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For the first five years of existence, Montalbano
Farms has been a certified organic farm. We leased
land from the Growing Home organization in
Marseilles, Illinois and learned how to grow
organically, literally and figuratively, from the
ground up.
As we transition to our new farm, organic rules
require us to grow organically for three years before
we can become a certified organic farm. During this
time, Montalbano Farms is working with the
independent Midwest Organic Services Association
(MOSA). Our farm contracts with MOSA to lend
guidance on the organic regulations set by the US
Congress, to provide oversight and review of all
farm records and activities, and to perform an annual
on-site inspection of the farm's facilities. We choose
to be certified organic because it provides a credible
and verifiable record of trust between our farm and
its customers. We expect to be a certified organic
farm in 2013.
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But organic farming is more than just a certificate from the United States Department
of Agriculture.
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Organic farming is less about what we cannot put on our fields and more about how
we manage the land we have. Of course, petroleum-based fertilizers, neurotoxins,
ripening gases and hormone disrupters are not allowed (nor do we want them!). And
the organic standards also expressly prohibit genetically modified seeds and plants.
Most importantly, however, organic farmers have a responsibility to build soil health,
to utilize air and water resources in a sustainable manner, to provide financial stability
to all farm workers, and to teach others about environmental stewardship.
At the end of the day, we grow organically because we want to leave the world a
better place than when we got here. It's a lot more work than conventional farming
but we believe that our produce speaks for itself. We think you'll love it.
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