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Sustainable Agriculture

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming respects nature and produces a healthier, tastier crop.

Organic Farming is an approach to growing food that focuses primarily on growing healthy soil. It has been demonstrated that rich, living soils with high levels of organic matter will grow plants that are naturally healthy and less prone to insect and disease problems. Such a soil also "holds" water and essential plant nutrients extremely effectively.

As in nature, organic farmers find strength in diversity. By rotating a variety of crops, encouraging populations of beneficial insects, and "feeding" their soil, organic growers generally need to apply fewer (or no) pesticides and fungicides to their crops. When such controls are needed, organically certified products are available which are derived from natural sources and less harmful to the surrounding environment (and to ourselves) than their conventional counterparts.

Helping Folks to Grow Sustainably

Appalachian Sustainable Development is committed to education as the best tool to help grow a more sustainable community. On a practical level, we have several staff members who have experience with organic farming and raising produce for market. We offer free advice to farmers, gardeners and anyone in between - if we don't have the answers, we have access to a wide range of resources from which to find them. You do not need to be a member of our growers network to seek our assistance.

Additionally, our Sustainable Agriculture Program hosts a wide variety of public workshops and presentations related to organic farming and sustainable living. These range from on-farm workshops and tours in the summer to presentations on innovative tools and alternative growing strategies in the off-season.