Carrie Tollefson- Minnesota's Locally Grown Spokesperson

←To Page One

Successful Small Scale Farming-An Organic Approach, at B&N

Organic Black Beauty Eggplant at Garden's Alive!

Profitable Organic Farming,at B&N

Earthbox® Gardening System from Plow & Hearth  

30 HP NorTrac Tractor with Front End Loader at Northern Tool & Euipment-

Free Shipping!

Organic Mung Bean Sprouts- Gardens Alive Featured Product  

Organic Long Island Brussels Sprouts from Gardens Alive!

The Green Beauty Guide

Food to Live By, at B&N

Recipes from America's Small Farms, at B&N  

Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability, at B&N

Free DOWNLOAD!

Minnesota's Locally Grown On-Line Directory

IV. FOR THE FARMER-

In an effort to put some "seeds" in your head, and in order to "germinate" some thoughts which might grow, here are the "crops" we've planted in this field.

Our Topic Headings are: IV.-For the Farmer , A.-Most Common Organic Products, B.- Organic Certification, C.-Setting Up a Herb Farm. D.- Other Sources of Income for the Small Farmer, E.-Farm Business Plans, F.-Financing Your Farm, G.-Non-Traditional Markets for Organic Products, V.- State, National, & Global Markets, (including- The New Organic Consumer ), VI.- Summary & Conclusions, VII.- Private & Public Food Outlets, VIII.- Herbal-Organic Seeds, Fertilizers, Tools & Equipment, IX.- Alternative Farming Schools, X.- Other Key Web-Sites, XI.- Top Organic Shopping Sites, XII.- Top Gardening Web-Sites, XIII.- Green, Alternative & Sustainability Sites, XIV.- Top Green Jobs for 2009, and XV.- Top Green Products for 2010.

A. Most Common Organic Foods & Products-

The most common organic foods and products are primarily foods & nutritional supplements which includes- vitamins, soft drinks, wine, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, • Flowers, • Clothing & Footwear which includes- casual shirts & trousers, fiber- based or vegan shoes, other footwear, hemp and other textiles, • Cleaning supplies, • Perfumes, • Cosmetics & beauty products, • Pet food, • Organically derived oils, and • Toys.

B. Obtaining Organic Certification-

• Definition of Organic Certification: “is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products.  In general, any business directly involved in food production can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, food processors, retailers, and restaurants.  Requirements vary from country to country, and generally involve a set of production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that include:

• General Requirements: a) Avoid synthetic chemical inputs (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides antibiotics, food additives, etc), b) avoid genetically modified organisms by irradiation, c) avoid the use of sewage sludge (i.e. using farmland that has been free from chemicals for a number of years; often-times three or more years), d) keep detailed written production and sales records (audit trail) e) maintain strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products and, f) undergo periodic on-site inspections.

• In the US, federal organic legislation delineates three different levels of organic products.  Products made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods can be labeled "100% organic.”  Products with at least 95% organic ingredients can use the word "organic.”  Both of these categories may also display the USDA organic seal.  A third category, containing a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, can be labeled "made with organic ingredients.”  In addition, products may also display the logo of the certification body that approved them.  Products made with less than 70% organic ingredients can not advertise this information to consumers and can only mention this fact in the product's ingredient statement.  Similar percentages and labels apply in the EU.”  
   To read the rest of this excellent article, go to: Wikipedia.Org-"Organic-Certification"

Two Related Web-Sites are: OrganicEurope.Net- “The European portal for EU organic programs & policies,” and the Organic Trade Association-"Organic-Export-Directory."

C. Setting Up a Herbal Farm-

C-1.  Excerpted from the book, “The Potential for Herbs As A Cash Crop(1),” by Dr. Richard Miller and published on-line in 1990.  According to Dr. Miller, gardeners and farmers must start planning their garden/farm in December or January so that the proper seeds, fertilizers, and equipment can be ordered.  Also, if you are thinking of raising herbal plants or spices as a cash crop, a formal Farm Plan (2) may need to be developed for the business.  Here are 16 other key tips from his article:

• All new crops should be cultivated in 2-acre feasibility studies for at least two years before expansion.

• Start by using a poly-culture situation.  Grow more than six crops, instead of a mono-culture program.  The beginning herb farm should start with about 12 acres, 6 crops, each on a 2-acre parcel.

