Paul Keene

Sadly, the sustainable food community has lost one of its most inspirational founding members. The Washington Post reports that at age 94, Paul Keene, a founder of the US organic movement and owner of the popular Walnut Acres Farms, passed away on April 23.

Keene’s interest in organic farming originated after a trip to India, where he learned about organic guru Sir Albert Howard, and studied the importance of simplicity under the tutelage of Gandhi. Upon returning to the US and starting his own farm, Keene stuck to eco-friendly organic methods, despite pressures to do the contrary. He eventually created the Walnut Acres Foundation, which funded both an orphanage in India and a community center in Penns Creek.

Gene Kahn of Cascadian Farms and Small Planet Foods said of Keene: “Paul Keene was really the best of the organic farming movement and the best of the organic farming business. He was the ideological thought leader, as far as I was concerned. His strong interest and enduring commitment to charity was a key part of his heritage.”