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The Organic Farmer: The Ultimate Green Collar Worker

When it comes to green collar jobs, it doesn't get any greener than being an organic farmer. Organic farmers use natural methods to make their fields richer in nutrients, thus making the food on our table healthier. They also aim to keep the produce we buy free of the chemicals that can have detrimental affects on our health.

Unlike the majority of those in the conventional agricultural industry, organic farmers avoid the use of fertilizers in the aid of crop growth, herbicide in the control of weeds and pesticide in the eradication of plant-devouring insects. Instead, they rely on greener means to achieve these goals.

Although unpleasant to the thought, as an alternative to chemical fertilizers, organic farmers often spread animal manure on their soil, which is rich in microorganisms that help to replenish lost nutrients. Certified organic farmers are required by law to use only composted manure, and they may not spread manure on the soil near harvest time, so that crops remain as sanitary as possible.

Organic farmers also use what is called "green manure," which is actually not manure at all. Plants such as clover and rye, also referred to as "cover crops," are grown between other vegetation and then sometimes plowed under to help the soil be denser in nutrients such as nitrogen. Some plants, if allowed to blossom, also help to attract bees and other pollinating insects.

Certainly no one likes weeding, and while herbicide may seem to be the easy way out, in the interest of health, organic farmers use much simpler methods. Simply packing mulch around crops or covering plastic or cloth materials over the soil helps to deter and stunt weed growth. Sometimes farmers also use grazing methods. Geese have been known to help weed out cotton and strawberry patches, and rice farmers use ducks and fish to weed out their paddy fields.

Instead of utilizing pesticides - many of which can be found on most produce purchased in grocery stores - organic farmers may introduce predator insects to their fields, such as big-eyed bugs and minute pirate bugs, which consume the insects that are notorious for destroying crops. Organic farmers are also knowledgeable of certain yields that are more pest resistant, and will therefore gravitate toward planting these types of crops in their field.

Organic farming has increased dramatically over the past decade, from nearly no demand for organic produce in the early nineties, to profits of 51 billion in 2008. Organic crops net much higher profits than the sale of conventional produce, and may therefore be the way to go for those who wish to make a comfortable income from their love of agriculture. For example, a 1200-acre organic farm would bring in annual net profits of an estimated $132,900.

So, if you have a green thumb and a desire to help put food on the table that is free of chemicals but rich in nutrients, organic farming may be the vocation for you.

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The Organic Farmer: The Ultimate Green Collar Worker

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