• Work in small ventures or sharecropping, because this is an excellent way to invest your nest egg.

• The need for farm equipment is specific, small, and often difficult to finance or acquire.  The principle of communal sharing or “sharecropping” with farm equipment plays an important role here.  Crop selection is often made on the availability of specific tools.

• All new crops must be grown with so-called "organic" techniques & certification.  Your crop selections should be designed for exportation whether it is exported to another state or across the world.  This is where the big money is.

• Often the best way to enter the marketing of a new crop is as a cottage industry, where smaller acreage can have greater net incomes.  Marketing options are also broadened.

• Most perennials are developed in nurseries in the winter for a spring planting.

• Most farmers begin their perennials in beds outdoors in the spring, set for easy hand cultivation during the summer.  There will be a lot of handwork at first.  The key is to learn how to cut time, using tools, and techniques. 

• Seed for annuals should be ordered in early spring.  It is often worth paying a little more from a smaller ”specialty” seed source, knowing that the seed man’s reputation is on the line.  Most beginning farms start with 2 or 3 annuals, and four or five perennials.

• One should not expect to show a profit off first-year productions, even from annuals.  You will find more success if the annuals are put up as a cottage industry the first year, helping add to net profits.  2-acre productions are usually too small for bulk marketing interests.  2-acres of dill, however, put up in 1-pound sacks is quite profitable during canning season. 

• There are numerous sources for greenhouse and garden supplies- such as Gardener's Supply Company, of Burlington Vermont.  E.G. Geiger offers similar tools for the beginning farmer; only their prices are oriented toward larger needs.  Call them to get their comprehensive directory of farming tools at: 1-800-4GEIGER.  Or try FarmNetServices.Com, for an on-line equipment directory.  (See "Supplies," below for more sources for seeds, garden supplies, tools, & equipment.)

• Remember that the first year is suppose to be a "learning year," not one to show big profits and solve your financial problems.  It takes time to learn a new crop.

• When taking your product to market, it is important to consider the following: a.)  It is recommended that you do not bother a buyer until you have something to show him from you first year's production.  There is no substitute for proof of production.  If the buyer likes what he sees, he will usually want to buy it on the spot.  b.) Most wholesale buyers purchase their needs on the spot basis, like most other commodities.  The buyer does not need to know that you have only limited production (2 acres), just show him what is available.  The key is to secure a contract each year to meet your cash-flow requirements for the projected expansion program. 

• Whatever else you do, please remember not to attempt rapid growth. That is how agriculture got into this current problem in the first place. 

• There is always lead-time in closing a sale.  Most of the larger buyers must secure more than 200 products; each from at least five to ten sources.  Our approach is to send a one-page description of your featured crop, including terms-of-sale, with a small sample attached.  If they like the price, terms, and the small sample, they will then ask for a larger sample, usually 2 pounds or more.  Some crops may take as long as six month to negotiate a sale.  This is normal, for a number of reasons.  There are situations where even though your product is better and cheaper, the buyer will not commit to a purchase.

• What our book(3) indicates is that often crops are harvested at the very time most buyers are at their lowest cash-flow period.  This means that they are not in a position to buy crops when they first become available.  The small farmer should attempt contracts for future productions.  This gives both the farmer and buyer security.  All first attempts on herb and spice farming should be see as a form of speculation.  With this perspective and approach, there should be no expectations, either on production or marketing.  Your primary purpose is a feasibility study toward more lucrative crops.  The key is to enter marketing slowly.  Most expansion programs show a 2-acre production on a given crop for three years, expanding into 10 or 20 acres within six years.  With 6 to 8 crops in a similar production, market contracts & agreements are established.”  (For more information on Setting up an Herb Farm, please go to: “The Potential for Herbs as a Cash Crop,” at: AlternativeNatureOnlineHerbal.Com-"herbal-farming-considerations.")

