How to Farm Organically
Test your soil., Make any corrections needed to your soil., Take climate into consideration., Visit a local farmer's market., Plant your crops.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Test your soil.
Your soil may need to be adjusted if it is not healthy enough to support crops.
You should not simply place plants in the soil and hope for the best.
Always get your soil tested before starting your own organic farm.
Chemicals from other places may have seeped into your soil, and it may not have the right balance of nutrients to support plant life.A home testing kit will only give you a list of numbers related to your soil.
Instead, you should send your soil to a local agricultural extension office.
The office will both test your soil and send you back a breakdown of the state of your soil, and what the numbers on your sheet mean in terms of planting crops.
The agricultural extension office will also offer suggestions on how to treat your soil.
When sending in your soil, make sure to specify that you're going organic.
This way, the suggestions you get will omit chemical treatments that go against the organic lifestyle.
For best results, get your soil tested in the fall.
While you can use a home testing kit, this is not recommended unless you have extensive experience farming. -
Step 2: Make any corrections needed to your soil.
Once you know the state of your soil, you may have your work cut out for you.
If you're lucky, your soil will only need a minimal amount of work before you begin farming.
However, you may have to put in a lot of time and money to create quality soil before you start your organic farm.Poor soil drainage may be the most difficult and costly problem to correct.
You will have to use a system call subsurface drainage to get the soil where it needs to be, which can cost between $1,250 to $2,500 per year.
You will also have to pay for labor, unless you know how to install a subsurface system yourself.
In some cases, you can begin farming and the soil will adjust with time.
It can take, however, about 10 years to get the soil where it needs to be.
Methods like crop rotation, fertilization with manure, and on-farm composting can all restore nutrients to your soil.
While this method takes awhile, it is the cheapest.
It will only cost you one to two cents a year.
Read over the paperwork you got from your agricultural extension office closely for suggestions.
You can decide whether to do a major overhaul of your soil, or to take mild methods to improve its quality, based on the current state of your soil type. , You will not be able to grow any type of plant you want on your farm.
The climate in your area affects which plants can be grown organically.
You will have to choose plants that fare well in your area's climate.
Plants that require a different climate may only grow with the use of chemicals and pesticides.If you live in a cooler area, it may be difficult to grow certain plants.
Tomatoes and tender fruit, for example, are best grown in a warmer area.
Spring grains and crucifer crops may do better in a cold area.
You should also take winter into consideration.
The survival of perennial fruit plants, as well as winter cereal and forage crops, depends on the severity of your area's winters.
You should always read up on any crops you choose and know which temperatures are too warm or too cold for them to thrive.
Select plants that could reasonably survive given your area's climate. , Most farmers here will practice organic techniques to grow their crops.
Therefore, crops sold here are likely to thrive naturally in your area.
This will give you a sense of which crops to plant, and also introduce you to local farmers.
You can make connections you can use later when you need assistance and advice.You can look online to find local farmer's markets in your area, or ask at a local food co-op.
See which days the markets are operating, and make a point of visiting the farmer's markets on these days.
See what kind of fruit, vegetables, flowers, and other plants are being sold.
Ask farmers if they grow organically.
Ask them about the type of soil they have on their farms.
Try to network with some local farmers.
Ask for phone numbers and email addresses.
If you need advice along the way, you can reach out to a local farmer with experience growing organic produce.
Later, when you're ready to sell your crops for profit, you will have a working relationship with the local market. , For organic farms, crops should be grown in wide beds.
This extra space between rows helps naturally repel fungal attacks as it increases air circulation.
You want to make sure you do not walk on your crops so, if possible, have raised beds on your farm.Group your plants by type.
All the tomatoes should be grown in one place, for example, and all the snow peas should be grown in another.
Raised beds are portions of soil raised slightly off the ground.
If you are able to raise soil in your area, do so, as this will reduce some traffic on your plants.
Plant your seeds with ample space in between, as this will allow crops to thrive.
For specific instructions on how much space, you will have to look at a Farmer's Almanac or similar publication for instructions on the precise seeds you're planting.
While wide, raised beds generally work for organic crops, the precise means of planting your crops does depend on the type you chose.
Always research your crops prior to planting, and reach out to other organic farmers for advice. -
Step 3: Take climate into consideration.
