The OGA

The OGA came into being with the approval of the fifty or so growers present at the Cirencester conference in December. Now, after six months of detail and deliberation, it is ready to show itself to the world. As well as this magazine there will be farm walks, an AGM and other opportunities for growers to get together, for our enlightenment and our entertainment. Also, somewhere on the information super-highway, is now an active website. Less immediately obvious, but certainly no less important, we have a growers’ organisation to keep watch on all matters affecting the business of organic growing.

The OGA is about representation and about organic horticulture having the means to speak for itself, something it has not been able to do since sometime back in the last century. Growers don’t need persuading of the uniqueness of their craft - we know there is nothing else like it, and that it takes a grower to understand growing, and growers. The OGA is about communication and the exchange of information, through which there is nothing really to be lost and much that can be gained. Beyond that it’s about support. Or, as that word is now debased by overuse, let’s say fellowship. We can preserve our differences, but there is a lot to be said for recognising common ground and for drawing strength from that which we share.

It has been suggested that the OGA is in some way a splinter group, even a divisive force. The organic movement is not and never has been in any way homogenous, so in that sense splintering doesn’t come into it. Better that we should be celebrating its continuing diversity! Within it or abutting on it are many organisations, none of which can be said to speak for growers, but any and all of which the OGA will be glad to speak with. There are somewhere around 600 registered organic fruit and vegetable producers in the U.K. (an educated guess). This is not a big number to get noticed in “the industry” scheme of things - all the more reason to stand up for ourselves. On the other hand organic horticulture has long led organic practice in development and innovation, and is indeed the wellspring of the whole phenomenon of the organic market today. Its importance and influence far outweigh the small proportion of organic land that it occupies, while due to the diversity of its practices it rests on a body of knowledge and experience hard for non-growers to appreciate.

For all these reasons we believe that organic horticulture deserves its own organisation, and that growers can only benefit from its existence. If you haven’t joined yet - join now!

The Organic Grower is first and foremost for the education and entertainment of the members of the Organic Growers Alliance. Substance will be of more importance than style. We recognise that presentation is important, but like growers everywhere we must work within our resources. Its primary aim is to keep you up to date with what’s happening in organic horticulture generally (and in OGA in particular) and to communicate technical information - thus we have reports on, for example, the HDC, variety trialling and the apprenticeship scheme, while Charles Dowding and Phil Sumption give us the lowdown on salad bags and crop covers respectively. We will not forget the human side - in this issue Scott Sneddon tells us about his burgeoning holding on the edge of the Peak District. Nor will we neglect the wider context in which we work - so Iain Tolhurst gives his thoughts on the issues highlighted by the Soil Association’s Cardiff conference and on what they mean for growers. From time to time we will also look at organic production beyond our shores, both for what we might learn and perhaps to help us see our own lives in proportion. First off, Jan Deane gives a snapshot of what being organic means in Bosnia.

There is more within. Have a look! We welcome all interested readers. As a grower magazine we particularly welcome all who are stimulated to share their practical insights and experience with us. Letters, news items, articles or just ideas for articles - we will be glad of them all.