A Couple of Facts About Organics

I heard a couple of interesting facts today about eating organic. I generally don't use pesticides on anything I grow. But you should be aware that just because something is organic doesn't mean it's pesticide free. There are in fact still about 100 pesticides that CAN be used on organic vegetables and fruits. Someone asked this question "In times like these when people can't afford to buy organic vegetables and fruits, is there a healthy alternative that costs less?" The Dr. on whatever radio program I was listening to replied "The government has thrown the word organic around so much that now people are confused. Organic vegetables and fruits contain identical nutrition as regularly grown vegetables and fruits.

The key is to buy LOCAL. Locally grown produce will taste better than produce from the grocery store." Its true, if you eat things from the grocery store and they're out of season for your area they are shipped in from thousands of miles away. Which in turn means, they're picked before they're ripe and forced to ripen on the way to whatever store they're going to. Tomatoes and a variety of other vegetables are forced to ripen using an ethylene gas chamber. Ethylene gas is a natural occurring gas in nature. Its produced by some plants and also by humans through combustion. In the presence of a closed room filled with this gas, certain vegetables and fruits are forced to ripen. This is why when you buy a tomato in January it has no taste, because it was picked green and forced to ripen. Keep in mind that while this is a naturally occurring gas, it was also used in high concentrated forms as an anesthetic. I don't want to eat that....do you? All the more reason to just grow it yourself if you have any space at all!!

OH and a couple of you asked me about heirloom seeds. I actually JUST received a catalog in the mail from Baker Creek Seeds. This whole catalog is NOTHING but heirlooms! The prices are very reasonable. They have everything from peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, melons....greens...corn you name it! Definitely check them out! Until next time....where I'll probably tackle some "companion planting" ideas! Keep reading....the snow is almost over...I hope!!