Green farming-Types of soil.

Each one who has an interest in organic farming or green farming has to know about soil and how to treat to it. There are five different soil types. These soil types look very different. Many soils are a mixture of minerals. Each soil type has advantages and disadvantages. Each needs a slightly different management technique and supports different types of plants. 

Sand 
This is a dry, light soil, which will feel gritty if rubbed between fingers. Sand particles range in size from 0.2mm, to 2mm. 0.2mm for the very finest sand, while 2mm for the coarsest. Sandy soil is easy to work and it is particularly good because it warms up quickly in the spring and can therefore be cultivated earlier than most soils. It is free-draining. So nutrients tend to be lost easily. Therefore it will need to be supplemented with a great deal of organic matter as well as extra fertilizer. 

Chalk
Chalk is rough in sight. Chalk often contains a high proportion of rocks and flints. The large particles make it free-draining and quick to lose nutrients and water. The topsoil is rather shallow. So it is unsuitable for plants with deep roots. Chalk is very alkaline. So it contains a great deal of lime, therefore is inhospitable for many plants. 

Clay 

This is a heavy, cold soil which feels sticky when it's moist and hard and compacted when dry. The particles are less than 0.002mm in size. This means that clay soil does not drain easily and is difficult to work in wet conditions. However, it is possible to turn it into a very workable fertile soil. That's its big advantage. Clay soils are normally well supplied with plant foods and are able to support a wide variety of plants. 

Silt 

This type of soil is neither gritty nor sticky. The soil particles are small. They are between 0.002mm and 0.02mm. Silt is smooth and silky. When wet, it has a tendency to pack down, leaving the soil cold, heavy, and badly drained. However, it is possible to improve the texture of the soil applying liberal quantities of compost or manure. Silt soils support the same range of plants as clay. 

Peat 

Peat is a distinctive dark brown or gray color, and has a spongy texture. It is rich in decomposed organic matter and therefore requires little additional compost or manure. The younger brown peat is easier to work and more fertile than the heavier, black, boglike type. All peaty soils tend to become waterlogged, so need to be drained artificially. Peat is acid and will need to have lime added to increase the range of plants that can be cultivated.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Organic food & environmental impact.

Several surveys and studies have attempted to examine and compare conventional and organic systems of farming. Organic farms do not consume or release synthetic pesticides into the environment although organic pesticides are as damaging to the environment as synthetic pesticides. Pesticides have the potential to harm soil, water and local terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. The general consensus across these surveys is that organic farming is less damaging for the following reasons: 

• Organic farms are better than conventional farms at sustaining diverse ecosystems, i.e., populations of plants and insects, as well as animals. 
• When calculated per unit area, organic farms use less energy and produce less waste, e.g., waste such as packaging materials for chemicals. 

The environmental impact of pesticides as well as the impact to the health of farm workers are reasons given for purchasing organic food. However, critics of organic farming methods believe that the increased land needed to farm organic food could potentially destroy the rainforests and wipe out many ecosystems 

One study found a 20% smaller yield from organic farms using 50% less fertilizer and 97% less pesticide. Studies comparing yields have had mixed results. Supporters claim that organically managed soil has a higher quality and higher water retention. This may help increase yields for organic farms in drought years. 

One study from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency found that, area-for-area, organic farms of potatoes, sugar beet and seed grass produce as little as half the output of conventional farming. Bringing average world yields up to modern organic levels could increase the world's food supply by 50%. 

A research showed that organic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base. The researchers also found that while in developed countries, organic systems on average produce 92% of the yield produced by conventional agriculture, organic systems produce 80% more than conventional farms in developing countries, because the materials needed for organic farming are more accessible than synthetic farming materials to farmers in some poor countries. On the other hand, communities that lack sufficient manure to replenish soils would struggle with organic farming, and the soil would degrade rapidly. 

A study of the sustainability of apple production systems showed that in comparing a conventional farming system to an organic method of farming, the organic system in this case is more energy efficient. A more comprehensive study compared efficiency of agriculture for products such as grain, roughage crops, and animal husbandry. It concluded that organic farming had a higher yield per unit of energy over multiple crops and for livestock. However, conventional farming had higher total yield. 

Conversely, another study noted that organic wheat and corn production was more energy efficient than conventional methods while organic apple and potato production was less energy efficient than conventional methods. A long-term study, spanning two decades, noted that crop yields were 20% lower in organic systems while fertilizer plus energy input was 34% to 53% lower. However, pesticide input was reduced by 97% in organic farm systems. 

source: wikipedia.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Green organic farming: Genetic modification

Green organic farming-

Method 4: Genetic modification 

A key characteristic of organic farming is the rejection of genetically engineered plants and animals. On 1998, participants at IFOAM's 12th Scientific Conference issued the Mar del Plata Declaration, where more than 600 delegates from over 60 countries voted unanimously to exclude the use of genetically modified organisms in food production and agriculture. 

