|
Little River, TX | Joel,
I sell alfalfa hay to the dairy goat boutique people.
I have noted that several have converted to organic. (Possibly an occupational hazard with the small scale dairy goat people.)
The next logical step would be to consider converting my alfalfa enterprise to "Organic".
After all I can remember the days before herbicides and the wonders of modern chemistry.
It really should be no problem to sell organically grown alfalfa with a very small premium for the Organic participation.
Not so! The requirements for certified organic have little to do with agronomy and everything to do with maintaining a CLOSED SHOP ( ! ).
I may have hyperventilated and developed tunnel vision but the following is how I perceived ORGANIC.
Then I took a closer look at the Organic True Believers, here. Something I noticed is a number of the true believers are really scam artist.
Petty misdemeanor scam artist, but scam artist all the same.
Though coercion at $1,500 or more may considered larceny.
Something I have learned is that it is the responsibility of the organic grower to maintain the mandatory buffer strip.
I have looked at certified organic seed for alfalfa, and that is a counter productive exercise. Certified seed choices just do not have the bred in pest resistance that are the available otherwise.
Most if not all murate of potash does not qualify, for organic. Mined salt of potassium chloride?
It is not Kosher to use Super Phosphate only rock phosphate qualifies. Then in a calcareous soil you have to band rock phosphate with elemental sulfur. In addition the Elemental Sulfur absolutely must be mined sulfur and certified as organic.
The best advise I received was to go for All Natural.
I will go Mostly Natural.
I will continue to apply fertilizers prior to planting a new stand. That is deep banding of 11-37-0 and broadcast 500 lbs MOP & 500 to 1,000 lbs K-Mag, plus the same boron used in the cotton patch, as well as copper sulfate and molybdenum.
In June, I will top dress enough locally available MOP & K-Mag to encourage luxurious potassium consumption going into our annual summer drought.
The True Believer can purchase their alfalfa, at a premium,from the "certified organic grower" in that same hidden valley in Nevada that is also completely blister beetle free.
| |
|
? organic guys prices? where headed?
