Grow organic herbs and plants.

Herbs can grow in all sorts of situations. You can see herbs which are planted in a window box, to herbs that are planted in a wild organic garden full of teasels and brambles. 

grow organic herbs

You have to plant your favorite herbs according to your personal taste. Of course, plant the herbs according to their purpose of use. Some herbs can be scattered throughout a garden. That's may be something good for the diversity of your organic garden. Diversity is a key principle for a successful organic garden.

If you plan to go into a large-scale production of organic herbs, for cooking them daily, it will be easier to dedicate a separate area to them. It’s a good idea to group your organic herbs by their growing requirements rather than by their use.

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Organic herbs. Ideas to grow organically.

Some organic herbs may need boggy soil. Other organic herbs may found on top of walls, or other herbs may found between stones or under trees. As you consider a successful organic growth depends on matching the right plant to the available conditions. 

Herbs may vary in size. Some herbs are very tiny, while other herbs are giants, with height more than six feet, or two meters. 

grow your own organic herbs and plants.

Herbs can be grown foe their appearance alone. Some herbs have spectacular flowers. Other herbs are valued for their foliage. Of course, all herbs contribute to an organic garden. Nothing pays more an organic gardener, than the feeling when you see you beloved plants to grow.

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Grow your own organic herbs. Organic ideas.

Usually organic herbs are easy to grow. That’s because herbs are free from pest and even disease problems. Growing your own organic herbs means that you can have fresh supplies when you need them. Also, using organic methods means that you can be sure that organic herbs have not been treated with pesticides. 

Grow your organic herbs.

The most important thing you have to consider is to grow organic herbs of many kinds. The variety of the kinds is one of the key principles behind a successful organic system. You can grow organically a big range of organic herbs. There is one herb for any situation. That may be easier than you think. Also, think that. Organic herbs are just very beautiful to look at…

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Organic herbs. Organic ideas.

Most herbs are safe to handle and consume. There are some herbs on the other hand, that need special treatment. So you have to inform before you begin anything. Some herbs can be toxic to humans and even animals. Some herbs are toxic even in small doses, so they need to be treated with respect and even better they should be grown only from professionals. 

organic herbs

Never use anything that you are not one hundred percent sure is completely safe to use. Consult a doctor or other medical expert first, if you want to use herbs for their medical properties.

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Organic gardener. Growing herbs.

Do you have thought to grow your organic herb garden? You should. Herbs are plants that people have found useful for many years. Herb is used for a specific purpose. Herbs are known for their medical, aromatic and even their decorative qualities. 

People rely on herbs for many other uses. Some were utilized in dying and cleaning fabrics. Other herbs had a role in ceremony. Many herbs were used in everyday life as flavorings for food, or drinks. Also, many herbs promote good health and cure illness. 

grow your own organic herbs

What can you grow as an amateur organic gardener? That's depend on what you aim. Annuals, biennials, perennials, shrubs, bulbs and trees can all have herbal value. In many cases, it is the leafy part of the plant that is used as an herb. Other parts of the plant, such as roots, fruits, seeds, flowers etc are used as herbs. 

You can realize how important is to grow an organic garden, with many varieties of organic herbs. There are many ideas you can find. There are plenty of organic seeds available from many internet stores, in case you can't find what you need from your local provider, A good idea is to grow organic herbs that can be found to your country. Also use the best organic fertilizer, because in many cases it is tricky to grow herbs organically. Also buy organic seeds. It's a good idea to find (if possible) and use heirloom organic seeds.

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Grow organic plants at home.

Growing organic plants at home is a really easy task. While time and preparation are necessary to organically grow healthy plants, educating yourself  will make the process much easier to complete. Many types of plants are available for home organic growing and green gardening. You can also select plant seeds based on your available room. Also think the appropriate organic seeds based on the place they'll grow. If you want to grow them outside or inside your home. Do you have organic heirloom seeds? Even better...

grow organic plants

Purchase pots for your orcanically growing plants. Pot size will vary on the plants you intend on growing and whether you will purchase seedlings or start plants from seeds.

Organically fertilize the plants according to their needs. Some plants need more organic fertilizer than others. Water-based solutions that include nitrogen, phosphate or potash is a common need for growing plants at home.

Add soil that best fits the plant seeds. While everyday potting soil is often available, some plants may prefer more sandy or dry soil for growing.

grow organic food

Research the plants that are available in your area. This will give you an idea about the space needed for plants and the soil, water and organic fertilizer required to grow your plants.

Create space in your home to allow for the maximum amount of light for growing plants. 