Although GMOs are excluded from organic farming, there is concern that the pollen from genetically modified crops is increasingly penetrating organic and heirloom seed stocks, making it difficult, if not impossible, to keep these genomes from entering the organic food supply. Differing regulations among countries limits the availability of GMOs to certain countries. The hazards that genetic modification could pose to the environment are hotly contested.

source: wikipedia.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Green organic farming: Controlling other organisms

Green organic farming-

Method 3: Controlling other organisms

Organisms aside from weeds that cause problems on organic farms include arthropods, nematodes, fungi and bacteria. Organic farmers use a wide range of Integrated Pest Management practices to prevent pests and diseases. These include, but are not limited to, crop rotation and nutrient management; sanitation to remove pest habitat; provision of habitat for beneficial organisms; selection of pest-resistant crops and animals; crop protection using physical barriers, such as row covers; and crop diversification through companion planting or establishment of polycultures. 

Organic farmers often depend on biological pest control, the use of beneficial organisms to reduce pest populations. Examples of beneficial insects include minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and to a lesser extent ladybugs (which tend to fly away), all of which eat a wide range of pests. Lacewings are also effective, but tend to fly away. Praying mantis tend to move more slowly and eat less heavily. Parasitoid wasps tend to be effective for their selected prey, but like all small insects can be less effective outdoors because the wind controls their movement. Predatory mites are effective for controlling other mites. 

When these practices are insufficient to prevent or control pests an organic farmer may apply a pesticide. With some exceptions, naturally occurring pesticides are allowed for use on organic farms, and synthetic substances are prohibited. Pesticides with different modes of action should be rotated to minimize development of pesticide resistance. 

Naturally derived insecticides allowed for use on organic farms use include Bacillus thuringiensis (a bacterial toxin), pyrethrum (a chrysanthemum extract),spinosad (a bacterial metabolite), neem (a tree extract) and rotenone (a legume root extract). Fewer than 10% of organic farmers use these pesticides regularly; one survey found that only 5.3% of vegetable growers in California use rotenone while 1.7% use pyrethrum. 

These are sometimes called green pesticides because they are generally thought to be, but are not necessarily, safer and more environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides. Rotenone and pyrethrum are particularly controversial because they work by attacking the nervous system, like most conventional insecticides. Rotenone is extremely toxic to fish and can induce symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease in mammals. Although pyrethrum (natural pyrethrins) is more effective against insects when used with piperonyl butoxide (which retards degradation of the pyrethrins), organic standards generally do not permit use of the latter substance. 

Naturally derived fungicides allowed for use on organic farms include the bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus; and the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. These are mainly effective for diseases affecting roots. Agricultural Research Service scientists have found that caprylic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid in milk and coconuts, as well as other natural plant extracts have antimicrobial characteristics that can help. Compost tea contains a mix of beneficial microbes, which may attack or out-compete certain plant pathogens, but variability among formulations and preparation methods may contribute to inconsistent results or even dangerous growth of toxic microbes in compost teas. Some naturally derived pesticides are not allowed for use on organic farms. These include nicotine sulfate, arsenic, and strychnine. 

Synthetic pesticides allowed for use on organic farms include insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils for insect management; and Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate for managing fungi.Copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfate plus lime), approved for organic use in various jurisdictions, can be more environmentally problematic than some synthetic fungicides dissallowed in organic farmingSimilar concerns apply to copper hydroxide. Repeated application of copper sulfate or copper hydroxide as a fungicide may eventually result in copper accumulation to toxic levels in soil, and admonitions to avoid excessive accumulations of copper in soil appear in various organic standards and elsewhere. Environmental concerns for several kinds of biota arise at average rates of use of such substances for some crops. In the European Union, where replacement of copper-based fungicides in organic agriculture is a policy priority, research is seeking alternatives for organic production.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Green organic farming: Weed management

Green organic farming - 

Method 2: Weed management

Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and effects on weeds. Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic herbicides. 

Organic standards require rotation of annual crops, meaning that a single crop cannot be grown in the same location without a different, intervening crop. Organic crop rotations frequently include weed-suppressive cover crops and crops with dissimilar life cycles to discourage weeds associated with a particular crop. Organic farmers strive to increase soil organic matter content, which can support microorganisms that destroy common weed seeds. 

Other cultural practices used to enhance crop competitiveness and reduce weed pressure include selection of competitive crop varieties, high-density planting, tight row spacing, and late planting into warm soil to encourage rapid crop germination. Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms can be broadly grouped as: 

• Tillage - Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues and soil amendments; remove existing weed growth and prepare a seedbed for planting; 
• Cultivation - Disturbing the soil after seeding; 
• Mowing and cutting - Removing top growth of weeds; 
• Flame weeding and thermal weeding - Using heat to kill weeds; and 
• Mulching - Blocking weed emergence with organic materials, plastic films, or landscape fabric. 

