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My garden is up!!!!!!!
Topic Started: May 16 2010, 04:09 PM (2,157 Views)
rikal
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Rebbetzin
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We once had a lecture from a (rare) organic grower from Gush Katif. Most there went for bug free which he claimed had 5x the amount of chemicals. He explained that there main problem was seepage from Arab fields as the PA does not outlaw those chemicals like DDT that are forbidden in most civilized countries. Those chemicals get in the water table and show up in agriculture ministry tests of Israeli fields.

He was a believer in organic in a non organic crowd but he explained that vegetable are core tested here, a certain number of random pieces are picked, a core sample taken and lab tests done by the govt. If they detect pesticide in the flesh of the fruit it is banned and confiscated. If the really dangerous chemicals from the Arab fields show up in the flesh the field must lie fallow 2 years. The same concerning certain infestations.

One of the things he told us is that the common myth that one can eat the peel of everything but cucumbers if washed is false. He said that he grew cukes and never had pesticide show up in the peel after washing.

That said, I am thinking of doing tomatoes, its a 'Burgh thing for those in the know :) I have a huge ant problem that is not getting solved - my house is on a humungous ant hill. They ruin the fruits on my trees every year. Reminds me - have to get the shesek quick.... (Sorry no idea what its called in English, discovered them here).

I have 1/2 dunam and I think that a dunam is a quarter acre and I have my front yard and back with 4 olive,3 fig, 1 shesek. brand new banana and huge old shade tree. I also have a vine that grows poorly and has yet to put out a grape and a huge hedge of rosemary. And my beloved and overly fertile cactus that the neighbors hate. Waitl they find out that I am considering Arizona style rock garden instead of pain in the neck grass and planting her offspring in the back yard between me and the new houses they built behind me that spoiled my view and crowded our neighborhood. They sit were a younger and more human yishuv planted a garden in merory of a friend we lost.
Edited by rikal, May 26 2010, 05:05 AM.
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Jo :-)
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rikal
May 26 2010, 04:55 AM
have to get the shesek quick.... (Sorry no idea what its called in English, discovered them here).

Shesek is loquat in English!!! :-)
Saw them around last month. I thought the season was finished already here
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zuncompany
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ooh, we had those in our yard in the dorms. So yummy!
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Chutzpah
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We had a HUGE garden growing up (I should know.... sometimes it seemed as though the only thing sis and ever did on summer vaca was weed it).

We had rhubarb, strawberries, brussels sprouts, corn, popcorn, tomatoes, potatoes, cukes, peas, sugar snaps, dill, zucchini, summer squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, onions, garlic, green beans, wax beans, beets, carrots, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, radishes, watermelon, spinach, different chile peppers, tomatillos, leeks, chives and lord knows what else.

In our yard we also had a cherry tree, three apple trees and a pear tree. We also went out and picked wild berries and grapes, asparagus etc.

We canned and froze so much food and made jams and applesauce and canned salsa and peaches and just about everything.

I never bought canned food until I moved out on my own!
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zuncompany
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Okay-that sounds absolutely amazing!!!

I am debating bridging the idea of grapes to my husband. We have a perfect spot but he might not be so cool about it. We shall see. My strawberries arrived today. will try tomorrow when Zu gets home from school to put them in. The kids can play while I plant.
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zuncompany
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I was just back there and WHOA BABY! Things are starting to really come up!!!
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hallie_ari_mom
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Zun, your entire garden is organic. Would you stand there and spray pesticides on them? Doubt it. I agree. Organic cost more. Way more. Sometimes 20 cents more per item. Last week I got organic strawberries $3.99 for the box. Regular ones were $3.88. It's a personal choice. I don't buy everything organic. Washing off the skin is only half of the solution. Chemicals seep inside the fruit.

I wish I had a kosher butcher who made his own stuff!!! Ours doesn't. As it is, they are conservative, not orthodox and well, you know what kind of controversy that starts up....

