Gardening and Greenhouse

Green Thumb answers:

Organic farmers use a lot of different ways to keep pests away. There is companion planting which means you plant crops with other plants that are known to have qualities that keep the pests away, like nasturtiums and onions. Farmers may encourage or introduce beneficial organisms like certain kinds of spiders or insects that aren’t harmful to the crops but will devour any pests that they come across. Many farmers use crop rotation, crop selection and animal manures. Some use traps and crop cover while some will even let animals like chickens roam in their gardens to keep pests down. On a smaller scale there is always the tried and true “walk through and pick the bugs off” method. Many simply allow for a certain amount of pest damage regardless of the methods they use. Keep in mind that most organic growers will use a combination of many of these methods on their crops.

These methods are more time consuming and often more expensive than just spraying crops down so it tends to add some to the price. Also there are far fewer organic farmers than there are chemical using farms so there is often a longer transit time to account for which adds to the price.

The upside is that organic produce DOESN’T need as much prep as non-organic since you’re not trying to scrub off the pesticide and chemical fertilizer residue, a task which often requires peeling resulting in taking off all the nutrients held in and just under the peel. Organic veggies and fruits are pretty much wash and go. I use almost exclusively organic produce (and have for years) if it’s something I’m not growing in my own garden and I’ve not noticed any buggies in them! Organic produce also isn’t subjected to irradiation or genetic modifying, some folks appreciate that aspect too.

Green Thumb answers:

Unfortunately it’s a situation of supply and demand. At the moment the demand is higher than the supply and until it catches up, it’s going to cost more. Keep buying and get everyone else to buy and it will encourage farmers to convert to organics and the prices will drop.
I’ve been buying my fruit and veg from Macro (Australia). The prices can be reasonable. And I’ve been ordering all my cosmetics and toiletries online through www.envirobeauty.com Prices are reasonable and I don’t have to pay postage.
Hope this helps.

Green Thumb answers:

~*~ Great thought. I guess that the only completely organic food would have to be grown in a greenhouse hydroponicly or in sterilized dirt.

Green Thumb answers:

How does growing and eating certified organic food help?

Certified organic food is grown without the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, plant and animal growth regulators (hormones), antibiotics and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This can significantly contribute to increasing the health of our air,soil and water not to mention that of the plants and animals we eat!

Also, by choosing to buy and eat organic food, you are helping to create alternative markets for our farmers- an opportunity to move away from global markets dominated by transnational corporations and back to more local markets where they can once again provide healthy food to members of their communities.