Organic Traits

Organic food production has certain characteristics:

1. Are grown or raised by a producer who uses practices in balance with the natural environment

2. Are produced on land that has been free of known and perceived toxic and persistent chemical pesticides

3. Are planted on a rotating basis within the farm system

4. Organic meat, poultry and egg products come from farms that use organic feed

Cool season growing Tips

Many of the cool-season crops like kale, carrots, peas, lettuce, beets, radish and spinach can be directly seeded into the garden.  All seed should be sown thickly to improve the chance for even distribution and germination in your garden bed.   Pinching out and thinning seed rows once they’ve germinated will lessen root competition, and improve crops yields.   Some vegetables such as peas, parsnips, carrots, beets, turnips, spinach and radish need only 1-3 inch spacing between plants, while larger crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, rutabagas and kohlrabi, require from 10-24 inches between plants for best growth.   Though many cool-season crops can be sown directly into the garden, crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage must be grown in containers first, and then planted into your garden as transplants. 

Effective September 1, 2012, The Organic Center is teaming with the Organic Trade Association  and relocating its headquarters from Boulder, Colorado, to Washington, D.C. The Organic Center will remain an independent non-profit organization.   Their mission is to be committed to conducting and communicating the science behind organic agriculture, making it more relevant to the everyday lives of consumers. It will continue delivering meaningful and evidence-based science on the benefits of organic.  Organic farming is depending on organizations like this to promote a healthy sustainable future people support is a must for this movement to take off.

Big City Farms producing quaility organic products

Midwest

1. City Farm, Chicago

City Farm operates a farm and farm stand directly between Chicago’s low-income Cabrini Green neighborhood and its upper-end Gold Coast.

2. Green Youth Farm, Chicago

Green Youth employs high school students on its organic farms and sells produce at several markets, including at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

3. Earthworks Urban Farms, Detroit

Earthworks provides for the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and also hosts several vegetable markets.

4. Kansas City Community Farm, Kansas City, Kansas

This 2-acre, certified organic farm offers educational programs for urban farmers and much more.

East Coast

5. Greensgrow Farms, Philadelphia

Greensgrow operates a 65-farm community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, plus community and educational programs

6. Brooklyn Rescue Mission Bed-Stuy Farm, Brooklyn

7. reVision Urban Farm, Boston

reVision works in conjunction with reVision House, providing shelter and jobs for pregnant or parenting homeless women.

South

8. Jones Valley Urban Farm, Birmingham, Alabama

This 3-acre farm on a formerly vacant downtown property grows produce and healthy communities through urban farming and youth education.

West

9. Homeless Garden Project, Santa Cruz, California

Providing homeless men and women job training and transitional services, the Homeless Garden Project cultivates organic produce, flowers and education through its training programs. Find organic produce and handmade products through its CSA and online store.

10. Rio Grande Community Farm, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rio Grande Community Farm manages a portion of Los Poblanos Fields Open Space to demonstrate sustainable urban agriculture. A highlight is the annual Corn Maze Festival Market.