High Demand for Organic Land Care

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The Organic movement has only grown in strength these past decades. As consumers and citizens are demanding organic produce because of its health and environmental benefits, they are also increasingly aware that the benefits of an organic landscape are the same as the benefits of an organic diet. NOFA has responded to this demand by offering the Organic Lawn and Turf Course to educate municipal workers and land care professionals in New Haven, Connecticut on August 15 and Hanover, Massachusetts on August 17. Links between synthetic chemicals and disease has many Americans rethinking what they choose to put into their bodies and into their environment. According to the Office of Attorney General in NY, “Pesticides can be absorbed through the skin, swallowed or inhaled. Adverse effects associated with common household pesticides include: birth defects, liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage, irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs and digestive systems. Many pesticides are synthetic and do not easily decompose in nature. A range of pesticides — including some that have been banned from use in the United States for decades — is evident in the blood of most Americans, according to a July report on chemical exposures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Due to this increased understanding, consumers are requesting non-toxic playgrounds, town parks and backyards. Many local governments have responded to this demand. States including Connecticut, and many towns and parks throughout the United States are passing laws banning the use of toxic chemicals on public properties. However, "the demand for organic lawn care overwhelms the supply of landscapers who have the training and confidence to provide it. Many requests for help in maintaining municipal athletic turf organically go unanswered because there is such a shortage of professionals knowledgeable enough to provide this service." This is according to Sarah Little, a Massachusetts Pesticide Activist. “If people knew they could call a reliable organic lawn care service and get prompt, confident, and friendly service, thousands of customers would promptly switch to organic in our state." Many landscapers don't know how to care for land without chemicals, sometimes due to misconceptions of organic land care. “A very common misconception is that organic land care just eliminates pesticides. Organic land care is really about ecologically sound management of the whole system,” commented Kimberly Stoner, Ph.D., chair of the NOFA Organic Land Care Program. “Experience has shown that organic land care methods work well and can be less expensive in the long run.” To help educate landscapers and municipal workers on caring for land organically, the NOFA Organic Land Care Program will offer the NOFA Organic Lawn & Turf Course on August 15, 2006 at the Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, CT and on August 17th at the South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover, MA. For more information, visit www.organiclandcare.net . Founded in 2000, the NOFA Organic Land Care Program extends the vision and principles of organic agriculture to the care of the landscapes where most people carry out their daily lives. Currently there are 215 NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals working to protect their communities in nine different states. CALENDAR LISTINGS: The NOFA Organic Lawn & Turf Course will be held Tuesday, August 15th at the Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, CT and on Thursday, August 17th at the South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover, MA. This one-day intensive course trains landscape professionals to practice organic lawn and turf care (without the use of synthetic pesticides or soil amendments). It is recommended for landscapers, municipal employees and anyone wanting to learn specific methods of organic lawn and turf care. Visit www.organiclandcare.net to register online, or contact Bill Duesing (CT course) at 203-888-5146, bduesing@cs.com or Kathy Litchfield (MA course) at 978-724-0108, kathylitch29@yahoo.com . The five-day NOFA Course in Organic Land Care will be held on January 9, 10, 11, 16 and 17, 2007 in Leominster, Massachusetts and on January 31, Feb. 1, 2, 5 and 6, 2007 in New Haven, CT. This 5-day intensive course trains and accredits professionals to practice organic land care (caring for land without the use of synthetic pesticides or soil amendments). It is recommended for landscapers, designers, municipal and parks employees, horticulturists, master gardeners and entrepreneurs. Visit www.organiclandcare.net to register online, or contact Kathy Litchfield (MA course) at 978-724-0108, kathylitch29@yahoo.com or Bill Duesing (CT course) at 203-888-5146, bduesing@cs.com .
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Berkshire County Arc Golf Event Raises $45K

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Arc raised $45,000 at its 29th annual Golf Classic held this summer at Berkshire Hills Country Club. 
 
The funds raised from the event go directly to individuals with disabilities for activities such as art classes, medical equipment, wheelchair swings, concerts, assistive technology, and dream trips to places like Disney, Celtics games, and deep-sea fishing.
 
The money also goes to scholarships to area high school students planning to pursue human service careers.
 
The lead supporters of the event this year were Berkshire Bank, Health New England, Greylock Federal Credit Union, The Notch Insurance Group, Synagex Modern IT, and Advance Manufacturing.
 
BCArc serves around 1,000 individuals with disabilities through a range of programs that include residential services, employment support, day programs, and support for families at their homes.
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