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Organic Gardening – A Growing Trend

In the past decade and a half, organic products have achieved almost mainstream status. Where Organic Produce was a specialty item in a few upscale grocery stores in the early 1990s, today’s supermarkets commonly offer organically produced items.

An upward spiral is happening: Organics have become more available and more affordable. The result is that a larger proportion of the population buys organics. This leads to an increased general awareness of the benefits for people and the environment of organic production.

Greater awareness of the benefits contributes to a greater demand for organic products. Higher demand encourages growers to an even larger production of organics. Increased production results in organics being increasingly available and affordable… and upward the trend goes.

During the 1990s, organic product sales dramatically increased at the rate of more than 20 percent every year. By the beginning of the 21st century, sales of organic products passed the $9 billion mark. Today in 2006, the majority of US consumers (7 out of 10) buy Organic Food at least some of the time.

These statistics are encouraging indications that organic production is here to stay. This is good news for the well-being of people and the environment.

What ORGANIC means

Fifteen years ago, organic growers might have had to explain to shoppers at a farmer’s market what the label “organic” means. Today, most people understand that for a product to be labeled organic, it had to be grown without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or hormone supplements.

But organic growing is a system, and is not just a matter of substituting natural materials for synthetics. Whether on the large scale of the market farmer or the small scale of the backyard gardener, the underlying principles of an organic system are to work within the boundaries of nature to grow healthy food.

The system starts with a focus on healthy soil, which supports healthy plants. When plants are strong, they are naturally disease and pest resistant.

Why ORGANIC is better

Rather than apply chemicals to cure disease and control pests as conventional growers must do, organic growers are oriented toward prevention through continuous soil improvements. It’s a big difference in attitude: the chemical quick-fix vs. long-term soil building.

The benefits of taking the long-term approach are immediate. Rather than having to keep indoors during a “re-entry interval,” (after using poisonous chemical pesticides, there is a required safety period when people must avoid the area), organic gardeners never experience exile from the location where they grow food.

Also, there is the difference in the effect on local water sources. Organic gardeners don’t contaminate ponds and groundwater with synthetics.

In short, gardeners who live where they grow food have a particular motivation and advantage in using an organic system: personal health and safety. But everyone benefits when organic methods are used because they are sustainable: wholesome food is produced in a system that respects the natural environment.

About the Author

Life-time gardener Judith Schwader specializes in organic gardening methods. She shares expertise, humor, and advice for your gardening success at A to Z Gardening. Also visit FB Home for additional home and garden information.

Organic Food Labeling: How To Tell If Packaged Food Is Organic

Fresh Produce Sweet Pea Five-Piece Organic Layette Set $49.99 Baby Aspen goes green with an amazingly adorable, organic, five-piece layette set that makes sweet peas even sweeter! It all starts with a natural woven-wood basket filled with sweet peas. The graphic of a small, swaddled baby snuggled in half a pea pod appears on the blanket, PJs, cap and bib, and a green,sweet-pea pod rattle on top makes this magnificent baby gift ready for market! Features and facts:Soft-beige, organic layette set includes a 24 ½ “” x 28 ¾ “” blanket, footed PJ’s, cap, bib and pea-pod rattle Blanket, PJ’s, hat and bib are imprinted with the Sweet Pea graphic (a bundled baby in a pea pod) framed by sage-green faux stitching Machine-washable, 100% organic cotton

The Produce Contamination Problem: Causes And Solutions $95.99 This book is organized into five sections beginning with an introduction in which the problem is described in terms of the number and size of produce related outbreaks the commodities involved and the human pathogens involved. The introduction also documents the failure of conventional sanitizing treatments to assure microbiological safety examining the problems of microbial attachment. The second section reviews methods of identifying a contamination source (epidemiology trace back strain identification location of Source) and then focuses on the various sources of microbial contamination (water manure airborne dust wildlife human activity) and where in the crop production sequence they might result in contamination. In the third section some of the commodities associated with major outbreaks (leafy vegetables tomatoes cantaloupes apples berries sprouts) are examined to determine what characteristics make them especially vulnerable to contamination. The fourth section then addresses means of avoiding produce contamination through use of Good Agricultural Practices and recommendations in FDA and industry guidance documents. Regulatory actions (recalls restrictions on imports) to safeguard the public from potentially hazardous products are described. Coverage includes policy and practices in the US Mexico and Central America Europe and Japan. The fifth section examines current technologies for reducing human pathogens in fresh produce including disinfection rapid methods for detecting contaminants irradiation gas-phase application and best practices acceptable to organic growers packers and processors. *Addresses foodborne contaminations from a prevention view providing pro-active solutions to the problems *Covers core sources of contamination and methodologies for identifying those sources *Includes best practice and regulatory information

As a shopper, what does the “certified organic” label on products mean to you?

You probably have seen the green and white USDA Organic symbol on foods at your grocery store. What do you expect from products that bear this label? And do you view companies that make such products differently from others?

I expect them to cost more money.

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Karma Organic Dry Dog Food $24.03 Karma Organic Dry Dog Food Karma all-natural dry dog food formula is based on ground organic chicken and organic grains. It includes whole, raw fruits and vegetables which contain health-promoting nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Karma also includes yeast extract which is a naturally rich source of protein and essential B-vitamins. In addition to these wholesome nutritional qualities, yeast extract has an attractive flavor to both humans and dogs. Since yeast extract is rich in protein, it is abundant in many amino acids, the building blocks of protein. The natural yeast extract used in Karma does not contain any monosodium glutamate (MSG) as it is sometimes suggested (on the internet) yeast extract does. In fact, yeast extract is one of the select natural ingredients that can be used in organic human foods or pet foods, like Natura’s 95% organic Karma dog food, per the stringent rules of the USDA’s National Organic Program. Features . Environment friendly biodegradable bag . Organic chicken and grains . Promotes wholesome nutritious development . Does not contain any monosodium glutamate (MSG) . Meets AAFCO nutritional standards Item Specifications: Size 7lb Ingredients Organic Chicken, Organic Brown Rice,Organic Oats,Organic Barley,Organic Rye, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Flax Seed, Yeast Extract, Organic Carrots,Organic Beets, Organic Sunflower Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Organic Broccoli,Organic Cranberries, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Herring Oil, Minerals, Vitamins, Salt, Direct-Fed Microbials Guaranteed Analysis Guaranteed Analysis describes the nutrient content required by AAFCO labeling standards to be identified on every product package. Since these are guarantees, pet food manufacturers work to formulate diets that meet or exceed the (Min) requirements. For more information, read our GA FAQ’s. Crude Protein (min) 20 % Crude Fat (min) 8 % Crude Fiber (max) 3.5 % Moisture (max) 10 % Vitamin E (min) 300 IU/kg Total Microorganisms (min) 90,000,000 CFU/lb

Organic Purrlicious – USDA 3 oz $4.23 Tasty organic cat treats.

PetGuard USDA Organic Certified Beef Jerky Dog Treats $5.59 PetGuard USDA Organic Certified Beef Jerky Dog Treats

PetGuard USDA Organic Certified Chicken Jerky Dog Treats $5.59 PetGuard USDA Organic Certified Chicken Jerky Dog Treats