At UGArden, we believe that food should be grown with careful attention to the future of the global environment. That’s why we adhere to organic farming practices as outlined by the USDA.
The concept of organic farming is credited to Sir Albert Howard, an agricultural researcher who studied farm practices in India in the early 20th century. Howard presented a concept that has since been central to the organic farming movement: the Law of Return. The Law of Return says that everything removed from the soil should be replenished.
Soil health is at the heart of organic farming. Protecting our soil means preventing chemical pollution and runoff, increasing biodiversity and improving soil fertility – all of which promote thriving plants that make for tasty, nutritious produce.
Many organic farming techniques are rooted in indigenous agricultural practices.
Key organic practices: (Learn more!)
- Crop rotation is the practice of rotating which crops are grown on which plots in order to promote soil and biodiversity.
- Cover cropping means planting not-for-production crops between growing seasons in order to fix nitrogen and increase organic matter in the soil.
- Approved fertilizers and pesticides for organic production are derived from natural sources and are safer for both the environment and for humans.
- Compost is recycled organic matter that can be used as a soil-friendly fertilizer and a technique to handle food and plant waste.
Certification Status: UGArden is not a certified organic producer. Due to time constraints and budgetary considerations, pursuing the certification process has not yet been a priority for our organization. Nonetheless, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of organic production.
