Why Organic?

There are many reasons why we chose to farm organically.

We believe organic agriculture produces safer, healthier, tastier food , using methods which impact less on the environment and are more sustainable.

We believe it is safer to produce food with out the use toxic chemicals or artificial fertilizers, as we are not exposed to them in high concentrations as farmers, the environment is not polluted by them and you do not consume a chemical cocktail with your food. Conventional agriculture uses chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides routinely, even when they are not necessary to reduce their risks of loosing a crop. Where as eating 5 portions of fresh fruit and vegetables each day has been proven to be good for our health, these chemicals are not. On our farm the only inputs we use to cure pest or disease problems are living insect predators produced for biological control.

Organic farming benefits the environment in other important ways. The Soil Association Organic Standards we follow promotes a variety of habitat on the farm. We have found we have less pest problems if we have wild areas around the farm, where insects can flourish. Stinging nettles attract enormous numbers of both "pest" and "beneficial" insects, as well providing the food for many butterfly and moth species. Growing around the sides of our greenhouses they provide a natural bank of predators which migrate inside to feed on the insects which can harm our crops.

Conventional agriculture over the last 40 years has drastically reduced wildlife populations and changed the countryside. Since I was a child 30 years ago, I have seen hedges removed and those remaining thinned to a point where they no longer can support a viable ecosystem or provide shelter for birds to nest.

Our belief in organic techniques has allowed us to work against the tide of conventional agriculture, which we have seen change the landscape, drastically reduce wildlife and threaten the viability of small family farms and market gardens.

For more information check out the Soil Associations new web site: whyorganic.org

Tel: 01223 894599 / Mob: 077 87552515 / adrian@wildco.co.uk