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June 15, 2012
Working the land, together
All the Dirt is an engrossing and lavish look at organic farming.
CAROL ANN SOKOLOFF
Contemporary society has a curious tendency to devote tremendous energy to transitory concerns that seem to matter little in the large scheme of things – fashion or sports, for example. Yet, when it comes to absolutely vital aspects of our life – our food, our water, our health – we often appear hardly to care. Many of us give comparatively little thought to where our food comes from or how it is grown. We simply go to the grocery, where our decisions are often based on cost. The head of lettuce at 99 cents is chosen over the one at twice the price (although we are, paradoxically, quite happy to pay more for “prepared food” – the cheese that has been pre-shredded, the carrots that have been pre-peeled).
This human foible might be seen as laughable, were it not for consequences both for our health and that of the planet. Today, more and more people realize that current methods of growing and harvesting food are not only depleting and poisoning the earth, but also those who consume the food. Many of us look to organic farms and farmers to provide produce that has been raised without the chemical fertilizers needed to force growth from nutrient-deprived soils or poisonous pesticides that hurt beneficial species, contaminating the land and water and, ultimately, us.
All the Dirt: Reflections on Organic Farming (Touchwood Editions, 2012) is a beautiful volume that tells the story of three young women who started organic farms on the Saanich peninsula, outside Victoria, B.C. Part memoir, part farmer’s almanac, part how-to manual, the book shares an inspiring approach to making a difference in the world through the growing of organic produce.
The three women are Jewish community member and former Vancouverite Rachel Fisher of Three Oaks Farm, Heather Stretch of Northbrook Farm and Robin Tunnicliffe of Feisty Field Organic Farm. Each established her own farm from scratch and, together, they are owners of Saanich Organics, a company that delivers produce boxes in the Victoria region and supplies local restaurants with fresh organics. In this absorbing book, lavishly illustrated with color photos of vibrant vegetables and happy children, each of the authors tells the story of how she apprenticed and eventually established her own farm, her choices and methods, hardships and joys. Two of the authors have raised children while farming and all have confronted and shattered the stereotype of farmers as men.
Of this culture’s tendency to ignore the benefits of making conscious, careful and healthy decisions about our food, the women write: “... new houses are being built with bigger and bigger kitchens, loaded with ... gadgets ... and, yet, it seems that relatively few people cook meals from scratch.... The food industry has done an amazing job of convincing us that cooking is an inconvenience.”
Their intention, they write, is not to “grow huge quantities of a few crops to sell to processors. We want to sell delicious, healthy, simple food that will make it onto the plate by the most direct path possible. We feel it is part of our role to help reconnect people with vegetables.”
Later in the book, they explore how organic farming is less ecologically disruptive: “As organic farmers, we are committed to approaching the growing of food with an ecological mindset. There is no doubt that we are disrupting the land with our cultivation machines and rows of crops, and our weeding out of unwanted species. However, we grow or encourage the flowering plants that attract beneficial birds and insects, which in turn prey on pests.... We constantly add organic matter to the soil, to help balance the nutrients and encourage microbial activity. We aim to replace, through natural means, the nutrients that are taken up by our crops. Ideally, our actions should leave the soil and water table in better health than when we started.”
While All the Dirt is intended to help people who might undertake organic farming, and is filled with excellent information about greenhouses, soil, tools, irrigation, harvesting, labor and land and crop choices, it also has wider appeal. The stories are well told, informative and entertaining, with the human element always at the forefront. Each of the authors has had a different journey and approach and they offer inspiring examples of what is to be gained from trying to live with strength and determination.
The authors share that, while they began as idealists, they soon learned that running a farm is running a business, and they share solid advice that can be applied to any person starting a new venture. They write, “Through our years of farming, much has changed. Our farms now reliably provide us with an income. Each of our farms has seasonal staff and ... apprentices, so our farming community continues to grow. Several times each season we are reminded of the many friendships and allegiances we’ve built ... how much impact our little business has had. Not only are we better at what we do, but just as importantly, our soil improves year after year, so our farms are significantly more productive.”
Fisher, Stretch and Tunnicliffe also stress the role of community, friends helping friends, in the joy and success they have experienced. While they take pains to explain that they do not wish to glamorize the challenges and hard work involved, the book’s beautiful photos present a rather idealized picture of nature at her finest. Many will want the book strictly for the photos, which are likely to make the most recalcitrant gardener pick up a shovel and plant some veggies (or at least savor the thought).
While the corporations that control the majority of food production entice us with logos of sunny acres and happy family farms, the sad truth is that only on small-scale farms such as the ones described in All the Dirt is that idealized prospect anywhere near reality. All of us need to eat, so whether we wish to grow our own food or simply learn about which food choices are good for us and for the planet, this is a worthwhile read. All the Dirt harvests the knowledge and firsthand experiences of three talented, hard-working women who made sustainable organic farming a way of life – and even found time to write about it! No small achievement.
Carol Ann Sokoloff is an author, songwriter and performer living in Victoria, B.C., where she serves as director of the Jewish Community Choir. Her latest CD is called Let Go! and features original songs in the style of the jazz standards.
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