An interesting article about New Zealand couple’s experience in making the switch to organic farming.
But it was no fun being among the first farmers to go organic 20 years ago. Apart from the difficulties of learning to farm without chemicals, they also had to put up with unfriendly banks, being shunned by farm consultants, and snide remarks from other farmers.
In 1990 they gained Bio-Gro certification and went to their bank to refinance the farm loan. But they were turned down flat. The bank manager told the couple: “Don’t you know you can’t farm without chemicals? If you keep this up you’ll be broke in two years, so why should we finance you?”
Determined and committed, the couple proved all of their detractors to quite wrong, and are now helping other farmers make the switch as well.
“We measure our success as guardians of the land not by material things, such as the car we drive or the number of farms we own, but by how we have enhanced what we leave behind for the next generation.”
And that just about says it all.
POLLENATRIX 