Small U.S. Farms and Their Wholesome Goodness
Written by Ajay Chohan, Founder
The nutrient density + aliveness of our food firstly depends on the quality of the soil it came from. Soil with its rich microbiome and nutrient profile intact. The biodiversity of the surrounding ecosystem protected. Sustainable farming free of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides that protects this is thus essential.
It’s not that farming on a large industrial scale is necessarily bad in itself. The issue is what has come out it (nothing good). Well, sure, the yields have gone up. But the biodiversity and microorganisms in the soil have been destroyed. The soil and our water and air have been polluted by these synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Cancer rates have soared especially amongst growers and farmers of said produce due to these toxic chemicals. AND there has been a corresponding decline in the nutrient density of crops anyways. So what good is the higher yield? Thus, when it comes to the question of ‘what good has come out of industrial farming,’ I will stick to my original conclusion of: nothing good.
The vagueness, i.e. consumers not knowing where their food comes from, which farms, who owns those farms etc. has not helped either. From seed to harvest to what we find in stores, we don’t know which synthetic fertilizers were used during growing, which toxic chemicals was the crop treated with post harvest or which products are adulterated with. It is time to mobilize a counter-attack. Not passively accept what has happened to our food.
Industrial Farming and the Declining Nutritional Value of Our Food:
Decline in soil quality and food diversity: Under assault by a) synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, b) monocropping and lack of crop rotation and c) soil and ecosystem stripped of its biodiversity — all synonymous with genetically engineered crops BTW — soil quality has significantly declined over the past half a century. The decline in microbial diversity and nutrients found in soil has unsurprisingly directly effected the food that comes out of it
Not too long ago, all food was organically grown. ‘Organic’ was not some cliché marketing term or a fancy certification
Before farming became dominated with a handful of genetically modified varieties of corn and soy (in the U.S.) and wheat and rice (globally), hundreds of native varieties of grains and millets were grown. GMO varieties require and are made tolerant of synthetic toxic weed killers like Glyphosate. But all the other organic matter in the soil, and the insects, bird & bees are not! So GMO crops inherently come to destroy an ecosystem’s biodiversity
Industrial farming with their monopolized GMO seeds have started a vicious cycle of declining soil quality and crops needing more and more synthetic fertilizers as a result
Corresponding decline in nutritional value of all that grows from it: Given the assault on soil, the vitamin and mineral content of food grown in the U.S. has steadily and significantly declined since the 1960s — the same time as synthetic fertilizer use began increasing. The yields are increasing but the harvest is getting less nutritious
A research piece published in the National Library of Medicine states, “commercial high-yielding fruits such as apples, oranges, mango, guava, banana, and vegetables such as tomato and potato have lost their nutritional density by up to 25–50% or more during the last 50 to 70 years due to environmental, genetic, and field soil dilution factors” (1). We can assume this decline extends to other produce, grains, nuts etc.
Key nutrients and minerals that have gone down include calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, riboflavin, Vitamins A & C as well as phytochemicals (1, 2). The change has generally been in the double digits with nutrient values often down more than 30%. And this is only what’s measured and what we know about
There is no substitute to getting our nutrients directly from foods in their wholesome and alive state (as opposed to from supplements)
Toxic chemicals and carcinogens from start to finish: From planting to harvesting to the ‘final product’, fertilizer + pesticide use is rampant across fresh produce, grains and nuts found in supermarkets. Below are a few examples I want to highlight —
Heavy pesticide use in banana plantations: Bananas sold in the U.S. are mostly grown in Central and South America under monopolies of Dole, Chiquita, Del Monte etc.. This fruit highlights what happens when consumers have lost touch with how their food is grown. In their banana plantations, toxic pesticides are applied both directly to the soil and via aerial assaults. Then post-harvest the bananas are immersed in a liquid pesticide solution (4)
According to an article published in Johns Hopkins University’s blog, the workers of these plantations and the surrounding communities face consequences such as — male infertility, kidney disease, cancer, autism, ADHD and other neurological effects (4). Given that the toxicity of these pesticides has been well known for decades, this essentially amounts to intentional poisoning. These toxic pesticides are also heavily polluting to soil, air and water sources
Close to harvest time; wheat, oats and other grains in the U.S. are sometimes treated with Glyphosate as a “drying agent.” According to farmers this practice is infrequent, but it is a concern regardless
Consequences of pesticide use often extend beyond the farm: An example is nitrate contamination of groundwater facing California’s rural farming communities due to heavy synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use as well as animal manure. Nitrate contamination of drinking water has been linked to “skin rashes, hair loss, birth defects, and ‘blue baby syndrome’” as well as “increased risk of thyroid cancer” (8).
