Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Organic

How do you get from here to there....?

bolognius maximus — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:33:48 -0800

Organic Chemistry filter: I just want to make sure I'm doing this right... Yes, this is a homework problem. I admit it freely. But I put the time into it, and just want to make sure that I'm on the right track. I think I have it right. It seems pretty straightforward. If anyone can tell me if I am not thinking about it right or if I am on the right track, I would really appreciate it.

The problem: provide syntheses (should take 3 steps) to get from 1-butanol to hexene, from only the starting material and reagents or compounds with 2 carbons or less.

My answer:
Step 1: I used PBr3 to turn 1-butanol into 1-bromo butane + HoPBr2.
Step 2: I used an ethyne anion (via E2) to turn the 1-bromo butane
into 1-hexyne.
Step 3: I used 2 mol of H2 and a Pd catalyst to convert the
1-hexyne to hexene.

I hope I did this right! Can someone please let me know, and if not, tell me what direction to look in? Thank you!

Help me start a landscaping business!

Sentus — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:59:42 -0800

I am thinking about starting a landscaping business. I don't really have direct experience in the field. Looking for resources. Hello there,
I am in my mid twenties, moved to a midsized city in Texas about two months ago. As you probably know, our economic condition is not the best these days, which made looking for a good steady job pretty frustrating. To sustain myself I did a bunch of small gigs including small landscaping projects (Through craigslist mostly).

I am thinking about starting my own little landscaping business.

I volunteered in various organic farms for about two years; Have a modest knowledge about edible crops, organic growing methods, love and know my plants. I enjoy working outside, using my body, planting stuff,.

My selling point will be organic/sustainable landscaping.
* Trying to use native plants that require less water. Demand less upkeep and just thrive once established.
* Using organic methods, good soils, heavy mulching, sound irrigation techniques, maybe vermiculture in the future (earthworms castings).
* Showing people the beauty and functionality of edible perennials.
* Down the line get into Permaculture design, and just using Permaculture principles in people's yards.

I don't have a truck or heavy duty tools YET. So I'll have to start out doing smaller projects/rent truck on special occasions (to haul bulk soil/mulch).

Is any one here works/owns a landscaping operation? Any insights? Words of wisdom? Pros and Cons? Warnings?

Any good books on Landscape design? I know there are dozens if not hundreds, do you have any specific recommendations?

Any good software available? With design, plants for climate zones?

What would be cheap and effective marketing channels?

Thank you and have a great day,

Should we make our future educational organic farm a non-profit?

bengarland — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:11:00 -0800

Should we make our future educational organic farm a non-profit? If so, how? I inherited some old family land out in the country (about 50 acres), and my partner and I are planning to build a rammed earth passive solar house and organic permaculture farm there. Since it is in rural north Georgia, it will be one of the first (if not THE first) of its kind. For instance, we already found out that we'd be the first to hook up solar panels to the power grid in the tri-county area that the local EMC serves.

We want it to be an educational "living lab" that 4-H, FFA, Scouts, students, and other groups can visit and learn from. We also plan to have workshops on permaculture, natural building, organic gardening, etc. There are two high schools within 10 miles, the University of Georgia is 40 miles, and Atlanta is 80 miles, so we think this is a definite possibility.

Our goal is to have it be an educational outreach for the community, where people can come learn practical skills and knowledge to better themselves and the planet. We think this is especially important in rural Georgia, where (it seems from my growing up there) people aren't often challenged (or given the opportunity) to seek alternatives.

I've heard of other educational farms incorporating themselves as 501(c)(3) non-profits. My questions are:

1) Judging from the goals I outlined above, is this a good idea? (If not, why not?)

2) Can it be done for an entity that is still in the planning stages?

3) What is the best website or other guide that details the process?

I need to kill one pest while protecting another.

mecran01 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:43:25 -0800

We have spiders and pill bugs in our basement. I want to spray for them, but I also have pet rats that I like to let wander around on occasion, and don't want them to get sick. Is there a natural bug spray that is rodent safe? (I know, our basement sounds like a fun place) My nine-year-old is sleeping on the couch until I take care of the bugs. I also need to figure out how all of the pill bugs are getting into our basement bathroom.

