GardenSpotlight

After reading the editor’s article from a recently published issue of The Columbia Insider regarding organic vs. conventional foods , I decided to research the recent study published by Stanford University last September which reported that there are no significant differences in nutrition between organically and conventionally raised produce .   This has been a very heated topic as I see and hear from many of my patrons at the local farmers’ markets what their beliefs are.   Some consumers are open minded and willing to learn the differences and what each farmers’ growing practices are while others only care about organic food and will not even entertain what a "non-organic" or conventional farmer has to say.   One customer last fall shouted at me that the Stanford study had been refuted and quickly walked away without letting me speak.   She must have read the article atThe Huffington Post .    I could dissect both articles, but that is beyond the scop...

Organic food.   When you hear those words, what do you think?   Do you think it must be good for you? Do you think it is good because it's free of chemicals and toxins?   I am not opposed to organic food.   What does trouble me is the fact that most people, not all, who seek out "organic" food think that all conventionally grown food is bad for you.   I believe this is because media and marketing have created many misconceptions.   Everyone loves to hear that “all natural” is good and that chemicals and synthetic compounds are bad. My goal with this article is to educate consumers, not to knock organic farming.   To evoke thought and make your own informed choices. Years ago, we were happy to have food, whether it had lumps and bumps or somehow was otherwise misshapen, it didn’t matter.   We still ate it and it was good.   These days, agriculture has had to conform to consumer desires.   Produce has to look perfect when displayed for s...