D. Other Sources of Income for the Small Farmer-

For small farmers, the USDA Alternative Farming Systems Center has complied a long list of alternative crops and “diversified enterprises,” which you might consider for additional income.  The nine-page report is broken down into thirteen categories as follows: a) Field Crops which includes Feed and Forage, and Fiber, Fuel, Edible and Industrial Oils, b) Food Grains, Pseudo-cereals, Legumes, c) Specialty and Ethnic Vegetables which includes some specialty field crops, d) Fruits and Nuts, which is divided into Horticultural/Nursery and Agro-forestry/Forest Products, e) Livestock & Animals comprised of Game Related Animals and Exotic Livestock, & Minor Breeds of Livestock & Animals, f) Poultry, g) Aqua-culture & Fish-farming, h) Pet and Medicine-Related Products, i) Farm & Home Enterprises, j) Services, such as Custom Slaughtering and Taxidermy, k) Recreational & Educational activities such as doing talks on herbs or gardening at the farmstead, l) Value-added Products & On-farm Processing such as making cheese or dried fruit, and m) Great Lakes Area Resources. (A link to this interesting compendium of alternative sources of income is at: usda.nal.  -"Alt-farming-list.")

E. Organic Farm Business Plans-

Running a Farm, especially an Organic or Herb Farm is both labor and capital intensive.  Depending on the size of the farm, expenditures can run into the millions of dollars.  That is why starting small is a very good idea.  Joining a farmer’s coop, engaging in sharecropping, and participating in Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) is encouraged.  And, with the proper amount of education and experience, we feel that most hard working individuals or families can be successful at growing or raising organic/herbal products.

That said, we offer you 4 resources for Small Farm Business Plans.  Two of the four sources have been leaders in sustainable farming.  Our business plan resources are:

• Sustainable Agriculture & Education, (SARE), which sells an Organic Farm Business Plan(4) for $17.00 on-line or by mail.

• University of Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, which in conjunction with The Sustainable Agricultural Network of Beltsville, Maryland produced a training manual and college course entitled, “Student Organic Farm Planning, Growing and Marketing,” at the U. of Minnesota.  The Handbook is entitled “Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to developing a business plan for Farms and Rural Businesses.”  The link to an overview of this 280 page handbook is: misa.umn.edu.  -"Bizplan", and the link to the U of M course is: misa.umn.edu.  - student-organic-farming-planning-course.

• The University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), has an Agricultural Business Primer.  The link for that is: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/document_fe720.

• University of California College of Agriculture & Natural Resources," has a 5 page Farm Plan Overview (.pdf) with a link to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s 16 page Farm Business Plan.  This is also a downloadable.  PDF file.  The link for that plan is:http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5057291.

F. Financing Your Farm-

1. Getting Financing for Your Small Farm- The USDA Rural Development Branch, the USDA Farm Services Agency, and ATTRA all have extensive listings of loan programs, farm banks, and rural development banks to enable you to secure financing for your small farm(5).  Also, practically every county in the US has a Farm Credit Bureau for first-time farmers or folks who have trouble getting a conventional farm loan.  A private company called USDA Loan.Com, of Columbia, Missouri says they can assist first-time farmers with filling out the loan application material.  The Center for Rural Affairs has information available at their web-site on some of the federal & state government financing available(6).  Resources for financing your farm in Minnesota are available at the U of M Agric. Extension Division-"Financing-the-Farm-Operation,"

2. Getting Financing for Your Green Farm- FirstFarmBank.Com, of Greeley, CO, indicates on their web-site that they are extremely aware of the special needs of farmers.  They offer a Green Saving Account, Green Money Market Account, and several farm business loans.  The federal government’s official web-portal Business.Gov (7), maintains an eclectic list of agricultural loans.  Be sure to check out their link to First-Time Farmers & Ranchers to get the buzz about all their ranch & farm loans available.

3. Getting Financing for Your Organic Farm- The Organic Farming Research Foundation-"Grants," provides grants and loans, for farmers and ranchers who will be implementing new methods for improving or adopting new organic farming systems or improving organic product’s distribution.  Also, most land-grant universities receive federal funding for their college’s agricultural departments.  These Agricultural Sciences Departments work with State Agriculture Offices to help farmers get started and stay in business.  Check with your state agriculture office or state university for financial assistance programs for your organic farm.  The Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Association (SARE) provides grants and loans for sustainability farming throughout the nation.  The Wisconsin SARE coordinator is Diane Mayerfeld, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Ag Systems.  The link to the North Central SARE Region is: SARE- North-Central-Region, and the link to Ms. Mayerfield’s web-page is: SARE.Org.Ncrs- Wisconsin.

4. Getting Financing for Your Herbal Farm- A private company, FarmPlusFinancial.Com, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, says they have experience in all kinds of commercial farming and small part-time farming loans.  An interesting article on starting an herb farm can be found at ArticleBase.Com.  A link to this article is: Articlebase.com-"Getting-Started-Herb-Farming."

