Biography of Maynard Kaufman, an Organic Pioneer and Farmer Educator: Part 2

By Taylor Reid

In this, Part 2 of my biography of Maynard Kaufman, I explore his commitment to organic as not just a system of production, but a way of life; his role in the founding of Organic Growers of Michigan and Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA; http://www.moffa.org); and his latest projects - including his off-the-grid house, and his recently completed book: Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality.

Since its inception, the philosophy and practice of organic agriculture, in the true sense, has been grounded in its progressive, principled, benevolent, and holistic set of moral convictions (Conford 2001). Few people have developed or articulated these elements as reflectively, analytically, earnestly, or purposefully as Maynard Kaufman. In his proposal for the School of Homesteading, Maynard asserts that “the ethos of the new homesteading movement…involves a total re-appropriation of oneself and one’s world, and [that] to this extent it depends upon a change as radical as a religious conversion” (1972). For him it involved the search for authenticity, for a more genuine, integrated way of living and engaging with the world (2004). “My strong feeling is that we have too long perpetuated…a vicious dualism between mind and body, theory and practice, scientific detachment and emotional involvement, so that the strains imposed by these dualism's are reverberating throughout the entire ecosystem. In fact we are not disembodied spirits” he argues, “but spirited bodies; as such we are not detached but involved with each other and with the total environment…” (1972).

MOFFA’s origin is rooted in the history of the Organic Growers of Michigan Cooperative (OGM). Founded in the same year as the School of Homesteading by a group of “organic farmers, fruit growers and market gardeners” dedicated to promoting the production and marketing of organic food (Yaeger 1973), OGM is still in existence today, though struggling to find its role in the new organic landscape. By August of 1973, it had established the second organic certification program in the US, and was regularly attracting well over 50 people to its meetings. Maynard and Sally Kaufman were founding members of the organization, and were among the first group of organic growers certified by OGM that year. Over the next two decades he and Sally remained active members, and served in a variety of leadership roles on both the local and state level, and were regular contributors to the organization’s newsletter. In 1974, Maynard published a four part series of articles entitled "Alternatives to Agribusiness" (Kaufman 1974). Many of the ideas embodied in this work were more famously presented by Wendell Berry in The Unsettling of America (1977) several years later, and it is remarkable how many of Maynard’s observations from this writing remain relevant today. In it he critiques the conventional agricultural system’s focus on productivity, and its environmental and social costs, and articulates the value of small farms, traditional knowledge, and an ecologically balanced, holistic approach to farming.

Sally Kaufman passed away on March 30th of 1990. In an October issue of the Michigan Land Trustees Newsletter (http://www.michiganlandtrust.org), one former School of Homesteading student writes: “Her untimely death is a mystery. I am moved by the strength and beauty of Sally’s and your courage, honesty and simplicity. I have always been moved and uplifted by these qualities in both of you-even when I was too young and inarticulate to realize it...”. Despite the loss of his longtime partner, Maynard continued his work within the organic movement.

In the late 1980’s, OGM had become dependent on the efforts of a few volunteers who were beginning to suffer from burnout and overwork. Organic farming was changing, and so were the organization’s needs. As a result, Maynard spearheaded an effort to transition OGM from a business co-op to a charitable organization, eligible for grant money, and able to focus its efforts more efficiently. This proposal bogged down due to logistical constraints and legal advice which suggested that such a change would be difficult to negotiate. Rather than giving up, members who had been working for the change decided instead to form a new organization. In January of 1992, it was incorporated as a tax-exempt, charitable organization called Michigan Organic Growers Advancement Project or MOGAP, with the help of a memorial fund for Sally, which she had requested be used to facilitate the efforts of OGM (Kaufman 1998). Maynard became the first MOGAP chair, with Pat Whetham, still a member of the MOFFA board, as vice-chair.

MOGAP and OGM worked closely together for the first year. In the summer and fall of 1993 MOGAP leaders held a series of intensive strategic planning meetings aimed at building a broader and more comprehensive vision. As a result of this process, MOGAP became MOFFA and developed a mission to “promote the development food systems that rely on organic methods of food production, and that revitalize and sustain local communities”. This represented a shift away from OGM and the recognition that a healthy food ‘system’ entails more than just farming. Local food became an important focus, and efforts to involve consumers in the process were initiated. Over the years Maynard secured almost $15,000 in grant money for the organization, and he remained board chairman until 1997. Early last year, Maynard stepped down from the MOFFA board in order to concentrate more fully on his recently published book (see below).

