Organic Gardening Part 2 by Vanessa Jones

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Organic Gardening Part 2 by Vanessa Jones

In my last article I set out four broad themes that I use as personal guidelines for my own organic practice and I dealt in depth with the first: growing produce without the addition of artificial chemicals. The remaining three themes which I set out in the last article are:

  • being environmentally aware of the resources we use to grow produce;

  • being aware of the wildlife that can help and hinder the supply of produce;

  • being concerned about genetically modified varieties.

Being Environmentally Aware Of The Resources That We Use To Grow Food

In this article I focus on the second of the broad organic themes: being environmentally aware of the resources that we use to grow food. Some have gone into growing their own food because they are concerned not to buy products that contribute to the degradation of our land, our water and the greater environment.

Before looking at each of these aspects in a little more detail it is interesting to note what is happening on the commercial organic scene. There has been a big demand over the last 5 years for the supply of organic produce in supermarkets and indeed sales of organic produce are far exceeding expectations with many young parents insisting on organic produce to feed their children.

This was already happening pre Jamie Oliver’s intervention in the debate but he has undoubtedly added to the growing demand for organic food. The concern about how we feed our young, and ourselves, has contributed to commercial organic culture and it is a massively growing market and big business.

However, and here comes the rub, I am dismayed when I look at where the majority of this organic food is grown. Much of it comes from Africa, the Southern Americas and continental Europe. The environmental cost in air miles that have been used up in getting it to its market is astronomical. In global terms this is not a good environmental use of the Earth’s resources and bears little scrutiny in overall environmental terms.

As consumers we should perhaps be aware of the desirability of not only growing our own food but of both buying food that is locally produced and organically grown.

Some would go so far as to add in that it should also be animal friendly and fairly traded.

Given a choice I would always buy locally produced food even if it were not organic simply because it stands a better chance of being fresh and thereby more in tune with the seasons. It may also stand more chance of being environmentally sound not being air freighted half way round the world at massive environmental cost.

The rise of farmers markets throughout the UK suggests that there is a general interest in buying locally produced food and thereby supporting local food production. Many farmers were forced to diversify after the foot and mouth epidemic and the rise of farmers markets, as an outlet for their produce, has no doubt kept many of them in business.

Water Conservation

Secondly, it is important to conserve water and not pollute it. We are on the horns of another hose pipe ban in the South of England with the water supply being at an all time low following many unusually dry summers and winters. The ground on my allotment is already painfully dry and this is in February!

Absent a “water grid” I guess wherever we are in the UK we should be aware of this desperate issue and start being more aware of water as a precious resource. The amount of water your garden gets, whether from rain or irrigation, is vitally important to its success and in environmental, as well as cash terms, we should look for ways to protect this vital resource and cherish what we have.

Rain water diverters are cheap (less than £10) and easy to fix. Water butt kits are available on the market to catch rainwater and water from a down pipe without cutting a hole. We should aim to recycle as much grey water as possible and use it on the garden in preference to fresh tap water.

Local water companies are a great source of information on these initiatives and if you have not investigated what they may have to offer then it may prove worthwhile getting in touch with your local water company to find out what information they have on water efficiency.

Mulches are also a good way of cutting down watering needs and water consumption levels. Over wintering green manures also are helpful. Finally on water I would add that whatever chemicals we put on the soil eventually some residues might find their way into the water course. I am not an expert on this and no doubt commercial growers are far more responsible and culpable for any nitrate seepage into the water course than we amateurs but the fact remains much of what is chemically applied washes off and ends up where it was not intended. We may simply be flushing chemicals away at both cost to ourselves and to the greater environment.

Earth Community

Thirdly, be aware that we are part of a wider earth community and that we are custodians of the earth and not merely and simply temporary owners or lessees of it. I believe we should treat the soil well and go gently with it, as we may not fully appreciate now the ramifications of our actions.

We do not garden in isolation to the rest of the countryside and we are part of the wider country and world environment whether we like it or not.

We should take good care of what has been given to us to be responsible for. I am not at all sure that within my lifetime national and worldwide markets will be sustainable as we know them now. The air freighting of organic or any other products probably isn’t sustainable now let alone in ten years time when we may have woken up to the realisation that global resources are not infinite.

We are lucky to be home food growers as we have the best of all worlds because we grow our own food and have nearly complete cultivational control of the process from seed to table.

We home growers are, on the whole, also very practical people and we realise that our gardens are just a part of nature immersed in the cycle of seasons and communities of plants and animals of which our small patch is a small, but essential, part of the whole.

See Also : Organic Gardening Part 1 by Vanessa Jones

This article originally appeared in the Members Bulletin, the journal of the National Vegetable Society, which is sent quarterly to members. You can Join the National Vegetable Society here

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