In the meantime... I have no green thumb. I even bought basil this week with the roots and I simply put them in a pot of potting soil and watered it, and they died. The zucchini I started to plant as seeds is doing nothing. But I'm trying! I have no sunny window in my house, and I can't start them off as seeds outside. The squirrels and MY cat eat them....
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hallie_ari_mom
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oh yeah, and urea... it's so gross. I learned about that one back in 8th grade science and I've read ingredients for lotions and soaps ever since. I'm a huge ingredients reader. I recently fell in love with Almond Breeze until I researched carrageenan. Now I moved over to Silk's Almond Milk.
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realeez
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U Tarzan Me Jane
May 25 2010, 07:35 AM
Just because one study that set out to prove the evils of non organic fruit says it causes ADHD, does not make it true. Its just as much picking and choosing when you choose one study out of thousands nd believe that, because it fits in with what you want to believe anyway.

There would be A lot more people who suffer with ADHD if this was a total truth. The fact is people suffering with true ADHD are also rare, because it is over diagnosed, and its easier for schools when the kids are medicated, even if they do not really need it. (I am not saying that some people do not need the drugs, just that many do not)
When my dh was in med school, he had a fascinating lecture how ADD/ADHD are only problems now that we expect kids to sit behind desks quietly while even a 100 years ago, the guy with ADD/ADHD were better hunters and better at survival since they noticed every noise and were able to react.

Barbie, the issue is that there are so many studies on just about everything and it does seem to get silly after a while. I was recently talking with some people about many sick people that we know and one person was blaming it all on the acid rain and asking us all what the point of organic is when it's getting affected by acid rain as well. So who knows?!
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Chutzpah
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Life is dangerous. You can die.
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hallie_ari_mom
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lol chutzpah.. I take all studies seriously. Or, like I said, if I eat something I shouldn't, I am aware of what I'm doing.. not pretending it can't happen. Chemicals in food are no different to me than cigarette smoke. And I don't care how many studies say it's fine.. nicotine can kill. I don't take what I want from each study to make me happy or fit into my life.
Red dye 40 makes me loopy. Does that mean I eliminate it from my life 100%? Um, yeah. We aim for a 95% dye free and preservative and processed food diet. Nothing is 100% so I don't kid myself. But I believe nitrates cause stomach cancer and ulcers... no deli meat here! Can't stop dh from eating it but I can stop me and the kids.

When I had my visit at the OK labs I was completely frustrated with the guy saying it's fine as long as it's glatt. I asked about preservatives and chemicals and he smiled. He said he didn't say it was healthy... just glatt. Why is this acceptable? Why eat food if you can't pronounce what is in it?

I just found out today that carrageenan is linked with lactose intolerance, as well as could cause tumors. Why is that ok?
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zuncompany
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See, and I am just not convince to pay gouging prices because of one study when they are countless studies which make it clear fruits and veggies are important staples to a diet. Not only that but this study doesn't explain why most families like mine have some kids with and some kids don't.
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hallie_ari_mom
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Right. No study will ever be 100%, but why not err on the side of caution? And I do understand saving pennies.. I do... but man.. if you told me to read something I don't think I'd look at it and blow it off! When you post a link I sit, read it, ask questions if I don't understand, but I don't discredit it without a little research first.
Whatever... I really don't care this much. I'm done!
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zuncompany
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Barbie, when it was brought up here I had already read a lot about the study, thought about it, and processed it. I don't think anything in my posts have said I am just blowing it off. I can only speak for myself. I have a choice- being able to afford feeding my kids fruit and veggies (outside of what we can grow ourselves G-d willing) or buy organic. Organic isn't an option financially for us with our diets so heavy in fruit/veggies. I didn't find enough evidence with this one study that made any sense for my family to give up fruits and veggies. Rikal I believe it was who mentioned testing veg. which was well washed off and it was clean. This study doesn't seem to take into account a number of factors and is another in the long line of lets blame something because we don't really want to look at the big picture. Sorry. I just don't feel a study at least partially paid for by organic farmers makes any reason to change my life.
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hallie_ari_mom
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My response to that "report" is oh please!

This is the definition of a "blow off". But like I said before, whatever... I'm done with this conversation. I really don't need to care this much about this topic.
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