5. Related Resources are: the FarmCreditServices.Com, administered by the AgriBank™F.C.B. and the Farmer Mac Agency, both located in Washington D.C.  The Farm Credit Services Office for Michigan is: GreenStone Farm Credit Services, 1760 Abbey Rd., Suite 200, East Lansing, MI 48823.  Their phone number is (517) 318-2290.  Greenstone Farm Credit Service’s web-site is: www.greenstonefcs.com.

G. Non-Traditional Markets for Organic Products—

Two closely related resources, both from the ATTRA discuss this topic.  The first article is called “New Markets for Your Crops, (1999)” which has the following four (4) bullet-points: 1) In addition to the Local Farmers Market and the fresh produce stand by the highway, the small farmer can also market his goods in many other venues or locales, 2) Farmers can work together in coops to sell to Institutions, 3) Marketing locally grown food to local schools, junior high & senior high schools could be a lucrative business, 4) Additional Organic Markets included are: Community Colleges and Universities, Day Care Centers and Head Start Centers, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Retirement Villages, Senior Meal Programs, County Jails, and Prisons. (Source: Attra.Ncat.Org. -Public-Summaries-New-Markets.)

The second article is called “Bringing Locally Grown Food to Local Institutions.”  This longer and more recently published article, (2003) goes into more detail concerning the contractual, logistical, and management planning necessary to work with local, state, and national organizations & agencies.  (Source:Attra.Ncat.Org. - Farm-to-School.)

Both articles have big lists of local, state, & national contacts of people who will assist you in the process of marketing organic foods to private and public institutions.

V. State, National & Global Markets-

A. The Market (domestic & global) for herbal spices, fragrances, soaps, and other herbal products--  “The Herbal Supplements Market is expected to grow about 2.5% in 2005, according to The American Botanical Council.  According to them, there has been a slight shift away from Small Specialty Stores to Mass Market Retailers like Wal-Mart, Costco, and Sam’s Club.  However, for 2006, their marketing data indicates there will be a growing trend for Direct Sales to consumers.  Two reasons for more direct sales are the increased presence of quality herbal supplement web-sites and mail order catalogues which offer more variety and higher potency for herbal supplements(8).” 

B.  The Market for herbal spices, fragrances, and soaps is mixed--  According to “Organic Fine Fragrances not sophisticated enough, says expert”, (9) consumers will have to change their expectations before the market for organic fine fragrances can take off, says industry insider.  While the organic skin care sector has grown at an unprecedented rate in recent years, the number of organic fragrances on the market appears to be lagging behind.  Tastes are too sophisticated.  One reason is the difficulty of producing organic products that meet consumers’ sophisticated tastes, according to Francis Pickthall, of CPL Aromas, a fragrance and flavor supplier.  “The Chanels™ and Christian Diors™ of our time are only really possible with synthetic ingredients,” he told CosmeticsDesign®.  For Ms. Pickthall, tastes may need to change before organic fine fragrances really hit the big time.  In addition, in an industry led by fashion trends and novelty, the ability to innovate new ingredients quickly is likely to be a bonus.” 

And, there is the issue of price – synthetic ingredients are likely to be cheaper than their natural counterparts.  “For some, for example an apple fragrance, synthetic alde-hydes will be cheaper.  “  This is not to say that synthetic materials are in existence only because they are cheaper, they can also offer scents that don't exist in the natural world, ” he said.  However, organic fragrance ingredients are making their mark in personal care and skin care products.  The growth in popularity of organic products is leading companies to search for organic scent solutions – a market that the global players are beginning to tap into.  CPL Aromas™ and Arylessence™ are two of the suppliers who have recently launched organic lines, in the hope of exploiting the growing demand for organic personal care products.” 

If you are interested in buying herbal or organic cosmetics, you may want to visit:

1) Aubrey Organics, for natural hair, skin and body care products, 2) Herbal Luxuries, for Natural Facial Skin Care and Acne Products, 3) Avalon Organics, They create organic bath & body products, which honor your intelligence, your natural beauty, your well-being and the earth, 4) The Dermstore.Com, for Pure and Natural Skin Care Products by Pevonia Botanica, 5) Yves Rocher USA, , makers of natural beauty cosmetics for skin & body care, fragrance, make-up, bath & shower. They are the “Creator of Botanical Beauty,” and 6) Herbal Remedies.Com, an on-line retailer of natural herbal supplements, vitamins, minerals, aroma therapy, essential oils, alternative medicine, or most any other natural health products available in the U.S.

