SOS claim they are the organics for the future (From Smallholder)

SOS claim they are the organics for the future

7:30pm Monday 13th September 2010 in News

It’s Organic Fortnight when farmers up and down the country are promoting their chemical-free produce. An ever-increasing number of stockfree organic farms are producing food in an even more sustainable way claim Stockfree Organic Services (SOS).

Stockfree Organic Services (SOS) is the commercial growers’ arm of the Vegan-Organic Network (VON), dedicated to providing information to help farmers, growers and market gardeners convert to stockfree organic growing. Fruit, vegetables, pulses and cereals can all be grown using stockfree methods, to provide a diet which is not only healthy for humans, but also beneficial to the environment.

What on earth is stockfree organic & how does it differ from conventional organic?

It’s a system for growing crops without synthetic chemicals, artificial fertilisers or animal inputs. Growers rely on green manures, mulches, undersowing and crop rotation to maintain soil health and fertility. It’s not high-tech, but it involves a deep understanding of the soil and the crucial role of non-human species in achieving the balance necessary to manage pests and diseases.

What are the advantages?

A stockfree organic farm is, to all intents and purposes, self-sufficient in fertility. One of Britain’s foremost organic growers Iain Tolhurst, aka Tolly, is proud of the fact that he doesn’t have to import fertility from someone else’s acres. Carefully planned rotations and extensive use of long-term and short-term green manures are the two planks of his cultivation method. If there were such a thing as the Green Manure Marketing Board - and who knows, maybe one day soon, there will be - Tolly would definitely be their number one advocate. To maintain fertility, he uses over 20 different varieties, with particular emphasis on various clovers and lucerne, but reckons there are potentially thousands which could be brought into use. He employs a high seeding rate (2-3 times the usual) to ensure a dense cover. The total carbon footprint of the 17 acre farm, which supplies 75% of the vegetable needs of 400 local families, is 8 tonnes, the same as that of an average UK household. The holding teems with wildlife and the rich biodiversity contributes to the success of the crops.

What’s the Stockfree Organic symbol?

The symbol is awarded to farmers who comply with the stockfree organic standards, researched and published by VON and inspected by the Soil Association. Tolhurst Organics was the first UK farm to obtain certified Stockfree Organic status .

Where can people learn about Stockfree Organics?

A Stockfree Organic module is now an intrinsic part of Glyndwr University's Foundation Degree in Organic Horticulture providing an opportunity for students to be part of the growing animal-free horticulture initiative. For details contact Richard Lewis richard.lewis@glyndwr.ac.uk 01352 841000 To find out more about growing in different countries, climates and soil types, in protected and open environments on both field and market garden scales, take a look at the website www.stockfreeorganic.net or contact robertmackey@btinternet.com A panel of growers is available to offer help and advice.

“Growing Green – Organic Techniques for a Sustainable Future”, the remarkable handbook of stockfree organics written by Jenny Hall and Iain Tolhurst is now in its second edition and is available through the VON website www.veganorganic.net