Moving toward Agroecology

As my husband and I were making plans to pass this farm on to the next generation, we knew that the chemical-laden corn and soybeans would not inspire young people to return to this farm. 

Of course, we also knew that pesticides harm the environment and human health on a global scale. The destruction of biodiversity and the loss of pollinators, plus the devastation to peasants and rural communities around the world are caused by industrial agriculture and the power of the agro-food industry. The introduction of genetically engineered seeds has resulted in an onslaught of toxic pesticides, and has spread monoculture crops and plantations across the globe while replacing and disrupting the local crops, cultures, and natural ecosystems.

Although we had never planted genetically engineered crops, we no longer wanted to be accomplices to this system.

We learned that implementing the principles of agroecology are the only way to farm responsibly, and that the time has come for us all to take agroecology seriously. Thus, we were eager to demonstrate on our farm the change that needs to become the reality for all farmers.

In the process, we have found that our farm is a much more beautiful place to live for us and, we hope, for the next generation.

We have found that to farm in an ecologically sound way is a long term process. It’s much more than changing a few practices, which are the small steps that agribusiness instructs conventional farmers to do when it becomes evident that their industrial farming methods are polluting the water and eroding the land. 

Our farm is not completely agroecological yet. We are learning how to control weeds and insects without pesticides. We have established native plants to attract pollinators, and have planted trees and other perennials on our farm.

However, the most difficult challenge is integrating livestock onto our farm, other than a few chickens. Returning farm animals to farms instead of the confinement facilities that have become the norm, is vital to changing this industrial system. It is a challenge for us because we don’t have the skills nor the physical structures needed. But also, the global free market keeps livestock feed - including corn and soybeans - at low prices for the corporate owners of livestock so that raising animals in unsustainable and unecological ways is the most profitable. In this model, the true costs of food are not accounted for and the farmer - like me - who wants to raise livestock responsibly finds it difficult to be financially viable.