Why More Farmers Should Be Growing Organic Vegetables

By Leslie Griffith


There is a global trend towards a more healthy lifestyle. This incorporates the physical activity in which people engage as well as the food that they consume.An all natural farm, is one of the best ways to ensure that you consume healthy, chemical free food. It also has its financial benefits. This is why so many people are interested in growing organic vegetables.

The soil within which the food will be planted plays a crucial role in its definition as having been organically grown. Care must be taken to ensure that the land selected for planting has not been contaminated by harmful chemicals. This often happens through industrial and residential dumping as well as chemical spills. Once the safety of the soil has been established, attention can be turned to preparing it for planting.

Preparing the soil for planting is the first step that an organic farmer must take. A great way to do this is by composting. This is essentially a method of allowing biodegradable waste such as peelings and leaves to decay and break down. When these are added to the soil they make the land more fertile and eliminate the need for harmful fertilizers.

Commercial pest control products have the potential to make food unsafe. This is why most commercial pest control products have specified periods for use and restrictions on reaping within a certain time after application. Quite often, if food is reaped and consumed within a certain period after application, serious health complications follow. There are, however, safer, more natural means of keeping pests away from plants and ensuring that you reap a bountiful harvest.

A number of naturally occurring substances and items help to keep pests away from vegetables. Garlic, a common seasoning used in meal preparation, is known to repel certain garden pests. Ashes does a similar job with destructive snails. If it is sprinkled around the perimeter of the farm area, the snails will be discouraged from entering.

Money is saved by going green with pest control methods, as farmers no longer have to buy commercial fertilizers. Money is also saved in terms of health care costs since the consumption of these foods, helps to keep illnesses at bay. Additionally, farmers and farm workers risk their own health and safety when they apply chemical laden fertilizers and pesticides. When this risk is avoided the farm workers enjoy better health and costly medical bills are avoided.

When it is time for the produce to be reaped, steps must be taken to ensure that the activity is chemical free and as natural as possible. If they are to be preserved prior to sale then safe natural preservation methods should be employed. Chemical free harvesting and preservation methods will likely require more time but is safer for all involved.

It is quite obvious that growing organic vegetables has a lot of benefits. One benefit is the freedom that it provides since it removes the farmer's reliance on commercial items such as fertilizers.The food produced by these methods is safer and those who consume and provide the food reap health benefits.




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