Being a practising Druid and Druidry being an earth-based faith, it seemed
natural for me to examine the nature of the products in my supermarket shopping
basket. What were the events that lead my fruit and vegetables to be on the
shelves of the supermarket, and how are they good enough to eat?
I made some quite disturbing discoveries.
Being vegetarian, my fiance, Louis, and I consume more fruit and vegetables
than the recommended government standard of 5 portions per day. Before going
organic, I found it hard to understand why sometimes after mealtimes I would
feel a little dizzy, coupled with a headache which followed about an hour
later. At the time, I put this down to my blood sugar levels. Now I understand
all too well what it probably was.
The humble spud
Thirty one thousand tonnes of pesticides are applied the farmland in the
UK every year. There are residues of destroying organophosphates in nearly
all non-organic produce in one way or another.
One example is Aldicarb : this is a nerve poison. It is used to kill insects
and worms, but sadly it is circulated around the whole of the plant and is
absorbed by the roots. In 2003 the government tested potato samples for residues
of Aldicarb and found that nearly two percent had detectable levels. Not much
I hear you say, but when you consider the results on a grander scale, that’s
over 25,000 tonnes of potatoes that may have been eaten containing this deadly
chemical. If worms and insects won't eat the chemical, why would you you?
Give us our daily ‘organic’ bread
As a bread lover I was disturbed upon my discovery that non-organic loaves
contained chlormequat. This chemical increases the flowering rate and therefore
the crop harvest. It disrupts a plant’s development so a whole crop
can grow at the same rate, to the same height. Again in 2003 government tests
of 144 samples of bread found that just under 50% had detectable levels of
the chlormequat chemical.
I have highlighted just 2 products that we, as consumers, purchase every
week. In my quest for further knowledge I learned of the soil association.
This organisation works to reduce the use of chemicals and also raises awareness
about the importance of eating organically.
In order for organic farming to work successfully, farmers need to work hand
in hand with nature at all times. Farming organically realises the importance
of nurturing the soil and foods are grown under a system or agriculture that
limits the addition of synthetic chemicals at all stages.
Needless to say my fiance and I have being eating organically for the last
2 years. The benefits in relation to our health have been amazing. No more
dizziness, no headaches, fewer muscular aches and pains, and in my profession
as a Complementary Therapist that certainly is something to shout about! I
haven’t even suffered one cough or cold since my conversion to organic
food ...
All in all, and in relation to organic food, ‘A true conservationist
is a person who knows that the world is not given by our fathers, but borrowed
from our children’.
John J Audubon 1785-1851
Niki Jane Senior
30 November 2005
NOTE : Source for facts and statistics is the Soil
Association.
