June 2004 ARCHIVES of Andy's Life on
the Farm Shows
June 17th
Green Dawn
This is Andrew Griffin of Mariquita Farm with Life On The Farm. Harkins
Slough Road in Watsonville dead ends at a locked gate. Before being
stopped any one traveling down this quiet lane will pass the straight
rows of cultivated fields on the left punctuated by a wild thicket of
riparian vegetation. This greenery is an example of successful wetlands
restoration. While it looks as though willows have been growing there
for ever I remember sixteen years ago these wetlands were the site of
a little organic farm. A fellow named Charles, a.k.a. Carlos, grew red
cabbage on this land and packed it out in white boxes emblazoned with
an image of Nicaraguan revolutionary Sandino. The brand name? Red Dawn.
Trying to run a small business in the U.S. while remaining true to
revolutionary ideals is tough. Carlitos, like many other pioneer organic
growers quit farming and moved on. Today organic farming is big business
along the central coast. Many of the dominant organic growers are also
large scale conventional growers. And acreage in organic cultivation
is up. Monterey County has over 19,000 acres in organic status and San
Benito County has over 4,000. Figures for Santa Cruz County organic
acreage were elusive but Ag. Dept. Staff assured me the count was rising.
With the organic revolutionaries in full retreat the dawn doesn't look
to rosy but maybe, just maybe, with industry getting behind organics
we are on the cusp of a green dawn.
copyright 2004 Andrew Griffin
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Farm: Website
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