Friday 9 January 2009

Organic Gardening


G'Day,
This weekends Sunday Scribblings prompt is "Organic".
Well I went into a couple of the on line dictionary pages to look up the meanings of this word.
Suffice to say the word can be used in quite a few different ways and different meanings. But as my interpretation of the word ....I thought: isn't everything in the world organic? It all came from this planet if it is here now, regardless of the mixture that we make out of any of the materials available here to us. Silly, if simplistic, eh?
Organic Gardening.
These words have become a trendy catch cry for people to cash in on and make money out of. Everyone wants to follow and believe in the benefits of organic food and living the latest healthy lifestyle trend don't they. But at my age with years of watching and observing these trends I kind of think that it won't be long before these trends are reversed, for better or worse, and something new comes along to take our money and we are told that no,
living the lifestyle we believe in now is wrong,
unhealthy,
will give us all cancer, (doesn't everything)
is unsustainable in the long term,
or whatever.
I will just plod along at my own old fashioned pace, watch, and try to follow my own version of gardening and use a bit from both the organic and non organic methods of gardening. I will use a chemical if it means that I get apricots because the bugs don't destroy them first, or I will use a spray to stop a disease from destroying my plants but I will choose very carefully which chemicals I use. I will use worm juice and compost and return to the soil that which has come from it to nourish it. I will try to be sensible with water use.
Just a couple of generations ago the so called organic lifestyle was the normal way things were done and not a fashion statement but a necessity of life. Look at the way our grand parents gardened and recycled as a manner of living their daily lives. It worked then and it still works today. For an example look at the water tanks, worm farms, recycling and composting that is done today, that is no different from what they did then, it is however purported to be the new fashion trend for gardeners. Back then they supposedly improved it all by giving them wonderful new modern chemicals and look at the trouble that got our world into. We are still trying to clean up after that and feeling the effects of the damage which was and is still now caused by that.
One of my great grandmother's much quoted sayings was "You can't interfere with nature". I always liked that. How true.

18 comments:

myrtle beached whale said...

I agree with your granny. I use a little bit of profanity in lieu of interfere, but say pretty much the same thing. Nice post.

Shadow said...

i'm so for organic, but it's so darn expensive!

anthonynorth said...

As I understand it, burnt bread is carcinogenic.
We're all toast.

Sorrow said...

like the fact that you are doing what you do, and not following the trend..

totomai said...

oh definitely. we cant indeed interfere with nature.

Michelle said...

I agree - 'You can't interfere with nature' although we do seem to die trying!! :)

Mountain Mama said...

I garden like you. Not much point in going through all the work then letting some nasty insects have it all. I also try to use safe ways to exterminate.
My mom was an excellent gardener and she didn't have to use much from the store to control insects.

Shadow said...

hiya linda, yes you can play. i've got your questions lined up and ready, but where do i e-mail them to?

Shadow said...

wait a minute, blonde moment, i can post them here, can't i. are you ready, here they come....


1. describe your favourite season of the year.
2. if there were one thing you could change about the place you live in, what would it be?
3. every child gets asked ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’. what was your answer to that, and did you get to do it?
4. what’s better, christmas or birthdays, and why?
5. tell me about how you met and fell in love with your partner.

latree said...

yeah, let us love nature...

gautami tripathy said...

Let nature be...there is much truth in that..

Setting about a routine

Granny Smith said...

I have always wondered what an inorganic food would be? Gravel and sand? Even sand might be partly organic if it is made up of powdered coral, since corals are originally live animals = obviously organic. You gardening practices sound sound to me. I'd like some of thise apricots!

Tumblewords: said...

Absolutely! Moderation and a little thought goes a long way. Nice post!

Giggles said...

Let Nature Rule!! Thinking a little Bob Marley in there!! Nice post!

Hugs Giggles

Thanks for stopping by!

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

I agree with your granny, too. In fact, we've composted for almost 13 years now. It's become a natural thing; my kids don't know any differently.

Most of our moves to more organic food are brought on by the fact that much organic food simply tastes better. Who needs the chemical taste?

Marguerite said...

I garden like you-try to keep it organic, but not opposed to using some chemicals, if needed. Enjoyed your post.

Mine is a humorous one involving organic fertilizer. 100% Horse Hockey

Rambler said...

gardening is such an impressive hobby..wish I had the place to grow my own

anno said...

Oh yes, moderation in all things... well said!