Organic! No such thing, or do you believe yes?

[Carriage]

As for GMO... they are monster foods, and nature would never ever be able to create them. And in no way is it like Hybrids!

Boy howdy, so true Miss Shari. When I heard our talk boob accept and parrot the Monsanto "guest", when he compared the two, I was thinking, "You gotta be kidding!" Who would believe this? Nature doesn't "gene splice" or make things "round-up ready". However P.T. Barnum was SO correct then and especially today. While I prefer Heirloom seed for it's independence from buying seed every year, there are times when hybrid seed will yield much more and makes more sense. ESPECIALLY if one has a postage stamp size garden.

 

[Carriage]

I would have to agree that there is no such thing as "comercial" organic feeds or food in USA . I would say only a small privately owned farm has the ability to slip under the goverments toxic radar : (

Yes Miss Nora, when one takes all of the toxins into account, I think this is a true statement.

The small privately owned farm (and business, I would add) is under attack and in danger of extinction. This is why I have decided and constantly "preach" that my money goes there and I WILL support only these folk and families. As I am rather un-fond of bullies, I find my self drawn to support and defend their victims. We will always outnumber the bullies and should do everything in our power to support the backbone of our communities and country. In the end they are cowards for if they were not "they" would not gang up on the singular and defenseless.

Support you local farmer and business.

 

[disneyhorse]

I believe that the non-organic farming allows for treated human waste to be used as soil and fertilizer for crops. The sludge IS treated but it still is kinda gross...

 

[susanne]

Actually, humanure is a big topic in the sustainable living world. Personally, it grosses me out, too, and we will not be going there. I wouldn't mind having a composting toilet, but the resulting stuff is NOT going on my food!

 

[stormy]

Okay so what exactly do you consider organic? If you buy produce from your local farm there is no guarantee that that producer has not used the same pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers and seed as the "factory farm". Also if you are using manure as fertilizer, animal or human, you are adding antibiotics, antiparasitics and hormones, natural and otherwise to the soil. There are also areas were soils contain natural toxins such as selenium in quantities that are higher then what is considered safe so what makes one better then the other??? Not to mention the fact birds, rabbits and rodents are running around pooping on everything everywhere in the field and out of it!!

We grow our own vegetables, are they organic? They certainly are home grown but fertilized with manure from domestic horses eating commercial feed and receiving all the vaccines and antiparasitics appropriate for their good health.

 

[Riverrose28]

Stormy you bring up a very good point, we fertilize our garden with manure from yrs past, till it in, then spread lime, till it in, then plant. We don't use pesticide, only joy mixed with water, we use tin foil plates attached to poles to keep birds and squirrels out, but I still find them about. We try to grow as organic as possable, for our own use, but you hit the nail on the head. No way can we keep all the critters out, and yes our horses, that supply us with the manure, have been wormed and vaccinated, go figure, thanks for the education, I thought we were growing organic, guess we aren't.

 

[susanne]

...and that is why you would NOT be certified organic. It's also why they are so particular about who calls themselves organic, and why it is illegal to do so without the certification. Those following practices such as Stormy mentioned WOULD NOT be certified organic. It's not some vague term that just anyone can use.

We use no herbicides or pesticides on our property, but, like Riverrose, we do worm the horses, and nobody is fed organic feed. We refer to our eggs, as free-range, pasture-fed, natural, etc., etc., but they ARE NOT organic. Most people are happy if they know the chickens live a good, happy life and do not live in tiny cages. Eating grass and other plantlife is what makes the difference in taste (and the great orange yolks).

It's all good, but it's NOT organic.

 

[Shari]

You need to know the Farmer you are buying from. The ones I bought from, knew my allergies and I never, ever had an health issues. If they lied, I would of ended up in the hospital.

If a person doesn't believe things can be Organic, that is your choice. But I know it is possible.

