Caring for the Environment   >  Farming in Balance

Farming in Balance

My education is in bugs — I’m an entomologist by training. I started my career working with biological controls for farming, but then spent many years in conventional agriculture. I’ve always believed that farming should be less about using the powerful chemicals at my disposal than finding the right balance between what Nature needed and what I wanted. I just knew that if I didn’t mess things up, the fields and the crops could work in balance with each other, and I wouldn’t have to do much more.

That’s why, to me, coming to organic farming felt like coming home. Organic farming is much more environmentally sustainable than conventional farming, and there are so many benefits to expanding the reach of organic practices.

• Organic farming keeps millions of pounds of chemicals out of the environment and the food supply every year… and that makes the farming environment safer for farm workers and for neighboring homes and schools.
• Organic farms use far less fossil fuel and water than conventional farms.
• Organic farm fields absorb CO2, the leading greenhouse gas, from the air.

I’m not alone. Some of our growers farm organically on some fields and conventionally on others. And we’re seeing many of these farmers starting to use organic practices on their conventional fields, too. They see the benefits to the soil, to the plants, and ultimately to their land’s sustainability as a farm. That’s proof of something, I think.

Every organic farmer depends on his or her thorough knowledge of ecology and soil science. Working with the biological system is an art, exciting and dynamic — and sometimes it can feel like Nature isn’t interested in cooperating! For me, though, that’s the game right there: I’m fascinated by the way things work together. How creating rich, healthy soil supports stronger plants. How stronger plants result in better crop yields. How better crop yields help demonstrate that organic really is viable on a large scale. And that’s healthier for the planet and all of us on it. (Learn more about how organic farming works in Organic 101.)

One of our grower partners tells a story, from his days as a conventional farmer, about not wanting to hug his young children when he came in from his conventional fields because of the chemicals that were on his pants. When he started farming organically, he didn’t have to worry that they’d touch anything worse than dirt. I know how he feels.

I’m a farmer, and I love growing things. I love the challenge of finding new areas that offer the right conditions for a specific crop, finding just the right balance to make it all work and yield a great harvest — but at the end of the day, I also want to feel like I’ve left things better for my grandchildren. (My first is on the way, as a matter of fact. I hope he — or she — will be proud of me.)

As a certified entomologist and our senior vice president of farming, Todd Kodet brings over 29 years’ experience to making sure we can fulfill our mission to bring the benefits of organic food to as many people as possible. He also leads the popular Bug Walks for kids at our Carmel Valley Farm Stand.