C. The markets (domestic & global) for organic foods, materials, vitamins, and other organic products.  “The United Kingdom is the biggest importer of organic products from the US, followed by Germany.  It is possible that Italy in recent years has become the third largest importer for US organic products, even before the Netherlands.  This is due to Italy’s fast growing and relatively large domestic market, requiring it to import substantial amounts of soy beans and durum wheat from the US.  Following Italy is the Netherlands, followed by Denmark.  France presently has a very small percentage of organic imports from the United States.  The $ 300,000 of total imports from the U.S. to France is primarily dried fruits and is done by most probably by one exporter.  This alone accounted for 80% of the $300,000 total US organic exports to France.  It should be noted, however that large portion of the imports to the Netherlands is re-exported mainly to Germany.  We assume that the total value of organic products imported to Europe is between $120 and $150 million, with an average yearly growth rate of roughly 15%.  Australia, Austria, Portugal, and Spain recently have also been exporting large amounts of organic food.”  (Source: Organic Trade Association- U.S. Organic Exports to Europe.)

 

D. “Who Buys Organic Produce?" 

D-1.  “The New Consumer Profile.”(10)  Here are the 12 major findings from this 2007 AAEA study:

• The phenomenal growth in organic sales in recent years has brought additional farmland into organic agriculture industry.  Ddrrs. Dimitri and Greene estimated that over the last decade, U.S. farmers, and ranchers nearly doubled the acreage of certified organic land.  1) With increasing production and supply of organic produce and meats, organic food, once considered a niche product, has become more available and affordable for consumers in mainstream grocery stores.

• Demand for organic products in the United States increased steadily since the early 1990s.  In 2000, for the first time, conventional supermarkets sold more organic food than any other venue.

• In 2006, it was estimated that the mass-market channel, which includes supermarkets, grocery stores, mass merchandisers, and club stores, now handles 46% of total organic food sales.

• Demand trends are expected to continue as major conventional retailers take up a larger portion of the organic market.  Sales of organic foods are estimated to rise to $23.8 billion by 2010 (NBJ)(11).

• They found that African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics purchased more organic products than Caucasians.

• By 2004, African Americans had replaced Asian Americans to become the ethnic group that spent the most on organic produce.  The proportion of African Americans who purchased organic produce also increased from 34% in 2001 to 37% during this period.

• The West and South appear to be the two fastest growing markets for organic produce in the United States.  The Most heavy organic consumers are found in the Southern and Western United States.  Households residing in the western region spent more on organic produce on a per capita basis than those residing in other regions.

• A recent survey conducted by the Food Marketing Institute™ showed that only 11% of organic shoppers polled bought organics at a natural food supermarket, while 57% bought at mainstream grocery stores and discount stores.  The fact that main-stream grocery & discount stores are replacing the specialty food stores as the major outlets for organic foods helps to explain why Wal-mart and Costco are major players in this market.

• According to Homescan™, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce, apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, and strawberries were the top five vegetables and fruits in terms of their shares of fresh, produce expenditures for home consumption.

• Tomatoes appear to be by far the most favored organic vegetable among American consumers with average per capita spending amounts 3–4 times that of other organic produce.

• A survey by Walnut Acres™ reported that 68% of consumers cited high prices as the main reason they did not buy organic foods.

• Their analysis showed that Asian and African-Americans tend to purchase organic over conventional produce more than Whites and Hispanics.  African-Americans tend to buy organically grown food more for medicinal, homeopathic, and nutritional supplement reasons, while Asian-Americans bought organic as a central part of the daily diet.