For those farms that are Oregon Tilth or Certified Organic, they go through a very long process 5 to 7 years, depending on the State, spend a lot of money of having their soil and water tested and so on, to be able to call themselves Certified Organic.

For my health, I will continue buying Certified Organic food.

 

[Sue_C.]

By Laura Pickett Pottorff, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension horticulturist and plant pathologistIf we think organic gardening means vegetables free of any chemical pesticides, we don't have the story quite right.

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/organic.htm

Another "organic thing" that makes me wonder...is the use of bone and blood meal. These products originate in slaughter houses, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they don't collect the bone and blood from "certified organic" carcases only.

 

[susanne]

Regarding bone and blood meal: I can't speak to all organic vegetable producers, but none of the ornamental gardeners I know would EVER use these, at least not since the first Mad Cow scare. I know I would never use either on anything edible.

It boils down to this: if you aren't interested or don't believe in organic, then don't buy it. Nobody is going to force you. Just don't question those who do.

 

[Sue_C.]

We grow our own veggies, so try to keep it as clean as possible, but as bone meal and blood meal are ACCEPTED fertilizers for organic growing, it does bother me. You can say they don't use it, but have you asked...and it would have NOTHING to do with mad cow if they are healthy animals...just not necessarily organically fed critters.

 

[HGFarm]

Yes there ARE 'organic' feeds - probably more properly labeled 'natural feeds'. Try finding chicken food without antibiotics in it. Or feeds for other animals without certain things you dont want. You have to do your homework to see who does and who doesnt.

When it comes to food, organic should not have pesticides, steroids, antibiotics, chemical sprays or processing, etc... in my opinion. Hard to find unless you raise your own. I am unsure why our government allows such crap that is done to grow and process things- and they wonder why there is so much cancer in the world. ANY kind of chemical is NOT good for anybody. Food was grown successfully in the years prior to inventing all this CRAP, so why do they feel it is needed now? But dont get me started on that subject!!

 

[stormy]

Why herbicides and pesticides are needed now is fairly simple, more people to feed, less land to grow food on means we most produce more food per acre.

With fuel costs so high weeding with tractors like my grandfather did is no longer possible, profit margin is way to tight. Removing pests by hand doesn't work when you are farming hundreds of acres.

To put it simply organic farming can no longer produce enough to meet world hunger.

 

[susanne]

Take a look at the video I posted about halfway through this thread --



They are producing more food per acre (or in their case, cubic feet) than those farms that are awash in chemicals. Industrial agriculture wants you to believe that's the only way it can be done, but it simply is not true.

Unfortunately, political power is on the side of the mega commercial farms, not the small farmer. There's a lot of crap coming out of Big Agri, and I don't just mean the swill they expect us to eat.

But -- you're certainly free to eat what you wish and leave the healthy food for those who care.

 

[Danielle_E.]

Actually, humanure is a big topic in the sustainable living world. Personally, it grosses me out, too, and we will not be going there. I wouldn't mind having a composting toilet, but the resulting stuff is NOT going on my food!

Live like someone left the gate open

I must be naive but the other day was the first time I had ever heard of using human excrement to fertilize vegetables and fruit. I was watching a show that showed huge barges in China and they mentioned what they were carring and what it would be used for. Yuck!

 

[Danielle_E.]

Organic farming is probably what our ancestors did, way back and yet they lived shorter lives.

 

[Sue_C.]

Humanure was used in European countries since "olden times"...has you ever heard of a "Honey Wagon"? That was the special wagon hauled through town to collect, and from there, it was processed for use in the fields.

 

[Shari]

Organic farming is probably what our ancestors did, way back and yet they lived shorter lives.

That's not true.... my Mom's side of the family, I can go back before 1599 and 90% of the women lived to be between 100 and 110 years old. That's proof enough for me.

And yes, this is when food was slow grown and truly organic.

The women in my family that didn't make it to those ages, either died in Childbirth or accidents.

Many people got worn out by very, very hard work. That can make you old before your time.