ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to contextualize agronomic, economic, and knowledgerelated issues relevant to organic agriculture by examining the experiences of 10 Canadian organic farming households. Attention is also given to the broader social and ecological landscape on which the organic farming system exists, resulting in a more holistic understanding of how organic farmers navigate the complexities of this system. The research objectives are (1) to understand the participants’ rationale for farming organically, (2) to identify the challenges and new approaches used, and (3) to examine the types of sources of knowledge that are important to participants, as well as how that knowledge is shared across networks. Finally, building on Holling and Gunderson’s (2002) adaptive cycle, the research findings are presented as comprising an adaptive cycle for organic agriculture.
