The concept of the Agrarian Elders Gathering  -  collecting and sharing the knowledge of almost one thousand years of organic farming experience – was the brain child of organic farmers Michael Ableman and Eliot Coleman crossed with extraordinary Esalen Institute Center for Theory and Research founder and leader Michael Murphy.

   The first Agrarian Elders Gathering was held in Big Sur two years ago.  That event captured the attention of the New York Times.   A masterful chronicling is an excellent report written by talented Noel Vietor.  Finally, Agrarian Elder Patty Huber wrote a nice piece in her farm newsletter.

      There is great conscious of the critical need to generationally pass along knowledge. Therefore, this Agrarian Gathering was re-constituted to bring together a dozen of the Elders along with a dozen Youngers selected for their leadership qualities from among the next generation of organic farmers.
 
     As preparation for this Agrarian Elders Gathering, our friend – and longtime seed potato customer – the well-known Eliot Coleman of Four Seasons Farm on the coast of Maine, took it upon himself to create and distribute a reading list for Elders to study ahead of time. 

     Eliot’s collection of pertinent articles and studies is nothing short of stunning.  We share with you Eliot’s treasure trove below.
Jim

Eliot Coleman’s 2016 Agrarian Elders Reading List.

What are we doing? Why are we organic farmers?

Motivation? Inspiration? Goal? Wider picture? Long-term expectations?
It has been said that organic farmers “are the last beacons of light, the last autonomous independent examples of human beings who have not been co-opted by the system. Organic farmers are the only force preventing the total takeover of the food system by artificial, industrial thinking.”

Campaign for Real Farming (1)
Campaign for Real Farming (2)
Sustainable Food Trust

Sustainable Soil Fertility: How best to achieve it?
Mixed Farming – Livestock plus field crops, vegetable crops, fruit, etc.
Fertility Without Fertilizers – Green manures, cover crops, crop rotation?
Sod-based Rotations
NY Times Article - Farmers put down the plow for more productive soil
Are Some Crops Synergistic to Following Crops?

Organic Fertilizers – biological? mineral? foliar? sources? Sustainability index?
The Atlantic – Amish Farmers Reinventing Organic Agriculture

The Soil Microbiome – the Rhizosphere effect, no-till vs. mechanical tillage?
Long Term Organic Farming Fosters Above and Below Ground Biota
The Littlest Farmhands
Soil is the Stomach of the Plant

The Perpetual Farm – Soil organic matter? How sustainable are we in reality?
SOS: Save our Soils!
The Fungi Thing about Soil

The Future – The new realities of CRISPR and gene editing.
Genes drives offer new hope against diseases and crop pests

Sustainable Pest Control: How does it work?
A Total System Approach to Sustainable Pest Management
Soil Fertility Management and Insect Pests
Organic Agriculture Promotes Evenness and Natural Pest Control
 
Pests - What is going on when the crops are free from pests and diseases?
The Rhizosphere Microbiome and Plant Health
Plant Stress Hypothesis – T. C. R. White
Mineral Balance Hypothesis – Andre Alyokhin
Colorado Potato Beetle Response to Mineral Balance
Induced Defense Hypothesis – Judith Meyers
Organic Matter Hypothesis – Larry Phelan
Are Pests the Problem – or Pesticides?

Weeds – Solarization, cultivation, mulches, stale seedbed, flame weeding?

Getting The Message Out. What does the public understand?
Why everyone who is sure about a food philosophy is wrong
Is Organic Agriculture ‘Affluent Narcissism’?
How do we communicate better what we do and its importance?
Who are the best and most effective spokespeople for alternative ag?
How do we maintain the integrity our customers have come to expect?
Is “organic” already so compromised that we need a new word?
Is the Organic Label Worth Saving?
What are the pitfalls ahead in defining “organic”?
Are these beautiful lettuce and tomatoes really organic?
It’s practically impossible to define GMOs

Marketing and Distribution: The economics of small farms?
Scale of production, retail or wholesale, high workload, moderate level of
income, etc. What are their effects on the viability and longevity of family farms?
The end of organic farming might be sooner than we thought.
What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a living.
Despite what you’ve heard, small farmers are doing just fine

Click here for our Wood Prairie Maine Certified Organic Seed Potatoes.