Millions of insects, bacteria and other micro-organisms are busy nourishing, recycling, replenishing, aerating and enriching the soil. In order to protect our lands, food productivity and ecological diversity, organic farmers take a holistic and harmonious approach to their business. All living beings are given the consideration and care that they deserve. Organic growers work with nature, rather than trying to dominate it. By following organic practices such as companion planting, crop rotation, cultivating by hand, weeding, composting and mulching, organic growers maintain healthy, fertile soil that will continue to produce successful harvests year after year.
Diversity is a very important ecological component of organic farming.
In organic agriculture, crops are continuously rotated to maintain sustainable soil with balanced nutrient levels. This results in reduced pest and disease problems. Planting a secondary crop to attract insects that are beneficial to the primary crop or to divert insects that are attracted to the primary crop is also practised in organic agriculture. While modern conventional farming uses large quantities of petroleum resources, organic farming tends to use less petrochemical energy and more renewable resources. For example, on one Ontario certified-organic farm, the family uses organically reared draft horses to plow and cultivate their fields and cut and rake their hay.