So the British Foods Standards Agency (FSA) has deigned down upon us all their view that organic food has no health benefits over “ordinary” food.  Funny how food that is produced by using chemicals and pesticides is now regarded as being “ordinary” food don’t you think?
It’s not natural, but thankfully and to much relief all round, the FSA has decreed it to be “ordinary”.  Phew!

It is even more funny (peculiar, not ha ha) that when you think about it that we are therefore the only species on the Planet who are eating “ordinary” food by choice because we are the only species on the Planet who deliberately “flavour” our food with such chemicals and pesticides.  (Of course many of these species now do partake of our chemical cocktail soup because they have no choice, but that’s another matter.)  By the way can we extend their analogy to things like “ordinary” weapons of mass destruction and organic ones?  Are “ordinary” WMDs better?

Do all those poor critters and plants know what they were missing before we came along?
Well maybe they do because other “scientific” reports indicate that about 67 million birds die each year in the USA as a direct result of the use of pesticides.  But of course if the FSA say there are no health benefits in eating organic food then who am I to argue?

Or what about the fact that the average Irish person eats about 7kg worth of preservatives and additives each year, many of which are carcinogenic and certainly aren’t healthy?  But no, the FSA says there are no health benefits in eating organic.

Or what about the fact that organic food has been shown to contain much higher levels of flavonoids, proteins and zinc for example than “ordinary” food.  These all been proven to have positive health benefits, but these scientific reports “weren’t relevant” to the FSA report. Of course not, you’d have to be an idiot to think they would be wouldn’t you?

Saying that organic food is no healthier than “ordinary” food is also a bit like the Chinese saying opening a new coal mine every week is going to boost their economy.  In fact the economic costs of doing so will far outweigh any potential benefits due to environmental degradation, pollution and massive health costs as a result.

Is the use of pesticides and chemicals any different in the long run?

Any scientific report to have credibility needs context, meaningful content and most importantly of all objectivity.

The FSA report lacks all three and therefore falls on its own sword of being – ordinary!
Do not digest it would be my advice – it could damage your health!

Tony Kearney
www.whoownsthefuture.com
07/08/09

MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF
I’m outside fighting with an electric hedge cutter.  It’s battery has spent the weekend being charged up, but for some reason can’t summon up enough power to get the blades to cut through anything thicker than a leaf before it moans and grinds to a stuttering halt.  I thought I was buying a good one when I passed my money over the counter in the shop a couple of years ago, but I was wrong.

Tools sometimes don’t live up to their expectations, or maybe I expect too much.  I am therefore resorting to the trusty pair of hand shears; until the co-op opens tomorrow when I can invest in a petrol-powered hedge.

Tools that last a lifetime
As I am on the subject of good tools, if you are in the Inishowen area, John and Mary from Greenhill farm in Malin are taking tool orders from Chillinton and Fruit Hill Farm.  You can choose between a wide range of hand held devices from hoes to spades and cutting tools, that will last a lifetime and don’t rely on electricity to power them.  You can contact Mary on  08… for more information

Easily distracted
One job that can be done without any tools other than a fork is composting. I have just cut a few metres of hedge using the shears and have lost both the interest and the ability to hold the blades up, so, it’s time to check the compost bin to see how the hot weather is helping to speed up the rotting process.

COMPOSTING
The sunny weather recently will speed things up very nicely and if a compost is healthy and well managed, it will only be a matter of weeks before you have a lovely, sweet smelling addition to the veggie beds.  Klaus from the organic course gave us a 1 minute guide to making good compost:

1-MINUTE GUIDE TO COMPOSTING

Three sections
If you have the space to create a compost bin with three compartments then all the better.  Old pallets will do, John used concrete blocks that were lying around to make his.  If you can have sections to remove in between the compartments then this will save you time when the compost needs to be turned.
Turn it.
Every time the heap is turned, micro organisms get a new blast of energy to break the products down.  If you have the three sections then turn the first one into the second compartment, the second one can be put into the third and the first compartment can be for starting again.  Compost should be ready as it goes into the third compartment.
Balanced ingredients.
Getting the correct mix of ingredients in the bin is vital for everything to rot down and not end up as a gunky mess. (If there is a yukkie residue coming from the base of the compost, this is nitrate pollution, so if we can avoid that, then all the better). Use any organic material but avoid meats if the bin is open (cooked foods and meat attract rats).
Layering.
Layer the compost heap with both green and brown materials. This will dry out the wet bits and wet the dry bits as well as allowing a good air circulation to speed the process up.
Shred the pieces
Smaller material will rot down faster so break things up as well as you can.  Tear and scrunch up paper instead of putting the whole lot in together and shred woody materials
Keep moist
It needs to be moist, but not too wet. There will probably be no need to water your bin here in Ireland.

