Tray upon tray of mung beans, snow pea shoots and alfalfa are growing in Jeremy Howden’s ‘sprout house’ at his 50-acre certified organic farm southeast of Masterton.
Is there any more endearing vegetable than the sprout? Not only do they look cute, with their tender stalks and down-turned heads, each gamely supporting a single drop of water, but they also happen to be packed with vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants and enzymes.
Sprouts were the reason for Jeremy’s transformation from advertising rep to market gardener in the 1990s. He bought an existing sprout business, enjoyed rapid success, and gradually added more vegetables during his 17 years on the Manaia Rd land – salad greens, fennel bulbs, and celeriac for the restaurant trade, then pumpkin, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. He has three full-time staff, with more in peak season.
With one of the quickest ‘rotations’ from growing to selling of any vegetable, the seven day old snow peas and mung sprouts will be ready for sale at the Masterton Farmers Market on Saturday and delivered, along with other vegetables, to wholesalers in the lower North Island, where he has deliberately concentrated his business. Growing sprouts looks easy, but like any crop, there are many variables: “It can be too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry,” says Jeremy. “Then you could simply lose a batch because your courier has been delayed and made a late delivery.”
It’s the knife-edge that farmers walk. So why did he add a host of other ‘unknowns’ by deciding to farm organically? “I did it for my own personal safety. I know from experience what farmers put themselves through in terms of chemicals - like my father’s best dog drinking the sheep dip; my mother’s garden being damaged by a neighbour’s pesticide; people working under pressure, then having to take risks and shortcuts. I knew I didn’t want to work that way.”
Jeremy’s family farmed beef and sheep at Te Wharau in southeast Wairarapa. He was interested in food from an early age, encouraged by his mother, an Otago University graduate ‘home scientist’ who started an organic home garden after the pesticide incident.
“It’s always a pleasure when people realise that organic produce is easily the match of conventional produce, not just in terms of safety, but because it looks good, tastes good and has a vibrancy which you don’t get with conventional produce,” he says.
Organic fruit and vegetables have been shown to contain on average higher levels of vitamin C, essential minerals and antioxidants. They are also free from the over 400 pesticides routinely used in conventional farming.
“Land fertility doesn’t come in a 50kg sack…it’s about working with nature,” says Jeremy. He believes that applying biodynamic principles rather than chemicals have rejuvenated his initially tired, dried out land. Companion planting supports healthy bugs, cattle clean up excess crops while enzymes in their manure add biodiversity to the soil. Fish waste, sprout waste and seaweed are also added. These natural regimes allow soil to retain nitrogen, virtually eliminating run-off into waterways. Soil structure is improved, providing greater drought and flood resistance. Organically farmed soil sequesters more carbon than conventionally farmed soils.
Selling at local markets and neighbouring regions completes the ‘green’ profile.
“I’m a fundamentalist,” says Jeremy. “I try to resist quick fixes. I have certain values that I won’t compromise on, like not using Roundup around my trees.”
He was also one of the first to build an eco-house in Wairarapa, using non-toxic paint, timber framing and wool insulation, from local company Insulwool.
Jeremy believes Wairarapa hill farmers could go organic with relative ease and suggests they’d see lower costs long term and improved animal health; a feature of organic dairy farming in New Zealand.
There are now 27 new Wairarapa growers and processors in the three-year OFNZ (OrganicFarmNZ) certification scheme. Certification manager Claire Bleakley describes Jeremy as always ready to help, “a shining light” on the local scene: “He’s shown that it can be done by a single operator. His produce is always of the highest quality.”
“I don’t pretend to have the ideal system or to be on top of my game,” he says. “There are lots of unknowns in organic farming; it’s a leap of faith. But it actually works.”
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
