Eliot coleman and barbara damrosch biography

Research into the marvelously complex soil micro-biome is revealing the vital ecological processes that support natural non-chemical food production. That research underscores the intuitive brilliance of the founding organic farmers. As a bonus, fertile soil produces food of the highest nutritional quality. This was the foremost initial aim of the soil care techniques that became organic farming.

Long-term soil productivity does not require fertilizer inputs from off the farm.

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He has since made many such investigative tours. Inthe winter harvest aspect of his farming entered a new, more comprehensive phase, just as the second edition of the book was coming together. In the decades since, the winter harvest has inspired the creation of The Winter Harvest Handbook and has become one of his favorite areas of applied research.

In his writing, Coleman promotes small-scale organic farming practices and sustainable agriculture. One of his central principles is "small is better," advocating business growth through improved production and marketing, rather than physical expansion.

Eliot coleman and barbara damrosch biography: By Eliot Coleman. I began

His principles also include favoring the biologic over the technologicand the preventive over the correctivewhen seeking solutions to agricultural challenges. Like many organic farmers, Coleman advocates the prevention-not-treatment approach to weed control. To that end, he developed the collinear hoe or collineal hoe. Coleman is a leader in developing and sharing the concept that in season extension a distinction can be made between extending the growing season and extending the harvest season.

Coleman has often turned to published agricultural research in seeking ways to continually improve his farming methods. He has pointed out that such useful practical research was often done in the United States before but not as much since then. He relied on much self-educationincluding much library time, to bootstrap his knowledge, [ 20 ] and he encourages his readers to do so as well.

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The development of the big business phase of the organic food era has led Coleman, as well as others, to emphasize the ways in which small, local growers can have competitive advantages to keep their businesses strong. At one time just being organic was enough, but now something more is needed to compete. On these points, large corporations with long-distance distribution cannot easily wipe out small business competition.

Coleman has written extensively on the subject of organic agriculture since As a commercial market gardener and lecturer on organic gardening methods, he has practiced and perfected his methods and skills. Although one of the primary people behind the early, grassroots organic revolution, once the federal government took ownership of the term through the USDA's National Organic Program, he declared:.

Responsible growers need to identify not only that our food is grown to higher, more considered standards, but also that it is much fresher because it is grown right where it is sold. Coleman continues to promote small-scale organic farming practices and sustainable agriculture. One of his central principles is "small is better", advocating business growth through improved production and marketing, rather than physical expansion.

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikidata item. American horticultural author.

Eliot coleman and barbara damrosch biography: Coleman is married to gardening author

References [ edit ]. The New York Times. Retrieved 4 December