Ode to Sir Howard

Sir Albert Howard: Father of Organics, All-Around Doer of Good

Every great idea starts somewhere. In the case of organic agriculture, it started with this guy, Sir Albert Howard, in the 1930s and 40s.

It didn’t seem like such a revolutionary idea at the time—pretty simple really. Keep the soil fertile for future generations. He stressed the importance of microbes and their benefits to plants. He explained the benefits of composting. He warned against the loss of soil by erosion. He wrote a book about it, called An Agricultural Testament. Take care of the soil, or, the gist of it is, we’d end up in deep fertilizer.

He influenced some important thinkers. Farmer and poet Wendell Berry called his idea to preserve fertile soil our “sacred duty” to future generations. And JJ Rodale, after reading the book, said, “I was affected so profoundly that I could not rest until I purchased a farm.” Rodale then went on to create the “bible” of the modern organic movement, Organic Farming and Gardening.

If modern day agriculture would put into practice even a small part of what Sir Howard taught us about sustainable farming, we would begin to reverse the damage we have caused to our planet through pollution and global warming. He truly was a man ahead of his time, and he gave us the blueprint for not only providing healthy food but also for maintaining a truly sustainable environment. Smart guy.

Links for further reading:

An Agricultural Testament

Journey to Forever

Whole Earth Catalog

The New Farm