organic v conventional growing

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/science/earth/study-questions-advantages-of-organic-meat-and-produce.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120904

let's talk about this article/study. 

first of all, ladies and gentlemen, certified organic produce does NOT mean chemical free. nowhere, in anyone's definition, does it say organic equals chemical free. this is a definition the public has given organic. certified organic farms are allowed to spray certain chemicals, ones that are less harmful, but nonetheless, chemicals. 

second of all, chemical sprays, or lack of, have NOTHING to do with the nutritional value of the produce. what gives produce a high nutritional value is two things - its freshness and its soil quality. as soon as produce is picked, it starts to lose its nutrients. so the sooner you consume that item, the more nutrition you will get. this is where buying locally and directly from the farmer comes in. soil quality also plays a major role in produce nutrition. if the soil on a farm is dead, void of organic matter and nutrients itself, it has nothing to give the produce plants, and therefore the produce. 

third of all, for everyone buying organic food for the health of themselves...shame on you. while i agree, i would prefer to go out into a field, pick a sugar pea off the plant and eat it without fear of what has been sprayed on it, this is not why i buy, and grow, organic. chemical farming does such harm to the environment it is a wonder we even still have an environment. industrialized farmers completely kill the soil, so nothing will grow (can't have a random thistle growing in the field, let alone an earthworm). then, in order to get their crop to grow (since the soil is dead), they have to add fertilizers. and what happens when it rains? you get runoff. since there is little in the field, but the crop, to keep the soil in place, it just runs away and with it much of that fertilizer. and where does it go? the streams, the lakes, the rivers. all those fish and other aquatic life don't appreciate the chemicals. and let's not forget all the herbicides and insecticides that are sprayed. some of that ends up on the plants, some in the air, some in the soil, some in the water. rachel carson would be so disappointed that we haven't improved our farming ways for the better of the environment and its wildlife. 

organic meat - i don't even know what that is, do you? what does grass fed beef mean? most people think grass fed means the animals eat grass and it is healthier for them. while it is true that grass fed meat has less saturated fat, many grass fed beef farms give their animals grain at some point. and does anyone think to ask if the grass the animals are eating is unsprayed? no, not usually. and does anyone think to ask how long mothers and calves are kept together? no... sheep and lambs? no... grass fed also doesn't mean pastured raised. the animals might be stuck in a barn somewhere eating hay, not roaming free on green pastures. my point is, you have to be able to talk with the farmer and ask them questions about their practices. the factory farms have given grain feed a bad name. and it is a bad thing, if that is all the animal is getting. they need a balanced diet, just like people. buy local and know your farmer. ask questions. most farmers like to talk about their practices.

while on the subject of meat, i am going to talk about our animal production. i don't very much since i deal mostly with the produce, but i sell our meat at market and i see the animals all around. we raise all the sheep, the ram, all the cows and the bull on the farm. lambs are with their moms for a couple of months, calves are with their moms for almost six months. lambs and calves are out on pasture almost from birth (depending on the weather and when they are born). they have grass in the pasture or hay in barn. they also have access to grain - corn, soy, wheat, etc - that is all grown organically on our farm. oh and the hay is grown organically on the farm, also the straw used for bedding. our pastures are never sprayed with chemicals. and we never grow GMOs. pigs and chicks are bought at a very young age and raised naturally and humanely from then on. most of our chickens are raised on pasture, but again it depends on the weather. pigs are not on pasture because, anyone who knows pigs, knows how destructive they can be. they are raised in a protected area...plenty of access to fresh air, sunlight and lots of our leftover produce. i always say, they eat better than many people in lancaster county. they LOVE tomatoes, melons, winter squash and pumpkins and sweet corn, but they will eat just about anything. you want to talk about organic meat...i think what we do is pretty organic. 

what this article did was point out many facts that most people had forgotten. many consumers make assumptions and don't get to know the truth. they forget that what is important is the health of the environment, the health of the meat animals while they are alive and where their money is going. support local farms. ask questions. know what your money is going to support. you have at least three food votes a day. make them count.

autumn

the season has officially changed, and i'm not just saying that because the calendar told me so. 

there is less sun, less light outside which slows down plant growth - not just for our crops' growth, but also weed growth. we are all thankful for the latter. 

bug pressure on plants also changes. there are less flea beetles, even less harlequin bugs, but caterpillars and grasshoppers are in abundance. they can do a good job chewing our leafy greens.

the days are cooler and the nights even more so. this effects different plants differently. crops like tomatoes, summer squashes and okra do not enjoy anything below 50-55 degrees F. the plants start to produce less and more slowly. it doesn't take long for the plants to start dying off. but cooler temperatures also mean greens, greens and more greens. cooking greens like kale, mustard, collards, broccoli raab and swiss chard grow wonderfully in the fall weather. the plants are healthier, they produce large quantities and their flavor is great. i need laundry baskets to pick greens into now, our dish pan size tubs don't cut it anymore. salad greens also do well in cooler temperatures. our head lettuces in the field are beautiful. arugula is flavorful. there is an abundance of mesclun mix and leaf lettuce - so tender, so tasty. 

the cooler temperatures also seem to have an effect on the color things. the colors are more vibrant. the red mustard is such a beautiful burgundy. you can truly see the difference in colors of the swiss chard stems - the bright yellow, magenta, deep red, orange, peach. the variety name of 'bright lights' has new meaning. the color of the peppers seems stronger, too - the lime green, cream, dark purple, dark green. they stand out so beautifully in a basket on the market table. even the different shades of green of all the leaves and stems of other greens and herbs is just more brilliant in the fall.

other signs of the season changing is what we wear to work everyday. we start wearing thicker socks and more layers. many days, the layers don't come off. we start really feeling the chill when we stick our hands in the cold sink water. sorting through produce that has been in the refrigerator really gets to our fingers. and forget getting meat out the freezers - we handle one steak and our fingers are frozen. there are no more t-shirts and sandals at market, but now shoes and sweatshirts.

the fall always seems to bring a lot of rain. it turns the fields muddy and makes for some fun driving experiences. forget sliding on ice, have you ever tried sliding on mud? we just kind of glide around turns. we can only avoid working in the rain so much. if we have to pick produce for market, we have to pick produce for market. today would have been a good day to be inside doing chores, but alas, we have market tomorrow. it was pouring rain pretty much all day and we were out in it for several hours picking produce for market. our tubs and baskets were filled, not only with produce, but water. our clothes were soaked down to our underwear and bras. sometimes we want to give up and just say, maybe we should just go back and finish later. but it gets to a point when we are already soaked, so we might as well finish. 

so many people think fall is the end of the season. well, it isn't. it is true that many crops come to an end in september and october. for example, our leeks are done, as is our sweet corn and string beans. our tomatoes are coming to an end. but many things, as i have just mentioned are growing better than ever right now. and there are many crops we are still waiting for - broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are all growing beautifully in the field, but it will be several weeks before they are pickable. many things will do well until frost hits, which isn't until late october or even november. we will cover what we can, but the frost will put an end to many crops. so don't forget your local farmer and farmers markets in the fall. the selection is still bountiful, not to mention beautiful.