What cover crops should I plant on my organic farm?

bengarland — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:48:00 -0800

Starting an organic farm -- cover crops: what, when, and how? I'm in the beginning stages of starting an organic farm in the foothills of northeast Georgia (Toccoa, to be exact if you want to look up weather info). The soil is mostly red clay with a few small rocks here and there. I want to build up the fertility quickly, easily, and relatively cheaply.

I own a hand operated seed spreader. I do NOT have a tractor, mower, or any powered tillage equipment, and I do not intend to buy any at this time.

My question is in a few parts:

1) What would be the best cover crops to plant in this area?

I am interested in breaking up the soil, controlling erosion, and adding organic matter. Right now I am thinking about planting pearl millet in the summer time (perhaps mixed with some soybean or cowpea). For winter I am not sure, maybe winter rye by itself or mixed with austrian winter pea? Still need ideas for what to plant in the spring. I am planning to do year-round cover crops for 2 years before I start farming.

2) For the recommendations in part 1, when should they be planted? Please give specific-ish dates for my location.

3) How should they be planted? I know I can use the seed spreader to distribute the seeds. What about covering them up? Should I use a rake? Drag a large chain across the ground? Do I need to put straw on top? Any other human-powered ideas? Keep in mind that it is about 1 acre that needs to be seeded.

4) Last but not least, a tangent: Can you recommend any good books that cover organic farming and/or cover cropping (especially in the southeast) ? I already have Eliot Coleman's "The New Organic Grower" which is great -- looking for other sources, too.

Thanks!

How do I mix organic peanut butter?

The Straightener — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:48:29 -0800

How do I mix organic peanut butter without making a godawful mess? I googled and found this Slashfood piece that honestly doesn't offer much by way creative alternatives. I just stick a knife in there and mash it around real good but it winds up all over my hands and oil runs all down the side and gets on the counter top. Should I dump the whole jar into a bowl and mix it and put it back? Best practices, please.

Looking for organic German beer in the US.

piratebowling — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:21:48 -0800

I had some very tasty organic been in Germany years ago. It was brewed by Rother Bräu, and was either the Öko Urtrunk, Öko Ur-Weizen or the Öko Ur-Pils. I may have even tried all three at various times. I'd love to be able to track down any (if not all three) of these in the US. How do I do this? As a total last ditch, I would take recommendations for similarly awesome organic beers that are available in the US. The beer had sediment, but was drinkable. It was not heavy, bright, and pretty balanced. The day I dropped by bottle after spending the last of my money was a very sad one.

Baby's First No-Hives Cupcakes, from the Hive Mind

Viola — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:31:55 -0800

I'm baking cupcakes for a toddler's first birthday, and I'd like to find an allergen-free recipe (no eggs, buttermilk, chocolate, nuts, etc) that is still tasty enough for adults to eat. I was considering baking two separate batches of cupcakes--one safe for the toddlers (of organic-minded, allergy-phobic parents) who might eat a couple bites and smear the rest on their faces, and another batch for adults who would enjoy baked goods beyond the inevitable sugar high. But I feel pressed for time and don't want to spend that much energy on a dozen baby-safe-but-egglessly-gross cupcakes if 90% of the finished product winds up on the picnic tables.

So what are my options for a hybrid of baby-safe and interesting, tasty cupcakes? I'm willing to compromise on the eggs if anyone can produce decent evidence that eggs in baked goods won't pose a threat to kids over one year, as my Google searching has been inconclusive.

If this sounds overly paranoid, it's because many folks at the party--including the birthday girl's parents--err on the side of extreme caution when it comes to their kid's diet: I had to rigorously persuade the mother to let her 1 year-old have processed sugar at her birthday party. This means any ingredients that pose even the slightest threat to little kids (chocolate, peanut butter flavoring, whole milk, strawberries, raspberries, real almond extract, honey) are strictly verboten.

And yes, it would also be cool if the adults won't have to suppress the urge to spit out the baby-safe cupcakes as well!

Thanks in advance!

Pardon me, but do you speak chemistry?

neurodoc — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:03:46 -0800

Looking for a chemistry wizard to help me translate this ad. In cleaning out some old files, I came across this ad (and several others) from my grad school days. While I remembered most of the chemistry on the other ones, this one has me stumped. All I can read is the "007" part.

Thanks, and as a reward I'd be glad to scan the other three that I have and put them up for folks to see. Surprisingly, I couldn't find them on the web anywhere.

