Today was the old boys annual summer picnic. The president is owner of an organic farm and he let us use his place farm for BBQ. After the BBQ, we had a tour inside the farm. Modern farming is a capital intensive business with lots of agricultural technology. The organic farm is a 10 acres of green house, growing two hundred thousand plants with about 30 vegetable on each plant. That worths more than $1 million of vegetable in retail value. The temperature and water is computer controlled. The farm grows only organic pepper, cucumber and tomato, since organic food can sell at a premium.

I always thought growing organic food must be very dirty, but I was totally wrong. The farm use organic fertilizers that looks just like normal fertilizer, except it is made by organic materials. Since the vegetables are growing indoor, there is less pest hazard. The farm use organic means for pest control, having some good insects that hunt pests and growing plants that drive away pests. The farm buy bees in carton boxes for pollinating the plants. Harvest is labor intensive, although there are rail system inside the green house to help transporting the vegetable. During the tour, the owner pick some fresh pepper off from the plant to give us a try. Since the vegetable is pure organic with no harmful chemical, we can eat the pepper picked right off the plant. It tastes very good. This tour totally change my perception on farmers and found new respects to them. I always think farming is so boring and so out of fashion. In reality, farming is an engineering challenge to grow enough food to feed everyone.

10 acres of green house

  Rows of vegetables under the glass roof

Newly planted

Rail trolley for harvest

Big red pepper