-
Step 4: Visit a local farmer's market.
-
Step 5: Plant your crops.
Detailed Guide
Your soil may need to be adjusted if it is not healthy enough to support crops.
You should not simply place plants in the soil and hope for the best.
Always get your soil tested before starting your own organic farm.
Chemicals from other places may have seeped into your soil, and it may not have the right balance of nutrients to support plant life.A home testing kit will only give you a list of numbers related to your soil.
Instead, you should send your soil to a local agricultural extension office.
The office will both test your soil and send you back a breakdown of the state of your soil, and what the numbers on your sheet mean in terms of planting crops.
The agricultural extension office will also offer suggestions on how to treat your soil.
When sending in your soil, make sure to specify that you're going organic.
This way, the suggestions you get will omit chemical treatments that go against the organic lifestyle.
For best results, get your soil tested in the fall.
While you can use a home testing kit, this is not recommended unless you have extensive experience farming.
Once you know the state of your soil, you may have your work cut out for you.
If you're lucky, your soil will only need a minimal amount of work before you begin farming.
However, you may have to put in a lot of time and money to create quality soil before you start your organic farm.Poor soil drainage may be the most difficult and costly problem to correct.
You will have to use a system call subsurface drainage to get the soil where it needs to be, which can cost between $1,250 to $2,500 per year.
You will also have to pay for labor, unless you know how to install a subsurface system yourself.
In some cases, you can begin farming and the soil will adjust with time.
It can take, however, about 10 years to get the soil where it needs to be.
Methods like crop rotation, fertilization with manure, and on-farm composting can all restore nutrients to your soil.
While this method takes awhile, it is the cheapest.
It will only cost you one to two cents a year.
Read over the paperwork you got from your agricultural extension office closely for suggestions.
You can decide whether to do a major overhaul of your soil, or to take mild methods to improve its quality, based on the current state of your soil type. , You will not be able to grow any type of plant you want on your farm.
The climate in your area affects which plants can be grown organically.
You will have to choose plants that fare well in your area's climate.
Plants that require a different climate may only grow with the use of chemicals and pesticides.If you live in a cooler area, it may be difficult to grow certain plants.
Tomatoes and tender fruit, for example, are best grown in a warmer area.
Spring grains and crucifer crops may do better in a cold area.
You should also take winter into consideration.
The survival of perennial fruit plants, as well as winter cereal and forage crops, depends on the severity of your area's winters.
You should always read up on any crops you choose and know which temperatures are too warm or too cold for them to thrive.
Select plants that could reasonably survive given your area's climate. , Most farmers here will practice organic techniques to grow their crops.
Therefore, crops sold here are likely to thrive naturally in your area.
This will give you a sense of which crops to plant, and also introduce you to local farmers.
You can make connections you can use later when you need assistance and advice.You can look online to find local farmer's markets in your area, or ask at a local food co-op.
See which days the markets are operating, and make a point of visiting the farmer's markets on these days.
See what kind of fruit, vegetables, flowers, and other plants are being sold.
Ask farmers if they grow organically.
Ask them about the type of soil they have on their farms.
Try to network with some local farmers.
Ask for phone numbers and email addresses.
If you need advice along the way, you can reach out to a local farmer with experience growing organic produce.
Later, when you're ready to sell your crops for profit, you will have a working relationship with the local market. , For organic farms, crops should be grown in wide beds.
This extra space between rows helps naturally repel fungal attacks as it increases air circulation.
You want to make sure you do not walk on your crops so, if possible, have raised beds on your farm.Group your plants by type.
All the tomatoes should be grown in one place, for example, and all the snow peas should be grown in another.
Raised beds are portions of soil raised slightly off the ground.
If you are able to raise soil in your area, do so, as this will reduce some traffic on your plants.
Plant your seeds with ample space in between, as this will allow crops to thrive.
For specific instructions on how much space, you will have to look at a Farmer's Almanac or similar publication for instructions on the precise seeds you're planting.
While wide, raised beds generally work for organic crops, the precise means of planting your crops does depend on the type you chose.
Always research your crops prior to planting, and reach out to other organic farmers for advice.
About the Author
Kathleen Wilson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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