i

Decrease chemicals in food

Peggy
Trendell-Whittaker

ECO INFO

WHETHER YOURE des-

perately trying to keep your
garden watered, watching in
dismay as your zucchini plant
takes over your entire patio,
enjoying the grown-in-B.C.
produce from the grocery
store, or coveting your neigh-
bov’s peas, garders and their
harvest are on many pesple’s
minds these days,

Also on many people's minds are
the links between synthetic pesti-
cides and health. Many chemicals in
use today are not adequately tested to
determine what the effects will be on
humans — not necessarily today, but
in our old age and indeed in our chil-
dren's lives.

Some chemicals accumulate in
our fatty tissue over a lifetime, and
are passed on to our babies through
breast milk or the fat of animals who
are lower in the food chain than we
are,

Because chemical fertilizers feed
plants, but not the micro-organisms
in the soil, soil quality at a conven-
tional farm or garden becomes pro~
gressively poorer as the years go by.

Thus, food ciops become less
nutritious, and increasing amounts of
chemicals are needed to maintain the
size of harvest. As the soil structure
breaks down, chemicals are more
easily leached into the groundwater
and perhaps contaminate surround-
ing waterways.

As the evidence against tradition-

‘Protect your Family from Harmful U.V. Rays

al chemical farming methods
mounts, organically grown produce
and grocery items become much
more attractive,

(ve found lately that Capers food
store in West Vancouver isn't the
only outlet for a variety of organic
goods — the Queensdale Super Valu
at the top of Lonsdale also stocks a
range of organic items, from produce
ta bread, applesauce, wine vinegar,
baby food and soya sauce.

The organic altemative is some-
times more expensive, but not
always; if you tallied the amount of
nutrition you are buying in the
organic versus conventional item,
organics would probably be cheaper
in many cases, Still, the best solution
for many people is to grow your own
as much as possible.

Your interest in fruit and veg-
etable gardening may stem (pun
intended) from a simpte desire to
potter meaningfully in your back-
yard: it may be to grow food that is
superior tasting; it may be to avoid
ingesting pesticides; or it may be to
eat food that is more nutritious —- a
homegrown tomato, for exumple,
may have 30% more vitamin C than
its store-bought counterpart.

Even a brief look through
Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of
Organic Gardening is more than
enough to whet your appetite for the
subject and slake your thirst for
knowledge of the organic how-tos.

The whys and wherefores of
organic gardening cannot, of course,
be covered adequately in one col-
umn, but neither is the subject diffi-
cult or compiex.

Of primary importance for a
healthy, chemical-free garden is
maintaining a healthy source of
orgunic matter to dig into your soil
-— namely, a compost bin.

Unlike chemical fertilizers,
organic matter and organic fertilizers
not only feed the plants, they nourish
the soil as well.

As the organic matter is broken
down into smaller compounds that
plants use as food, it has to be
replenished annually. Spread the fin-
ished compost from your bin on your
garden and dig it into the top five or
six inches of the soil.

Huge amounts of compost aren't
necessary — according to the Rodale
encyclopedia, you should “strive to
maintain 5 to 6% organic matter in

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your soil,” since putting too much in
can overstimulate soi) microorgan-
isms, which thet: consume large
quantities of nitrogen and other nutri-
ents at the expense of your plants.

Once you've prepped your soit
and planted your crops (however
modest), practise preventive mainte-
nance. By weeding often and carly,
you'll save yourself much work later
on.

To help prevent pests and disease,
tour your garden every few days to
quash problems before they take
root pick off spotted, diseased
leaves as Soon as you see thern, and
identify any bugs you think may be
causing damage so you can apply the
appropriate organic remedy before
they establish too firm a foothold.

To retain the optimum amount of
food value come harvest time, pick
your fruit and vegetables on a sunny
afternoon, as opposed to early in the
morning or after several days of
cloudy weather. A food crop still on
the vine contains fluctuating
amounts of vitamin C — they are at
their highest in tie sun.

Cther tips include: harvesting
greens directly into a bow] of cool
water, keeping peas in their pods
right until they're eaten, keeping
nutrient-rich skins on potatoes, car-
rots and other foods whenever possi-
ble, and chopping food for cooking
only at the last minute to avoid vita-
min loss.

Also eat raw vegetables when
possible or cook lightly by steaming
or stir frying; boiling can destroy up
to two-thirds of a vegetable’s vita-
mins B and C, potassium, iron and
other minerals.

If you're in the midst of tending
this summer's organic garden, or if
you've always wanted your own
vegetable patch, but never got
around to it, there is plenty to digest
in the Rodale encyclopedia or in
other local gardening books.

Many of your questions can be

_ answered by the Compost Hotline

(736-2250), operated by the folks at
City Farmer. Good luck, and happy,
pesticide-free harvesting.

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Friday, August 12, 1994 - North Shore News - 21

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