Organic Willow Acres

MOUNT JOY, PA When analyzing the earth its soil, its atmosphere and the vital systems - theres a great, big picture to be considered and then there are many smaller impressions tiny glimpses which can be equally as powerful. Did you ever think of the air you breathe? asked John, whose own breath could be seen condensing in the cold air. He has been farming at Organic Willow Acres for over twenty years and is still yearning for answers that are at once basic and incomprehensible. The pollutants get breathed in. Then, what do your lungs do with them? How does the body process it? These questions resonate deep within John and visibly excite him even though the answers might never surface. To get a grasp of where this investigative energy is coming from you should know there was a time when John couldnt muster much strength to move. When John was barely thirty-years-old he began getting abnormally tired. It persisted and eventually he was diagnosed with a form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) linked to the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). Due to the ailment he couldnt work or sleep much so he spent the extra time reading. John uncovered articles and books about human health, the environment and agriculture. There was a poignant study he read which discovered a dangerous association between pesticides and a population of children who were exposed to it. A National Geographic article reported the devastating effects of acid rain in Austria. John also discovered the organic horticulturalist Eliot Coleman and his work

establishing effective growing practices in the harsh climate of Maine. All these resources produced a wellspring of inspiration. With the help of herbal remedies, John was able to regain his daily stamina and could implement his recently gained knowledge. Organic Willow Acres is located in Mount Joy surrounded by many winding tributaries of the Susquehanna River. The river and its tributaries carve up the land creating hills and valleys that fashion a beautiful backdrop for the farm. Before John and his wife, Naomi, moved onto the land in 1988 he was in Strasburg where he grew up. In 1992 he started grazing about 40 cows and by 1998 the farm was certified organic. Today John has about 72 acres in total land with 14 of those devoted to produce. This year Organic Willow Acres has grown rhubarb, collards, spinach, kale, bell peppers, sweet corn, broccoli, mustard greens, leeks and winter squash. Besides the produce Organic Willow Acres raises cows for milk and pigs for meat. Despite the organic approach to soil management, the land has not been especially receptive to Johns hard work. The ground is tough, hard - not loose like the soil John was accustomed to in Strasburg. For a long time, it seemed, John couldnt make any headway on revitalizing the earth at one point he allowed cows to graze to boost the bio-activity but to no reward. Its no lazy-mans game, John quipped, referring to organic farming. To make matters worse, the property did not have a sterling history before John moved here. A previous owner was a conventional farmer who sprayed the fields with anhydrous ammonia which is a nitrogen-rich fertil-

izer that, over the long-term, increases soil acidity. Lately, John has been scheming up home-made technologies to extend the growing season. They have yet to be constructed but the idea of burying pipes a few feet under a greenhouse has been generating some creative enthusiasm. The pipes would be flushed with hot water and transfer the heat into the ground, making a warm bed for the plants to grow. He is also studying the methods Eliot Coleman has devised seeking ways to out-perform him a good- natured, phantom competition. John has also been considering the dual sectors of farm conservation: environmental and economic sustainability. He wants to preserve the health of the land for future farmers, but in order to do so the farm itself must remain financially solvent. On the farm there is a row of willow trees. Willows have enormous root structures that stretch out making them useful for controlling soil erosion. In turn, the willow tree makes use of the soil to gain nutrients and minerals. The hope is that, like a willow tree and its soil, the two aspects of farm conservation will fortify each other.