CLEVELAND — Ohio continues to see a growth in the demand for holistic soil practices for both the health of people and the environment, like not using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
Scott Myers would normally be tending to the crops on his farm. But today, he’s serving as a tour guide.
“So these are some of our soy bean, these are actually food grain soy beans. They will be processed in Marysville and sent to Japan actually for tofu,” he told the crowd.
He went organic several years ago, and he’s hosting some big names in agriculture and government, showing how he’s made organic successful.
“It’s great to have people out and see what we do on the farm. A lot of people, especially with COVID and stuff, haven’t been able to get together and see different things so it’s really nice to be able to do this,” said Myers.
It’s a property he knows like the back of his hand. The farm has been in his family since the 1930s. It’s a lifestyle he enjoys.
“Getting to come to work with my kids and family and just being my own boss,” he said.
Myers is one of several farmers in the Buckeye State who’ve embraced going organic with their crops.
Amalie Lipstreu with the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association hopes to continue to see more farmers embrace holistic soil practices and for farmers to get the support they need.
“There’s a huge amount of interest in organic in Ohio already, what my hopes are are that farmers like Scott will receive the technical assistance they need, the financial support they need to make the transition to organic and that our research institutions and our agencies prioritize organic agriculture,” said Lipstreu.
And as the demand for organic products continues to rise, Myers believes there’s a good community of organic farmers looking to help farmers and crops grow.
“If you need help, we’re here to help. We talk to each other and share information, share stories, share successes, share things we could have done differently so maybe they don’t make those mistakes,” said Myers.
