Organic in my own way.

[Jaxom]

Just need to let off steam folks, as I have just had to stop myself boiling over at a dotty old ***. I offered some vegetables and strawberries to a neighbour as I thought I would be neighbourly.
She cocked her nose up at them because they weren’t "Organic".
I don't use pesticides or nasty chemical sprays on my vegetables, as I have to eat them. I make my own compost and give the earth a bit of Blood, fish and bone before starting. To get rid of greenfly I use water spray. I use companion planting to stop pests eating my produce before I get a chance.
Because I could not guarantee that my lettuce, spinach and strawberries were organic she didn't want them.
Perhaps if I had sprayed them with something nice and organic like DDT she might eat them.
Has Organic become a word that is much used but not understood anymore? I don't know.
There are a whole host of organic compounds that I would not want going anywhere near my growing vegetables.
Perhaps what we need, is to call our vegetables "Grown with out the use of poisons" rather than "Organic" which seems to a much used but little understood word
What do other Grapes think about the word "Organic"?

[poultrychat]

It is a shame Jaxom - on a bit of a tangent but similar vein - as you probably realise I sell eggs from the gate, my birds free range on good land, have grass to eat all year round, I feed them food without additives of any type, a so called free range farm could put 300 birds on the same amount of land that I keep 45 on but I am not allowed to call my eggs free range, ridiculous isn't it, and then you get some people who say 'but there's no date stamp on your eggs' - people!

You have my sympathy.

[smallblueplanet]

Jax did you ask the old dear exactly what wasn't organic about your veggies? Not that it matters, there are compromises everywhere. Some of the things that are allowed under the 'organic' label I wouldn't want, let alone the food miles!

PC you could call your eggs 'free roaming'!!! put a piccy of your chooks next to them, that should convince most.

[Shortie]

Oh Jax.... how ungrateful!

Me and my Dad are two sides of this coin... he's not so worried about using chemicals, but I don't even have any in. Last year I was really dismayed when he tried to 'help me out' by spraying a rouge blackberry that needed digging up.

Me, I don't use anything. The only thing bought in is compost for my seedlings. If I can't do it organically, I'd rather do without.

I know you can get organic sprays, and I don't knowck anyone for using things in their garden, but personally, if I can't make it, it doesn't happen. I don't even use shop-bought tomato food, I make Comfrey tea! Or is that because I'm stingey.... oh, I meant frugal!

PC, the first time I saw eggs with no stamp I questioned it I have to be honest, but when it explained to me that the date stamp is not really a guide to the egg's freshness, I know pay no attention (past date eggs no get the crack it open and sniff it test rather than just being thrown away like before. Unfortunately we get conditioned to certain things and until we understand nothing is wrong with the alternative, we think anything other than the shop-bought way is wrong. It really is a shame.

I often reflect on Arkwright [sp] in Open All Hours, dropping loaves on the floor and reselling them, and how sterile things are now. Give me Arkwright [sp] any day is say

[Alice]

Ungrateful old biddy, Jaxom, and rude with it. I wonder what she thinks she buys in the shops !

[pigletwillie]

More for you to eat Jaxon.

We garden in a way that we call "Pragmatic organic". We never spray against pests prefering the natural balance to keep things in check and by companion planting which we find very successful. We never add chemicals to the soil to improve it, just homemade compost and manure from our local farm.

On the non organic front we do use blood fish and bone, put non organic kitchen waste in the compost and occasionally reach for the glysophate to beat the neighbours mares tail into submission (well I do work and needs must).

Its not Soil Association organic but our plot is healthy, has plenty of beneficial insects and birds (pigeons excepted) and gives us a grand crop of clean wholesome fruit and veg. I am not an organic "paragon of virtue" as I said just pragmatic. If anyone refused my produce because it wasnt organic, well more fool them as it doesnt come much better.

