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6/28/11 2:50 P

I heart white vinegar, I buy the 2 gallon jugs 3 at a time, Do you think Amazon would have it as a Subscribe and Save option? LOL

BTW - I am glad you posted this - farmers market does not automatically = organic.

Edited by: EVELYNF at: 6/29/2011 (10:54)

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6/22/11 1:43 P

Thanks

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6/21/11 1:17 A

Thank you Sushi for that post; I appreciate it.

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6/20/11 6:44 P

Thank you for writing this Aniduckthistle! I've heard so many people say they don't bother to buy organic because it doesn't mean anything anyway. It *does* mean something and that something is very important. It's true the standards aren't as high as they were before the USDA took over, but on the plus side, the standards are nationwide. Biodynamically grown food from a local farm is always going to be the best choice, but organic is the next best choice and far superior (for our bodies and our environment) to conventionally grown products.

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6/18/11 7:23 P

Yes, you are right that the word "organic" is thrown around a lot but it certainly DOES mean a lot. There is so much more to the world of organic farming than the average person knows. AND, it's not the FDA that monitors it anyway, it's the USDA. And the USDA isn't the only organization that monitors organic standards.

The USDA took over regulating the term "organic" back a few years when YES, the term "organic" was being thrown around much too much with some unscrupulous food manufacturers using it indiscriminately and even in a corrupt manner. But, at that time there were many, many folks like myself who were very content with the private organic standards organizations like Oregon Tilth and and California CCOF which had been our stamp of high quality, stringent standards. When we saw that the government was going to move in and take over the standardization we all cringed and knew that now our organic certification was going to be dumbed down and also the price would go up. We were right. It costs a heck of a lot of time, effort and money to apply and get a government approved organic certification that many farmers can't do it or they will be put out of business.

So, if you don't know of any local farms that practice sustainable agriculture that you can trust, the very next best thing you can do is always look for the USDA organic seal on the things you buy. That seal will indicate that the food does live up to a certain standard (maybe not the very best) of cleanness from toxic fertilizers, pesticide residue and many other rules that have to be obeyed. This is certainly WAY MUCH better than the grossly toxic stuff that is sold in stores that is not labeled USDA Certified Organic.

This is just a tidbit of information for anybody who is just a tidbit interested. There is more to know if you have more interest.

Packaged, commercial soil for vegetable gardening SHOULD be labeled with the same ingredient lists that are on food packages. What is in the soil will be in the food grown. If it doesn't list the ingredients be wary of composted toxic human waste being in it. It's not the human waste itself that is bad, it's the toxic chemicals that humans eat that come out and spoil the environment--like hormones, blood thinners, statin drugs, etc. etc

Most all skin care products are full of toxic things and concerned people are turning to healthier choices. See:
www.ewg.org/skindeep/
to look up the stuff you are using to see just how toxic it is--great website

Most all cleaning products are an environmental disaster. The fumes and particles that are breathed by the people who use them are causing all kinds of respiratory and other problems. I use plain cheap distilled vinegar to clean my house and soften my clothes--it is antibacterial, deodorizing and makes clothes soft. The vinegar smell disappears as soon as everything is dry; vinegar is like that. I love it!

If anybody actually reads through all this then I am proud of you!
Thanks for hearing my rant.
-annie

Edited by: ANIDUCK at: 6/18/2011 (19:31)

Posts: 1,447
6/18/11 6:03 P

Who would regulate soil? I remember reading recently that the word organic is thrown around an awful lot, but the only body that really monitors it is the FDA. If its not something that they monitor, the word organic might not mean anything. The examples they used were make up and cleaning supplies. Definitely something to be wary of and think about.

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6/16/11 5:13 P

This is good information. Thanks for sharing.

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6/16/11 1:10 P

Pixie is right. Always ask and even get into a conversation with the people in the stand. You can often tell by how interested they are in your questions.

Many farms around here are not "certified" organic but they totally understand what the term "sustainable" means. Getting an official organic certification costs a lot of time, money and hassle and only raises the price of the produce. So "organic" isn't the only thing to look for.

But yes, there are many produce sellers at the farmer's markets that still don't have a clue about organic methods. Farmer's markets are great, they are a major improvement if for no other reasons than the freshness and the local-ness. But they are also becoming a fad market and there's a lot of abuses and uneducated people involved in them.

Go early in the day before the crowds and get to know the sellers and their methods.

And be especially careful when buying bagged garden soil and compost. I'm not so sure that the term "organic" is very well regulated in the garden supply arena. Read ALL the ingredients on the bag and if the ingredients aren't listed or if it only says something like "Made with organic chicken manure" but it doesn't say anything else, be wary. There's a LOT of bagged soil and soil amendments that are made from human waste from sanitation ponds. Nothing wrong with composted human waste in itself but along with it you get nasty pharmaceuticals, GMOs, synthetic hormones, pesticides, herbicides and all the toxic stuff people swallow. So much for your carefully planted organic garden!
-annie

Edited by: ANIDUCK at: 6/16/2011 (21:22)

Posts: 181
6/16/11 12:18 P

Organic soil is available at Lowe's and home depot, just check the bag or ask an employee. It's also usually the same price, so that's nice. There are seed companies dedicated to non GMO and organic seeds as well, can't remember the name of the catalog we order from but just google.

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6/16/11 11:52 A

Geez I just planted my first ever veg garden and never even thought to check that the seeds I planted were non GMO! I obviously planted to avoid all that and now what I grow may be just as bad! Thanks for the info:)

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6/16/11 11:22 A

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6/16/11 11:06 A

I tend to assume it's not organic unless they actually hang a sign that says so, but I need to get more in a habit of actually asking. I never even thought about if the seeds are GMO!

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6/16/11 10:55 A

...you may think it's organic coming direct from the farm, but in alot of instances, it's not...ask before you buy! Also, when buying seeds for your gardens, make sure the seeds are organic and non GMO...LOL...I swear, the next thing I have to make sure of is the soil I'm using...anyone know of a good certified organic soil to use?

Edited by: PIXIESTIX6669 at: 6/16/2011 (10:57)

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