Several years ago, Maynard sold two sections of his School of Homesteading farm, and they have been kept in organic production. He now lives with his wife Barbara Geisler, whom he met through his activity in the Southwest Michigan Green party, a group he founded in 1987, in an energy efficient off-the-grid solar house they helped to design. The story of this house, and of Maynard and Barbara’s commitment to energy independence, democracy, and ecological stewardship can be found on the web at http://www.michiganlandtrust.org/Sunflower.htm.

Maynard and Barbara's 'Off the Grid' Home in Bangor, MI

Through the years Maynard had not only been a dedicated activist, but continued his scholarship and contributions to progressive thought. His publications have included “Visions for the Future of Agriculture” in 1984; “The Pastoral Ideal and Sustainable Agriculture” and “The Emerging Green Culture” in 1985; “From Domination to Cooperation: Ethical and Economic Motivations Toward Sustainable Food Systems” in 1988; “Guerilla Gardening: A Way to Oppose NAFTA” in 1993; and “The Need for a Third Way in Economics” in 1995. He has published many other pieces in various publications including the MOFFA newsletter, and has been invited to speak at a number of conferences and forums. In 2005, he delivered the Keynote Address at MOFFA's Organic Farming Conference entitled “Organic Farming and the Organic Way of Life”.

In this presentation he said “There is an ecological ethic which is rooted in our commitment to organic farming and then proceeds from there to shape the rest of our lives, an ethic which prompts us to work and live in harmony with nature…Most people in the modern world are technological optimists; they seek the power to control nature, and this is a diabolical power… I think that large corporations are the most devastating threat we have ever had to confront. By ‘we’ I mean all people on the planet, but especially organic farmers. And ‘large corporations’ I mean those that seek to control energy, food, and seed supplies on a global scale.” He concludes “…by urging organic farmers to recognize how vitally important it is that you affirm the broader implications of organic farming. You do a great deal more than raise good food. As you embody the organic way of life, based on your vision of the whole picture, your dissenting presence is a reminder that this is a democracy”.

Maynard's recently published book Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality is an examination of how Americans will deal with the end of cheap oil. It "explains how our materialistic values evolved to make us such wasteful consumers and how corporations profit at our expense". "The bad news", he contends, "is that rising prices of oil may bankrupt our economy unless we learn how to reduce our energy use. The good news is that earth-centered values are being affirmed by increasing numbers of people. The book shows how earth-centered spirituality can help us live more modestly on the earth and preserve the climate(Kaufman, 2008)." Above all, it is a fascinating, thoughtful, and timely analysis of the social, political, and religious roots of America’s oil dependence, an the possibility for a spiritually based paradigm shift which will help us adapt to the impending post-petroleum era. The book can be ordered through Xlibris Corporation (1-888-795-4274; http://www.xlibris.com; or Orders@Xlibris.com)

Maynard’s commitment to organic agriculture has always embodied more than just a way of growing food. It is about a way of living, of challenging the evils of society, and of hoping to build a better world. And as this two part biography has shown, he has done much more than just pontificate about this point. Maynard Kaufman has always walked his talk, and we owe him a great deal of respect and gratitude for his contributions to our organization, and to our movement. He is truly an organic pioneer in the broadest sense of the term, and the many contributions his life and work has made to the promotion of these ideals our sincere admiration and gratitude.

References

Berry, Wendell. 1977. The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
Conford, Philip. 2001. The Origins of the Organic Movement. Edinburgh: Floris Books.
Kaufman, Maynard. 1972. "Proposal for a School of Homesteading." Western Michigan University:16 pp.
—. 1974. "Alternatives to Agribusiness: Parts 1-4." Organic Growers of Michigan Newsletter September, October, November, December.
—. 1998. "The First Twenty Five Years: A Short History of OGM." OGM Southwest Chapter Newsletter January.
—. 2004. "How I Discovered My Teaching Vocation." (Unpublished):7 pp.
—. 2008. Adapting to the End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality. Xlibris Corporation, http://www.xlibris.com.
Yaeger, John. 1973. "Letter to Potential Members of Organic Growers of Michigan."

This article was originally published under the title "Walking the Talk with Both Feet on the Earth: A Biography of Maynard Kaufman, Organic Pioneer - Part II" in Michigan Organic Connections. 13(1): pp.4-5, 2007.