Help me find some decent eggs.

scarello — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:56:35 -0800

When given the choice between grocery store free range eggs or local battery cage eggs, which is a better choice? Like alot of folks who have read "Omnivores Dilemma", I have begun to really think hard about my food choices. My wife and I have been purchasing meat from a local farm and eating less of it on a whole, which has worked out well. But I have been having a hard time figuring out how to go about buying my eggs. I have been finding it very difficult to find a local producer of free range or at the very least, free run eggs (I am just outside of Toronto, Durham area). I found one local place that sells eggs, but they are battery caged hens. My only other option, is to buy free run from the grocery store. My question is this: which is better from a moral standpoint? Buying the free run from the grocery store (industrial) or the battery cage eggs that are local? I really can't help but feel that I am getting hosed purchasing the free run eggs from the grocery store (we do need to follow a budget, so saving money is important). If anyone knows of a place I can buy free range/run eggs locally, feel free to let me know!

Organic/IPM supplier in Eastern Washington?

HotToddy — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:32:30 -0800

Organic/IPM supplies purveyor in Eastern Washington: I cannot for the life of me remember the name of this great place that I used to order from. I believe they were located in Yakima or Wenatchee, and had a name like "Bio-Ag," only that's not it. Google has failed me, and I have a feeling this may stump even AskMe, but I really really need to find these guys again! Other identifying information: They sold primarily to small farmers and orchardists, not retail consumers. They put out a newsprint catalog. You could buy truckloads of chicken manure from them, and they had all kinds of great organic/IPM stuff for super cheap. They would just send your order out to you and then bill you later.

Any ideas? Anyone? Or, if you know of another place like this, please tell.

Please help me learn to eat right!

dancestoblue — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:25:09 -0800

Food Question(s) -- Avocados / Pinto Beans / Brown Rice / Bananas / Kumquats / Mangoes / Olive Oil / Balsamic Vinegar / Eggs w/r/t organic or not, etc and etc I went to my doctor, he found potatoes and carrots mashed into my hair, he found some beans in my dang nose, he found corn in my ears, etc and etc. He stopped, looked at me, pronounced: "You're not eating right."

Anyways, I've been doing this whole Ashtanga deal and it's changed my life in any number of ways, one of the most notable being my diet IE I cannot eat garbage any more, if/when I DO eat garbage I suffer on the mat the next day, big time. Plus I don't WANT to eat garbage anymore - ice cream, candy bars, fried foods, etc and etc - whatever it was that I was feeding with that stuff is now being fed on the mat, which is actually sortof a miracle, if you were to ask me. Which of course you did not, but still.

So I'm buying all these good foods and eating them, peasant food essentially, rice and beans etc and etc, organic spinach and kale and carrots etc and etc, good guy eggs from chickens that actually have a life, blah blah blah. In no particular order, here are the questions about these foods that I have for you all:

Pinto beans and brown rice: I pay extra -- considerably extra -- to buy organic, mostly from Whole Foods (Whole Paychecks). I'm assuming that this is money well spent, as neither beans nor rice (ESP rice) have much protection against the garbage that farmers spray on them. Question 1: Is this money well spent?

Bananas and Avocados and Mangoes -- I do not buy these organic, as they have big-time husks, I've read that the gunk that's sprayed upon fruits/vegetables that have husks gets caught up in the husk and doesn't make it into my guts. (I do wash the heck out of the mangoes before cutting them open and eating the meat.) Question 2: Is this correct, do the toxins get caught in the husks of these fruits?

Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar -- Because these products come from olives and grapes, neither of which has much of a husk, I spend the extra bread -- which is considerable -- to buy these items organic. I eat a lot of olive oil and a lot of balsamic vinegar in salads and just anywhere else, love that sweet tang of balsamic vinegar in lots of foods. Question 3: Is this money well spent?

My condo complex have four kumquat trees full of ripe kumquats right now, they are sweet as can be, really good, one of them right next to where I often practice yoga, down on the river, great fun, eat and practice. But fact is that I do not know much about these little dudes, not having been raised where they grow. Question 4: Is it okay to eat the skin of kumquats? I pretty much chew all the fruit out of them, spit the seed and skins into the river -- am I losing vitamins and whatnot? Will I die or some such if I do eat the skins? Question 4a: Also -- mangoes; I am not supposed to eat the skin off these dudes either, correct? (I don't eat them, but I'm wondering...)

