Nicky Pilkington asked:

Are you concerned that the food you are eating may be harmful to you and your family? With news reports about GM (genetically modified) foods, health scares about eating beef, chemicals on food affecting people’s health and the intelligence of children, it’s no wonder that many are looking to organic foods as an option.

WHAT IS ORGANIC FARMING?

Organic farming produces plant and animal foods without the excessive use of chemicals. It focuses on using fertile soil along with a variety of crops to maintain healthy growing conditions which produce a food with more nutrients and less chemicals than typical commercial foods. Organic farming prohibits the growing of GM foods, a controversial issue among commercial growers.

Animals reared on organic farms are treated properly with room to behave like animals and are fed healthy food sources not laden with drugs and other chemicals.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FOODS?

One of the common benefits proclaimed about organic foods is that they taste better - but there are many other benefits to incorporating organic foods into your diet. Besides the physical benefits to you there are environmental benefits and benefits to the animals and people who live and work on the farms.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Organic foods prevent people from ingesting regular amounts of pesticides and insecticides commonly found in commercial products. Animals are not routinely given antibiotics and other medication which enters the food supply to humans. Some research suggests that this excessive use of chemicals in food can be linked to increased health problems and interferes with the healthy development of children.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Organic food also protects the planet. Organic farming ensures that bio-diversity remains available in the foods we eat and the wildlife that live on the farms. Fruits and vegetables are naturally available in 100’s of varieties. Commercial growing limits the variety of each food available by mass producing only a handful. Many species of birds, insects and other animals are affected by the chemicals and farming conditions used in growing commercial foods.

Organic farms grow a mix of crops and promote a balanced ecosystem including insects that protect crops from pests and worms and other micro-organisms which fertilize the soil.

HUMAN AND ANIMAL BENEFITS

Organic farming is considered ’sustainable’ farming. The workers and the animals are not as exposed to dangerous toxins or working and living conditions. This enables people to continue growing healthy foods for the rest of society without reliance on huge machinery and chemicals.

The animals raised on organic farms are not subject to the terrible living conditions imposed on commercially reared animals who often live in exceedingly small spaces without the freedom to move or interact. These unhealthy conditions lead to a spreading of illness which is combated with regular doses of antibiotics.

On organic farms the animals’ needs are given priority. Healthy food, clean living conditions and freedom to behave like animals means healthier animals. When animals are sick they are cared for individually according to their actual needs.

Organic, sustainable farming protects humans, animals and the environment. Increasing the demand for organic products will encourage this form of farming and ensure that the food supply available to our children is a healthy one.

Carson

Claude Fullinfaw asked:

Organic foods are in reality food that have been grown naturally just as how foods had been grown for centuries gone by.

In the fields the farmers are not allowed to use any of the insecticides, pesticides, fungicides or for that matter any modern day chemical on their plants. No use of human waste or sewage is allowed.

In the animal kingdom that we derive our foods from, animals are supposed to be reared on pastures free from the above chemicals, antibiotics and any other modern day drugs. The animals have to be reared without the use of growth hormones.

Today the term genetically modified applies to farms that tend to use seeds that have been scientifically tampered with in order that the farmer may yield a higher crop on harvesting.

How are organic foods produced?

The farms have to be free of any chemicals for a a specified number of years. Once the land has been certified clean then the farmer can operate as an organic farm.

The organic crops cannot be treated as modern day farms operate. Rather they have to follow more stringent methods to prevent infestation of rodents, insect, etc. from contaminating their crops or live stock.

How to grow organic foods?

Extreme care has to be taken to prepare the soil and keep it free from air borne insects as well as rats and mice. There are a number of plants that can be grown that will help to keep the insect population down.

The farmer must also spend a fair amount of time actually looking at each plant to see that its free from insect attacks. By rotating the crops around the farmer is able to put nitrogen back into the soil along with other nutrients.

As this is a time consuming job, organic farms are never very large. They normally are just big enough for the farming family to manage. Another disadvantage of organic farming is that as the fruit are normally plucked sun ripened they have to be taken straight to market.

So the farms cannot be too far away from the shops. Organic produce is supposed to be fresh and sold daily.

You will generally find organic foods small in size and brighter in color. The taste will be sharper and much more flavorful. The added benefit is the extra nutrient value you get in your food.

Unfortunately the price does seem to be higher as the farmers have to spend more time cultivating a smaller crop. Hopefully this may change as organic foods get more and more popular.

Organic farmers have to obtain certification from the local government in their areas that their land as well as their methods of farming abide by the rules of the organic association.

In the old days the farms were small and the produce was sold in the local markets. At one time organically grown produce was dominated by genetically modified foods.

In the last 10 years that has changed significantly with organic foods growing in acceptance world wide

Isabelle

Annie asked:


I recently heard a radio interview with the head of a large farming co-operative in the mid-west who said that while there is no doubt that organic farming is better for the land, and does produce healthier consumer products, it simply is too exspensive, labor intensive and un-predicatable in the amount produced on an annual basis to ever replace the methods used in commercial farming. Basically, it could not produce a sufficient amount of food to feed the people it would need to. I am interested to hear how proponents for having the US go totally organic respond to that statement. Thanks.
Hmmm…some interesting points. I tend to agree that going totally organic would cause major problems in the lower income brackets…they simply could not afford to purchase the produce or have the space to grow it on their own. And I do agree that it is time to force commerical farmers to be more responsible in how they grow and in the end results of what they grow..this world is too big and too many families are hungry to justify throwing away any produce that is usable. Thanks for the input!

Sydney

neurodancer2020 asked:


It seems that some how respect for the land and for our own bodies is now some how concidered “Liberal” when to me it seems like the most conservative notion possible. When did our culture make this flip flop?

Xavier

debrasue312 asked:


whatever is in season, and you pick up products once a month…in Florida…do you know any details? Thank-you….deb

Xavier

K asked:


cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, flour, soil, neem oil (as pesticide) and water.

This technique says that each gram of cow dung has more than 500 crores of beneficial micro-organisms that make the soil more fertile. The dung generated by one cow is sufficient to produce organic manure for 30 acres. This natural fertilizer can be used for any crop.

Mulching plays a vital role in this technique. Mixed cropping and crop rotation is used to ensure replenishment of soil fertility.

In this system of farming no monetary investment on the part of farmer is required for purchase of seeds, fertilizers and plant protection chemicals from the market. The farmer can produce his own seed. More importantly, there is absolutely no place for fertilizers and plant protection chemicals in this scheme of farming. The whole philosophy behind this system is to make the farmer self-reliant by freeing him from market dispensed high cost inputs.

Will this technique be successful in the long run?

Sarah

Destined asked:


I’m tired of living in the “big” city and being around persons whom simply are inane and criminal. I would like to be able to build a or join a community with morals, artsy types, whom are interested in organic farming and raise livestock (humanely) and are interested in things besides who’s on Jerry today? I am an intellect and artist, singer, writer and healer and long to find others whom have the same interests and are in search of knowledge and are not nuts or cult types.
Persons such as “Doug” I do not wish to hear from… thank you…

Richard

daniel b asked:


Toxic chemicals those are released, its effect on the crops and ultimate consumers?

Caleb

art_gal asked:


how beneficial is organic farming when we talk of increasing food stock
to counter widespread hunger and poverty in different regions of the world ?????
y do u think they r beneficial ?????

plsssssss explain in detail

Brian