Yesterday, we went through our initial inspection to become certified organic. After completing the rafts of paperwork to create our Organic System Plan, (It seems odd to me that I needed to print so many pages… Not quite a sustainable activity.), having that reviewed, then revising the paperwork for the third time, the big day arrived. The inspector spent about 4 and a half hours with us, going over all of the tiniest details. We walked the orchard, looking for any place where pesticides or herbicides might drift onto our property from the neighboring homes and ranches. We discussed our plans for inter-planting the orchard and how we would tend the trees, old and new. Then, we traced a single bottle of olive oil backwards; from our bottle to bottling machine to bulk storage to the orchard to the very day those olives were picked and finally to the tree and how that tree was tended. It really was quite amazing to see how the inspector put all of the pieces into their respective places.

After this experience, I can (sorta) see why it is so expensive to produce an organic product. The detail that is required, along with the paperwork, is very daunting. I’m skimming over the fact that we can use none of the nasty chemicals that make farming an easier chore. Those that we are allowed to use are two to three times more expensive than conventional, man-made chemicals. Add to that the fact that organic farming requires more manual labor. All in all, the equation is difficult to solve.

So, pending some unforeseen problem, the 2009 release of our Sylverleaf Estate will be 100% certified organic! We’re very excited by this prospect and hope that you are too.