But what the heck do they mean? That’s what we’re here for! OK...Organic foods:

These are foods that have been safely grown without the use of dangerous pesticides or herbicides. Organic foods are not genetically modified or engineered, which means you will be less prone to allergies and other, worse conditions. Organically grown foods can not be irradiated (more on that anon, errr…later)...

Organic agriculture is a manner of farming that relies on natural resourcing and techniques rather than the use of artificial/synthetic and unsafe insecticides, herbicides, growth regulators, fertilizers and all other harmful chemicals applied in typical commercial farming. Organic farmers use these natural applications, such as composting (mixed in the soil, compost is decomposed, organic materials from plants and animals…all soils NEED composted matter in order to produce healthy plants), crop rotations (keeps pathogen & pest levels down, keeps diversity/fertility in the soil, etc.), and companion planting (helps prevent excess weed growth and encourages beneficial insects to the plants, among other things). Using these methods replenishes the much needed nourishment to soils/crops as well as the beneficial insects that are, despite common belief, ESSENTIAL to 100% successful gardening/agriculture and healthy, hearty, and delicious foods.

So Why Are Organic Products More Expensive???

Conventionally grown Foods, all Science & no Gardening

The commercial fertilizers/hormones/insecticides/pesticides have all created an environment in which the crops have become “manipulated” into growing in an unnaturally manner for abnormally high yields (harvest amounts).

Firsly, let's get something straight about "Conventional farming" before I move on. Conventional farming is a term I simply HATE, HATE, HATE using. The basic dictionary meaning for "conventional" are as follows:

1. conforming or adhering to accepted standards, as a conduct or taste: conventional behavior
2. ordinary, rather than different or original
3. of or pertaining to a convention, agreement, or compact

There are actually about 8 definitions of conventional, all about the same thing, anyways. But how am I going to justify my aversion to modern farming being referred to as conventional? Maybe I'm just weird. Probably. But that's not the point! LOL. I dislike the term conventional because in my opinion it's very inaccurate. The methods of conventional farming as mentioned in this article have only been taking place since the mid-20th century. So let me check with my uber-historically devoted husband. This means that out of 10,000 years, YES, THAT'S TEN-THOUSAND YEARS of our humanity gardening we have been growing and dangerously spraying scientifically engineered crops for maybe 80 years, only eighty years! For the sake of being technically accurate in argument I just want to clarify that I am excluding hybrids/cross-breeding and such...these have at least been safely practiced over a much longer period of time...by humans AND NATURALLY by mother nature! So taking into account the "conventional, organic" methods our ancestors have been successfully using for 9,900 years (I'll even give our GMO friends 20 years of extra credit) has gone down the drain to be considered "alternative" and as a "grassroots" movement. Yippee! I always liked being different! ...And now, as thanks to our modern "scientists ailments, disease and psychological baggage, among other problems in relation to the foods we eat are devastatingly higher now in these past near 100 years than out of 10,000 years before us. Sure makes me feel proud of how well we've developed our survival skills. These are the reasons I do not like using the word conventional...it couldn't be farther from the truth. Either way, this is how our world has come to recognize the difference between organic farming and the "conventional" farming as our world now sees it. So from this point on I will continue to use this word so that everyone can easily identify with its "modern" meaning. Just take this paragraph as "food for thought."

Conventional crops, have a good chance of being genetically modified or engineered. These “conventionally” grown foods have been genetically altered/modified, or engineered to be more “bug or disease resistant,” to “grow faster,” to taste “better,” or any other number of reasons out there. This sounds good in theory, but this science has sacrificed the nutritional content and general health of the crops and their effects on the health of those that consume it, human, insect or animal. A common example is adding animal DNA to a plant for a “desired effect” on that plant (such as the aforementioned reasons). These practices have increased allergies, cancers, weight gain, depression and many other dis-eases among people across the world by more than 60—70 PERCENT in only the past 40 years…in America, alone!! So what has this done to our soils? It shouldn’t affect our soils, should it? Yes, of course it does!

There was a huge problem with genetically modified cotton used in India (within the decade) called, “Bt Cotton.” Without going into a long detailed story (this really is a long, sad story), the soil had become damaged, many farmers become sick (some fatally) from the pesticides they had to use on their crops because of worm infestations that the genetically engineered “Bt Cotton” was supposed to PREVENT in the first place! …The impact was so horrible in some places that nothing would grow in the soil the next year. Care for some estimates? No worries, my friend. We’ve got you covered. See GMO lists here.