Getting the balance right
If the compost bin has a load of fruit flies or omits an unpleasant smell then the balance is not quite right.  Play around with the ingredients to get the balance right. Fruit flies means that things are too wet and the small means that there isn’t enough anaerobic digestion going on.  If you have worms in the bin, these will do most of the work for you so try and encourage them by ensuring the compost is touching the ground or introduce some to breed. Pop over to someone with en established heap and get a cup full to start you off.  It’s the horticultural equivalent of the friendship cake mix…..

WHAT ARE GREEN AND BROWN LAYERS?
You might have heard mention of green and brown layers in the compost bin (if you read the bit earlier anyway).  You split the materials up and if you know what is classed as green and brown you are nearly all the way there to creating the perfect compost. The more variety the better as these are just a few examples….

Green Materials
Grass clippings
Vegetable and fruit waste
Comfrey or nettles
Manure (without bedding)

Brown Materials
Cardboard and paper
Eggshells
Fibrous herbaceous plants
Straw
Shredded hedge clippings
Leaves in autumn
Manure (with bedding)

Remember… Alternate the layers to let the air in…. It’s trial and error so …Good Luck…

I came accross the following year planner on the Roscommon Coco site.  It’s a great little reminder for what you need to be doing for your compost at certain times through out the year.

SPRING:
•    Empty the compost bin
•    Spread finished compost on the lawn or garden
•    Keep any fallen leaves or woody material to add to the compost bin over the summer

SUMMER:
•    Cover kitchen waste with leaves, peat moss or soil
•    Poke or stir the compost regularly

AUTUMN:
•    Harvest the finished compost
•    Empty the compost bin
•    Set some leaves aside to add over the winter
•    Start a separate collection for leaf and yard waste

WINTER:
•    Keep using the compost bin regularly
•    Add leaves after each addition of kitchen scraps

Problem:    Rotten odour is a sign that the heap is too wet or contains excessive green material.
Solution:    Turn to mix in air and add more dry browns such as leaves or straw.  If this does not work may want to relocate pile to a well-drained site.

Problem:    Composting process is too slow.
Solution:    This could be that the moisture content is not right.When building your compost heap, remember to water every 6 – 12 inches. It should resemble a wrung out sponge. Also water when turning pile.

Problem:    Amonian odour is a sign that there is excess moisture and nitrogen in the pile.
Solution:    Turn compost pile and add dry brown material such as sawdust, straw or woodchip.

Problem:    Your compost bin is attracting pests or rodents
Solution:    Make sure you bury your food scraps within the compost heap. Remove any meat scraps or fatty food scraps from the pile.

Problem:    Compost heap is damp and warn in centre only
Solution:    The pile is too small, you need to increase the compost heap in dimension (3×3x3 ft is the minimum). It may also be that during the winter your compost may need insulating – in this case an excellent low-tech approach would be to simply stack up straw bales around the outside of your bin.  Another less bulky anser is to create a carboard outer wall around your composter bin. Some second hand home insulation would also be perfect.

Problem:    I have excessive maggots are the larvae on the compost heap.
Solution:    Many of these are beneficial. If you want to minimize egg-laying by flies, keep fresh kitchen trimmings buried.

Problem:    My composter is invaded by ants.
Solution:    This is a sign that the material is far to dry.  Add water and cover the heap with straw, grass cuttings. A cloth can help to retain the moisture

Million of tonnes of food is wasted each year, and the much maligned consumer only does 1/3 of it – the food industry does the rest. However, 1/3 is still, in the UK, just under 7 million tonnes.Want help in avoiding wasting food? For information, go to: wrap

and for practical inspiration, go to: love food hate waste

Can′t get going without your coffee in the morning?? Well you′re in good company!! It seems, that the plants in your garden or those flowering tenants on your window sill love a good old fix of caffeine also!!!

Did you realise that as you brew each pot of coffee, you are creating an environmentally friendly source of fertilizer for your garden or houseplants? Java drinkers create this naturally enriching garden additive every time they brew a pot! Used coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen and make a nutritious addition to your compost pile, garden mulch, or potting soil, and they have the added advantage of deterring garden pests.

If this is not your beverage of choice, then I know from my own personal experience that coffee shops are only too happy to give the stuff away – so don′t be afraid to Blag it!!.

Smile the next time you sit down to your coffee – youre saving the world!! Well its a start!!