Agriculture accounted for 96% of the nitrate pollution to groundwater in the studied areas of Tulare Lake Basin and the Monterey County portion of the Salinas Valley (9)
Toxic food coatings such as Apeel: Apeel is made with processing grapeseed oil with Ethyl Acetate, Heptane and other compounds. It is “edible,” can not be washed off and is even approved for organic produce. It has already been used by Costco and Walmart on their produce —
Now, both Ethyl Acetate and Heptane are toxic with health concerns. Using Heptane is especially insidious. It is derived from crude oil in the petroleum refining process. For context, Heptane is industrially used as a thinner in paints & coatings, in rubber solvents and in outdoor stove fuel! You can find New Jersey Department of Health’s Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets on Ethyl Acetate and Heptane here and here
According to Apeel’s own submission to the FDA, see here, their food coating can have “processing aid residuals” of “not more than 21,000 mg/kg” for Ethyl Acetate and “not more than 23,000 mg/kg” for Heptane. That’s residue limits of 2.1% for Ethyl Acetate and 2.3% for Heptane — not insignificant by any means
Apeel food coating may also have heavy metal contamination of Palladium, Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury. Again, this is according to Apeel’s own submission to the FDA linked above. Apeel is a toxic and disturbing product that should be nowhere near our produce
All these examples underscore the importance of us a) knowing our farmers + farms, b) understanding how our food is grown and c) ending monopolies
Fake Products: Lastly, consumers being out of touch with the source also makes adulteration and other unethical practices easier. Here are some examples —
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: In 2010 UC Davis conducted a detailed analysis of Extra Virgin Olive Oil sold by top brands. The study found that 69% of imported Extra Virgin Olive Oil from brands like Bertolli, Colavita & Pompeian failed to meet the ‘Extra Virgin’ standards. Defects including high levels of 1,2-diacylglycerols and pyropheophytins, as well as sensory defects, indicated that “these samples are oxidized, of poor quality, and/or adulterated with cheaper refined [olive] oils" (5). Important to note that California’s EVOO faired much better with 9 out of 10 brands passing the tests
Avocado Oil: In 2020 and 2023, UC Davis conducted studies this time focused on avocado oil. The researchers in the 2023 study found that only 31% of the brands sold pure avocado oil! Purity was measured based on “fatty acids, sterols and other components” that make avocado oil distinct (6). Most common potential adulterants were sunflower and safflower seed oils, though canola and soybean oils were also possible adulterants (7)
Raw Honey: Heated and adulterated honey being sold as “raw” and “pure” is another common issue. I have covered this extensively before, including specific brands to avoid, in my honey section
Either we rely on government agencies [no thanks] and industry groups [no thanks] to keep a check on adulteration + unethical practices, OR again we a) get to know our farms and farmers and b) encourage a local and diverse supplier base + support co-ops. I think the latter approach better serves strong & self-sustaining communities!
Supporting Farms Conscious of Soil + Ecosystem Health: Which translates to our health. Let’s get to solutions —
Food should be diverse and locally grown. There should be tens of thousands of small + medium sized farms that a) have meaningful market share and b) sell independently or via co-ops. What we eat cannot be monopolized and c o n t r o l l e d by a few giant corporations
The result will be us all eating much healthier, seasonal and nutrient dense foods coming from a diverse array of native varieties
Total transparency: Know your farmer, know your farm. We need to know where all our food comes from. There should be nothing hidden in the supply chain
Policy changes to help small farms: Here it’s important to touch on the economic pressures faced by small farms. Industrial agriculture is subsidized on every level. Monopolies dominate market share. All is driven by economics and nothing by a sustainable + healthful approach. This is by design, of course. Yet small farms do exist and thrive due to the pure determination of the people behind them. We need to mobilize and help drive policy changes to ensure the trend is upward for small & medium sized farms and thus for strong self sustaining communities
Now, it’s not just about going small. Farms need to employ sustainable practices that preserve both soil health and the surrounding ecosystem. Healthy biodiverse soil with its microbes & insect life intact does not need synthetic fertilizers. It is already fertile ready to produce a nutrient dense harvest. Here are some good farming practices to look out for —
A holistic approach on maintaining soil quality that includes crop rotation and having soil cover in the form of cover crops & organic mulch. Soil cover reduces erosion, helps recycle nutrients and helps with soil nitrogen levels
No synthetic fertilizers — instead using plant based compost, as an example, to help with soil nutrients and promoting higher yields
None or limited use of pesticides — ideally only natural pesticides along with promoting an environment for beneficial insects
A harvesting approach where crops ripen naturally and are then processed simply
Again, it’s not just about going small. The farms need to employ soil + environment conscious practices. Because when you take care of Mother Earth, she will take care of you :)
What you will find below is an inspirational sampling, not a directory by any means (needless to say), of small farms doing things the right way. So let’s go out there and connect directly with our local farms and farmers. To get you started though, I have assembled some wholesome goodness from farms that sell online.
There are X farms below. I have highlighted farm location and key products at the top of each.
[FARMS UPCOMING]
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10969708/
https://rockdustlocal.com/uploads/3/4/3/4/34349856/americas_vanishing_nutrients.pdf
https://foodprint.org/issues/how-industrial-agriculture-affects-our-soil/
https://globalhealthnow.org/2020-03/deadly-side-americas-banana-obsession
https://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk14776/files/media/documents/report2010finalthree.pdf
https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/70%25-private-label-avocado-oil-rancid-or-mixed-other-oils
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713523002372?via%3Dihub
https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2012/03/fertilizer-pollution-growing-in-california/
https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2012-03/138958.pdf