Some naturally sourced chemicals are allowed for herbicidal use. These include certain formulations of acetic acid, corn gluten meal, and essential oils. Weeds can be controlled by grazing. For example, geese have been used successfully to weed a range of organic crops including cotton, strawberries, tobacco, and corn, reviving the practice of keeping cotton patch geese, common in the southern U.S. before the 1950s. Similarly, some rice farmers introduce ducks and fish to wet paddy fields to eat both weeds and insects.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Green organic farming: Soil management

Green organic farming- 

Method 1:Soil management

Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micronutrients and symbiotic relationships with fungi and other organisms to flourish, but getting enough nitrogen, and particularly synchronization so that plants get enough nitrogen at the right time (when plants need it most), is likely the greatest challenge for organic farmers.

Crop rotation and green manure help to provide nitrogen through legumes which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis with bacteria. Intercropping, which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and wider spacing between crop rows is required. 

Crop residues can be ploughed back into the soil, and different plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization. Organic farmers also use animal manure, certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal and various mineral powders such as rock phosphate and greensand, a naturally occurring form of potash which provides potassium. Together these methods help to control erosion. In some cases pH may need to be amended. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the U.S. some compounds such as iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in organic farming. 

Mixed farms with both livestock and crops can operate as ley farms, whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-fixing forage grasses such as white clover or alfalfa and grows cash crops or cereals when fertility is established. Farms without livestock may find it more difficult to maintain fertility, and may rely more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may fix limited nitrogen because they are harvested. Horticultural farms growing fruits and vegetables which operate in protected conditions are often even more reliant upon external inputs. 

Biological research on soil and soil organisms has proven beneficial to organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals, plant matter and animal waste into productive soil nutrients. In turn, they produce benefits of healthier yields and more productive soil for future crops. Fields with less or no manure display significantly lower yields, due to decreased soil microbe community, providing a healthier, more arable soil system.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Green organic farming

Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured synthetic fertilizers, pesticides plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modified organisms, human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials. 

Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972. IFOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as: 

"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved..." 

Since 1990, the market for organic products has grown from next to nothing statistically, reaching $55 billion in 2009 according to Organic Monitor. This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland which has grown over the past decade at a compounding rate of 8.9% per annum. Approximately 37,000,000 hectares (91,000,000 acres) worldwide are now farmed organically, representing approximately 0.9 percent of total world farmland (2009).

source: wikipedia.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Myths of organic food

Organic food is too expensive. Is it?

In general, organic food costs more than conventional food because of the laborious and time-intensive systems used by the typically smaller organic farms. You may find that the benefits of organic agriculture off-set this additional cost. At the same time, there are ways to purchase organic while sticking to your budget. Consider the following when questioning the price of organic: 

Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing. The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars. Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.

Additionally, consider eating more plants. It's healthy and good for the environment. For example, a vegan diet can be less expensive than a standard western diet. What are your preferences though? Processed organic vegan foods tend to be more expensive than buying seasonal local vegetables and fruits in bulk.

Eating organic food is the same as eating natural food. Is it?

Natural foods do not contain additives or preservatives, but they may contain ingredients that have been grown with pesticides or are genetically modified. In other words, the ingredients in the ingredient panel will look familiar, but they have not been produced organically. Natural foods are not regulated and do not meet the same criteria that organic foods do. 

Organic food tastes like cardboard. Does it?

This may have been true of processed foods at one time. Take crackers or pretzels for example. This stereotype is as outdated as the hippie connotations that follow it. Today many organic snack foods taste the same as their conventional counterparts, while most people agree that fresh, locally grown organic produce does not compare to the alternative. Even organic produce that is not in season and has been shipped thousands of miles to reach our grocer’s shelves cannot compare to the produce found in our own back yard or at farmers markets. Taste is certainly an individual matter, so give organic a try and see what you think.Try baking a couple batches of cookies or prepare a couple of bowls of fruit or vegetable salad; use organic ingredients in one and conventional ingredients in the other.

source: organic.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Economics of organic food

Demand for organic foods is primarily concern for personal health and concern for the environment. Organic products typically cost 10 to 40% more than similar conventionally produced products. According to the USDA, Americans, on average, spent $1,347 on groceries in 2004; thus switching entirely to organics would raise their cost of groceries by about $135 to $539 per year ($11 to $45 per month) assuming that prices remained stable with increased demand. 

