ORGANIC VS CHEMICAL GARDENING / FARMING

[biggkidd]

Hi Guys,

Any of you familiar with organic VS chemical gardening. I understand organic is better for you. I have only done a chemically fertilized garden. IE 10 10 10 fert. I also understand that if you are working a area thats had chemicals that it takes several years to get them out. I would like to produce all our own veggies and sell any surplus. In the past I have had good luck with all my gardens. We are going to a new area with different soil I am sure this will mean a learning curve. Where I am clearing will be all natural thats why I am trying to find out about organics. If we are going to go that route might as well start off that way. I would like to have enough to sell a bit and organic also brings more in returns.

Thanks
KIDD

[red]

KIDD-
I know nothing about organic vs. chemical except that all the farmers are screaming about the price of fertilizer. Classic case of can't have your cake and eat it too. Food prices ie corn are going thru the roof cause of that wonderful product the gov't is subsidizing (enthanol) to compete against oil which besides nat gas is the major ingrediant to make fertilizer. Organic is the way to go! -Ed

[quicksandfarmer]

If you sell your vegetables, you can get in big trouble using the word "organic" to describe them if you haven't had your land certified organic. From what I can gather the certifying process can be lengthy and expensive.

The problem I have with organic certification is that it's process-based rather than outcome-based. You can grow quality food in a way that is sensitive to the environment using conventional agriculture, and you can grow poor food and damage the environment using organic methods.

There are some things that are banned under USDA organic rules that have no real substitute. If there was a practical substitute for Roundup or pressure-treated wood I would use it.

[baknblack]

biggkidd said:

Any of you familiar with organic VS chemical gardening. I understand organic is better for you.

I'm not a chemist but, I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night!!!

I do however work in a chemistry lab and to my way of thinking.

nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are chemically the same no matter where they come from. As far as organic pesticides/insect asides, therein the problem lies.

organic chemicals can be used safely or unsafely. Anything for human consumption really doesn't need any of that crap on it within a month or longer before harvest.

As far as meat goes, I don't think it's good for us to eat animals that have been loaded with antibiotics their whole life just to keep em healthy enough to market.

[biggkidd]

Guys,

Thanks for all the great replies. It sounds like I may as well stick to what I am use to. I don't go much for pesticides anyway. So far I have had good luck with just plane old gardening and it looks like thats what I should stick with. Interesting about have to have the land certified organic. I will be the first to admit a 50 lb. bag of 10 10 10 is easier to deal with than a 5 ton load of manure.

Thanks
KIDD

[tjcarothers]

G'Day Larry,
I agree with quick about the fertilizer. However, petroleum based nitrogen has gone through the roof, so another source may be good. Any horse farms around you? Chicken farms? While not organic, horse manure is very low in added chemicals for the most part. And it is high in N, so can be a cheap source of food for your food.

Always rotate your crops. This will reduce your need for some pesticides.

Use companion planting. Search it on the web. This uses a concept of planting one plant that a bug doesn't like next to a plant that the bug does like. Kind of like putting sauerkraut over a hot dog. Leaves the dog pretty safe in my house!!!

There are "organic" pesticides out there, but it is my opinion that just because a chemical appears in nature, it doesn't mean a human should ingest it!

I use all of these, and have had pretty good luck. Some years better than others, depending on the weather.

Good Luck, TJ.

[biggkidd]

TJ,

Kind of like putting sauerkraut over a hot dog. Leaves the dog pretty safe in my house!!!

Mine too Yes I have been rotating as much as possible with a tiny garden. But now we are going to have some space. ;D

There are pastures with horses all around the area. But thats just one or two in a large area. Haven't seen a chicken farm anywhere close. But I will keep my eyes open.

Companion planting I have heard of many times but yet to see done. I will do some research on it though.

Thanks for the tips.

KIDD

[tjcarothers]

Larry,
I also forgot to say this. Organic farming/gardening is very complicated. I have heard from some that in order to certify organic, you have to go back 4 steps in the chain - and be clean in those. In other words, you have to be clean, the horse farm has to be clean, the pastures have to be clean, and the hay field has to be clean. Wow!!! They have to be clean for so many years too.

Love the idea, just wonder how possible it really is.

TJ.

[red]

As far as meat goes, I don't think it's good for us to eat animals that have been loaded with antibiotics their whole life just to keep em healthy enough to market.


I didn't stay at the holiday (couldn't afford it ;D) But do remember that the use of antibiotics in cattle was to help the cattle get fatter faster. BTW it costs (or used to cost) the rancher 25cents for the same pill you take. Just don't tell your pharmist that. -Ed