Adequate air circulation or humidity may also be a concern for certain types of organic plants.

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Grow organic plants from heirloom seeds

Organic heirloom seeds are an easy way to grow organically a variety of green plants without busting your budget. That's the cheapest way to put more plants in your garden.

If you don't have heirloom seeds, you always can buy the seeds. It won't cost you much money. From a little seed packet, you can get 40 or 50 beautiful organic plants. If you can not find the seeds you want in your local nursery, you can order a big variety of seeds abroad or in the internet. This way you're going to get things you'll never find in a nursery. Also you could find organic herb seeds. That way you could grow your own organic herbs. Think this idea if you an enthusiastic organic gardener and have plenty room available.

grow organic plants

While having a variety of seed choices is incredibly useful, there is also something special about growing organic plants and food from something that starts out so tiny. You grow a kinship with organic plants when you grow from seed, in a way that you'll never discover if you just set out transplants.

Organic gardening is a process. It is a natural tendency for human beings to connect with the mother earth in this very basic way. It gives you the opportunity to connect with the whole process of organic green growth, nature's cycles, in a very intimate way. It's very grounding and satisfying and makes you feel self reliant. It's a warm feeling.

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Grow organic garden-pests

Grow an organic garden is difficult, especially when pest destroy your harvest. Spraying pesticides to get rid of pests may be satisfying in the moment, but the long-term effects can include poisoning soil and water. Creating an unhealthy environment for yourself, your family, and your pets. You eliminate beneficial organisms and waste money on unnecessary products. 

Organic gardeners take a different approach. Organic gardeners strive to maintain a healthy balance of organisms and they treat problems only when treatment is clearly warranted. The goal is to manage pests, not annihilate them. When it comes to pest management, organic gardeners heed two basic tenets:

grow your own organic garden

Pesticides aren’t always the answer. Organic gardeners consider whether it’s really necessary to control the pests they find. A few aphidson your hibiscus aren’t likely to cause any major damage if your garden is a haven for beneficial insects that dine on aphids. As a matter of fact, organic gardeners try not to eliminate all insect pests, because if all the pests disappear, so will the insects, birds and spiders that feed on them. By tolerating a small number of pests, you can keep their predatorsaround in case your garden has a sudden pest-population explosion.

grow your organic harvest

Not all problems are pest problems. Avoid the temptation to assume that all problems are caused by pests. Other factors may be at fault. For example excessive heat, not enough or too much sun, lack of or too much moisture, herbicidedrift, freezing temperatures, hail, wind, air and water pollution and mowerand string-trimmer injury etc. These problems are especially like lyin  plants growing in unfavorable environments, shade-loving plants in full sun, for example. 

Plants stressed by these factors are also more vulnerable to insect and disease attack. Eliminating the environmental stress solvesthe underlying problem, which in turn may make pesticides unnecessary.

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Grow organic-avoid pest and diseases

Grow organic food isn't allways an easy task. You must have experince and petience. Start your  garden with these advices in mind:

• Start by growing strong, healthy plants that will have the ability to resist attacks from pests and diseases. That means "organic growing". 
• Always plant into fertile soil and make sure the plants never go short of water and food. 

grow organic food

• Rely as much as you can on physical methods of pest and disease prevention and control and constant vigilance and you cut down the need for chemicals. 
• Nature will do the rest for you. Nature has worked out the most complex balance of power. 
• Build up as diverse a collection of plants as you can, including as many native flowers, trees, and shrubs as possible, especially those that grow in your own locality and provide a small area of water. 
• By doing this you will build up a varied colony of useful insects and birds and thus keep problems to a minimum.

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Grow organic-disease control

New methods of cultivation that improve yields or that reduce losses from pests and diseases have been discovered, and these have been translated into gardening terms.

A great deal of research has also been directed at finding new methods of growing plants commercially. There is no doubt that much of the information that has come from this research has benefited the gardener, but it would be a mistake to fall into the trap of following the commercial grower automatically. Nowhere has the mimicry of the professional been more evident than in the field of pest and disease control.

grow organic food  for our children...

Just as soon as a new chemical has been produced for commercial use, so a slightly diluted version of the chemical appears in the garden shops and centers, accompanied by seductive claims that it has proved to be moree ffective than its competitors. You have to remember that your requirements are very different. The farmer or commercial grower is constantly on the lookout for higher yielding, larger, and therefore more profitable varieties of plants, while you are after fruit and vegetables with flavor, which are not contaminated with chemicals. In addition, he or she may have many acres of, for example, cabbages, that are infested with caterpillars, and so have no alternative but to spray them.

