Young Madison journalist Becky Froelich helps write up Charlie and Allen Johnson's longstanding organic farm operation down in Orland township—
—edit: Make that Charlie, Allen, and Aaron Johnson. According to Froelich, Aaron was toiling away selling seed and ag products when Charlie and Allen asked if he'd like to bust his chops farming organically. In a moment of insanity probably induced from Big Ag chemicals, Aaron said yes. He and his wife Kristin took the Dakota Rural Action Farm Beginnings course, and now he's partners with Charlie and Allen in living off the land:
Aaron's role in the operation is clear to Charlie: "He provides the major labor source," Charlie said with a laugh. His background in ag products also comes in useful as they explore new technology.
Other family members are also involved in the operation, including another brother who serves as a mechanic.
"When you think about it, we support three families off of this farm, when it's so much smaller than non-organic farms that don't feed that many," Aaron said. "I have a good life here, we all do, and this is a great thing to do."
He's happy to be stepping into the Johnson Farms' legacy [Becky Froelich, contributor, "Johnson Family Brings in the Next Generation to Their Organic Farm," Dakotafire, 2012.07.09].
Farm organically, put more people to work, bring more people to the community... hmm... if Rep. Kristi Noem is still looking for a Republican jobs bill, maybe she should speak up on the Ag committee, kill special favors for Monsanto, and stop voting to cut programs that support new farmers like Aaron!
Aaron is a welcome addition to the Johnson operation... especially if his herculean labor gives Charlie time to campaign for District 8 Senate! Aaron's labor will also be useful in making up for losses from some recent herbicide drift. Charlie reports on the Johnson Farms Facebook page that last month, a neighbor went out and threw Monsanto product around on a windy day. Monsanto herbicide blew across the road, killed corn, and wrecked a field that had been chemical-free for 35 years.
Farmers have every right to choose whether to go organic or stick with the tools of Big Ag. But they have a responsibility to make sure their choice doesn't impose a choice on their neighbors.
I have to say, my favorite part of this post isn't the "organic" part, which is weird because I like me some organic farms. It's the "we feed three families" part. I can only hope this idea grows, and more farmers start back on the path towards family farms so we can get away from this ridiculously awful corporate farm thing we have going now.
Carter, be careful with "labels" like corporate farm! I am part of a family farm CORPORATION and we are anything but big. It is myself, my cousin and her husband and my semi retired father. My father and uncle incorporated as part of a business structure to pass the farm from one gerneration to the next in an orderly way especially for the ones that stayed on the farm. So be very careful when you start throwing terms around because one "size" does not fit all.
Seems like everybody has a cousin Aaron these days.
We may debate who's crazier: Charlie's cousin Aaron for trying to make a living farming, or my cousin Aaron for backing Ron Paul.
I was going to type "Seems like everybody has a crazy cousin Aaron these days," but I didn't want to offend my own cousin.
We are fortunate at Johnson Farms to have Aaron involved. Younger brother Kevin is a great source of help also. Jordan, my son, is involved on a regular basis. Justin and Jeremiah, my other sons take an interest about the farm also.
Surprise! Recent organic study funded by Cargill, Big Tobacco:
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15783