Growing Organic in Tough Economic Times
By Krystle A. Patino
The growing season has begun yet again at the Restoration Farm in Old Bethpage, Long Island. The fields are being covered with organic fertilizers and the weeds are being taken out by hand. The work that is being done seems very labor intensive but the farmer and volunteers do not complain.
The soil is being prepared for the season’s abundant organic crops such as basil, beans, berries, tomatoes, eggplant, flowers, lettuce, onions and much more.
“Organic food goes through more adversity (difficult processes of growing) than chemically processed food making in more sustainable and more nutritious,” said Daniel Holmes, an organic farmer at Restoration Farm. But according to Holmes, the consumer is willing to pay a little more because of the labor that is used to grow organic food.
And the research confirms what Holmes is saying.
According to the Organic Farming Research Foundation, organic food had supplied 2% of the food supply in the United States. Now it accounts for about 20% of the food supply in the U.S giving way to more organic superstores opening up in neighborhoods around the city. With prices ranging from $2 to $4 more than the average selling price at local grocery stores, is it viable during our economic crisis to purchase organic food? Is it worth it?
“Even during the economic crisis, there hasn’t been much of a difference to business,” said Caroline Holmes, one of the directors at Restoration Farm. “There is still a high demand for organic food.” The bulk of their sales come from their CSA shares, which allows people to provide a share in the harvest for the season. “At this point last year, all our CSA shares were sold out, whereas now we still have shares available.”
The consumers who purchase a share of the harvest from the farm get produce delivered for the rest of the season. Mrs. Holmes believes that part of the reason why CSA shares are down could be the economy, because there is a one-time payment of $425 or $850 to hold a share. On the other hand, she said, “We were far more aggressive about advertising the CSA last year and have done virtually nothing so it could be a combination of the both.”
Their CSA prices are determined by the retail market value of the produce they have.
CSA members commit to a whole season’s worth of produce, they pay wholesale prices and in that sense, they end up saving money. “Based on the amount of food we were distributing, we had significantly under priced ourselves,” Mrs. Holmes said. They have raised their prices for the 2009 season because by the end of 2008 they realized their prices were too low. “Now we are commanding a price that still offers savings while at the same time providing greater compensation for our labor.”
Video: From farm to market
At Restoration Farm, they have shifted more to the CSAs they’ve obtained than from sales from their farm stand. “The farm stand is vulnerable to swings in the market and we have added an additional thirty-five CSA shares this year and we’ve cut farm stand hours.” Mrs. Holmes said, “I am confident that all of our CSA shares will sell out again this year, the only remaining question is the farm stand and how well it will fare in this economic environment.”
“To be honest though, we’ve just been so busy working the farm that we haven’t had much opportunity to worry about the economy,” she said. The Holmes are expecting their first child and had recently bought a house. “Naturally there is some anxiety about our ability to meet these new expenses, but worrying doesn’t help anything,” Caroline Holmes said. “All we can do is put our heads down, work our hardest and trust that in the end our efforts will pay off.”
Megan Talley, a vendor for Hawthorne Farm stand at Union Square, also believes that when food grows naturally, you get the strength and benefits of the food you eat.
“Growing organic materials are more natural and they don’t cost as much to grow as opposed to chemically enhanced fertilizers,” Talley said.
Mr. Holmes has met people who have been physically ill and they can only consume organic products and it has actually improved their health status.
But on the flip side, he said, “Some people can go and smoke a pack of cigarettes a day and eat chemically altered food and they’ll live long and happy lives too, It all depends on a persons priorities.”
“Buying organic food is really not that expensive as everyone thinks it to be,” Glen Aldridge, a volunteer worker at Restoration Farm said. “If you calculate the food budget you spend in comparison to other bills such as rent, and electricity, it’s very minuscule.” He also believes that the food actually tastes better: “When you cook the food and eat it you can taste the difference and it’s a health benefit without being grown with pesticides and herbicides.”
Brooklyn Standards Deli in Brooklyn, New York is setting out a mission that the standards of food should not be overpriced. “We want to solidify the idea that organic and locally grown produce can be affordable,” Shamus Jones said, who is the head chef at Brooklyn Standards Deli. “We supply a price break and accessibility. We have a bakery, pastry, sandwich which we serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, produce and procured meats.”Anyone can grow anything on their window sill and it can be organic, buying organic food means you do without something somewhere else and I think everyone can deal with that.” Talley said. She is a strong believer that every piece of food should be organic, “Choosing something with chemicals than opposed to no chemicals, I will never choose that.”
“I want to have a quality of standard of food I don’t want to eat toxics and poisons that I am already exposed to living in New York,” Jones said. “I believe in sustainability in agriculture.” Whether organic products are still viable during our economic status Jones said, “I think we’re proving that by lowering our mark up and by having the mission intent of the operation of business that this should be accessible to everyone.”
Asked if she believes buying organic food during our economic crisis is viable, Talley said, “I live in Brooklyn, I make minimum wage and still buy all organic, if I can do it, anyone can.”