Kevin and Jon Findlay are organic farmers everyone should know! As the seventh generation of farmers in their family, they run Clearwater Farms in Caro, Michigan, consisting of Findlay’s Organics, Harvest Ridge Processing and Finn Flyer Transport. Since transitioning to organic with their dad over 25 years ago, the Findlay brothers know organic growing, transporting and processing. Kevin talked to us about FieldWatch’s value, challenges to overcome on organic farms and the CWF Organic Expo.

FieldWatch: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. Let’s start with: What’s your experience with FieldWatch?

Kevin: My dad was the first one to introduce me to FieldWatch. About 10 years ago, we picked up some new rented ground, and my dad said that we needed to add it to FieldWatch. And I was surprised I didn’t know what he was talking about. He told us that we use FieldWatch to make sure our organic acres are registered. That was my initiation into it!

FieldWatch: How do you currently use FieldWatch registries?  

Kevin: Here’s a really cool example. Last year, we wanted to test out a product that needed an aerial application. I went to the applicator’s hangar, and the first thing he asked me was, “Where is this field?” Then he pulled up FieldWatch. This made me feel good about hiring him because he is the “go-to” for aerial application in our area, and the first tool he pulled up was FieldWatch. He used it to plan out his day. He’s making sure of wind and location of fields.

FieldWatch is like an insurance policy, letting people know, “Hey, this is an organic field.” Having the experience with this pilot made me realize this guy in the ag industry is truly using FieldWatch. It made me feel assured I was using the right applicator.

FieldWatch: Our registries do help organic growers. But we also know that you face unique challenges. Based on your past experiences, what have you learned about overcoming challenges?

Kevin: Overspray from conventional farms can be a challenge for organic farming. We’re lucky that we know our neighbors well, and everyone looks out for each other. But we also have permanent buffers of native grasses on our organic field borders. We do everything we can to mitigate the risk of overspray by using buffers and FieldWatch registries.

Another challenge is timeliness—whether that’s working the ground, planting, applying fertilizer and so on. Timing is critical. As farmers, we are realistic and know we may not always get perfect days. But farmers can’t do whatever they want, like spray on a windy day. In a way, it’s the honor system, and you have to trust people.

Communication with neighbors is key. We talk to our neighbors and let them know, “Hey, this is an organic field.” If you’re in a new area, you have to connect with your neighbors. Connecting with each other is crucial.

FieldWatch: How did the CWF Organic Expo grow out of these challenges and communication goals?

Kevin: There are a lot of organic farmers in our area, but there was not a good expo in the region already. Growers need to network with buyers, equipment dealers, seed dealers, and so on. We also wanted to build awareness of our Clearwater Farms brand.

We also help organic growers by educating them on issues, like what are fair commodity prices and how to maintain relationships with neighbors. We bring in auxiliary ag companies that we trust. We’re working to strengthen the industry in our area. It’s important to us to be good stewards for our business and for the ag industry overall. The CWF Organic Expo helps us do this and more.

FieldWatch: How do interested growers find out about the next CWF Organic Expo?

Kevin: We keep our website https://www.cwforganicexpo.com/ up to date, and you can subscribe with an email address. We’ll post details, like times, speaker topics and specific vendors. We don’t have anything at the Expo that we wouldn’t use personally on our farm.

FieldWatch: Thank you again, Kevin, for sharing your organic farming life! Any final thoughts?

Kevin: We are a niche being organic row crop—we’re not livestock, and we’re not fruit and vegetable. We’re happy to connect with organic growers and hope to see you at our Expo next January.

To discover more about Clearwater Farms, visit their website: https://findlaysorganics.com/