We are thrilled to announce that Oshala Farm has recently achieved Regenerative Organic Certified® status, a milestone that marks our unwavering commitment to sustainability, soil health, and social fairness. This prestigious certification recognizes the long-standing practices that have been at the heart of our farming philosophy.
What is Regenerative Organic Certified®?
Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) is a rigorous standard that goes beyond organic farming. It integrates three foundational pillars:
1. Soil Health & Land Management: Promoting practices that restore and enhance soil health, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon.
2. Animal Welfare: Ensuring humane treatment of animals with access to outdoor areas, natural diets, and stress-free environments. (Note: While Oshala Farm does not raise animals, we fully support and adhere to the ethical standards set for animal welfare within the ROC™ framework.)
3. Social Fairness: Upholding fair labor practices, equitable wages, and safe working conditions for all farmworkers.
This certification is awarded to farms that demonstrate excellence in these areas, setting a new benchmark for sustainable agriculture. All crops grown and offered by Oshala Farm are now Regenerative Organic Certified®.
Our Commitment to Regenerative Practices
At Oshala Farm, our journey toward regenerative organic practices has been a labor of love, driven by our mission to produce the healthiest, most sustainable products possible. Here are some key practices we have been implementing for years:
• Regenerative Soil Practices: We have long embraced crop rotations, cover cropping, and minimal tillage to improve soil structure, fertility, and biodiversity.
• Diverse Crop Cultivation: We cultivate an extremely wide variety of crops, ensuring biodiversity and resilience within our farming system. By growing a wide number of plant families and crop types we are able to better work with the natural systems to prevent disease, control pests and minimize the need for off-farm fertilizers.
• Long-Term Perennial Crops: On average, 40-50% of our crop land is dedicated to long-term perennial crops, contributing to soil health and biodiversity.
• No Plasticulture: We avoid the use of plasticulture, opting for more sustainable farming methods.
• Fair Wages and Worker Support: As part of our commitment to ROC™, we pay our staff a minimum of 10% above a living wage as determined by the MIT living wage calculator. Although this is recommended, it is not required, and though many farms do not choose to do so, we believe that a farm is only sustainable if it sustains the people working there. By providing fair wages, safe working conditions, and opportunities for growth, we ensure that our team is as healthy and thriving as our land.
Why It Matters
Receiving Regenerative Organic Certified® status is a testament to our ongoing commitment to regenerative agriculture. This certification means that every product you purchase from Oshala Farm contributes to a healthier planet, supports ethical farming practices, and promotes social fairness.
Join Us in Celebrating!
We invite you to celebrate this achievement with us. Visit our farm, explore our products, and learn more about regenerative organic practices. Your support helps us continue our mission to heal the earth and nurture our community.
For more information about Regenerative Organic Certified®, visit the Regenerative Organic Alliance.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we can create a sustainable future for generations to come.