"Organic" can be said of a
product when it is the result of factors 1 to 4 below.
In addition,
points 5 to 14 cover the benefits of eating organic.
1. Organic Soil
2.
Natural Seed
3. Organic Nutrients and
Compost
4. Freedom from Synthetic Chemicals,
Pesticides and Herbicides
 Why Eat Organic?
5. Protect Our Children
6. Protect Your Own Health
7. Save Energy
8. Help Developing Nations
9. Prevent Soil Erosion
10. Protect Our Water Supply
11. Protect Flora & Fauna
12. Protect Farm Workers
13. Support A True Economy
14. Eat Nutritious And Delicious Food
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1.
Organic Soil
 The Soil Association has a rigorous
system approving land before authorising any growing of organic food and the
use of the Soil Association symbol. Occasionally, a product will be permitted
to receive an "in conversion" status before reaching the fully organic
standards.
The fruit & vegetables sold by Body & Soul Organic Food Shop are
authorised by the Soil Association and checks are made on a regular basis.
2. Organic Seed
The greatest
treasure in life is truly organic seed. Normal seed stock is hybrid and in our
opinion not suitable to be used for organic foodstuff. This is true of seeds
bought from Garden Centres.
The government banned the sale of natural seed
40 years ago in an effort to achieve conformity throughout the EEC. If you have
organic seed - grown from non-hybrid vegetables, save it!
3. Organic Nutrients and Compost
Organic
food should be grown on soils dressed with compost or manure from an organic
source. A good source of organic nutrients is seaweed.
4. Freedom from Chemical Intervention
How anyone can
add chemicals to food and claim that there are no ill effects defies belief.
Look at the labels in the Garden Centre and then decide - "do I want to tip
this on my food?" The thing to remember is that toxic matter accumulates in the
body and is difficult to remove. It drains our energy and depletes life
force.
So where do you stand?
Ordinary food: This contains GM products, herbicides, pesticides,
hormones, antibiotics and preservatives. Your protection is the Soil
Association symbol.
Non-organic farm shop:
Vague assurances such as " We are kind to the soil" mask the truth that they
use all of the usual range of pesticides, etc.
Grow your own:
When you grow your own, make sure the compost and manure are organic.
Horticulture and Agriculture are twins, so beware of Garden Centre products,
and buy non-hybrid seed from the seed bank or Henry Doubleday Seeds.
Supermarkets: Organic food is not designed to sit on shelves.
Body & Soul - a dedicated organic outlet: Permitted to sell safe
food, backed by the Soil Association symbol. Home delivery of organic food
represents the jewel in the crown of good food buying. It takes solid teamwork,
round the clock, to bring fresh, safe food from the farm to your table. Fresh,
wholesome and organic.
Price watch: The quality of fresh fruit
and vegetable sold by Body & Soil Organic Food Shop is of prime importance
to us. We are regularly checking our prices against those found in Supermarkets
and other stores - and where we are able to make a direct measurable
comparison, we are ensuring our competitiveness.
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Why
Eat Organic?
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5. Protect Our Children
We need to protect our children's
health. The average child receives four times more exposure than an adult to at
least eight cancer-causing pesticides. Their immature immune systems are being
damaged for life.
6. Protect
Your Own Health
With every mouthful of non-organic food you eat, you
are ingesting a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. These substances are designed
to kill off small animals, insects and weeds. How can they possibly not harm us
too? It's absolute madness. We now know that over half the agro-chemicals used
in the UK cause cancer, birth defects, sterility and other such diseases. The
main reason why they are still being used is covert pressure from the
AgroIndustry (and for their enrichment).
7. Save Energy
It is a little known fact that
conventional farming uses more crude oil than any other industry - in the
manufacture of pesticides and fertilisers. This is very wasteful, since using
all these toxic chemicals only increase yields because the soil is impoverished
in the first place by the chemicals themselves!
8. Help Developing Nations
Much of the surplus food we produce by using intensive farming methods ends up
being dumped in the developing world. This puts small farmers there, out of
business, eventually leading to famine.
9. Prevent Soil Erosion
Every year,
millions of tons of topsoil are washed into the seas because the soil structure
is broken down by chemicals. At present, soil is being eroded seven times
faster than it is being built up. Without soil we cannot grow food.
10. Protect Our Water Supply
The
toxic chemicals used in intensive farming get washed away by the rain and end
up in our water supply, poisoning us further.
11. Protect Flora & Fauna
Animals, birds, insects and plants are also destroyed by all the chemicals,
since their food and water supply are being poisoned and, in some cases,
totally destroyed. We then create a vicious circle, since natural pest control
is also ruined eg killing off ladybirds, which feed on greenfly, thereby
causing even larger quantities of pesticides to be sprayed on the land.
12. Protect Farm Workers
Farm workers are currently being poisoned by their exposure to toxins. A
National Cancer Institute study found that farmers exposed to herbicides were
six times more likely to contract cancer than non-farmers.
13. Support A True Economy
Although organic food might seem more expensive than conventional food, the
latter does not reflect numerous hidden costs. Eg Costs of damage to, your
Health (National Health Service), the environment and hazardous waste disposal
and clean-up.
14. Eat Nutritious And
Delicious Food
Not only does organic food taste much better than
conventional food, but tests have also proved that it contains significantly
higher quantities of vital nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. And finally
there's the feelgood factor - in some ways the most important of all. When you
eat organic food, you feel nourished rather than attacked by your food. You
feel at peace with yourself, and in harmony with the earth. |
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