The kumquat trees are full to overflowing just now, I bet that using my ladder I could/can get five ten gallon buckets of fresh fruit off these trees, easy. Question 5: Can I put these up without them losing their nutritional value IE take the seeds out of them and freeze them? (Of course if the skins cannot be eaten there is no way that this is feasible.)

And the mangoes usually only come in twice a year, they're very inexpensive just now, and quite easy to get the husk off, so essentially the same question as prior except about mangoes this time. Question 6: Can mango fruit be frozen?

Huge sale on avocados this week, avocados bigger than baseballs for $0.90. Question 7: Can these be frozen well, or even refrigerated to keep them a while?

I am often deep hungry from this whole yoga thing, one of the things that works to stave that hunger is eggs, of which I eat just one heck of a lot of. 8 to 12 a day, some days 16. (I usually boil them and make an egg salad, olive oil balsamic vinegar onions slivered carrots etc and etc. Yeah yeah, I know, sounds like I'm a hog gut but I'm just flat hungry is all; YOU try a serious Ashtanga practice and then tell me if YOU'RE hungry. Hint: You will be.) If I eat 8 eggs I eat only 2 yolks, if 12 only 3 yolks; throwing the yolks away so as to not blow my heart out of my chest with cholesterol. Question 8: Am I OD'ing on too much egg protein here? (I'm mostly not eating meat, like at all, or fish, eating some walnuts and/or pecans for protein.) Also: Is three or five egg yolks a day too much bad-guy fat?

Last. I put some pinto beans into a pot of water on Saturday to soak prior to cooking, the pot has set on the stove top, I basically forgot it had anything in it, nice shiny covered pot sitting on the stove is all. I remembered about an hour ago, and now some of the dang beans are even sprouting, the water looks a tad murky, I don't want to die from eating grungy, scungy beans. Question 8: Can I cook and eat these gems or do I toss them? I'm assuming that I'd have to rinse them of course...

Long list there of questions there; I wish I knew how to make bullet points or numbered lists or what-have-you, but I don't -- sorry...

And now I've finished this list o' questions and my coffee and a dang mango (and that sucker was sweet -- man!) and headed now to the river to suffer creatively (ie practice Ashtanga) and eat a few kumquats.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Peace.

Safe lubricants?

zeek321 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:13:45 -0800

Natural, safe lubricant? NSFW It seems like the latest trend in lubricants (whether for anal sex or otherwise) is to minimize the number of chemical-sounding ingredients (yes, I know everything is a "chemical") and then add one really nasty preservative. I really don't like the idea of certain things drying out on skin and sitting inside moist, mucous-membrane lined orifices for hours. Case in point, though not to single out this brand:

http://store.babeland.com/safe-sex-lubes/sliquid-sassy-anal-lube

Polyquat whatever, fine, but this:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=702196&nothanks=1

Seriously? I'm not sure I care that it's the last ingredient and probably an infinitesimal amount.

I've tried:
http://www.yesyesyes.org/
http://www.fireflyorganics.com/

These meet my safety criteria, but, not surprisingly, they don't have the consistency of the more synthetic lubes. What I really want is an astroglide made of sunbeams and rainbows.

So, is there anyone out there as paranoid as me that has found a water-based lube that's reasonable in terms of both safety and performance for vaginal intercourse and anal sex?

Where's the beef?

jeffamaphone — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:35:38 -0800

Please recommend a butcher or meat market where I can get 100% grass fed organic meats in the Bay Area. We don't eat meat often, but when we do, we'd like to eat the best.

Ideally I'd like one stop shopping for the best tasting, freshest, most local, most organically raised beef, chicken, lamb, and pork. It is very important to me that the animals have been fed their proper, natural diets they evolved eating.

Other animals, such as Ostrich, Alligator, Frog, etc. a bonus.

I live on the Peninsula, so I'd love for it to be somewhere between San Carlos and San Jose, but I will travel for the best meat.

How do I deal with super-sensitive skin?

