A Taste of Paradise Farm uses organic farming principles and is mostly a certified organic farm. We get audited annually to keep our certification, so we follow organic rules and keep records of our practices and what we use on the farm. We don’t use heavy chemicals, we feed our chickens and dogs organic food, grow herbs and vegetables in organic soil and we harvest our own organic feed where possible.
Over the years, people have asked us, “Why go with organics?” The simple reason is that it is better for the environment, the animals and for us too.
As part of our mentoring to the young at-risk and disadvantaged young people who attend our programs, we teach sustainability, environmentally friendly practices and healthy living. Going organic gives us a platform to talk to the young people about what we do and why. We are able to introduce the concept of healthy eating and keeping as chemically-free as possible. For some of the youngsters, who have been exposed to tobacco, drugs, alcohol and unhealthy eating habits, this is a new way of looking at the choices they can make. Being able to taste some fresh produce straight from the garden or take some fresh organic eggs home to eat can be a new experience. Vegetables that are not exposed to chemicals mean eating less pesticides. It also means there is less chemical run-off into our waterways.
Making our own organic soil, adding mulch to the gardens to improve the soil’s organic matter and to stop plants drying out as quickly, are all management practices the kids can see and assist with on the farm. So, while it takes more labour to run a farm organically, we are giving it a go to show the young people the benefits. We also take the time to demonstrate environmentally friendly practices such as recycling and reusing anything we can and sustainable practices, such as saving seeds for regrowing. Our environment, our animals and future generations will thank us for it.