Unit 1 – Experience the uniqueness of organic farming
What is organic farming?
Organic farming is based on agro-ecological principles. This means that an organic farm is organised to mimic nature’s own ecological systems as much as possible. In practice, the animals have more access to both grazing and free movement than on a conventional farm. The use of medicines such as antibiotics is also greatly reduced. The crops grown on the farm are more diversified, both in the number of plant species grown together in the fieldand also in the rotation of different crops year after year. The enhancement of soil fertility is a main concern of the organic farmer who aims at providing a richer soil for growing.
Organic farmers strive to base their production on the resources available on their own farm. This means imitating nature’s circulatory system: The domestic animals on the farm eat the grass and their manure enriches the soil. In turn, the soil (and sun) produces grass forage for the animals, as well as grains, vegetables and fruits for people. Organic agriculture eliminates the side effects of industrial pesticides, fungicides, growth hormones, genetically modified organisms and synthetic fertilisers. Organic farms operate on ecological principles that serve to enrich the environment. Research has shown that on organic farms, biological diversity increases in the soil, in plant communities and amongst insects and birds. The farmer on an organic farm is a conductor of a huge orchestra of living organisms. When the farmer finds the right balance between animals and plant crops for his/her farm, symbiotic harmony and interplay is enhanced.
In order to sell products certified as organic, the farmer must abide by strict rules and provide documentation that he/she has fulfilled the requirements for organic production. Certification agencies are found in all European countries. You can find an organic farm near your school or early years' setting by contacting the Soil Association here in the United Kingdom. They might also know if the farms near you are willing to provide opportunities for students to learn on their farms.
Why do students need farm experience on organic farms?
Imagine for a moment how a young person perceives food in our modern society. Food is abundant, ubiquitous; it fills the refrigerator, the cupboards, the shelves at home and in the shops. It is everywhere, if you have money to pay for it, but where does it come from? How does it get to the shops and then onto our tables?
Food is so essential, indisputably necessary for our daily lives, yet someone may know very little about its origins. Hands-on visits to organic farms allow children to see first-hand in where food comes from, how it is grown and how the animals live.
What is unique about organic farms as places of learning?
The agro-ecological principals of organic farms create a space where ecology can be taught and learned through direct observation and experience. For example, the carbon cycle, where carbon dioxide is taken up by the plants through photosynthesis, transported through the plant as carbohydrates and exuded into the soil as nourishment for bacteria and fungus, is especially important on organic farms for building soil health. In contrast to some conventional farms that may buy artificial fertilisers for their soil, organic farms will always use 'green' fertilisers to develop beneficial humus in the soil, as well as crop rotation techniques to rest and replenish soils. While artificial fertilizer uses enormous amounts of energy and releases corresponding amounts of CO2, organic farms bind carbon in the soil through biological processes, thus contributing significantly to the climate challenge. The connection between carbon, soil and climate becomes transparent and comprehensible. A biology teacher’s dream!
It is not only the sciences, such as ecology, biology, chemistry, math and physics that can be actualized in the context of an organic farm. Tracing the produce from the farm to the consumer illustrates principles of economics and societal organization. Alternative marketing through farm shops, community supported projects, cooperatives and subscription on organic farms provides another learning arena. After a day of working on the farm, food prices and the value of food become topics of interest. Food waste is another actual theme by looking at what can be sold to the wholesaler and what must be sorted out because of size or shape.
Genetic variation and the contemporary monopolization of seed production is another important topic on organic farms. GMO crops are not used on organic farms. Use of GMO technology in conventional farming has not only increased the amount of weed killers such as Round-up (glyphosate), but also given multinational companies copyrights to seeds. Farmer’s rights can be an important topic for further work at school.
Organic farms are more diversified than conventional farms. For school learners this means a wider specter of productions and tasks. Something that suits each talent and interest can be found on a diversified farm. Mechanical tasks like lubricating a tractor according to the drawings in the manual, helping to feed the animals, preparing vegetables and fruits for markets, repairing fences, chopping wood, helping to cook a meal over the bonfire, are just a few of the opportunities for learners to find something they are good at.
How is learning promoted through experience on organic farms?
Perhaps more important than what can be learned at the farm, is how learning can be facilitated at the farm. If we as adults reflect on an important learning experience, we often see a situation where we were eager to do something we had observed, probably with a certain person we looked up to. A spark of interest, a connection was ignited, we were initiated into how something could be done and we got a chance to try it ourselves. Often, this type of learning can become a passion. As children, we found sources and learned all we could because we wanted to know more. This is quite different than the traditional school learning. Of course, the farmer must show and explain, but the opportunity for hands-on learning should be emphasized. Motivated by the tasks in which they can participate, the learning process gets a pang start.
Tasks such as feeding the animals, taking in a harvest from the field or garden, cooking food from the products on the farm are often immediately meaningful. When students experience that they can contribute to a necessary task, this strengthens the learner’s feeling of mastery and capability. From our experience, if the tasks are meaningful and the learner can contribute, then the urge to learn and exceed also benefits the more theoretical work in the classroom.
Teachers are often amazed at how the students write and tell about their experiences after the farm visits. Where many pupils have difficulties finding something to write about in language assignments, the concrete events at the farm inspire them and give them a wealth of things they want to convey to others.