monoclepop
Member
Yeah, good writing on "organic". It is a silly word the way we use it online in forums like this cause it don't really mean that much in terms of really describing how we grow and the impacts (or lack of) that we have on our grow medium, local soil, wider environment - blah blah.
Not sure if anyone's mentioned it yet, but I really enjoyed reading The Omnivore's Dilemma a few years back. Its focused on food production, but does take a nice critical look at the industrial-organic-food-production-complex. I guess the main point of it was that just cause a farmer is certified "organic" and is therefore not pouring synthetic chemicals all over the soil, it doesn't mean that they're being in anyway sustainable or are even managing the land in a healthy way.
Like me - I literally get my "organics" from Bunnings - for all the "good" I'm doing the planet I may as well be synthetic. The levels of heavy metals and other nasties (cadmium?? - that shit is naaaasty) aren't printed on the side of the bags, and I'm still using evil industrial by-products from unsustainable farming practices that are literally destroying our environment.
I'm looking forward to becoming more of a sandal wearer as I age. With a bit more space and time I'd love to get my garden a bit closer to what you've got Silver.
It's the the right idea - by the time Silver is dead and gone the ground he has been working will actually be in better shape for the next generation. He's got the space to make it work for him - aint gonna happen for me in my crowded innercity apartment, and I'm jealous!
Quick question for those of you using animal manure - you ever get nervous about animal medication making its way into your systems? I know one aging hippy who has refused to ever go near horse manure for the concern it'll be ripe with unknown adulterants. Just wondering if there's any truth to his concerns. Do you use manures from animals you know aren't being pumped full of anti-biotics/anti-worm agents/pharma-cornucopias ?
i took this when i was on the coast,i add some nettles into it. I don't use many manures because of what you saying. but sometimes i do.worm castings is really good thing too,if i had garden i would have live worms,make compost and never buy anything.
