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Think Green: organic farming
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by Ronna Sweeney, KUAM News
Monday, April 21, 2008
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Worldwide, approximately 306,000 square kilometers are now being farmed organically. But many don't know what the organic process entails, and fewer still may know how such a process being used at the Guam Department of Corrections. According to Wikipedia, organic farming is a form of agriculture that doesn't use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives or genetically modified organisms.
Organic farmers rely on crop rotation, green manure, and compost among other natural measures to keep soil healthy and control pests. DEPCOR Green Valley Farm Project Corporal Frank Mesa explained, "We're supposed to be going 100% organic. Right now I'd say we're about 90% organic." Recently the farm harvested around 320 ears of organic sweet corn, which along with other produce like eggplant, star apples, mango and papaya will supplement the meals of inmates involved with the project.
Leftovers will be donated to non-profit groups. "We use newspapers for compost," Mesa added. "The newspaper, pallets, corn. Like tomorrow we'll upweed the corn and use them for compost."
Mesa says that the Green Valley Farm Project isn't only positive for the environment, but also notes it is a great way to teach inmates how to be productive members of society. "From 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening, they come out and water the plants, till the fields," he said.
Mesa also added, "I pretty much deal with the plants and pretty much keep them watered. It's good - it's a good program."
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