Why We Farm Organically
Nash Huber and his crew farm organically because it is the healthiest way to farm—for land, water, air, wildlife, and people. As a trained chemist, Nash understands all too well what agricultural chemicals do to the environment and our health. When he returned to farming, it was not a difficult decision to go back to the techniques and methods he learned from his grandparents, even though they never labeled it "organic."

Organic food systems require more time and effort because the farmer has to understand a problem, not just go out and shoot it with chemicals. But once a problem is understood, it usually comes down to how healthy the soil is. That is why cover cropping, crop rotation and composting are so important.

Organic agriculture also makes good business sense. It may cost more to farm without chemicals, but the market for local, organic produce continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors of agriculture in the United States, especially as the public becomes more aware of the health consequences of conventional farming and the true costs of transporting food long distances.

Nash Huber's life has followed the arc of American industrial agriculture, from its roots in the family farm, to its culmination as one of the most unsustainable economies ever created by humankind. It is a vulnerable system that depends on cheap fuel to sustain it. The team at Nash's strives to recreate an alternative system, one that fosters sustainability, cooperation and community—the values of the traditional agrarian culture. In order to do that, they grow food the best way-organically—and work to market their produce as locally as possible.

Nash's Organic Produce is certified organic, which means representatives from the Washington State Department of Agriculture come to the farm on an annual basis and run tests on our soil, water, and crops. The farm occasionally tests the soil on its own because it is a good method to learn if it is low in particular elements. The team can then add certain naturally occurring elements, such as phosphorus, potassium or calcium.

A good organic farmer can usually tell whether or not the soil is healthy and has adequate tilth—proper structure and a good ratio of clay, sand and organic matter—to grow healthy crops. How does it feel? How does it smell? Nash Huber and his team of young farmers walk fields, picking up handfuls of soil, squeezing them and letting the grains run through their fingers, taking the measure of the soil and deciding whether they need to do more work on its fertility.