WorkingMyWayHome — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:06:18 -0800

What resources are out there for people with super-sensitive skin? I seem to develop a new allergy every month or so. My latest rash is located everywhere my bra touches my skin, so I'm particularly interested in undyed, unbleached organic cotton bras. Over the past year and a half, my skin has become more and more sensitive. I get rashes from most creams and lotions, toothpastes, makeup, soaps, perfumed laundry detergent and dryer sheets, etc., etc. The only toilet paper I can use is Seventh Generation. Now I have a problem with the bras I wear; I bought two new Barely There bras and developed big red welts everywhere they touched my skin. I went back to wearing my older Barely There bras and the rash went away, but it seems to be returning. I've been searching but haven't been able to find unbleached, undyed organic cotton underwire bras in my size (38-40 B or C). And I'm also just looking for any websites, books, or other resources you've found for people with super-sensitive skin. There must be other people that have skin problems like mine, and I need all the information and help in dealing with all this that I can get.

How much pesticide residue is there in coffee? Is it necessary to buy organic?

mintchip — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:45:41 -0800

How much pesticide residue is there in coffee? Is it necessary to buy organic? I recall reading that it's more important to buy certain organic for specific fruits and vegetables, since some are more likely to contain pesticide residue than others.

I drink a great deal of coffee, and I love my fair trade organic beans. However, I could save a lot of money buy buying nonorganic. However, I'm a bit of a health nut. So what I'm wondering is, how much pesticide residue is there in coffee? Is this one of those cases where it's important to buy organic?

what do you wish you would have known when you picked out your CSA?

ialwayscryatendings — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:13:07 -0800

For those of you who have gotten shares in a CSA, what information do you think would be helpful to someone trying to choose which CSA to participate in? More specifically, any recommendations on CSAs in the Twin Cities area? I work at a twin cities food co op, and am trying to put together a guide to local CSAs that we can offer to our customers. There is some information available online, but much of it is outdated and difficult to navigate, plus there are so many factors to consider that it's difficult to organize the information. For those that have experience with CSAs, what information do you think would be helpful to someone choosing which CSA is right for them?

So far, I'm thinking I could make a chart showing cost, what kinds of foods are generally offered, how much food is included in each share, when the food will start and finish arriving, how often shares will arrive, how food will be obtained (whether it can be delivered or must be picked up), whether food is organic, a little general information on the farm itself and whether they offer any other opportunities for share owners (like visits to the farm/recipes etc).

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! And, of course, if you have any experience with a twin cities CSA, I would love to hear about it. Thanks so much!

Critical thinking about food

parudox — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:39:20 -0800

What made you first think about how your food is produced? I want to know what books, websites, films, podcasts, experiences, and so on are best at getting people to start to pay some attention to where their food comes from. (In my case it was probably The Omnivore's Dilemma, followed by local farmers' markets, Deconstructing Dinner, etc. But I started off with an interest in food, so I might not be typical.)

It seems to me there is a big mental gap between conventional food and any alternative systems, and that it does take something substantial to bring about critical evaluation of food choices.

Good Fat, Bad Diet?

Viola — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:43:30 -0800

I’d like to lose 15 pounds in the next year. In addition to jogging, I plan on altering my already somewhat healthy diet because I worry I’m eating too much (good) fat. I recently decided I need to drop the 15 pounds I've gained since graduating college, so I can go back down to 115 at 5'2". I’m halfway through the Couch to 5K program, and that’s going well. In the past few years, I’ve become a much better eater than I was in high school and college, when my diet consisted of grains and beer. However, after tracking my meals on FitDay, I realized I might have a too-high fat intake (in addition to too much sugar), or a too-low vegetable intake. I’m a vegetarian, though I ate fish until very recently.

Breakfast:
-medium coffee with soy milk
-2% strained Greek yogurt, mixed with honey or fruit.

Lunch is usually
- baby spinach salad with walnuts, crumbled feta, and shiitake sesame vinaigrette dressing
or
- (less frequently) Amy’s spinach and feta pocket.

Afternoon
-I have a terrible sweet tooth, and will generally crave something from the office candy jar around 4ish, usually 1-3 mini York peppermint patties, and depending on my mood, will repeat again when leaving work. I'm cutting back severely on this habit as well.

Dinner
- almost invariably I come home from work and dive for two big, high-fiber Swedish wafers that I dip in hummus, or a handful of roasted almonds/cashews

this snacking is followed by one or two of the following:
- 2 cups’ worth of microwaved Amy’s organic butternut squash/cashew carrot ginger soup.
or
-two eggs fried in olive oil
or
--baby spinach salad, same as lunch

Alcohol
- 1-3 glasses of whiskey, imbibed between 0-3 times a week

Exercise
- Jogging 3x a week for 35 minutes.

