Organic

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

FWIW, organic does not mean pesticides cannot be used. As I understand it, some pesticides can be used. Perhaps organic cotton uses the ' approved' pesticides. In any case I figure any pesticides used to grow the cotton in my sheets, probably get removed when the sheets first hit the washing machine before I ever put them on the bed.

The Certifying Agencies agreed to the approved list called OMRI many years ago.

OMRI listed pesticides can be used.

And on a case-by-case basis, if a farmer can not gain control of a specific pest using the OMRI pesticides, then he may review his procedures with his Certifier, and that Certifier can request an exemption to allow that farmer a one-time exemption to use a non-OMRI pesticide.

 

[happy2bretired]

still looking for peer reviewed scientific dat proving organic is more nutritional and safer. Anyone who has such data, please reference here.

http://blog.journals.cambridge.org/...erences-between-organic-and-non-organic-food/

 

[Amethyst]

Makes me wonder how they managed in the old days, before pesticides? Cotton has been an important U.S. crop for hundreds of years.

When it comes to bed sheets, there's no way it's possible. You cannot grow cotton without pesticides. Doesn't happen.

 

[imoldernu]

Thanks

To: Offgrid Organic Farmer

... for taking the time to address our concerns. Four years of schooling and then my district manager route from Madawaska to Kittery and seven cities in between, taught me to trust Down Mainers. A long time ago but some of the most pleasant memories of my life.

 

[anethum]

still looking for peer reviewed scientific dat proving organic is more nutritional and safer. Anyone who has such data, please reference here.

Here's another peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Internal Medicine about 6 weeks ago. The CNN article states: "Those who frequently eat organic foods lowered their overall risk of developing cancer." The study is based on data from diets of 68,946 French adults who were studied for 4 1/2 years, on average. The article also states that the findings are consistent with other studies, which are cited.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/22/health/organic-food-cancer-study/index.html

For the record, I only occasionally buy organic foods. However, I have a large vegetable garden and I grow everything organically.

 

[RAE]

For the record, I only occasionally buy organic foods. However, I have a large vegetable garden and I grow everything organically.

I do the same. Even if organic veggies are not healthier (and I believe they are), there is no doubt that consuming fresh, local veggies, that have not been transported across the country, have a higher nutrient content. I am able to eat veggies from my garden within hours of picking them, in many cases. If you don't have a veggie garden, then buying from your local farmers market is a pretty good alternative.

 

[ERD50]

I guess what I meant was the way most people think about the word, not the exact technical meaning. Water is a chemical under that definition, and that's not what I meant to address. We agree on synthesized.



So say you were forced into a situation where you had to eat 5 pounds of a substance that was "generally regarded as safe". You could pick a plant based substance or one made in a chemical reactor. One may praise the purity of the synthetic substance, but there's a lower likelihood that the human body has "seen" that thing in our evolution, so may not deal with it as well. I certainly would pick the plant based substance if in that situation. ....

OK, but I would say - not enough information. I'd need to know more about the synthesis and the plant based product. Without that info, I'd actually consider it a coin toss, and probably go with whatever was cheaper.

... Informing my decision is Crisco, was considered safe, still in some foods, but the body doesn't handle the non rotating bonds, so disease is the result. Gimme butter, any day. Not saying it's a perfect food (has only been a food for the tiniest fraction of our evolution), but better than something slammed together at super high temperature and pressure.

I agree that 'science' got it wrong in many areas of nutrition and safety (I use those air quotes, as it might have been motivated from other areas, and it was probably bad science anyhow). But I don't think that's a good argument for 'natural' versus synthetic.

Should we stop chlorinating water? Those 'natural' bugs are good for us, no? OK, I know that sounds silly, but I'm just making the point, we can't simply look at natural/synthetic - we need to look at the data. I'll go wherever the data leads me, it's not religion for me.

-ERD50

 

[CaptTom]

I do the same. Even if organic veggies are not healthier (and I believe they are), there is no doubt that consuming fresh, local veggies, that have not been transported across the country, have a higher nutrient content. I am able to eat veggies from my garden within hours of picking them, in many cases. If you don't have a veggie garden, then buying from your local farmers market is a pretty good alternative.

I'm with you here. But our supermarket has a lot of "locally grown" produce items that aren't "organic." They always keep the price at or near the same as the imported stuff. The Organic section is priced much higher.

I also agree that shipping this stuff around the world is not a good thing. Every single time I'm in a supermarket, anywhere, I'll check out the produce. It's been a few years now since I've seen a fresh, ripe melon.

Everything today is bred to be stable in shipping, and tasteless. It's also picked so early that it's dried out and shriveled long before it's ripe.

Sadly, I've noticed even the local farm stands are doing this now. I visited several this summer when melons were in season. I didn't find any I'd buy at any price.

 

[meleana]

A big scam

 

[Chuckanut]

As a tax-payer you are paying farm subsidies, which go to non-organic or 'conventional' farming.

Over $850 million based on the latest farm bill.