The Dirt on 3844 Roots, Shoots and Fruits.
The Dirt on… is a series focusing on BioGro licensees and their accomplishments in organics and sustainability. BioGro talked to the team at Roots, Shoots and Fruits about their origins, the highlights of running an organic business and why more businesses should consider going organic.
How and where did RSF begin?
Roots, Shoots & Fruits began 25 years ago, founded by Tim and Molly Callaghan. Molly grew up in Australia on a family-owned self-sustainable farm. Growing up, Molly’s father was a great advocate for the environment at a time when thinking this way was uncommon. Molly began learning from a young age when her dad used microorganisms like Trichoderma 40 years ago!
This is way ahead of many growers today who are only just becoming aware of the many benefits of biological organisms. Tim’s family were farmers on the Rakaia River, growing sheep, beef and speciality seeds, and later in the Wairarapa, trees became a big part of their lives. Upon moving to New Zealand as young adults, Molly, together with Tim, saw a need and gap in the market for growers to advance their practices with new technologies that would have long-term beneficial impacts, so Roots, Shoots & Fruits was born.
What does organic mean to you?
For us, organic products are naturally good for people, plants, animals, and the planet.
What was/were your first product/s?
We knew there would be a need for Roots, Shoots & Fruits products, and we were keen to share our knowledge with real trials producing high-yielding results. Some of our first-ever products were TRI-D25 (Trichoderma), Mobilizer (Fulvic Acid) and BIOMIN (Glycine Chelated Calcium and Minerals). Foundation products for farmers to grow healthy produce and improve soil health and root development, increasing yields and reducing reliance on synthetic chemicals.
“We want to leave our children and their future children with the desire and knowledge that it is possible to feed our population and protect the natural environment. ”
What have been some of the main challenges to running a rapidly growing organic business?
Education has been a key factor, and it has certainly taken us on a long journey. The education of growers and retailers that predominantly work with conventional chemical products was and still is a challenge. Universities did not provide any education in the organic/biological area. It was evident that growers did not understand the potential of these new technologies, and we were commonly called ‘snake oil salesmen’. There was no grasp of how these organisms and new technologies could possibly work. The fact that people put their faith in penicillin, derived from fungi, for their own health, but could not envision how these organisms could possibly assist their plants, seemed strangely disconnected to us, like city kids not knowing where milk comes from.
There are still people who do not understand how biological products can help them to grow better. However, there is a positive groundswell of change.
Initially, even having the word ‘organic’ on our brand was a barrier as it seemed to scare growers who used non-organic chemistry. We wanted to make an impact, so we shared our innovative technologies with farmers so they could see first-hand the results on their own crops, and then informed them after the fact that these products were certified organic. This was our conversion process, hooked on organics - simply through results.
What we can see now is that consumers are educating themselves and becoming very savvy about what goes into their food and the whole process of food production, from planting to purchasing. They are seeking fresh produce that is not grown using chemicals, that is good for their health and grown with nature in mind. This, in turn, has forced change in growing practices.
And what have been the highlights?
A key highlight has been witnessing and being a part of the change in attitudes towards organic practices in many Agricultural sectors across New Zealand. Progress has been hard-won and it’s not over yet, but we have come a long way. We have seen growers succeed and we are still out there sharing our wealth of knowledge through conferences and events, such as sponsoring the Young Viticulturist competition over many years. We continue to educate and share knowledge through scientific evidence, and we are proud to see our children flourish and possess great integrity for the environment and life on this planet; one daughter is qualified as an environmental scientist, whilst the other works on a research ship. We want to leave our children and their future children with the desire and knowledge that it is possible to feed our population and protect the natural environment.
“Organics… It’s not just a way of life. It’s a way to live.”
What are the core values that guide what you do?
Reflecting personally, I believe in honesty and ethically treating everyone well. Ensuring that everyone we encounter is treated in the same manner we wish to be treated ourselves. Our core business values are to provide high-quality products and services in a friendly and timely manner that exceeds expectations where possible. We pride ourselves on keeping in step with scientific progress around how mankind is impacting the health of our planet and what our role is in educating people at the pointy end of food production. We do not underestimate the impact that healthy soils and waterways have on people, animals, and plants – Soil Health, Plant Health, and Your Health.
Why should businesses look to go organic? What are the benefits?
We believe there will come a time, very soon, when growing organically will become normal and common practice, the EU Green Deal we hope, is just the beginning. Really, when we look at what is happening in our own beautiful country and around the world, it can’t come too soon.
Organics are a viable and profitable market for growers. There are huge benefits to be had, not only in higher yields but also in the areas of carbon sequestration and restoration of topsoil. Organic growing is an opportunity to have a long-term impact on your local community and beyond. Consumers are demanding clean food that has been produced in a manner that nurtures and sustains the environment. It's not just a way of life, it's a way to live.
Some overarching benefits of growing organically:
Increased survival and longevity of plants
Enhanced seed germination and root development
Growing and restoring topsoil for future farming
Prevents freshwater contamination
Stabilises soil temperature
Binding of pathogenic enzymes and heavy metals
Stores environmentally high carbon dioxide back in the soil
We encourage all growers who want to know more to simply give us a call to discuss how they can grow better.
