It comes as no surprise to anyone that the number of organic farms is booming to meet consumer demand for healthy food.
This is the opening sentence in this article. When did the decision come about that organic=healthy?
organic- of, relating to, yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides
Organic indicates the use all natural ingredients, but nowhere does that say or indicate healthier. Sorry if that bursts your bubble, but its the truth. There might be a perceived attitude that it is healthier but is it really. If I used arsenic in some organic sausage, it would remain organic while being not very healthy for you. Would you rather have meat or milk from a sick critter who can't be doctored for the disease because it would no longer be organic or would you rather have meat and milk from a healthy critter who could have medicine used on it? I know which I would prefer.
This attitude about organic food baffles me. Good quality food is good quality food no matter how it's grown. Simple. If you want to eat healthier, don't eat out anywhere, don't order food in, and don't buy any food that is pre-prepared. Cook everything from scratch yourself so you can control the ingredients. Whether organic or not, quality ingredients make a difference. (BTW quality ingredients aren't the cheapest thing you can by from stores like Wally World, you have to shell out for them)
It's interesting because on one level it's like a calculated marketing image; on another level they're dealing with something that's actually organic and part of a piece.
Matthew Shipp
my sister and husband and his parents were farmers in south eastern wyoming...they are now divorced...many are or have even killed themselves. I know that farming and ranching is a hard life and one that most would not want to trade for anything. it is hard and getting harder. i think that is why some of the small ranchers have gone into this nitche out here. i really do not know that much about it...but i do know that farming is a family business and it is hard on family life. so much stress and the kids moving away.
http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=17054
I went no-till back in the late 80's, before it was cool. Within ~4 years I was seeing significant weed resistance, which surely you'll agree is a blink in biological terms. In our neighborhood, everyone had gone into the CRP except for my neighbor Jack and myself. I was fresh out of school, still thought I was smart, and embraced the whole chemical thing. Jack hated the direction industrialized ag was going, could be described as a curmudgeon, and went organic. Ten years later, I think we'd both decided farming in that neighborhood was like suicide by sandpaper, and both packed it in also. If you're interested, an abbreviated history of the whole account is at http://www.cowboyhvn.com/MTAugust05.htm
Next year we'll have organic certification. No, it's not perfect, and damn sure isn't simpler or easier, but I must disagree. It is WAY better. Well, I don't know about the guys who add arsenic to their produce, but in general...
Once you start eating healthy, there's no going back.
I will not argue that growing things organic is a different way of doing things. My cattle could be organic with one little change. It is not what I choose to do.
I will repeat my point since you missed it. ORGANIC DOES NOT EQUAL HEALTHY!!!!! It's just a different way of doing things.
I won't argue that generally yields are lower with organic, although in my case I'm not sure.
As far as ORGANIC DOES NOT EQUAL HEALTHY...
That's a head-scratcher. Sure, I suppose you could find abuses, contamination, etc. Much less so, I mean MUCH LESS SO than with the industrialized food chain. I haven't heard about any eColi outbreaks in organic foods.
Have you tried organic milk? I'm not a big milk drinker, & was skeptical at first if it was worth the extra cost. Not for long... Not only does it last WAY longer in the fridge, but it tastes WAY better. You can't tell me it's not healthier. That's some sort of denial.
A buddy and I partnered on an oil press recently. He's a cattle enthusiast, although maybe not a purist as he does a little dirt farming too. Just like you said, he didn't have to change much at all with his operation to get organic certification. He's getting more for his beef, and sure, you can call us "niche" marketers.
I dunno, you think selling to the IBP's of the world is better? More profitable? Healthier??
We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one Sam.
I'm sure glad you know so much about my operation that you can say I sell to IBP, that I am not profitable, and that my cattle are sickly critters . You know so little about my operation that it is pathetic.