Recent rains and droplets of sunshine have our fields bursting with royal purple eggplants, midnight blue berries and saucy red tomatoes! In addition to our new sundial and the boisterous, happy chickens that found their home in our fields last week, we are also happy to welcome Ariel Bleicher to our team of lady farmers. Here’s a word from her:

Hello! I arrived at Serenbe quite late on the night of the 4th after a long and hot drive from dusty Albuquerque, New Mexico. (I must have left the sun behind me, however, seeing as the much needed rains came with my arrival.) I grew up in Albuquerque, but have spent my last four years studying math and literature at Scripps College in Claremont, California. I have always appreciated organic and whole foods, but have only recently turned my interests toward farming after researching Peace Corps opportunities in agriculture. Already, working with the team of farmers here at Serenbe has been an amazing (and delicious!) experience.

What makes a local, organic heirloom tomato so flavorful and luscious? Is it the generations of seed selection that created the tastiest variety? Or because it was just picked this morning, fully ripened on the vine and still bursting with 21 different nutrients? Maybe it was those Dolly Parton love songs that Paige so tenderly sang to the tomatoes last week. Probably all of the above. But what makes it taste even sweeter? Knowing that you are supporting a process that contributes to greater social justice.

Social justice, you say? Yes.

I first became interested in organics while working in a rural health clinic in North Carolina. When they could find transportation and were free from grower intimidation, migrant farm workers frequently came knocking on our door to get treatment for pesticide-related rashes or burns. Poor training in chemical management, inadequate protective gear and negligent aerial spraying practices mean that farm workers and their families are often unnecessarily exposed to the detrimental effects of synthetic pesticides. Exposure to dangerous pesticides has both immediate (acute) and long-term (chronic) effects on farm worker health before food even reaches our table.

Workers who are not properly protected from synthetic pesticides can suffer from nausea, impaired vision, blisters, rashes, or dizziness. Prolonged exposure can lead to risk of developing cancer, reproductive damage such as birth defects or infertility, or death. While Serenbe Farms does occasionally use organic pesticides, such as Pyrethrum (derived from Chrysanthemums) and Diatomaceous Earth (powder of a naturally occurring sedimentary rock), we much prefer to nurture our soil with rich vitamins and minerals that go straight into your veggies. By making our soil healthier and the plants stronger, our crops are more able to withstand pests and blights.

Though international protocols are phasing out some of the more toxic pesticides like DDT (with exemptions for use in fighting malaria in Africa) and methyl bromide (which contributes to the depletion of the ozone), many dangerous chemicals are still in use today. Through your decision to purchase organic products, you are making a statement about the value of not only your own health, but also of those who labor to put produce in your shopping bag. Thank you.

For more information on pesticide regulation and alternative controls for use in your home, check out some of these websites:

EPA Pesticide Data

CA State Dept of Pesticide Regulation

National Pesticide Information Center

Farm Worker Pesticide Project

www.wslc.org/legis/fw-pesticide.htm

www.fwjustice.org

Beyond Pesticides

Pesticide Action Network North America

www.pesticidereform.org