Sir Albert Howard

Of all the notable contributions to organic gardening theories over the years, the first came from a British agricultural adviser, Sir Albert Howard. Howard had gone to India in the 1920s, ostensibly to teach people there about modern farming techniques. Instead he soon realized that their time-tested techniques for growing plants without the use of chemicals was far superior than the modern approach he had gone to advocate -- better for both the health of people and the health of the planet. Howard’s book, “An Agricultural Testament,” published in 1940, launched a revolutionary approach to farming and gardening, with an emphasis on the importance of soil fertility. His adaptation of traditional Indian composting techniques forms the foundation for many organic practices today. This quote in the introduction to his book sums up the basis of his philosophy: "The maintenance of the fertility of the soil is the first condition of any permanent system of agriculture."

 

J.I. Rodale

J.I. Rodale is another key figure in the early years of organics. Alarmed by the proliferation of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in the wake of World War II, he founded the Soil and Health Foundation in Pennsylvania in 1947 (forerunner of today’s Rodale Institute). Working from an essential philosophy that healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people are interconnected, Rodale sponsored groundbreaking organic farming research and built a publishing empire centered around health-related magazines such as “Prevention” and “Organic Gardening”. He also is credited with the first definition of organic food, which he said was “grown without poisonous pesticides, grown without artificial fertilizers, grown in soil whose humus content is increased by the addition of organic matter, and grown in soil whose mineral content is increased with applications of natural mineral fertilizers."
Rodale’s ideas were revolutionary at a time when food additives and supplements were thought to be the wave of the future. Now his advocacy of food that is free of hormones, artificial ingredients and preservatives is in sync with forward thinking consumers, who are choosing to grow organically and purchasing organic products in increasing numbers.

 

Malcolm Beck

Malcolm Beck has been a pioneer for organic farming and gardening in Texas since he began farming near San Antonio in the 1950s. Beck continues to advise through books, lectures and research. Self-taught, he has authored and co-authored several classic books on organic gardening, including “Lessons in Nature,” “The Secret Life of Compost,” “The Garden-Ville Method,” and “The Texas Bug Book,” co-authored with Howard Garrett. Beck founded and owned Garden-Ville for several decades. He conducted research at his family farm, and then produced products based on positive results and became known for his expertise in compost and soil-building. Garden-ville now manufactures a full line of environmentally safe gardening and landscaping supplies.
Beck believes the world faces huge environmental problems, most notably the wasting away of organic-rich soil. He says a symbiotic understanding of nature – not an attempt to improve on it – is the key to turning things around.
His seven organic rules, as outlined in “Lessons in Nature.” 1. Always use the best adapted variety for each environment. 2. Plant in the preferred season. 3. Balance the mineral content of the soil. 4. Build and maintain the soil organic content – humus. 5. Do nothing to harm the beneficial soil life. 6. Consider troublesome insects and diseases as symptoms of one of the above rules having been violated. 7. Be patient. Mother Nature gives birth, but Father Time controls the cycles.