Ron Lyseng OrganicBiz staff When the cows leave the farm, so do jobs, businesses, abattoirs and kids, says Iowa farmer Tom Frantzen. Whole families pack up and eventually the communities themselves leave. Frantzen, a pioneer in organic farming since the 1990s and a leading spokesperson for biodiversity in agriculture, said when an area loses its […]
By Lorraine Stevenson OrganicBiz staff It was a bad bout of fusarium in 2000 that laid the foundation for a Manitoba organic sector success story. Back then the DeRuyck family was farming conventionally and they’d made their usual inputs in the spring — seed, fertilizer, spray — only to be left with a disappointing harvest […]
By Jennifer Blair OrganicBiz staff It takes guts to be a farmer these days. “Farming is an extremely complex business to run, and it takes remarkable courage,” said author Rebecca Thistlethwaite, who farms in Oregon. “It demands an incredible well of passion, a willingness to learn, and ‘stick-to-it-tiveness’ to make it work.” But more and […]
By Alan Wiebe OrganicBiz contributor Larry and Murielle Bugera, along with their son, Ivan, believe in farming for the next generation. The Bugera’s are third and fourth generation farmers who operate the organic acres of Ferme Larielle Farm. The farm is located east of the Village of St-Pierre-Jolys along the historic Joubert Creek. The Bugera’s […]
Profitability makes the effort to produce organic potatoes worthwhile.
By Lorraine Stevenson OrganicBiz staff Owners of a Pipestone-area farm that has more than tripled its cropped acres in less than a decade say its all due to switching from conventional to organic. Bryce Lobreau, who farms with his parents Danny and Robin, said they decided to transition their farm in 2009 to add more […]
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