Category Archives: Organic

Organic Milk: Is it Worth It? Organic milk producers are quick to tell you that their milk is delicious and that it is made from cows untreated with antibiotics or growth hormones and cows not exposed to dangerous pesticides.  Organic milk-producing cows are fed organic feed and are free ranging; the milk is pasteurized and homogenized like regular milk and it even contains vitamin D.  Such claims have brought up the demand for organic milk, sometimes at double the cost of regular milk.  Some consumers wonder, is it worth the added cost? Some turn to organic milk in the belief that … Continue reading →

Treat Your Garden Right with Organic Pesticides What gardener doesn’t want to rid his or her garden of all those nasty summertime pests?  Yet to put chemical pesticides on plants that will ultimately grow produce the family will eat seems a bit wrong.  That’s where gardeners have a break as there are several organic pesticides for use in the garden.  These natural pesticides are safe and don’t damage the soil year after year. Many organic pesticides come from plant sources, some of which produce pyrethrum, while others produce rotenone, ryania, or mineral-based pesticides.  Mineral pesticides include cryolite, boric acid or … Continue reading →

The Health Benefits of Organic Meat Organic meat differs from regular meat in the way the animal farmer raised the animal prior to butchering.  Organic meats must be certified through one of several certification organizations, including the Midwest Organic Services Association. Farmers must follow strict organic guidelines in the production of the meat product. Meat certified organic are often born on farms and raised with the utmost of respect and animal dignity.  Beef cattle are not raised in pens but are often free to roam the farm with unrestricted access to water, food, sunshine and outdoor air at all times.  … Continue reading →

USDA Organic?  What the Heck is that? We’ve all seen those little labels, all those letters squeezed in to a quarter of an inch oval.If you’re like most people you have a vague idea of the union of the abbreviation and the word organic vague being the operative word here. Asking for additional information crosses our minds at times but then we retreat suspicious of the response we may solicit.  Without further consideration let’s just break it down into a description that offers at minimum clarity to the word organic itself. Presumably most of us are aware of the acronym USDA, … Continue reading →

A Healthy World: International Trends in Organic Farming There has been much talk in recent years about the global environment and what issues have developed since the bulk of farming is conventional farming instead of the more traditional organic farming.  Conventional farming allows for the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides—some of which has been found to harm the environment, even when used correctly. Countries throughout the world are, to varying degrees, exploring organic farming techniques as environmentally-friendly ways to grow produce for the world’s population while keeping the environment as healthy as possible.  Organic farming, as we … Continue reading →

Decades of Change:  The History of Organic Farming Fifteen years ago, you may have had a hard time finding an organic tomato in your local supermarket.  Due to recent farming advances and public awareness, however, consumers can find a host of organic products in supermarket shelves and in the produce section of grocery stores across America.  How did we come to the point we’re at today and when did buying produce become so complicated. In truth, it’s the type of farming in which farmers use artificial pesticides, herbicides and other conventional farming techniques that is really historically new to us.  … Continue reading →

Eat Better: The Health Benefits of Organic Foods Organic foods have become easier and easier to obtain in recent years. Still, many consumers wonder if this type of food is healthy enough to be worth the often extra cost. Many of the benefits of organic foods have come to consumers through word of mouth and the promotions put on by advocates of organic eating.  Fortunately, there has been research and several solid arguments supporting the use of organic foods in everyday eating. Several recent studies on farms which produce organic foods determined that organic farms don’t release synthetic pesticides into … Continue reading →