Healthy farming practices discussed
2007-04-04
“THERE is a direct link between human health and farming practice,” said an American visitor, Dr Arden Andersen, at a three day conference that was held at Nelson’s Creek recently.
Addressing a packed audience of scientists and farmers at Nelson’s Creek, Dr Andersen, who is a leading world authority on food production and health, said that many farmers have forgotten that their calling is not just to produce plants but to do so optimally in a manner that is not detrimental to the wellbeing of humans.
“Farmers are in large measure responsible for the increase in cancer and many of the other health disorders amongst children and adults,” Dr Andersen said at the commencement of his three day address.
Dr Andersen, who is from Indiana in the USA, has distinguished himself as a world authority on biological agriculture and gives lectures all over the world on the management of soils, crops and animals in an ecological and economically sustainable manner.
He explained how weeds, diseases and insect pests are the results of poor soil nutrition and indicated how to correct these problems without the need for chemical poisons, more efficiently than provided for by either conventional or organic farming paradigms.
So respected is Dr Andersen that the Australian Government has retained him to conduct a series of courses in sustainable agriculture. He travels the world giving lectures at numerous academic institutions.
The lectures at Nelson’s Creek were hosted by Advanced Nutrients who provide a range of products and services to implement Dr Andersen’s theories.
The Nelson family have recently made their farm available to farmers and producers of agricultural products in the region to market their products at a monthly market.
“We currently offer sites at our farmer's market free of charge to farmers and primary producers of farm and related products,” said Belinda Laubscher of Nelson’s Creek, who co-ordinates the farmer’s market that is currently held on the Estate every first Saturday of the month.
”We would like our market to develop into an outlet for producers that follow sustainable and healthy farming practices of the kind referred to by Dr Andersen and we were very happy to see that the conference was also attended by producers who sell their products at our market.
“We are also trying to promote the notion that there is a direct link between the quality of farm produce and health and we have extended an invitation to the other farmers at the conference to offer their products at our market.”
“The market is doing so well that we will soon be offering it on a weekly basis.”
The next farmer’s market at Nelson’s Creek takes place this Saturday between 08:00 and 12:30 come rain or shine.
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