Is Organic Worth It?

There is no easy answer. Yes and no. Hey if you got the money…yes. If you don’t got the money…..well that’s another story.

Everyday I see people, hard working people that can not afford to buy organic. As an organic farmer I know that if I am selling to a local market. 20 to 50 miles from my home is local. If I am selling local then it does not cost me near as much as  when I have to travel 150 or 200 miles to sell.

Some local markets reflect these kind of  saving. Some growers will get whatever the market will bear.

When you head to the grocery store, shopping for products like eggs, meat, fish, milk, and produce can be very tricky. Signs are posted everywhere labeling food as natural, organic, and a number of other things—but what’s the difference, really? Learning what specific names mean can help you decide if you should shell out extra money on a product of it is simply a marketing ploy.

Natural is a turn associated with a number of fruit and vegetable product. Typically, this is simple a marketing ploy to convince you to buy the product. After all, all fruits and vegetables are natural, right? Unless it’s a new kind of food that has been developed and processed, the product is natural. What you really probably want is organic. Organic foods are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

There are two main benefits to organic foods. First, you are helping the environment because those chemicals are not being introduced into nature. Secondly, you are avoiding ingesting chemicals and are therefore healthy more healthy foods. However, organic products are usually more expensive. If you’re on a budget, skip over organic fruits and vegetables that you can peel, like oranges and bananas. After all, once you’ve discarded the peel, you’ve also discarded the chemicals. Instead, opt for organic items like apples, where you eat the peel. No matter what you buy, however, make sure that you rinse off the food when you get home.

Another tricky label you will see is “no hormones.” This is usually in regards to milk or meat products and is false, since all animals naturally produce hormones. Hormones are what helps an animal (even a human) regulate body organs, have young, and otherwise function. All meat products have hormones.

What the labels really mean is that no hormones were unnaturally given to the animal, which is sometimes done to increase milk production. Regardless of hormones, however, the milk and meat is safe for a person and not a violation of an animal’s rights.

Lastly, a label on eggs and meat can indicate if the animal was caged or penned. This does not make a difference in the quality or nutritional value of the meat, but is simply a matter of animal rights. These products may be a bit more expensive, but if you want to make human decisions, that is the way to go. Reading the label and making healthy choices can sometimes be difficult, but learning how to do so can help you make the best choices for you diet.

Reasons To Buy Organic

Organic taste better! Well-balanced soils grow strong healthy plants which taste better. If you don’t believe it, try an organic orange or vine ripened tomato for a sweet and juicy flavorful treat! Organic foods contain more nutrients as well.

Great chefs just can’t get enough of it. Across the continent many leading restaurant chefs are using organic produce. If you want a great tasting meal organic is the only way to go.

You get delicious, nutritious foods when you buy certified organic products.

Truly organic food is grown on farm that have been certified chemically free.
Farmers and processors alike must keep detailed records. All practices and procedures are annually inspected by a third-party certifier. All farms and handlers are required to maintain organic management plans. No prohibited substances are applied to the land on which organic food is grown for at least three years.

Organic productions reduce health risks. Due to the reduction of pesticides and fungicides. Some pesticides are known cancer causng agents. Children, farmers and farm workers are particularly vulnerable.

Organic farmers help to build soil. Soil is the foundation of the food chain and the primary focus of organic farming. By building healthy soil, plants are better able to resist disease and insects. Each small piece of living soil contains thousands of microorganisms which help retain water and provide nutrients to the plants. Organic farmers foster soil fertility through proper tillage and crop rotation.

Chemical-intensive agricultural practices result in farms with deal soil so lacking in nutrients it requires large amounts of fertilizer. Reduced organic matter diminishes the soil’s ability to retain moisture. The result is expensive irrigation using ever larger amounts of water. The resulting runoff takes the soil and chemicals with it.

Organic farmers use less water and do not pollute the water systems the way chemical farming does. The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, coupled with soil-building efforts, protects and conserves water resources from nitrogen contamination and sediment loading. Organic agriculture requires less water because the humus in its living soil retains moisture.

Organic farming, often done on smaller acreage farmed more intensively, is one of the few survival tactics left for the family farm and the rural community. When you buy organic produce, you’re helping farmers build a healthy environment for wildlife.

There is an abundance of organic item if only we look for them. There are many food items, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains to name a few. One of the non-food items you can find is cotton.