Typically, conventionally grown crops have also been irradiated. This means your food was exposed to radiation with the purpose of “disinfesting” and “sterilizing” your food before it hits the grocery store…ewww! Frankly, I cannot remember the last time any of my food was “infested” at the grocery store.

Not to mention, which is worse? Cutting an apple with a DEAD, NASTY DECAYING worm in it…Or cutting an apple with a little green worm in it? Either way I’d be throwing that apple directly into the compost I-M-M-E-D-I-A-T-E-L-Y.

...But directly put…I’d rather NOT be grossed out in the process!!! …And sterilized? Why would you sterilize food…really? Do we honestly feel it's wise to deny our bodies the contact they need with beneficial bacterium…or equally important, deny our bodies’ immunity to bacterium that would have otherwise hurt us in the first place? What a waste of our tax money and earned money! BTW...If you’re purchasing meat they typically contain added antibiotics and growth hormones that were injected into the animal. Notice the increasing statistics in earlier pubescent development and immunity to antibiotics? Sound familiar?

By using these conventional practices our foods, herbs, coffees, teas, gardening seeds & bulbs etc. have become cheapo-reduced the farmer to grow and the harvest amounts are at an unnatural and disturbing high. I’m interested in the monetary/financial economical effects/statistics behind this one...

Here’s food for thought (no pun intended), on yet another health factor: Documented scientific studies have shown that fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc., grown in the early 1900s were 5 TIMES MORE NUTRITIOUS than the conventional crops grown in today’s agri-culture/business. No wonder the daily recommended amount for fruits & veggies are so ridiculously high now!

Wait, there’s more!

When it is time to plant the organic gardener goes out and places the compost in the soil, then individually plants your seeds. At harvesting time the organic farmers HAND PICK the crops, your food. This means they get right down in the ground or ladder their way into the trees and work hard to individually pick each apple from the trees, snip grape or lettuce bunches and dig each root out of the ground with their own two hands (oh, and with hired help of others, which they have to pay obviously).

Conventionally crops are machine planted, fertilized and harvested, unmistakably put. A big mechanical device goes out and “harvests” your crops all the while this machine pumping it’s fumes into your land and the hard-working farmer is breaking his back whilst he has to move the steering wheel on his device. Unless, of course, he can afford to pay one or two other people to operate his toxic-waste machine while he sits on his porch eating pizza and drinking beer. A little dramatic? Possibly. Sure, I'll give that. But this is real. The methods of their "farming" are rightly explained.  

Hmmm...Now let us ponder how the conventional farmer can afford that employee while he eats pizza and beer while still managing to sell his crops twice as cheap as naturally, healthfully grown foods?

It seems like organic farmers can afford all the people they hire, I mean...Shouldn't they be the ones eating the pizza and drinking beer while their employees operate a machine through the fields? Their products sell for so much more, makes sense...Right?! WRONG! And I’ll tell you why now...

Conventional crops are HEAVILY subsidized by the federal government in the U.S., which means that the government is providing very, very generous financial assistance to the agri-business, offering to conventional farmers in the form of grants, tax breaks, etc., in order to encourage not only the production of, but sales of these foods. By doing that farmers are capable of selling their conventionally grown foods at a FRACTION of the cost of organic foods…a small fraction. This is what is we call “artificially inexpensive”. Know why? BECAUSE THE MONEY THE GOVERNMENT IS HANDING OVER TO CONVENTIONAL FARMERS IS COMING OUT OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS AND MY TAX DOLLARS. I guess this means we’re technically paying for our foods at least twice...once at the grocery store and once from the taxes we pay (though with the increasing taxes one has to wonder if we’re not realistically paying MORE than we would if we just bought organics, short and long term).

Not fair for the certified organic, smaller, “insignificant farmer” is it? Hmph. Now here’s the other side of the box:

What it takes to grow your food Organically

For one, a farmer must comply, maintain, and document organic practices for THREE long years before just qualifying to grow certified organic crops. After this time, the farmer must maintain his organic status by keeping meticulously thorough records of soil and water testing, crop rotations, weed, insect and disease controls, a crop field lot number system, and records of the agreements with neighboring landowners and officials about spraying in the vicinity.