Farm op takes organic farming seriously

The staff at Green Edge Organic Gardens, an organic farm in Amesville, consists of individuals who have an innate interest in the techniques and effects of organic farming.

Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on techniques that use green manure, compost and crop rotation to maintain soil productivity and control pests, with very little or no use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms.

Kip and Becky Rondy, owners of the 120-acre farm that hosts Green Edge Gardens, purchased the business from the previous owner, Bill Shores, in 2004. The Rondys decided to buy the business, they said, because they both had experience in organic farming, and a general interest in managing a business that was already on their property.

"We already had experience in organic farming,'' she said. "We saw the business as something that we could step right into."

Other workers at Green Edge Gardens, however, didn't have a lot of knowledge in the field of organic farming, and came to the farm to learn more about what that process entails. Corey Frost, 23, an intern from Raleigh, N.C., said he decided to join the staff at Green Edge Gardens to get hands-on experience in organic farming, and learn about a career that is "truly unique."

"At my old job I was stuck behind a desk all day and I hated it," he said. "Here, there's something new everyday. I get to work with people, interact with them, and do a variety of things throughout my day. It's very different and I love it."

Frost made the long trip from Raleigh to work as one of Green Edge Garden's three interns. After finding out about Green Edge Gardens from public Web sites such as WWOFF, World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, which lists both international and national organic farming internships, he said he decided to move to Athens in order to learn more about a process he knew little about.

"Learning how to grow your own food and knowing the importance of growing your own food is going to become an increasingly valuable skill to have," he said while picking weeds out of one of the many rows of vegetables on the Rondys' farm. "I've learned a lot about both farming, and the importance of community while working here."

Fellow employee Dan Kneier, farm manager, arrived at Green Edge Gardens a couple years ago to further expand his knowledge and experience of organic farming. An outdoorsman who had experience in organic farming before arriving at Green Edge, Kneier noted that he has stayed ever since because he enjoys being outside and being a part of the many steps in the organic farming cycle. Though Green Edge Gardens, like any other job, has its ups and downs, he acknowledged, he enjoys his responsibilities and work at Green Edge Gardens because "it's diverse and challenging."

"It has its drags and politics like any normal workplace, but I can really say it's something I enjoy," he said. "There's so much here constantly keeping my mind focused and sharp, and that's something I appreciate."

Staying sharp appears to be a necessity at Green Edge Gardens, considering how much the business has grown over the past six to 10 years, with the rise in demand for organic produce. Staying two weeks ahead of orders is vital, Kip Rondy said.

Many restaurants in Athens, Columbus, and Cincinnati receive the farm's organic produce that includes microgreens, salad mixes and cooking greens. In Athens, businesses such as Casa Nueva, the Village Bakery and Latitude 39 carry Green Edge Garden's goods. In Columbus, grocery stores such as Whole Foods, and restaurants such as Barcelona, receive weekly orders of the various organic goods that come from the gardens.

"There's a sufficient demand for this kind of gardening nowadays," Rondy said.

Kneier also noted that rise in demand for Green Edge product over the last few years has grown, and gives credit to the popularization of what is known as the "green movement."

"It's a phenomenon," he said. "There are a lot of businesses now looking toward our product."

Aside from selling their produce to many businesses, Green Edge Gardens sells food through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Through CSA, members of the Athens community can purchase a "share" of a farm during a growing season in return for a weekly portion of the harvest. Members receive a weekly share of anywhere from 10 to 25 vegetable types and they change as the seasons change.

The crew at Green Edge Gardens tends to several greenhouses, a mushroom room where they grow shiitake mushrooms, and a start house. The increasing demand for organic gardens has the staff at Green Edge Gardens working hard to harvest the produce.

Anyone witnessing the effort put into organic farming at Green Edge Gardens could not overlook how the physically challenging the work is. From picking weeds in long rows of cabbage in 90-degree weather, to carrying crates of tomatoes that weigh a few pounds up one of the many big hills surrounding the Rondy property, the work is anything but easy.

Although it's demanding labor, the employees at Green Edge Gardens, along with the Rondys, seem to truly enjoy reaping what they sow. At Green Edge Gardens, everyone works a variety of tasks in order to accomplish the day's requirement of harvesting, watering, planting seeds, or whatever else might need done. The way the staff works together on various tasks that carry varying degrees of responsibily makes the business different from others, said Kip Rondy.

"What's unique about our farm is that with other businesses, there's often a type of the hierarchical structure. We don't have that. Everyone has a job, and there are some things that I don't do or know that other people working here do. We're like a team," he said.

If Green Edge Gardens were a team, the Rondys would be the water boy, the coach and a player all packed into one. Depending on the day, the Rondys might be the drivers, the landscapers, the delegators, or the chefs. The Rondys aren't above anything that needs done for the day, a characteristic that Becky said is simply a "part of ownership."