Organic Gardening
Natural compost from a worm bin is a wonderful alternative to either expensive organic fertilizer or cheap chemical varieties. In nature, worms eat decaying plant matter, aerate the soil and excrete nutrient-rich soil enhancers as they wiggle through, a process that can be recreated in about the space of a trash can using a few hours and instructions printed from the Internet. Saving the Earth by repurposing the table scraps and reducing waste is a wonderful side effect, but saving money on the high-yield produce is well worth the initial investment.
To call a garden organic, there's a larger list of "don'ts" than "dos." The seeds have to be organic, purchased or arranged through a seed trade, having been harvested naturally from plants that were not modified or treated with chemicals. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are abandoned in exchange for careful planning and maintenance. Nature has a solution, and there are plants that can be grown together so that they repel each other's natural enemy. As long as the garden is manageably sized, a little effort goes a long way to making chemicals completely unnecessary.
There has never been a better time to really consider the adage "you are what you eat." No matter what the commercial farmers may say, science really doesn't know the long-term ramifications of some of the genetic modifications and chemical treatments that have become commonplace. It is easier for most people to shrug and apathetically pile their plate with whatever is cheapest. Living that recklessly can cost far more in the long run than the few minutes a day that making more conscious choices would take. High-quality, nutrient-rich produce that's free from chemicals will cost less than the less-healthy variety with the investment of a little research, time, effort and heart.
Everyone loves fresh vegetables. With the new information available about genetically modified foods and the dangers of possible pesticide exposure, the fastest-growing word in the grocery store is "organic," but buying organic produce can be nearly double the price of the non-organic variety. The definition of "organic" ranges from the strictest natural methods to a more relaxed, technically acceptable variety that some people would still feel isn't enough, making it impossible to know how organic the produce really is. The very best way to get high quality, truly organic produce at an affordable price is to grow it personally.
The first thing a person needs to plant an organic garden is a place to put it. Rather than starting with acres of rolling fields, a small, manageable garden is a good beginning. More urban gardeners might be limited to pots or flower boxes on the patio. If land is available, building six-inch-tall frames--simple wooden squares or rectangles to enclose garden spaces--will hold topsoil in place, allow room for compost or fertilizer and prevent loss of soil due to runoff.
Natural compost from a worm bin is a wonderful alternative to either expensive organic fertilizer or cheap chemical varieties. In nature, worms eat decaying plant matter, aerate the soil and excrete nutrient-rich soil enhancers as they wiggle through, a process that can be recreated in about the space of a trash can using a few hours and instructions printed from the Internet. Saving the Earth by repurposing the table scraps and reducing waste is a wonderful side effect, but saving money on the high-yield produce is well worth the initial investment.
To call a garden organic, there's a larger list of "don'ts" than "dos." The seeds have to be organic, purchased or arranged through a seed trade, having been harvested naturally from plants that were not modified or treated with chemicals. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are abandoned in exchange for careful planning and maintenance. Nature has a solution, and there are plants that can be grown together so that they repel each other's natural enemy. As long as the garden is manageably sized, a little effort goes a long way to making chemicals completely unnecessary.
There has never been a better time to really consider the adage "you are what you eat." No matter what the commercial farmers may say, science really doesn't know the long-term ramifications of some of the genetic modifications and chemical treatments that have become commonplace. It is easier for most people to shrug and apathetically pile their plate with whatever is cheapest. Living that recklessly can cost far more in the long run than the few minutes a day that making more conscious choices would take. High-quality, nutrient-rich produce that's free from chemicals will cost less than the less-healthy variety with the investment of a little research, time, effort and heart.
Everyone loves fresh vegetables. With the new information available about genetically modified foods and the dangers of possible pesticide exposure, the fastest-growing word in the grocery store is "organic," but buying organic produce can be nearly double the price of the non-organic variety. The definition of "organic" ranges from the strictest natural methods to a more relaxed, technically acceptable variety that some people would still feel isn't enough, making it impossible to know how organic the produce really is. The very best way to get high quality, truly organic produce at an affordable price is to grow it personally.
The first thing a person needs to plant an organic garden is a place to put it. Rather than starting with acres of rolling fields, a small, manageable garden is a good beginning. More urban gardeners might be limited to pots or flower boxes on the patio. If land is available, building six-inch-tall frames--simple wooden squares or rectangles to enclose garden spaces--will hold topsoil in place, allow room for compost or fertilizer and prevent loss of soil due to runoff.
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