By Pamela Steinbach
Photos By Linda Miller
Farmer Dan Flowtow contributes to the health of our community by growing produce organically and selling it directly to a growing list of customers.
Dan Flowtow knows well the little patch of earth he farms just south of Fort Wayne, on Highway 24. He grew up on it. At the age of 12, he expanded his agricultural career by working for other area farmers as well, making two dollars an hour baling hay. When he came of age, he went to Purdue University and earned a degree in agronomy.
 He’d never really thought much about organic farming before. But one day, eight years ago, he discovered that the conventional chemicals he was using on his land were so dangerous that his children had to stay away from the treated soil for at least 48 hours. That’s when he decided organic farming was for him. Since then, he’s treated his five-acre parcel of land and four greenhouses not with chemicals but with kelp, fish and worm castings. Those are the soil-enriching ingredients that have enabled him to produce certified organic food year-round for 100 area residents.
It’s the earthworms, in particular, who tell Dan how well he’s caring for his land. If the worms are prolific, that’s a sure sign the earth is healthy. The earth nourishes the worms. And the worms nourish the earth. It’s that whole “circle of life” thing, don’t you know.
Dan’s farm underwent another transformation about six years ago, when an Oregon transplant happened to drive by in search of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Dan had never heard of such a thing until the stranger talked with him about it. Basically, CSA is a pre-sale plan assuring farmers that there’s a market for their produce. The concept originated in Japan, found adherents on both U.S. coasts, then spread to more than 2,000 farms across the country. For you, the consumer, it’s like having your own personal gardener — someone local who not only grows food just for you but who’s also someone you know. The food is truly fresh, too, because it hasn’t been harvested early, spent days in a truck or been treated to maintain an “image” of freshness. On top of all that, fuel isn’t wasted delivering the food from some far location to your table.
Dan liked the idea of turning his farm into a CSA farm and has never looked back. “It’s really satisfying to know I’m taking care of my patch of earth, growing good food for CSA members and making the earth better than when I started farming years ago.”Dan’s farm underwent another transformation about six years ago, when an Oregon transplant happened to drive by in search of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 08:00 )
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