Driftless Organics
When Josh Engel and his brother Noah were kids, their mom gave them a small field on their family's organic dairy farm to plant a crop. That Spring, they planted 20 varieties of potatoes and in 1994, sold their first crop at the Dane County Farmer's Market. They named their business Driftless Organics and became one of the first certified organic local growers for the Viroqua Food Co+op. Today, Josh Engel operates a year-round agricultural enterprise with a base crew of fifteen employees. This year, the farm will produce ninety acres of certified organic produce that will be sold to a dozen stores and wholesalers throughout the Midwest in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
Co-op shoppers will recognize the blue paper potato bags and learn that Driftless Organic Potatoes are a quality product with exceptional flavor. Josh says, "Growing in healthy soil makes healthy vegetables; the flavor profile comes along with it."
Touring the family farm with Josh, we discover the many ways that the crew at Driftless Organics works to keep the soil healthy. He points out a field of alfalfa, explaining that cover crops are grown and then tilled under to add nutrients back into the soil. “The more organic matter you have in the soil, the healthier your plants grow," Josh says, adding that, “healthy plants have higher yields and are more naturally resistant to pests and disease.” We walk through a vibrant patchwork of fields of kale and carrots, beets and potatoes and Josh explains crop rotation and how he periodically changes what is grown in each plot, noting that this diversity helps to balance and replenish the soil. Long, narrow fields hug the shape of the land. This type of contour farming found throughout the Driftless Region works with the land to prevent soil erosion. While rotating fields and planting crops to till them under is more steps for the farmer, investing in the land in this way protects the environment on and around the farm, provides a healthier workplace for farm workers, produces healthy, nutritious food for your family and builds a more sustainable and resilient eco-system.
Potatoes are a commodity crop in Wisconsin, with 66,000 acres planted last year. Josh appreciates that the co-op prioritizes his products and the products of his neighbors and knows that his commitment to organic agriculture sets his crop apart in freshness, quality and flavor from the large-scale operations in the center of the state. His partnership with the co-op and other community-oriented businesses keeps his family farm intact, allows him to provide meaningful jobs with benefits for employees, and continuously improves the quality of his land.
It's been 30 years since the Engel brothers harvested their first potatoes for profit. Throughout the years, the business has grown and evolved. They started out as market farmers and ran a successful CSA; for a few years, they even grew and pressed sunflower seeds and sold bottled sunflower oil. Now, with young families, they are building their business by selling to a few wholesalers and businesses like the Viroqua Food Co+op. Instead of a full range of vegetables that you might find in a CSA box, Driftless Organics specializes in all kinds of root crops including celeriac, parsnip, carrots, beets, seed garlic, turmeric, ginger root and many varieties of potatoes.
The farm recently invested in a new cold storage building and packing shed, which allows them to distribute year-round. While distribution is often a challenge for small farms, Driftless Organics self-distributes and partners with local businesses like Driftless Provisions and Fizzeology to fill their trucks. This helps with fuel costs and allows other small local businesses to get their products to a wider market. The spirit of cooperation and collaboration along with year-round shelf space at the co-op, helps small food businesses in our region succeed. When you purchase local products at the co-op, you support your neighbors, build the local economy, and contribute to the environmental sustainability of our region. All of that goodness while also enjoying delicious and nutritious food that your family will love.