• In conclusion, their analysis suggested that demand appears to be growing faster than the supply so that organic price-premiums for most selected fresh produce remains relatively high”(12)

VI. Summary & Conclusions-(13)

The global organic market reached a size of $40 billion in 2007 and is growing by about 12.5% or $5 billion a year.  It has the potential to rise to 600 billion euro.  The US emerged as the largest consumer of organic products in 2007 at $21.2 billion, including $20 billion alone for organic food and drinks.  According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), sales of organic products in the United States are likely to increase to $25 billion in 2008.  The area under organic farming is gradually increasing as the U.S. Farm Bill 2008 assures to increase the spending on the organic sector from $20 million to $112 million.  Germany emerged as the second largest market for organic products in 2007 at 5.3 billion euro. 
This Dec 8, 2008 report shows definite growth for organic markets in all the 27 European Union countries, particularly in the young markets of central and Eastern Europe.  “Among east European countries, consumption of organic food in the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary growth is expected to be 4X from 2007 to 2010.  About 77% of the French prefer organic food and spend 43 euro per head per year on organic products.  The size of the French organic market in 2007 was 2 billion euro.  The organic market in the United Kingdom in 2006 was about 3 billion euro and the average British spent 49 euro per person on organic products.  So, things are indeed looking up for herbal and organic products.

VII. Private & Public Food Outlets-

 List of Key Organic Food Co-ops-

• Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food.  This is an excellent on-line resource of links to local farms, farmer's markets, health food stores, and artisans using eco- friendly, organic, and sustainable methods and farming practices in food production. 

• Local Harvest, also maintains a national directory of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Organic Food Banks.

• The Organic Consumers Association, states that they have the world’s largest listing of eco-friendly products.  Check out their directory of Food Coops and Health Food Stores.

• The Co-op Directory Service, located in Saint Paul, MN, offers a National Natural Food Cooperative Directory as well as tips on how to start your own Food Coop.  The genesis behind this worthy effort is Kris Olsen.  Two of their biggest supporters are the Lakewinds Natural Food Coop, and the Seward Community Store of Minneapolis, Mn.

List of Key Food Banks-

• Feeding America-America's Second Harvest.  This large organization maintains 200 Food banks throughout the nation, and is one of the largest food bank operators in the country.  Not sure if they serve organic food only.

• The Gleaner's Community Food Bank, located in Michigan.  They operate several food banks in the Great Lakes State.

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin, located in Madison, Wisconsin.

• Community Action Councils of Minnesota-"Emergency Food Shelves," headquartered in Burnsville, MN.

• Minnesota's Free Food Bank- (Emergency Food Shelf Network), located in New Hope, MN.

• Hunger Solutions of Minnesota-"MnFood-Share," in conjunction with Minnesota Food Share operates an extensive network of food banks & emergency food shelves.

List of Organic Retail Stores-

• Wild Harvest Organic.Com, located throughout the U.S. and in some supermarkets.

• Whole Foods Market-Natural & Organic Groceries,.  They operate over 270 stores throughout the U.S. and U. K.

• Wild Oats Marketplace.  This company recently merged with Whole Foods to bring more products and services to its customers.  Wild Oats makes mostly bread and other bakery goods; Whole Foods has a wide selection of Natural Foods.

• Wal-Mart-"Herbs & Spices," They have 207 herbal spices/foods, and 179 Organic Grocery Items either on-line or in their stores.

• FrontierCoop.Net-Your Source for Natural & Organic Products."

• For a National Directory of other Organic & Health Food Stores, go to: AllStays.Com-"Health-Stores-Locator."

VIII.Vegetable Seeds, Organic Fertilizers, Gardening & Farming Tools, Supplies, & Equipment.(14)

1. Organic Seeds & Seedlings-- Park Seed Company- organic-seeds,
2. Grow Lights & Stands-- Gardener's Supply Company- light-gardens.
3. Spade, Hoe, Cultivator, and other gardening hand tools-- Gardener’s Supply Company- Hand-Tools.
4. Organic  & Non-Organic Fertilizers--Gardener's Supply Company-"organic-fertilizers,"
5. Organic Potting Soils--Countryside Natural Products.Com,
6. Wide Selection of Tomato Plants-- Gardener's Choice.Com- "Tomato Plants."
7. Compost Systems-- Gardener's Supply Company-"compost-systems."
8. Natural Herb Seeds & Herb Plants-- Park Seed Company-"herbs-organic," and,
9.  Backyard Gardner.Com-"seeds-herbs."
10. Plows, Modified Sprayers(15)-- EarthToolsBcs.Com-"tools," and, AribcoOrganics.Com-"garden-tools," and Northern Tool & Equipment Supplies-"Farm & Acreage,"
11. Other Organic Gardening Tools-- Natural Gardening Company-"garden-tools."
12. General Farm Supplies-- enasco.com-"farm-and-ranch," and, USAFarmEquipment.Com, and GreenBeamPro.Com-"Garden Center Products & Supplies."
13. Certified Organic, Animal Feeds, Kelp, Fertilizers, & Soil Amendments-- Thorvin.Com

