Canada
by Myra Goodman
I was only 20 during the summer of 1984, when my future husband, Drew, and I moved onto the beautiful little 2-½ acre farm filled with rows of heirloom raspberries in Carmel Valley, California we would soon name Earthbound Farm. Cultivating the land and living in sync with the rhythms of nature might be a lifestyle as old as history, but for the two of us, it was a glorious new adventure. We were both transplants from Manhattan, in love with each other and the new life we were creating.
Growing up, the little produce I ate came from the supermarket down the block. It was only during my first days on the farm—when Drew and I got a crash course from the outgoing farmer on how and when to use the chemicals in the storage shed—that I learned about the cocktails of petroleum-based chemicals that were the norm in America for eliminating weeds, combating diseases, and mimicking the natural nutrients crops need to grow.
When the time came for Drew and I to apply the conventional agricultural chemicals to the raspberries we would soon pick, eat, and sell to our neighbors, something deep within both of us protested, “No! Stop! There must be a better way!” And that was the beginning of our life-long devotion to organic farming.
Fast-forward 35 years…Drew and I are both middle aged and still living on our original little farm in Carmel Valley. The two children we raised here are now adults off in the world, and their generation is beginning to have beautiful children of their own.
Issues like global warming, which seemed far off and theoretical when I was younger, are now impacting my family and almost everyone I know. Toxic chemicals are everywhere—contaminating our air, water and food—and unfortunately, babies and young children are especially vulnerable. I worry about the enormity of the problems my grandchildren will surely face, which is why I CHOOSE ORGANIC FOR THE FUTURE.
Organic farming’s very foundation is a commitment to long-term health versus short-term gain. Its methods are based on principals of continually building healthy soil and a vibrant ecosystem to support naturally healthy and nutritious plants.
Producing food organically is not only the healthiest choice for our families, the people who work in the fields and surrounding wildlife, it also has huge environmental benefits. Organic farming helps keep nitrates and other toxic chemicals out of our waters, reduces our reliance on fossil fuels and GMOs, and because organic fields actually pull carbon from the air and sequester it in the soil, organic farming is an effective way to help combat global warming.
I CHOOSE ORGANIC FOR THE FUTURE because organic is the simplest and most enjoyable way I know to protect the people and planet I love.
