Raised beds, growing veggies, tomatoes, carrots etc etc blah blah

[farmer rod]

A large proportion of mushroom compost is straw, which is mostly treated for fungi and insects later on its development. The grain of course lands up as flower for our bread. I dont think the mushrooms would grow too well if there was anything really worrying in there.

 

The one area to watch out for is growers of chillies and peppers, because there is a chemical used against some weeds in crops and grassland that can persist in straw and fym which this family is very sensitive to. It is unlikely to be a problem to consumers of veg otherwise cows and sheep who eat the stuff all day would be dropping like flies.

 

Im all for organic etc but my whole farm is covered in thistles and my veg garden ovverun with slugs and weeds.

Edited June 3, 2012 by farmer rod
typing too fast for brain to catch up

[Rich2484]

Organic makes me laugh.

 

Was watching an episode of DIY SOS once and they claimed to be on a fully organic farm just as a sprayer went past on the background.

[MikeTM150]

Organic makes me laugh.

 

Was watching an episode of DIY SOS once and they claimed to be on a fully organic farm just as a sprayer went past on the background.

 

Can see where your coming from! But We run 1200acres of organic land, and we use a crop sprayer regulary! Used to apply trace elements and organic products for treating pests and diseases in crops. Not sure they always have much effect but they do seem to make a difference, not so much as when we use it on the conventional farm with the artificial products i'll agree, but i know which i'd rather work with!

[MikeTM150]

A large proportion of mushroom compost is straw, which is mostly treated for fungi and insects later on its development. The grain of course lands up as flower for our bread. I dont think the mushrooms would grow too well if there was anything really worrying in there.

 

The one area to watch out for is growers of chillies and peppers, because there is a chemical used against some weeds in crops and grassland that can persist in straw and fym which this family is very sensitive to. It is unlikely to be a problem to consumers of veg otherwise cows and sheep who eat the stuff all day would be dropping like flies.

 

Im all for organic etc but my whole farm is covered in thistles and my veg garden ovverun with slugs and weeds.

 

On a farm scale of organic farming, when the fertility of soil reduces without the use of artificial fertilisers alot of the weed problems die away. Not only do yo make the crop grow, but so the weeds as well. Some crops you can't grow easily because of pests and diseases, thats just a fact or organic. Somedays i wish we had no organic land, and some days i wish i had no conventional land, they both have their merits, and there's only one kind of farming that will ever feed the worlds population.......conventional farming. Not saying its the most enviromentally sustainable, but it terms of preventing starving populations its the only way to keep it all going!

Edited June 3, 2012 by MikeTM150

[Rich2484]

On a farm scale of organic farming, when the fertility of soil reduces without the use of artificial fertilisers alot of the weed problems die away. Not only do yo make the crop grow, but so the weeds as well. Some crops you can't grow easily because of pests and diseases, thats just a fact or organic. Somedays i wish we had no organic land, and some days i wish i had no conventional land, they both have their merits, and there's only one kind of farming that will ever feed the worlds population.......conventional farming. Not saying its the most enviromentally sustainable, but it terms of preventing starving populations its the only way to keep it all going!

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

Buying organic is all well and good but the produce from an organic farm is a lot lower than conventional, if every farm was organic there would not enough food to feed the population, if you go back 100 years it was fine to not use pesticides and insecticides as there was a lower population, but there was still not enough for the population as the poor couldn't afford good food and got the crap.

 

Organic is a lovely idea but impractical to follow.

[Albedo]

I know I kinda started this with my question about pesticide residues, but we are talking about Steves' vegy patch here aren't we?

[MikeTM150]

I couldn't agree more.

 

Buying organic is all well and good but the produce from an organic farm is a lot lower than conventional, if every farm was organic there would not enough food to feed the population, if you go back 100 years it was fine to not use pesticides and insecticides as there was a lower population, but there was still not enough for the population as the poor couldn't afford good food and got the crap.

 

Organic is a lovely idea but impractical to follow.

 

Organic is a luxury item for those who can and want to afford it! But ultimately to feed the world, its about quantity!

 

Also organic is made more difficult by not being able to use useful things like night soil, to complete the nutrient cycle its really needs to go back on the land, but because of the residues in it were not allowed to use it on organic land.

 

Stevie's veg patch is the perfect place for organic, because he'd be unlikely to use many pesticides with his kids around, and hand weeding is practical on that scale. However a bit of fertiliser in the soil in my opinion isn't really the big problem, artificial fertiliser is still the basic nutrients the plant needs. Its the pesticides sprayed directly onto the plant your going to be eating is where the issues come. If the consumer was aware what was applied on there crop very shortly before they ate it, i think they'd be quite shocked!

 

Horses for courses!

Edited June 3, 2012 by MikeTM150
spelling again!

[Rich2484]

I always thought about this when I was spraying crops, ever read and looked up the ingredients on chem bottles, it's enough to put you off eating anything grain related.

 

But hey if it's never hurt me yet I'm fine.

 

Steves missis veg patch I think not his.

 

Organic on a veg patch is fine. Don't think I do much if any weeding on mine, if the weeds get bigger than the crop they get pulled. I call it lazy backyard farming. But then I have that much veg patch it could be urban farming....

[Arob]

and there's only one kind of farming that will ever feed the worlds population.......conventional farming.

 

Please allow me to differ Greening the Desert II: Greening the Middle East on Vimeo

[John Barleycorn]

O and there's only one kind of farming that will ever feed the worlds population.......conventional farming. Not saying its the most enviromentally sustainable, but it terms of preventing starving populations its the only way to keep it all going!

 

Surrounded here by fields only cut for hay in summer & run a few sheep over winter.

If they farmed it as I do my veg patch not only would it feed thousands, would employ loads of people & cut food imports.

Something is wrong with this economy.