Grow organic

If you have only one or two rows of cabbages, you do not need to cover them with chemicals. Instead, walk down the rows two or three evenings a week, pick off the offending creatures, and drop them into a jar of paraffin. Likewise, a few well-directed squirts of soapy water will wash any aphids off your couple of dozen rose bushes in next to no time. 

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Grow organic. Fertilizer and green gardening

The use of concentrated fertilizer is probably one of the most controversial areas in organic gardening. Opinions vary. Some gardeners claim that additional fertilizer is unnecessary if the correct cultivation methods are observed. Others employ methods that appear to be identical to the chemical grower except that the products used are organic in origin. 

Organic plants need a wide and varied range of nutrients to be present in the soil for normal healthy organic growth. Chemical growers assess the nutrient needs of each plant every year and supply those needs in the form of a fertilizer that is immediately available to the plants. They simply use the soil to hold the plant nutrients. The result of using fertilizer as an alternative to organic matter is that the soil becomes an inert medium, devoid of life and the lost nutrients have to be replaced every year. The principle of green organic gardening is to feed the soil rather than the plants growing in it. If high soil-fertility levels are maintained by regular additions of organic matter, the plants can simply draw on the material as it is required. There is no danger of an overdose and a steady supply is ensured by the activity of all the various organisms in the soil.

For many crops, very acceptable yields can be obtained without the addition of fertilizers, but you have to be realistic. Fertilizers are normally required for several reasons. You may not be able to supply your soil with all the manure or compost needed to provide the necessary nutrients. You may find that your soil is grossly deficient in one or more of the essential nutrients. To correct this by adding bulky organic material can take several years; it is more realistic to add concentrated organic fertilizer as well as the organic material. Also many gardeners wish to make much higher demands on their soil than even the hardestworking colony of bacteria and fungi could provide in the time.

So, there are always occasions when fertilizers are required. What you must do is ensure that they are compatible with the requirements not only of the plants but also of the organisms in the soil. The beauty of organic gardening is that, provided you supply nature with the tools of the trade, she will do the rest.

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Home organic growing

For most people, growing chemical-free vegetables is what organic gardening is all about. As more and more news comes out about the dangers of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, more people are choosing to grow their own organic food. They are finding that homegrown vegetables are fresher and taste better than the store-bought kind.

How to plan your organic vegetable garden? You may dream of a big organic garden filled with all types of fresh and inviting vegetables.  But this takes experience and preparation. For the first-timer, small is beautiful; take time to get it right on a small scale before launching a huge project. Keep the following ideas in mind to save yourself a lot of work and frustration later in the season. Start small. Little organic plants and seeds turn into a big commitment as they grow. A 10-x-20-foot garden is plenty to grow a variety of vegetables, such as lettuce, beans, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers. If you want to grow vining crops or space hogs such as corn or pumpkins, you can expand it to 20 x 30 feet. Planting too large a space to keep well tended probably is the number-one cause of gardener frustration and burnout.

Put the garden in full sun. Organic vegetable plants need at least six hours of full sun daily to grow fast. Orient and plan your organic garden, so that tall plants such as corn and tomatoes don’t cast shade on shorter plants such as beets and cabbage. Make it convenient and inviting. Place your organic garden in a location where you’ll see it daily. Your garden is more likely to thrive when you visit it regularly.

Grow a mix of crops. Planting a variety of organic vegetables ensures that something will produce. Also diversity in the garden encourages good insects and helps reduce problems from harmful ones. Choose a well-drained spot. Organic vegetables are more prone to disease in soggy soil. Consider building raised beds.

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Green farm and water

A green farm must be aware of the resources used. The most important of them is the water. Every living thing needs water. Without water life cannot exist. That’s important for a green farm in order to grow quality organic food. Plants need water so that the vital process of photosynthesis, respiration and absorption of nutrients can occur. Farms need water to grow their plans. 

Home green farms may have flowers, vegetables or fruits. Each of them is growing organically. Being an organic gardener means being aware of the resources used in the garden and the wider implications of their use. So, organic green garden includes water. Water conservation, storage and recycling are essential organic gardening strategies. 

Organic methods of soil care and management, careful plant choice, correct timing and appropriate delivery of water help to minimize use of this valuable resource and avoid problems of drought and of overwatering in a green farm. 

Storage of water affects plants in a number of ways, depending on the type of plant and the extent of the storage. Even before plants show obvious signs of drought stress, their growth and performance may be reduced. Not only too little, but also too much water presents plants with problems. A green farm must have taken care all of these parameters, in order to have a viable organic growth.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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