See, this all seems healthy to me, but I tend to default to a "It's organic! It must be healthy!" mentality. I'm slowly realizing that just because I can read all the ingredients on the packaging doesn’t mean they’re all good for me in that quantity. I know I need to cut down on the processed sugar and whiskey, but I also worry that the processed veggie foods (Amy’s soups and vegetable pockets) don’t offer much nutritive value if I’m zapping them in the microwave first. I’ll cruise Ask.Me for specific directions for healthy breakfasts, how to easily eat more vegetables, etc, (though feel free to post any advice here!) but is there anything in those foods that jump out at you as red flags? Anything I should tweak, cut back on, or cut out to make my diet healthier and suitable for losing weight?

Holistic Resource Finder?

eric1halfb — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:47:01 -0800

Are there any online resources for finding local organic/holistic resources? I'm trying to find a resource that will help me to locate organic grocery stores, health food stores, yoga studios, co-ops, holistic health care providers, etc. It would be ideal if I could search by state and then city, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

I have already used yogafinder. This is essentially what I'm looking for, but a little too limited in scope.

Thanks!

Are Safeway organics really organic?

biwa-shu — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:24:34 -0800

Safeway: regular brands and house brands out the wazoo. It says organic, but is it? So Safeway and other stores too have their regular supplier brands, in regular and organic varieties, as well as their own house brand in varieties organic and not.

Today we bought organic Driscoll berries, but they looked just like the non-organic ones, except for the label on the container. After watching some videos on Driscoll's site, it seems that they get their berries from a number of sources, which might indicate that their organic berries only come from organic producers. But the container and the contents were totally identical--only the label differentiated them.

Then the eggs were even worse. The best endorsement a Safeway egg had going for it was "Laid by uncaged hens." Ok, great! You take them out of their cages before they lay eggs.

I asked the manager at the register about all this, and she gave me a glassy-eyed schpiel about how she had asked the same questions and was totally convinced that the answers she got were satisfactory. But it's so easy when it's the same company that writes your paycheck...

So where's the beef? To what extent can we trust the labels and the signs?

Alien Fruit Identifictation

phrontist — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:38:34 -0800

My friend found this strange fruit somewhere in or around Oaxaca, Mexico. What is it?

Are these eggs safe to eat?

dubold — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:02:30 -0800

Should-I-Eat-This-Filter: I left a half-dozen eggs on the counter yesterday... They were uncooked, still in their shells, out of direct sunlight. I'd estimate the kitchen was about 70 degrees. They were there from 8am-7pm. When I came home and found them still out, I popped them back in the fridge. The eggs are from our CSA, so they're organic, free-range, etc.

I did a bit of research, and from what I understand, salmonella is only a risk if there's already salmonella bacteria in the egg. To be on the safe side, my pregnant wife won't be eating any of these. Are they okay for me to eat? What factors contribute to eggs going bad? is it time, temperature, or a combination? I understand that the safest course of action is just tossing them, but I hate to waste food.

you are not my doctor, nor will i hold the moderators responsible if i get sick. thanks.

What does organic mean in practice?

parudox — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:51:06 -0800

What does "organic" mean in practice? Let's say we're talking about what Canada or the US think "organic" means in 2008. What can I expect the difference to be between the production methods of organic and regular milk, meat, eggs, wheat, sugar, coffee, bananas, etc.?

I'd specifically like to know the difference in practice, both for industrial operations and small farms. I'm assuming that practice differs from the ideal, but feel free to correct me.

Could we feed the current world population using purely organic farming methods?

canine epigram — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:49:36 -0800

Could we feed the current world population using purely organic farming methods? I realize this question is probably impossible to decisively answer, but in conversations with a friend, he maintains that it would be impossible to convert over to an entirely organic farming standard and still feed everyone - this is why we had the Green Revolution in the first place. His position is that over-investment in organic farming is essentially suicide.

I don't have enough information to gauge this claim. I do know that current organic food is pricy (Whole Paycheck) enough that in these lean economic times, organic industry is taking a big hit, and a lot of people still can't consider switching to organics because they wouldn't be able to feed their family. Unless that changes, organic food remains a luxury for those well enough off to be able to pay for these sustainable practices.

Any recommendations for books that critically examine the benefits or problems with organic farming as a large scale method for feeding people are welcomed - I'm looking for dispassionate analysis, not mindless boosterism.