The Target

As newcomers to the organic world, the transition process is a learning experience; proving we have much more to learn.  Before setting a course in any one direction, it is important to know where you want to end up.  This establishes a target from which goals can be set.

In this adventure we determined that our target is organic production.  Getting to that end point presents several options, especially when starting virtually at the other end of the production spectrum.  This is where serious research and linking in to professionals in the industry is necessary effort.  Following is a brief, yet fairly complete, list of sources used as guidance on the road of transitioning to organic.

First, we consulted the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Services website for the National Organic Program.  There we found most of the pertinent information including; reulation, certification, and the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.

Although we will be producing less than $5,000 of production, and therefore not required to be certified to sell as organic, we do need to prepare and implement an Organic System Plan, or OSP.  The source for guidance on developing the OSP can be found in part 205.201 of the NOP.

Mitch Yergert, Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA)- Director of Division of Plant Industry, has been tremendously helpful.  Multiple times I have called him to make sure I'm interpreting the guidelines correctly and to ask his advice.  Mitch has a firm understanding of the NOP rules and also the implementation of those rules and the program within Colorado; a real asset! Mitch forwarded forms that CDA requires to be completed prior to certification.  These certification forms were directly based on NOP guidance but further allowed us to hone in on the organic target.

USDA has several programs that are aimed at helping folks in their transition to organic.  For instance, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has an organic category within their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)to cost-share on improvements necessary to facilitate organic production; i.e. fencing, watering facilities, windbreaks, high-tunnels, irrigation systems, etc.  We are pursuing assistance through these programs and the links are provided below.

Seed Questions

Organic seed starter, fiber pots, seed varieties

Initial questions included:

1) What varieties to plant?

2) What criteria do we apply; i.e. organic?

3) Where do we find a supply?

What we decided was to concentrate on basic salsa ingredients; tomato, onions, peppers.  Past experience has proved these vegetables do very well here in our climate and we like to make salsa!

We are in the process of transitioning to organic production; meaning that we may not attain organic certification in the first year, however, efforts will be made to do so where ever possible in the production process.  Admittedly, it is a steep learning curve figuring out what all that entails. Rather than purchase organic seed the first year, we stuck with the basic criteria that the seed had to be non-GMO and heirloom quality.  Lingerring questions are: a) Do you have to use organic in order to claim "certified organic" produce?  b) If you have a non-GMO plant that has been raised organically, can the seed it produces be saved and classified as "organic" for next years production?  c) Is there a wide variety of quality organic seed available? 



Watermelon and pepper seedlings



We selected seeds from Baker Creek Seed Co.  These seeds are all non-GMO heirloom varieties.  We also purchased seed potatoes from Potato Farm; a Colorado company specializing in non-GMO Colorado Certified Seed Potatoes.  

We started four tomato varieties, three pepper varieties, some watermelon, basil, onion and rhubarb (potatoes arriving soon). 



Onion seedlings



The Holly Homestead

Our place consists of 11 acres, which includes two dryland pastures, a garden, an orchard and our home.  We would like to transistion to a healthy, sustainable system for raising livestock and fruits/vegetables.  Currently, we have two Jersey cows for milk and meat.  We also have a Katahdin ram, a ewe and a lamb.  We also keep laying hens.



The Garden

  In the garden we have raised vegetables for our home use.  We would like to expand and double its size in order to provide for us and also have a surplus to sell locally. 


The Orchard

The orchard currently consists of two apple, a peach, a pear and two cherry trees.  We are expanding this year with more pear and peach, purchased through our local Conservation District.  We are also hoping to improve the irrigation on the orchard with a drip system.


Front Pasture



Back Pasture

Our pastures are currently fenced for cattle.  We would like to use a combination of electric and woven wire so that we can graze multiple species.  We are also planning on using temporary fencing to implement a grazing rotation.  Water systems will also need to be improved in order to make the rotation more effective.