IX. Colleges & Universities with Organic or Herbal Farming Programs-

X. OTHER KEY WEBSITES—

XI.TOP 10 ORGANIC SHOPPING WEB-SITES-(16)

XII. TOP 15 GARDENING WEB-SITES-(17)

XIII. GREEN, ALTERNATIVE LIVING, & SUSTAINABILITY WEB-SITES-

• Consumer's Report-"GreenerChoices.Org"
• USDA Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
• Check out the USDA’s section "Organic-Production."
• Burpee.Com-"We Know Herb Seeds."
• The Ecological Farming Association.

XIV.  TOP 10 GREEN JOBS FOR 2010-(19)

 

XV. TOP 10 GREEN PRODUCTS -(20)

 

Endnotes-

1.)"Some Important Considerations for the Beginning Herb Farmer" from the book,"“The Potential for Herbs as a Cash Crop, on-line at AlternativeNatureOnlineHerbal.Com.

2.) See Topic #E for “Organic Farming Business Plans.”

3.) “The Potential for Herbs as a Cash Crop,” by Dr. Richard Miller, 1986 & 1998, Chapter 9, Bulk Marketing, pg. 159, published by Acres U.S.A.

4.) The Link to the SARE Farm Business Plan Source Document is: http://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdf

5.) Here is the link to the: USDA Farm Service Agency-"Farm Loan Programs."

6.) Center for Rural Affairs-“Beginning-Farmer-Funding-Resources",

7.) The Federal Government's Agri-Business Portal is:
http://www.business.gov/industries/agribusiness/farm-loans.html

8.) “Total Sales of Herbal Supplements in United States Show Steady Growth”, from the American Botanical Council, HerbalGram, Issue 71, pp. 64-66, 2006, http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue71/article3012.html.

9.) CosmeticsDesign.Com, “On-Your-Radar,” Organics Fine Fragrances Not Sophisticated,"by Katie Bird, Feb. 11, 2009,.

10.) Primary Source Article: “Organic Demand: A Profile of Consumers in the Fresh Produce Market,” published in the AAEA publication “Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues,” June 2007, pp. 109-114, Link: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/2007-2/grabbag/2007-2-05.htm

11.) Nutrition Business Journal Their companion report, "NBJ's Organics Food Report 2006" can be purchased from the NBJ.

12.) For more information on Organic Consumer’s Buying Behavior, see Dimitri, C., & Greene, C. (2002).  “Recent growth patterns in U.S. organic foods market.” USDA ERS.

13.) Source: “Indian farmers to Reap benefits of growing organic products market,”

14.) For a more extensive listing of gardening & farming supplies, go to http://www.tumbledownfarm.com/drupal/Sustainable_Farming_Links

15.) Related Artcile on Modified Sprayers, etc is, "Inside the tool sheds of organic growers: some vineyards customize plows, modify sprayers," Wines & Vines, July 2008.

16.) Source: "Buy Organic On-Line", http://hubpages.com/hub/--Buy-Organic-Online

17.) Top 10 Gardening Web-Sites provided by Love-to-Know.Com-"Top 10 Gardening", and MarketingCharts.com-"House & Garden Feb. 09 websites."

18.) A really good web-site.

19.) Source: http://inventorspot.com/articles/top_green_collar_jobs_usa_20847

20.) Source: Riverwired.Com, http://www.riverwired.com/blog/top-10-green-products

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE ARTICLE !

Making Your Small Farm Profitable, at B&N

Strawberries Alive! 100% All Natural Fertilizer from Gardens Alive

Small Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass Based Approach, at B&N

Jump Start Lighting System™

Midwest Bucket Organizer from K-Mart®

Horticulture-One-Year Subscription, at B&N

Live Ladybugs - 4,500 Hippodamia convergens-predator control at Arbico Organics  

Investing In A Sustainable World

John & Bob's Organic Soil Optimizer at Arbico Organics  

Check Out Our Other Pages→

Environmental Organizations

Sustainable Businesses

Best Outdoor Businesses