Processed organic foods vary in price when compared to their conventional counterparts. But organic food doesn’t always cost more. Some items, such as coffee, cereal, bread, and even hamburger, may cost the same or even less than their conventional counterparts. And, as the demand for organics continues to grow, the cost will continue to come down. When the cost is higher, consider these facts: 

• Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing. 
• The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars. 
• Organic farming is more labor and management intensive. 
• Organic farms are usually smaller than conventional farms and so do not benefit from the economies of scale that larger growers get. 

While organic food accounts for 1–2% of total food sales worldwide, the organic food market is growing rapidly, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. World organic food sales jumped from US $23 billion in 2002 to $52 billion in 2008.  The world organic market has been growing by 20% a year since the early 1990s, with future growth estimates ranging from 10%–50% annually depending on the country. 

United States

• Organic food is the fastest growing sector of the American food marketplace. 
• Organic food sales have grown by 17 to 20 percent a year for the past few years while sales of conventional food have grown at only about 2 to 3 percent a year. 
• In 2003 organic products were available in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and 73% of conventional grocery stores. 
• Organic products accounted for 3.7% of total food and beverage sales, and 11.4% of all fruit and vegetable sales in the year 2009. 
• Two thirds of organic milk and cream and half of organic cheese and yogurt are sold through conventional supermarkets. 

Canada

• Organic food sales surpassed $1 billion in 2006, accounting for 0.9% of food sales in Canada. 
• Organic food sales by grocery stores were 28% higher in 2006 than in 2005. 

Europe 

In the European Union 3.9% of the total utilized agricultural area was used for organic production in 2005. The countries with the highest proportion of organic land were Austria (11%) and Italy (8.4), followed by the Czech Republic and Greece (both 7.2%). The lowest figures were shown for Malta (0.1%), Poland (0.6%) and Ireland (0.8%). In 2009, the proportion of organic land in the EU grew to 4.7%. The countries with highest share of agricultural land were Liechtenstein (26.9%), Austria (18.5%) and Sweden (12.6%). 

source: wikipedia.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Nutritional value of organic food

Consumers may choose to buy organic fruit, vegetables and meat because they believe them to be more nutritious than other food. However, the balance of current scientific evidence does not support this view. A 12-month systematic review commissioned by the FSA in 2009, based on 50 years' worth of collected evidence concluded that there is no good evidence that consumption of organic food is beneficial to health in relation to nutrient content. 

Other studies have found no proof that organic food offers greater nutritional values, more consumer safety or any distinguishable difference in taste. A review of nutrition claims showed that organic food proponents are unreliable information sources which harm consumers and that consumers are wasting their money if they buy organic food believing that it contains better nutrients. Minor differences in ascorbic acid, protein concentration and several micronutrients have been identified between organic and conventional foods, but it doesn't appear that these have any impact on human health. 

There is no proof that organic food is more nutritious or safer, and most studies that have compared the taste and organoleptic quality of organic and conventional foods report no consistent or significant differences between organic and conventional produce. Therefore, claiming that all organic food tastes different from all conventional food would not be correct. 

Among the well-designed studies with respect to fruits and vegetables that have found differences, the vast majority favour organic produce. As with vegetable produce, there is evidence that some organic fruit is drier than conventionally grown fruit. Unless this factor is taken into account a higher content of a nutrient might be explained by a higher dry-matter (lower moisture) content. 

A slightly drier fruit may also have a more intense flavor due to the higher concentration of nutrients, and as a result may be preferred by the consumer. There is evidence that some organically grown fruits has a higher resistance to deterioration and better keeping quality, attributed to a lower moisture content.

source: wikipedia.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

documentary: Food matters

documentary: Food matters. Source blog

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

How To Preserve organic Vegetables

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

How to preserve your organic foods better

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Preserving your organic foods

Preserving the bounty you’ve grown.

Want to enjoy the most healthful food, like local, organic fruits and vegetables, all year round? Preserving the bounty you’ve grown yourself or purchased from your local food co-op or farmer’s market makes it possible. And for those who live where the growing season is relatively short, it’s great way to extend the season. 

Simple food preservation techniques can lock in flavor, help maximize your food dollars, support local agriculture, and give you a chance to really get to know the food you eat and serve to your family. 

Produce Possibilities 

Check out the list of what’s in season in your area on our home page to jump-start your imagination. If it’s June, that could mean local strawberries are plentiful–and ripe for freezing. In July or August, a big bubbling batch of tomato sauce or salsa could be just the thing. Of course, a walk through your garden or local co-op to see what’s fresh and abundant is also a great way to identify preservation possibilities. 

