You have heard the story about the frog in the pot of boiling water? He didn’t even notice, did he? and then it was too late, well it seems at least for now we are not that frog.
There are few wins in agriculture, it is a tough job, and retail as a small business selling fresh produce, is probably just about as challenging as it gets. But last week we won, and we won on the national level, making us one of only seven companies to receive a national organic award and we are delighted, over the moon in fact. It was amazing to receive the recognition that we are indeed getting some bits right.
It is only through the sheer determination, hard work and dedication of the people that work and support Green Earth Organics that we were able to come top of our category and receive such a prestigious accolade. To be in the same room with some of the big powerhouses of retail and agriculture such as Flahavans and Dunnes Stores and to come away with an award for best in category “Direct to Consumer” was overwhelming. It was a double win. Coming off the back of the two worst growing years in at least our 18-year history, and a retail environment where it is next to impossible to compete and succeed with the backdrop that the supermarkets paint, that we won. It is encouragement that couldn’t have come at a better time. I will forego modesty for this moment, it was an amazing achievement, and one that we are proud of and will relish. It is rare to know that you are not the frog in the boiling water, you know the story.
The awards showed us that we are not that frog. There have been plenty of times in the last 24 months, were we certainly felt like the water was heating, the increased costs of doing business and farming, the ravaging of our climate through man made emissions that is exacerbating our ability to grow crops. The difficulty in competing in a landscape where fresh produce is devalued and used as loss leaders. Throw into the mix six months of other challenges of our own making a new IT system that very nearly broke us, and you have the perfect storm.
For all of that, we have never been more committed to our mission of creating a more sustainable food system, one that respects biodiversity through the elimination of the use of chemicals and through the production of local food, to reduce our contribution to man-made climate breakdown.
It is through your support that we get to do this to stand up for the values: to protect our planet, and our land, and biodiversity, and to reduce plastic pollution and to ensure our food is free from chemicals.
As Margret Meade stated you are those citizens.“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Kenneth
