2010 is the year to get involved in urban farming. It is fun and very important. Each day a person has choices in what they eat. Who would on purpose ingest chemicals ? No one. However, we get a lot of mishmash messages about industrialized food systems. If you read OMNIVORES DILEMMA by Michael Pollan he tells of a farm he visited that grows 15,000 of acres of potato's used for your fresh fries. "The whole farm is managed from a bank of computers in a control room. Sitting in that room the farmer could at the flick of a switch douse his crops with water or whatever chemical he thought they needed. One of these chemicals was a pesticide called Monitor, used to control bugs. The chemical is so toxic to the nervous system that no one is allowed in the field for five days after it is sprayed. Even if the irrigation machine breaks during that time, farmers will not send workers out to fix it because the chemical is so dangerous. They would rather have the whole 135 acre crop of potato's dry up and die. That wasn't all. During the growing season some pesticides get inside the potato plant so that they will kill any bug that takes a bite. But these pesticides mean people cannot eat the potato while it is growing. After the harvest, the potato's are stored for six months in a gigantic shed. Here the chemicals gradually fade until the potato is said to be safe to eat. Only then are they turned into french fries. That is how we grow potatoes ? I had no idea. [ page 1-2 Omnivores Dilemma ] There are secrets behind what we eat and I believe the USDA has let us down. Chemicals compromise our immune system to not be able to ward off cancer. Not all vegetables in your grocery store are really safe.
See artice on dirty dozen... if you just stop buying the top 20 pesticide carrying fresh fruits and vegetables you will be and feel much better. HARVEST MOUNTAIN FARM GARDENS is about teaching people to grow organic fruits, vegetables and herbs year round. It is fun and you are worth it. See our garden site at www.meetup.com/harvestmountain
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