Michael O’Gorman has been an organic farming pioneer for over 50 years. He studied organics in the ‘60s, practiced regenerative agriculture in the ‘70s, pioneered the locavore movement in the ‘80s, and helped take organics mainstream in the ‘90s. “Looking back, I was out front on every progressive part of agriculture,” he says, “introducing new crops, new ways to grow, always striving to be a good labor manager, and never, ever compromising my ideals.” His friends joke that his last name’s initials, “OG,” are especially fitting.
In 2009, O’Gorman founded the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) to help military veterans become farmers. “I was an anti-war activist along with a lot of the organic originals,” he recalls, “but I decided to help the men and women who were coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s a passion of mine – to help people starting out in farming. I was a first-generation farmer myself, and farming has been good to me.” According to FVC member testimonies, the coalition has saved many lives. “Working closely with men and women at the moment of their transformation from experiences at war to that of farming, and creating life, has profoundly enriched my own life,” says O’Gorman.
O’Gorman puts his experience to use helping a new generation of farmers. Through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), a nationwide initiative supporting transitioning and existing organic producers, O’Gorman mentors several up-and-coming farmers. He consults with them about a wide range of topics, such as how to move forward through the process of organic certification. “We spend a lot of time talking about production, farming strategies, and questions to help them succeed and survive.”
When a squash-farming mentee asked how to keep his harvest from spoiling without refrigeration, O’Gorman had an answer ready from years of experience: Cut a big tank in half and fill one side with water, then dunk the squash as soon as possible. O’Gorman says, “We did the same thing in Baja. It’s real simple, very little cost, and keeps the crop from going rubbery even without refrigeration. That way, you’re going to make it through a day at your farmer’s market or produce stand. It’s just practical.”
O’Gorman volunteers with several organizations and keeps in touch with his mentees even after the official mentoring period concludes. “Everyone has different challenges,” he observes. “One of my mentees, when I met him, he was just released from prison, but he’s smart and organized on his paperwork and he got himself awarded a grant. He’s excited about becoming an organic farmer. I’m excited about him.”
Mentoring military veterans has been especially rewarding for O’Gorman. “The very first veteran I worked with, early on I was saying to him how farming was going to be challenging,” he recalls. “He told me, ‘Michael, I didn’t go into the military despite it being hard. I went because it was hard!’ The challenge was the attraction.”
“I’m a believer in organic farming,” O’Gorman says. “I’ve devoted my life to it.” He plans to continue mentoring farmers whenever there is a need. “I have people calling me up now that were only six years old when I converted their father’s farm to organic, and now they have college degrees and they’re asking if I can advise them on exporting organic produce. It’s kind of fun,” he says. “I’m just a give-back kind of person.”
