of us not certified organic; plus of course the demand for garden courses. We hope the positive energy of the new committee local produce will presumably rise. I’m going to grow aubergines members can inspire us all as we embark on a new season. again this year for the first time in about five years, as if price predictions are correct, it may be worth growing such crops On a personal note it is sad to see Nic Lampkin moving on from that normally come from Europe if market prices mean we can the Organic ResearchCentre (ORC) after ten years at the helm (p3). cover our costs properly. At the very least, I will have plenty of It was a privilege for me to work with him and I have huge respect aubergines to eat if everything goes horribly wrong politics-wise... for his integrity and drive to make organic farming a reality. Nic (and Lawrence Woodward before him) has been very supportive Politics was apparent as always at the Oxford Real Farming of the OGA, not least in enabling the Organic Grower to be mailed Conference (see pp24-27 for report), although the more practial out from and latterly printed at Elm Farm. Alas, this arrangement sessions organised by OGA committee members Adam Keeves is no longer practical and this will be the last issue printed and and Ellen Rignell on behalf of the OGA were full to bursting mailed from ORC. Thanks Nic and ORC for the last six years! and some people were turned away. There is a real desire for practical information on growing, so there are plans underway Phil Sumption, Editor The Organic Grower for an OGA horticultural conference later this year, full of practical sessions devised by growers for growers, which we are all very excited about. We will be talking about this at the AGM on 16th March at The www.blackberrylane.co.uk Rhos in Knighton, Powys; if you haven’t booked your tickets yet - order online please do so online asap. In the morning we’ll be having a look at BroadForks, Glaser Collinear & unusual seed varieties that could be a big hit this year; followed Oscillating Hoes, Wheelhoes, Soil by a lovely lunch, the AGM meeting, then a walk around Rhos Market Garden with Mick Westrip. We will also be announcing Blockers, Korean Ho-Mi, EarthWay more details about the Jean-Martin Fortier tour in September Seeders - and much more that we have been busy organising; this is a much-anticipated unique garden tools which tour, and he has been especially influential among younger really make a difference . growers and new entrants, inspiring thousands of people across the world with his book The Market Gardener, and online Tel. 07792 592068 presentations and videos. for catalogue Cover: Eliot Coleman (Photo: Lynn Karlin) Page 2 - The Organic Grower - No 46 Spring 2019 OGA/organic news OGA website: the big reveal! • Independent retailers maintained strong sales of organic, increasing by 6.2%. As many of you may have noticed the OGA has rebuilt our • Key categories driving growth in the market are beers, wines website. It has been brought into the modern world by a lovely and spirits and chilled foods. Fresh produce, canned and web designer who will also be offering us continual support for packaged grocery are also experiencing solid growth. its development. • Organic beauty/wellbeing and textiles had another year of Transferring the website to a new server has provided its double-digit growth at 14% and 18% respectively. challenges; moving all of our database over has meant members must use the “forgot password” link to be able to login, the website • Soil Association Certification licensee sales are up 9%, ahead being badly formatted unless user’s clear “history” and “caches”, of market growth. the forum swallowing posts into the interweb and a handful more • Sales of organic into foodservice have risen by almost 8%, of tedious issues that come with websites. helped by Food For Life award holders, and despite cuts in HOWEVER, despite all these predictable hiccups, the OGA public spending. website is now up and running and ready for members use! We • Packaging and wider environmental issues are continuing to have a working forum which we want to become an active place influence choices. to ask fellow members questions and advertise, a members area where you can access technical articles and download back copies Nic Lampkin steps down of the OG and a News & Events section that will be kept up to date On 31st January 2019, Nic Lampkin stepped down as Chief Executive with latest happenings. Officer of the Organic Research Centre. He played a critical role in The website is not going to be static, but a place for us to steering the Organic Research Centre through challenging times develop which is most useful for our members. We welcome any since he took over from Lawrence Woodward in 2010. During his suggestions you have and if you have any issues please get in term, ORC was successfully re-established as the UK’s leading touch with [email protected]. independent research organisation in the field of organic farming and agroecology, with significant increases in project (in particular Dalefoot composts now organically from EU sources) and unrestricted donation income achieved. certified Nic has worked tirelessly for the good of the organisation The full range of Dalefoot peat free growing media is now certified and of the organic movement, leading the establishment of organic by the Soil Association. This is a farm-based Lake District and chairing the English Organic Forum, securing significant business, composting wool and bracken from the fells, making a range increases in organic payments under the English and Welsh of products for plant raising, containing no green waste. Previously rural development programmes from 2015, and more recently, only available to the amateur gardener or non-certified grower, OGA leading the development of an industry-led Organic Action welcomes another peat-free growing choice for organic growers! Plan for England under the auspices of the Defra/EOF Organic Roundtable which he has chaired. Organic market report Nic’s work has been widely recognised externally, including his The Soil Association 2019 Organic Market Report was launched appointment as Visiting Professor at the University of Reading in February, showing a 5.3% growth during 2018.