It’s Not Just Grandma’s Pantry 

Putting up jewel-toned jars of pickled beets and brandied peaches may be what comes to mind when you think “food preservation,” and canning has become popular across generations, with plenty of unique recipes that appeal to a range palettes. But canning isn’t all there is. Other simple ways to preserve local and seasonal foods include drying, freezing, curing, pickling and even cellaring (yes, putting your food in a root cellar; grandma did know best, didn’t she?). For beginners, dehydrating and freezing foods are a snap—and no special equipment is required 

Freezing 

When it comes to nutritious preserved foods, freezing is second only to fresh foods. While freezing can affect the texture of some foods, most vegetables, fruits, meats, soups, and even herbs can easily be frozen in airtight containers for use all year long. The key is to start with cold foods so that the time it takes for them to freeze is very short. This minimizes ice crystals and preserves the color, texture, and taste of your foods. 

Try freezing cold berries or chopped vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or Mason jar for storage. You’ll be able to pluck a single berry or measure 2 cups worth from the container without defrosting the entire batch. Fresh herbs, like basil, thyme, mint, and chives, can be snipped into measured teaspoons or tablespoons and frozen in ice-cube trays topped up with water. Stored in a bag in your freezer, they’re recipe-ready almost instantly. And remember: a full freezer is an efficient freezer, so don’t be shy about filling it up. Did you know? Nuts, seeds, and whole grains can be stored in the freezer to extend their shelf life and prevent spoilage. 

Drying 

Dehydrating foods is a simple and easy way to keep vegetables, fruits, and even meats stored away until you are ready to use them. Drying preserves foods by taking all the moisture away; without moisture, bacteria cannot grow and your foods stay delicious for months—even years. While there are plenty of dehydrators available, many recipes are possible using a regular home oven. 

Fresh herbs can be dried in a microwave or just hanging from your ceiling! The best thing about drying is that it uses very little energy, and the preserved foods are lightweight—easy to store and transport (perfect for camping!). Did you know? Dipping fruit slices in pineapple or citrus juice before drying can preserve their color and prevent browning. It’s delicious, too! 

Canning 

Home cooks have been preserving food in jars for centuries, and these days we have plenty of resources to do so safely and with confidence. Canning does require some special equipment, available at many co-ops and hardware stores, and recipes designed and tested for safety. After the initial investment in jars, a canner, and a few accessories, the expenses are minimal and the results can be phenomenal. Canned goods go far beyond the usual tomatoes and green beans. Modern canning recipes allow you to create unique and memorable foods for gifting or for enjoying yourself. Did you know? Home-canned goods should be used within a year for optimal quality, but are safe for much longer, as long as safe canning methods were used. 

Fermenting 

Fermentation brings us some of our favorite foods: cheese, yogurt, beer, wine, pickles, and even chocolate. Nearly every culture in the world makes use of the natural preservative effects of fermentation. Fermentation works by transforming the natural sugars in foods into tart and flavorful foods that tend to resist spoilage at cool temperatures. 

Fermentation is made possible by the action of beneficial bacteria— the same bacteria that keep our immune and digestive systems healthy. So fermented foods are not only practical, they also deliver a healthy dose of probiotics. Another benefit of fermentation is that no special equipment is required. You can get started with as little as a knife, a cabbage, and some sea salt, and couple of weeks later you’ll be enjoying sauerkraut! 

Did you know? Every ferment is unique because of the bacteria and yeasts that are naturally present in the air and foods in that region. The same recipe can taste different across the globe.

source: strongertogether.coop

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Food preservation

Preserving food without canning or freezing or refrigerators? 

Food preservation has long been a necessary pursuit of humans through the ages. While short term food preservation methods are largely dominated by today’s refrigerators, and long term preservation is dominated by canning or freezing, our ancient cultures thrived without such technology by collecting, drying and storing grain in large ceramic pots. Hunter-gatherers preserved meat and fish by air drying or smoking. Salt and sugar, when readily available, were also used as a preservative. 

Countless methods and technologies of food preservation have been attempted through the millennia and a few tried and true methods that are natural and sustainable have been passed through generations. These techniques are part of food preservation history are of course, organic, and still applicable and useful in modern sustainable living. 

Preserving meat through drying

This most ancient form of food preservation is simply the removal of water from any given food by air drying, sun drying, or smoking. Commercially available food dehydrators or a home oven can also be used to preserve food. Nearly all foods can be preserved through drying including meat, grains, fruits, vegetables, fungi, and even milk. Smoking, is part of the food drying method. 

Salt Curing 

Curing is a method of preserving food, most often meat and fish, by the addition of salt, nitrates, or sugar. Salt-cured meat works by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms by drawing water out of cells through osmosis. Concentrations of salt up to 20% are required to kill most species of bacteria and smoking the meat adds additional chemicals that reduce the amount of salt required. Common examples of salt-cured meat include bacon, kippered herring, corned beef, and pastrami. Olives, pictured above, are easily preserved through the salt curing method as well. 

Sugaring 

Sugaring is a method that places dehydrated food into pure sugar. The purpose of sugaring is to create an environment hostile to microorganisms. Sugaring is commonly used to preserve fruits and their peels as well as spices such as ginger root. 

