I hate to be the one to the let the cat out of the bag, but now seems as good a time as any: One of the dirty little secrets of organic agriculture is that it runs on coffee and Ibuprofen. They’re two of the most critical things we farmers need in order to operate day-to-day, and yet also two of the few things we consume that we likely do not grow ourselves.

Now, most hard workers, no matter their profession, depend on their morning cup of Joe to get them through the day. With the Fair Trade certification label and mission-driven companies like Equal Exchange making evermore headway in the coffee industry, these days you can usually find a bean that you can feel good about being mildly addicted to. The pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, present a bit of a problem. But when your work is dependent on your body, mild pain-killers like Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen can mean the difference between your most efficient work day ever and dealing with a constantly distracting twinge during every task.

As an organic farmer, my values alignment always felt a little off when I had to stop at the local drug store to stock up on what soon became my “daily vitamins.” If I’m able to feed myself and my family on delicious, nutrient-rich and soil-grown vegetables, shouldn’t I be able to meet our other needs as well without being so dependent on the drug companies?

With the spirit of determination, last spring I finally decided to take the sourcing of my pharmaceuticals into my own hands. It’s a win-win: with a constant supply that I’m in control of, and production practices I can get behind morally, I’m feeling better than ever when I take these home-grown pills on the morning before an intense work day on the farm.

The trick to growing great pharmaceuticals organically is the same as any other crop: start with the best seed; provide plenty of tending and nutrition; and harvest at the appropriate time. I personally like to be economical with my seed choices, meaning I try to get the biggest bang for my buck. To initiate my “farmaceutical” crop, I stocked up on brand-name over-the-counter painkillers in bulk at our local Big Lots.

Since the success of the crop was critical to my well-being, I decided to take the extra step of starting them in the propagation house instead of risking a direct-seeded crop. I planted the seeds into 50-cell trays about four weeks before I planned to transplant them into the field. Since my first planting was experimental, I decided to commit to only one tray per variety. The transplants turned out beautifully, shedding the pill shells as they emerged to reveal healthy and vigorous seedlings.

I transplanted them into the field as soon as it warmed up enough to avoid the risk of a hard frost, and continued to tend them with vigilant weeding, fertilizing and pest scouting right along with my other crops.

I chose to plant two varieties of pills last season: Ibuprophen, which is a fresh-harvested crop, and Acetaminophen, which is a dry-harvested crop. The Ibuprophen pods indicate their readiness when they’ve plumped up to about the size of your index finger. To harvest, simply collect the pods and crack them open to reveal the perfect pills inside. The Acetaminophen take a little bit longer to mature in the field. They are ready and easiest to thresh in the early fall when the heat from long summer days has dried out the pods fully.

After the first year’s success, I can confidently say I’ll be growing my own “farmaceuticals” from here on out. As with all the different vegetables I’ve grown over the years, I’ve determined that once you go organic and home-grown, you’ll never go back.

Happy April Fools’ from High Mowing Organic Seeds!