Organic or Not?

[klf_1956]

Hi
I grow fruit and veg mostly on my allotment plus a few bits and pieces in my garden. I don't use pesticides or weedkillers, not through any great green conviction, just too tight too pay for it. Does this mean my produce is organic ? What is the definition of organic fruit and veg? A few friends have asked and I really don't know. Any suggestions....?
Cheers

[zazen999]

IFOAM |

Tis a difficult one; as Organic is a label assigned to a specific product whereas growing organically doesn't just mean 'without chemicals' but means how you grow with the whole environment in mind....

[MalUK]

To be honest, food related plants have been so heavily influenced by humans that there's very little natural about them, which is why they are so easily overcome by pests.

Organic is unfortunately a very vague term, with industry bodies and businesses trying to take advantage of it. Just think of it as a mindset, where you are trying not to damage the environment around the plants, and at the same time, trying to reduce the levels of potentially bad stuff in the resulting food.

[Two_Sheds]

To be honest, food related plants have been so heavily influenced by humans that there's very little natural about them

Que?
Can you elaborate a bit ... this might become an interesting discussion.


To me, organic means "not synthetic" ie not made in a lab

[Alison]

I consider my produce to be organic-ish. I don't use chemical fertilisers or feeds but I know my ground will have had some on them in the past. I do occaisionally use tomato food but usually use comfrey / nettle feeds and chicken manure. The only thing I've sprayed with on the plot is soapy water. However I certainly couldn't claim to be Organic as that would involve a lot of hoop jumping which is why most side of road eggs will just claim free range.

[Rocketron]

Que?
Can you elaborate a bit ... this might become an interesting discussion.


To me, organic means "not synthetic" ie not made in a lab

Every time someone "crossbreeds" is a step away from "organic".

[Alison]

Every time someone "crossbreeds" is a step away from "organic".

I don't see how cross pollinating two, say organic runner beans, would make any difference to the status of the resulting seeds

[zazen999]

Every time someone "crossbreeds" is a step away from "organic".

Plants naturally 'cross-fertilise' though - that's how they evolve.

[solway cropper]

This just shows how confusing the whole issue is. I don't care whether I'm organic or not, mainly because I've never been one for labels and fads. I grow my food in a way which I hope causes the minimum of disruption to the local environment but I'm well aware that the very act of gardening is going to cause some disruption. Gardening is an un-natural process so let's stop worrying about whether we're organic, biodiverse, sustainable or anything else and just enjoy our food.

[Alison]

This just shows how confusing the whole issue is. I don't care whether I'm organic or not, mainly because I've never been one for labels and fads. I grow my food in a way which I hope causes the minimum of disruption to the local environment but I'm well aware that the very act of gardening is going to cause some disruption. Gardening is an un-natural process so let's stop worrying about whether we're organic, biodiverse, sustainable or anything else and just enjoy our food.

I agree to some extent although I do think that we should be concerned with acting in a sustainable fashion or people won't have the opportunities to make that decision in the future.

[Two_Sheds]

Every time someone "crossbreeds" is a step away from "organic".

Why is it? Selective plant breeding has nothing to do with it. According to The Compendium of UK Organic Standards and me, organic means "practises that try to avoid the use of agrochemical inputs" Defra, UK - Farming - Organic - Background

I agree with the girls say below:

Plants naturally 'cross-fertilise' though - that's how they evolve.

I do think that we should be concerned with acting in a sustainable fashion or people won't have the opportunities to make that decision [to do so] in the future.

[Snadger]

I don't give a monkees about the dictionary definition of 'Organic'. I garden according to my concience and my own beliefs and blow the lot of em!

[Alison]

I don't give a monkees about the dictionary definition of 'Organic'. I garden according to my concience and my own beliefs and blow the lot of em!

Well said

[AndyD]

Generally speaking, if you're growing your own vegetables, 'organic' means not using pesticides or man made fertilisers. So if anyone asks me, I say I grow organically.

This doesn't mean Ive been approved by the Soil Association because Im not *selling* my produce as 'organic'. If I was going to start selling it, then I'd need to go through the certification process so I could label my vegetables as being produced organically.

Similarly with my chickens, they are free range, and fed organic food. I tell my friends they are raised organically, as they are not fed any chemicals or treated with any pesticides.

Hope that helps.

[Rocketron]

I would never classify myself as "organic" because I use slug pellets and Bordeaux Mixture.
I'm happy enough that my veg are "home-grown".