Pickling 

Also known as brining, pickling is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine (a solution of salt in water) to produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution such as vinegar. The resulting food is called a pickle and can be any variety of food item including eggs, peppers, cucumbers, or even citrus fruits. 

Biopreservation/Fermentation 

The use of nontoxic and beneficial microorganisms can also preserve food. An ancient form of biopreservation is fermentation which was, and still is, used to produce beer, wine, vinegar, bread, yogurt, cheese, and butter. All of these items can still be produced in the home kitchen using biopreservation techniques. 

For short term food preservation methods, simple technologies such as the zeer pot, submersion in water (such as a lake or river) and the use of cool caves or underground pits extend the expiration of many perishable foods. These techniques of course can be employed today as well, some more fitting in certain climates than others.

source: theinnovationdiaries.com

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Tips for buying organic food

Buy in bulk.

Whether you're shopping at a natural foods store, supermarket or co-op, buying in bulk is a great way to stretch your food dollar. For beans, grains, lentils and nuts, head straight for the bulk containers. Just make sure you have a cool, dry place in your kitchen to store your dry goods for a few months. You can save on storage space by splitting your stash with a friend. Be sure to bring your calculator along on any bulk shopping run. Not every item you can buy in bulk is worth the bother. Do the math. 

Buy big in-season.

The absolute best time to buy an organic fruit or vegetable is at the peak of its growing season. As the season progresses there's more produce and the price has a tendency to shift downward, sometimes dramatically. That's the best time to buy. And that's the best time to buy big. Load up on all your favorite organic fruits and veggies at dirt-cheap prices.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Where to find organic food?

Today, it is very easy to buy organic products! For a long time most consumers were had to go to organic markets and to specialty stores to buy their organic supplies, but now all that has changed. Since 1999, an increasing number of retail outlets provide organic products. These outlets are listed under six categories. 

Farmers' markets

Farmers' markets are great sources of fresh local produce. A just-picked tomato from a local farm tastes better than a tomato that's traveled thousands of miles before reaching a supermarket shelf. It's going to be cheaper and fresher at a farmers' market. If you don't see a sign saying the produce is organic, be sure to ask. Some farmers may be making the transition to organic farming. The key to landing good deals at farmers' markets is to ask lots of questions. Ask about discounts for buying in bulk. Ask how you can buy their produce when the market is closed. Always ask what tastes the best. They know. They'll tell you. 

Retail stores 

Initially, only "natural and organic food" and "cooperatives" specialized in organic food. Even though bakers are currently supplying organic breads with in creasing frequency, traditional retailers such as fruit and vegetable stores, delis or butchers still do not provide consumers with many organic products. 

Supermarkets and box stores 

Since the end of the 1990s, organic foods have been available in most chain supermarkets and box stores. While the supply of these items has been limited until now, their numbers are rapidly increasing, with large-scale distribution outlets accounting for about half of organic products available. 

Specialized markets 

Shoppers may also fill up their organic food baskets at city public markets or even from vendors who sell products brought in directly from the farm. 

Farms participating in community agricultural support projects 

Community agriculture support projects create a direct link between consumers and organic farms. In exchange for an advance purchase of shares in the harvest, consumers can get a basket of vegetables or other products delivered regularly to a drop-off point in their neighborhood. 

Internet 

On-line specialty sites are also currently increasing, thanks to the appearance of specialty sites at a particularly rapid pace. The sites however tend to sell a limited selection of goods with relatively long shelf lives.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Identifying organic food: three categories

The USDA has identified for three categories of labeling organic products: 

• 100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients 
• Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients 
• Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms) 

Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Identifying organic food

Processed organic food usually contains only organic ingredients. If non-organic ingredients are present, at least a certain percentage of the food's total plant and animal ingredients must be organic (95% in the United States, Canada, and Australia) and any non-organically produced ingredients are subject to various agricultural requirements. 

Foods claiming to be organic must be free of artificial food additives, and are often processed with fewer artificial methods, materials and conditions, such as chemical ripening, food irradiation, and genetically modified ingredients. Pesticides are allowed as long as they are not synthetic. 

Early consumers interested in organic food would look for non-chemically treated, non-use of unapproved pesticides, fresh or minimally processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from growers: "Know your farmer, know your food" was the motto. Personal definitions of what constituted "organic" were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers, seeing farm conditions, and farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and raised livestock) using organic farming practices, with or without certification, and the individual consumer monitored. 

As demand for organic foods continued to increase, high volume sales through mass outlets such as supermarkets rapidly replaced the direct farmer connection. Today there is no limit to organic farm sizes and many large corporate farms currently have an organic division. However, for supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable, and product labeling, like "certified organic", is relied on. Government regulations and third-party inspectors are looked to for assurance.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Does organic food taste better?

