Organic farming incorporates permaculture practices, natural growing principles, sustainable living and regenerative goals.
—01
Anyone can discover a whole new level of life when they start growing organic foods. At first, it’s about the seedlings, the plants growing, and the wonder of it all unfolding before your eyes. The more time you spend in the garden, the more you notice the soil, the patterns of the weather, and the life of microbes, insects, sun, and water—all working together in harmony. And of course the main goal is growing good food – nutrient rich, fully healthy and natural with no artificial treatments.
Growing Organic
To make a good, long lasting garden takes a bit of establishing work. Once the structure is created, the process becomes creative. You have entered a new game, a new meditation, a new set of growing and reflecting that is echoed by the very food you will eat. And you will soon notice that the smell, the feel and taste of organic food is so much better than anything else.
—02 Organic Life
An organic farm is a set of integrated systems. It is not just the food we grow or the fruit we harvest. It is the variety – the infrastructure and what it is made from – the cost ratio’s, the water. It is also the methods used and the harnessing of natural cycles and systems with a touch of technology to help guide and produce. It is deep care of animals and plants and soil and all the processes that take pace in a production cycle. It is waste management and earth stewardship.
Our organic farm includes the forest gardens, animal farm, aquaponics, medicinal gardens, the productive raised beds and the orchids. We intercrop, harmony plant, mulch – no-til – minimal weeding – minimal pruning.
—03 Organic Food
We serve what we grow and there is a story behind all the food and where it comes from. For people living in the city, it is often tempting to get take out and basically not think too much about what we are eating. Then, when we have dependant mouths to feed we start to feel the need to learn more about where our food comes from and what benefits our food has. Yet discovering some basic cooking, food use and nutrition skills is not part of the life book these days. We are here to help.
We offer ‘good food’ workshops at 5eyes, from harvesting to preparing to cooking and feasting … these are hands-on experiences that change us all for the better. Learn to make yoghurt and white cheese naturally. Take a chocolate tempering workshop with us and experience the amazing world of cacao refining. Discover medicinal traditions from nature.
“Organic gardening is not about just substituting toxic chemicals with less toxic ones, but about a whole different way of thinking and working. It is a conscious effort to cooperate with nature in the creation of health and abundance for all”.
Heide Hermary – The Essence of Organic Gardening
—04 Organic Farming
Organic farming is about a combination of growing strategies and practices that enhance the natural process that benefits production, health and the whole system. Composting and good soils, drainage and mulch, bedding and seed stock, rotation and natural pest controls are but some of the practices around organic farming.
As with life, organic farming is a long term commitment and investment. It is not a short term cash crop approach. Establishing an organic farm is creating a solid foundation that matures with time. The longer it is established the less work is involved and the better it produces.
—05 chapters of organic farming
Animal Farm
The animal farm is an important part of the organic life at 5EyesFarm. We raise 4 species of fowl – Duck, Chicken, Quail and Goose. We raise them on hand made organic food from the farm made three times a day. These birds are free-range and have a wonderful environment that includes a pond, a river, shaded tree space, open space and several shelters. The large barn houses most of them at night. We raise them primarily for their eggs and occasionally for their meat.
Aquaponics
-Aquaponics is the magical system of growing plants and fish together and both help each other. This type of organic water farming is sustainable, water saving and improves food production and quality. Using aquaponics, we are developing a food security strategy for the future. Phase one is underway with Tilapia Nile and a range of cropping from water-crest to tomatoes to lettuce and a variety of experimental plantings.
Raised Beds
When we mix dry waste with compost and soil we are adding carbon into the mix and also because the dry waste is coarse it allows a good deal of oxygen and retains moisture far more than exposed soil. Such an environment (air, water, soil, compost, dry waste) is the staple for a healthy garden bed. It promotes earthworm activity and especially promotes the growth of good bacteria’s, fungi and microorganisms. These are all working the pile into good hummus for the future.
Insectarium
When we mix dry waste with compost and soil we are adding carbon into the mix and also because the dry waste is coarse it allows a good deal of oxygen and retains moisture far more than exposed soil. Such an environment (air, water, soil, compost, dry waste) is the staple for a healthy garden bed. It promotes earthworm activity and especially promotes the growth of good bacteria’s, fungi and microorganisms. These are all working the pile into good hummus for the future.
—06 Organic cycles
Organic farming is about the health of the whole cycle of productive growing. Soil, water, seeds, rotation, natural pest management, compost making and a host of other elements come into play. At 5EyesFarm we grow all our food organically. Fruit, vegetables and herbs & spices. But we also raise free-range organic poultry and fresh-water fish. Each system we run, including making food for the animals on site, is designed for best practice in organic management.