[Jaxom]

Thanks Guys, you made me feel much better.
I have planted with out chemicals for a few years now, so have been seeing a dramatic difference in the amount of natural insect life to be found in the garden. This year I have seen ladybirds mating and also the ladybird lavel form that so loves greenfly for the very first time. I did take a photo of the ladybirds as I remember some one else mentioned them on a previous thread. Will post it in the next day or two.
I gave my next door neighbour a number of plants over the last few weeks and slugs have eaten them all. Here in my garden the nematodes are working a treat. I now only have to go on snail patrol. My cabbages and other brasicas are mixed through the flowerbeds and so far I haven't had any problems with butterflies or caterpillars. Did try spraying one ore two plants with Garlic, Black Pepper and Chilli water, and last week. I think it may have been too strong as some leaves are showing slight brown signs. Next time I will try a weaker strength. The Brasicas however are robust and show no signs of reaction.
PC, What are the rules that govern Chickens? From what I have read about your hens they sound both free and well loved?
PW I have noticed on the box of the BF&B that it states. “Contains Organic Plant Food” but it does not state that the contents is “Organic” Now I’m puzzled. Surly you can’t get more organic than Blood, Fish, and Bone? Can any Grape shed some light on this? Perhaps I’m being rather thick?

[sewer rat]

The word "organic" has become a designer label, and like in so many other areas of the retail industry, if it ain't got the right label, it's not worth buying.

[Shortie]

Manufacturers have to be extremely careful when they say organic though as if it's not totally up to standards the whole way through the food process/manufacturing process they can't say it's organic. I think there are hefty fines to be paid.

I think though that while farms etc are oin the process of becoming organically certified (or indeed anyone not going through the process but still being organic) are allowed to label themselves as 'Grown without use of pesticides' -or something like like). I suppose it's there to protect the label and stop abuse of it but ruthless retailers. By protecting the label, people can be more reassured of what they are buying.

I'd eat fruit and veg from a friend if I knew it had pesticides on it. I can't afford organic top-ups from Tesco's above and beyond my organic veg box that I get delivered bi-weekly, so why not accept it from a friend? Even if I could afford it, homegrown far outstrips shop bought anyday and it's a friendly gesture that really counts.

Recently I went to a friend's Dad's funeral, and later in the evening they had food round their house (I think the local Chinese shop must have had a field day as we ordered too much food for 40 people from then that night!). Anyway, his Mum and Dad love their garden (I go green with envy when I go round) and as his Dad had been very ill since early this year didn't know if they'd grown any thing from seed as usual.
Anyway I took over, to the meal, some spare marigolds, mysembryanthumum [sp] (thanks Piglet for the seeds!) and a few sapre dahlia plants. Found out when I gt round she's been keeping herself occupied with growing and didn't really need them, but she never let on and was grateful, and even commented to someone else the next day.

Anyway, the point I'm getting to (badly) is that sometimes it's all about the gesture that's being made rather than what you're actually getting.

Jax, I thought that was a lovely gesture you made. Shame on your neighbour. You know where not to pass your surplus from now on eh?

[Sunbeam]

A lovely guesture on your behalf - what a silly neighbour!

If your neighbour had any idea about good food then she would realise that home-grown knocks the socks off any shop bought 'organic' produce. And as you tuck into those extra strawbs you now have - just think of her eating hers; sub standard, sour and highly overpriced ...

[Jaxom]

Karma gets you every time

[Alice]

I'm with PigletWillie and his middle way. I don't use pesticides etc because I don't have to birds, foxes, hover flies etc seem to do it all for me. I do confess to using weed killer on paths and drives because I can't find another way, although recently I have found salt to be effective; and horror, I use the ocassional slug pellet -I hate doing it but I have to. I agree that organic is a word that gets bandied about without any real understanding or meaning - like thermal and farm fresh. And PC, I can't understand why you have a problem calling your eggs free range. I buy free range eggs from the supermarket but I don't believe they are raised in what I would consider to be a free range state or anything as good as your chooks have. Crazy world. And Jaxom, it's her loss - not yours.

[poultrychat]

Jaxom I looked into certifying my flock for free range status a few years ago but the loops and hoops are just crazy, maybe things have changed now and it is easier but at the time I wasn't prepared to jump that high. I can't put on boxes that they are free range, organic, small, large, medium - however I never heard anyone say I can't call them 'free ranging'

As for the egg size issue, when I can't shut the lid of the box because some of the eggs are too large I think that speaks for itself

[JennieAtkinson]

Jaxom - a very ungrateful neighbour indeed!

I went to the Farmers Market here yesterday and brought eggs, bread, hams, pickle, homebaked ginger cake, sponges, etc. There were no date stamps etc on anything, no recipe labels, and the place was heaving with folk (you have to get there in the first 30 minutes or its not worth it!). I think that says it all.

[Does the Cooking]

I wished I lived near nice people who give me extra veggies.

i also wished I lived near a man who had lovely eggs to sell.

The more I learn about growing things the more antagonistic i get towards Sainsbury and Tescos.