A slightly drier fruit may also have a more intense flavor due to the higher concentration of nutrients, and as a result may be preferred by the consumer. There is evidence that some organically grown fruits has a higher resistance to deterioration and better keeping quality, attributed to a lower moisture content. 

Among the well-designed studies with respect to fruits and vegetables that have found differences, the vast majority favour organic produce. As with vegetable produce, there is evidence that some organic fruit is drier than conventionally grown fruit. Unless this factor is taken into account a higher content of a nutrient might be explained by a higher dry-matter (lower moisture) content. 

Although it is commonly claimed that organically grown food tastes better than conventionally grown food, reviews of the literature have not found convincing evidence that there are any significant differences. 

Taste is definitely an individual matter, but hundreds of gourmet chefs across the world are choosing organic food because they believe it has superior taste and quality over the conventional food. 

An increasing number of consumers are also of the opinion that organic food tastes better. Because organic food is grown in well-balanced soil, it makes sense that these healthy plants have a great taste. Try organic food for yourself and see what you think.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Dangers of Pesticides.

Pesticides are used to kill the crop invaders. These pesticides are sprayed on the crops where they remain. These crops are sold to the public and used in the production of animal feed and other byproducts. The crops are the same ones we buy at market to eat. The bugs are gone but the chemicals are not. We are ingesting these chemicals which were used to kill living organisms. These chemicals reach the colon and remain there, making the colon toxic and slowly poisoning the body. 

The World Health Organization created the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Its purpose was to create international guidelines for food safety. In the face of these guidelines, despite their stated focus of protecting the consumers, the Codex Commission approved seven of the most toxic chemical compounds known to man for use as pesticides. Further, they seem to be unconcerned about the pervasive use of these chemicals in animal feed and byproducts. 

The seven dangerous chemicals approved by the Codex Commission are often referred to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP). "Persistent" because they aren't expelled easily, or at all without help. Following a trail, it's sprayed on crops as pesticides. These crops are used in the preparation of feed and produce which is marketed to humans. Animals are eating the byproducts and humans are eating the produce and both are retaining the chemical in their bodies. Then the humans eat the animals and get dosed again with the chemical. Humans have all these toxins in their bodies and are slowly being poisoned. And it's not just land creatures. 

Organochlorine, one commonly used POP, runs off from the land into bodies of water, and may be responsible for contaminating the world's seafood supply. Organochlorine collects in the fatty tissue and so fish we heretofore ate for their essential fatty acids are becoming unsafe to eat in regular quantities. 

Washing and pealing don't clear it away completely. Washing doesn't get everything off. Still you need to wash all fresh fruit and vegetables to clean them as much as possible. Pealing doesn't get everything off because it can grow through the vegetables. The other problem with pealing is that many of the nutrients that we want from the fruit are stored in the skin, so pealing reduces the benefit to your body. 

How to Eliminate Toxins from Pesticides 

• Avoid crops items containing the highest levels of pesticide residues, like strawberries, peaches, celery. Use only the organically grown ones. 
• Grow your own food organically to protect your family from commercial pesticides. 
• Avoid chemical based pesticides. 
• Cleanse your intestinal tract 2 to 3 times weekly to prevent the accumulation of toxins in the colon which can seep into the bloodstream.

source: globalhealingcenter.com

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Is organic food more nutritious than conventional food?

At this time, there is no definitive research that makes this claim. It is extremely difficult to conduct studies that would control the many variables that might affect nutrients, such as seeds, soil type, climate, postharvest handling, and crop variety.

However, some recently published studies in peer-reviewed journals have shown organic foods to have higher nutritional value. For example, researchers recently found that organic tomatoes had higher levels of phytochemicals and vitamin C than conventional tomatoes.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Advantages of organic foods

Organic foods reduce the toxic load: Keep chemicals out of the air, water, soil and our bodies

Buying organic food promotes a less toxic environment for all living things. With only 0.5 percent of crop and pasture land in organic, according to USDA that leaves 99.5 percent of farm acres in the U.S. at risk of exposure to noxious agricultural chemicals. Our bodies are the environment so supporting organic agriculture doesn’t just benefit your family, it helps all families live less toxically.

Organic foods reduce if not eliminate off farm pollution

Industrial agriculture doesn’t singularly pollute farmland and farm workers; it also wreaks havoc on the environment downstream. Pesticide drift affects non-farm communities with odorless and invisible poisons. Synthetic fertilizer drifting downstream is the main culprit for dead zones in delicate ocean environments, such as the Gulf of Mexico, where its dead zone is now larger than 22,000 square kilometers, an area larger than New Jersey, according to Science magazine, August, 2002.

