Knowing is Growing
Our Farm blog
Knowing is Growing Blog (Blog No. 3) Sept 2023
Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer 2023 Conference
Farmers are great collaborators. Besides the generations of amazing knowledge, they access many agencies and alliances (when there is time) for continual improvement. Organic farmers are especially dedicated to the process of supplying safe and healthy food, while prioritizing environmental stewardship.
The NOFA Summer Conference had some prevailing themes. Our blogger, Dan Ingram, attended this year. In this blog, he shares a summary of the weeklong learning events and the in-person intensive workshops.
In the midst of the summer floods of late July and continued rains afterward, a strong sense of resilience and knowledge sharing was quite recognizable amongst the farmers and their partner organizations at the conference. There were so many great learning opportunities. However, soil health appeared to be a front-runner on the list.
In regards to the recent intense wet weather, farmers who make great efforts to naturally maintain healthy and productive soil have better chances against weather extremes for both heavy rains and drought periods, too. Soil science is very complex; just like human science there is still much to uncover.
Did you know human and soil microbiomes have many similarities? It is true. Many trusted sources cite the link between the two and express the importance of consuming nutrient-rich foods, especially vegetables and fruits, along with fiber. Hirt H. (2020). Healthy soils for healthy plants for healthy humans: How beneficial microbes in the soil, food and gut are interconnected and how agriculture can contribute to human health.EMBO reports,21(8), e51069. https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.202051069
Typically, eco-friendly farming methods, including organic (Yay, Oxen Hill Farm!), focuses intently on soil health and the connection to human health. USDA defines soil health “as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.” Soil is amazing;it regulates water flow, acts as a filter, detoxifies materials (good, bad, and otherwise), and cycles nutrients for storage and transformation.
Organic farming is a champion for healthy soil. This diligent farming method maintains soil with more organic matter, facilitates essential pores (like our skin), locks down carbon, promotes biodiversity, and a whole lot more…if you dig deep enough!
Thanks for reading!
Knowing is Growing Blog (Blog No. 2) July 2023
5 Reasons Why Transparency is Important
How can we make consistently healthy choices within our enormous food system? If you ask Dan Ingram, who is a contributor to the Knowing is Growing Blog, works as a USDA Community Nutrition Educator, and is a recent student of Food and Sustainability at Cornell, the answer is likely transparency.
What is transparency, and how do you recognize something transparent? Hmm…
In the world of food and nutrition, transparency means the responsible parties that get food from point A to the dinner plate have all revealed their methods, operational practices, and the care taken to have quality food.
1) Transparency is a window of understanding, rather than a lot of hype or sellers’ talk, which is unfortunately so pervasive with food marketing.
Consider all the food groups and extended food categories- fruits, vegetables, dairy, seafood, meat, grains, beverages, plant-based options, meat alternatives, supplements, and specialized dietary needs. They all compete for your attention and against other food groups within their category.
2) Transparency navigates you to the best path of healthy eating.
Our first blog discussed the vital importance of quality food and nutrition and how it positively affects a healthy and thriving community. We cited a heartwarming example of knowledge shared through generations of farming.
3) Transparency is clear when knowledge is transferred for the benefit of improved productivity, better health, a joyful life, and a sustainable community. That commitment over 11 generations resulted in a well-deserved farming family Hall of Fame induction. Now that is incredible transparency!
Oxen Hill Farm is proud to be USDA-Certified Organic. The farm must conform to very substantial guidelines for its growing practices. Oxen Hill Farm has been a certified organic grower since 2012 . Each year the paperwork application must be completed, and an on-site inspection must be done by the certifying agency.
A brief summary of the term organic starts with the commitment to CSA members and others to provide produce free of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and genetically-modified organisms, which has been grown in a manner that is sustainable and respectful of the natural environment. There is much more to understanding the concept of Organic growing, which will be looked at in future blog articles.
4)Transparency is a fundamental requirement of an Organic grower. Its roots are fully attached to both human and environmental health.
A farmer must produce three years of Organic-compliant land history records before Organic certification can be considered. Once certified, farmers must keep extensive records of all seed sources, crop rotation plans, pest management, nutrient stewardship, and soil testing. A written audit, on-site inspection, and random plant tissue sampling are performed annually to validate compliance.
Oxen Hill Farm is proud to be in the fifteenth season of organic vegetable management practices. This is a commitment made to last into the future for the benefit of everyone’s future.
5) The transparency of USDA Certified Organic Farming looks far into the future, a future that is healthy and sustainable.
Thanks for reading! Knowing is Growing will be back soon!
Welcome to our first Oxen Hill Farm Knowing is Growing blog! June 2023
The team recently discussed some of the most impactful factors affecting our Certified Organic CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) and the entire Oxen Hill Farm business. The one prevailing theme was always community. We genuinely cherish our part in the community and are grateful for the many who include us in their lives.
Sure, the technical aspects of organic farming include many risks, an array of inputs, equipment, storage, and upkeep. Nevertheless, it is the people who make Oxen Hill Farm a thriving member of a community that runs far and wide.
We strive to make our thriving community a welcoming space where people can experience good health, joy, and fulfillment. Whether chatting at a CSA location or donating food to charities and food pantries, engaging in our community means so much to us.
Knowing is Growing, our blog name, fits well with our community theme. Sharing knowledge for the common good is how a community grows and succeeds. A recent example of our deep community roots occurred last month at the 2023 Suffield Foundation for Excellent Schools Hall of Fame Ceremony. Our very own Harrison Griffin is the 9th generation of his family farm. Harrison was honored for his 37 years as an educator last Friday. We are grateful and inspired by Harrison and Carol’s examples of being lifetime learners and contributors to our community.
You might think that is as wonderful as it gets; however, there was a bonus to this year’s honorees. Many of the people receiving Hall of Fame Membership have a connection to the farm in some way! This surprising connection brings home how much the community supports Oxen Hill Farm. In return, we are very proud to support our community, too. It feels more like a family, but a huge one and still growing!