Organic foods protect future generations

Before a mother first nurses her newborn, the toxic risk from pesticides has already begun. Studies show that infants are exposed to hundreds of harmful chemicals in utero. In fact, our nation is now reaping the results of four generations of exposure to agricultural and industrial chemicals, whose safety was deemed on adult tolerance levels, not on children’s. According to the National Academy of Science, “neurologic and behavioral effects may result from low-level exposure to pesticides.” Numerous studies show that pesticides can adversely affect the nervous system, increase the risk of cancer, and decrease fertility.

Organic foods build healthy soil

Mono-cropping and chemical fertilizer dependency has taken a toll with a loss of top soil estimated at a cost of $40 billion per year in the U.S., according to David Pimental of Cornell University. Add to this an equally disturbing loss of micro nutrients and minerals in fruits and vegetables. Feeding the soil with organic matter instead of ammonia and other synthetic fertilizers has proven to increase nutrients in produce, with higher levels of vitamins and minerals found in organic food, according to the 2005 study, “Elevating Antioxidant levels in food through organic farming and food processing,” Organic Center State of Science Review.

Organic foods taste better - have truer flavor

Scientists now know what we eaters have known all along: organic food often tastes better. It makes sense that strawberries taste yummier when raised in harmony with nature, but researchers at Washington State University just proved this as fact in lab taste trials where the organic berries were consistently judged as sweeter. Plus, new research verifies that some organic produce is often lower in nitrates and higher in antioxidants than conventional food. Let the organic feasting begin!

Organic foods assist family farmers

According to Organic Farming Research Foundation, as of 2006 there are approximately 10,000 certified organic producers in the U.S. compared to 2500 to 3,000 tracked in 1994. Measured against the two million farms estimated in the U.S. today, organic is still tiny. Family farms that are certified organic farms have a double economic benefit: they are profitable and they farm in harmony with their surrounding environment. Whether the farm is a 4-acre orchard or a 4,000-acre wheat farm, organic is a beneficial practice that is genuinely family-friendly.

Organic foods avoid science in your food

GMOs and rBGH. Interesting how swiftly these food technologies were rushed to market, when organic fought for 13 years to become federal law. Eleven years ago, genetically modified food was not part of our food supply; today an astounding 30 percent of our cropland is planted in GMOs. Organic is the only de facto seal of reassurance against these and other modern, lab-produced additions to our food supply, and the only food term with built in inspections and federal regulatory teeth.

Organic foods: Eating with a sense of place

Whether it is local fruit, imported coffee or artisan cheese, organic can demonstrate a reverence for the land and its people. No matter the zip code, organic has proven to use less energy (on average, about 30 percent less), is beneficial to soil, water and local habitat, and is safer for the people who harvest our food. Eat more seasonably by supporting your local farmers market while also supporting a global organic economy year round. It will make your taste buds happy.

Organic foods promote biodiversity

Visit an organic farm and you’ll notice something: a buzz of animal, bird and insect activity. These organic oases are thriving, diverse habitats. Native plants, birds and hawks return usually after the first season of organic practices; beneficial insects allow for a greater balance, and indigenous animals find these farms a safe haven. As best said by Aldo Leopold, “A good farm must be one where the native flora and fauna have lost acreage without losing their existence.” An organic farm is the equivalent of reforestation. Industrial farms are the equivalent of clear cutting of native habitat with a focus on high farm yields.

Organic foods: Celebrate the culture of agriculture

Food is a ‘language’ spoken in every culture. Making this language organic allows for an important cultural revolution whereby diversity and biodiversity are embraced and chemical toxins and environmental harm are radically reduced, if not eliminated. The simple act of saving one heirloom seed from extinction, for example, is an act of biological and cultural conservation. Organic is not necessarily the most efficient farming system in the short run. It is slower, harder, more complex and more labor-intensive. But for the sake of culture everywhere, from permaculture to human culture, organic should be celebrated at every table.

Source: organic.org

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Video: what is organic

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Organic food: Origin of the term.

In 1939, Lord Northbourne coined the term organic farming, out of his conception of “the farm as organism”, to describe a holistic, ecologically balanced approach to farming, in contrast to what he called “chemical farming”, which relied on "imported fertility" and "cannot be self-sufficient nor an organic whole. This is different from the scientific use of the term "organic," to refer to a class of molecules that contain carbon, especially those involved in the chemistry of life.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food

Definition: What is organic foods.

Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Organic foods are also not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

grow organic food

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

For the vast majority of its history, agriculture can be described as having been organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new chemicals introduced to the food supply. The organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to the industrialization of agriculture known as the Green Revolution.

Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic within their borders. In the context of these regulations, organic food is food produced in a way that complies with organic standards set by national governments and international organizations.

If livestock are involved, the livestock must be reared with regular access to pasture and without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

In the United States, a food is organic if it contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. In most countries, organic produce also do not contain genetically modified organisms.

Home page: Grow organic garden-eat your biological food