Organic Vegetable Garden
Natural Food for Better Health

Organic farming and the creation of a domestic organic vegetable garden require the same adherence to strict standrad to ensure that all the food that is produced is as natural as possible.

Organic Gardening refers to the system in which plants are grown in an organic environment. According to the regulations,of official Organic Certification organizations such as USDA, the UK Soil Association, and other recognized bodies.

Those farmers involved in certified organic agricultural production are prohibited from using techniques such as irradiation, 'fertilizing' their crops with sewage sludge, or using any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) – such as genetically modified seed stock created by the big agro-chemical companies! -- in organic production. Only through strict adherence to the rules can a producer continue to acquire Organic Certification from the awarding body.

So anyone who decides to produce organic vegetables and fruit in a smaller way – by creating their own organic vegetable garden would basically follow the same rules if they truly want to produce organic quality foods.

In summary some of the important aspects of organic gardening and farming include the following:

• If you want to create an organic vegetable garden, then just like the commercial organic farmer you may not utilize synthetic or chemical fertilizers and pesticides on their crops.


• You need to follow a system that enables proper and acceptable standards to be maintained. The system used in growing an organic vegetable garden, and organic fruit, will require the adoption of strict methodologies relating to sowing, production and harvesting of crops.


• For commercial entities it is necessary to keep records of everything from seed purchase, sowing through to sale so that a 'paper chain' of events can, if necessary, be followed right back to the origin of the organic products. This seemingly pernickety approach is just one way to avoid serious organic food fraud – which would prove all too tempting to some unscrupulous producers seeking an increment in the profits by trying to claim organic provenance. It is also key method for 'catching up' with such fraudsters.


• So-called buffer zones, strips or areas of land where no crop is cultivated (or at least harvested) have to be maintained between organically farmed fields and those using conventional method in order to avoid 'accidental' contamination. This is evidentially very hard to achieve when natural processes like pollination via bees takes place, but it does keep organic integrity as high as possible... until such times as all crops are grown in natural and organic ways ;D

When you get involved with organic gardening you soon learn about the importance of maintaining the integrity of the crops and the soil, and also about how to deal naturally with insects that might be seen as 'pests' as well as the beneficial fauna, and of course you soon see how all things are interdependent.

A major benefit of adopting an Organic gardening approach is that it helps to nurture soils and maintain the quality of the foods produced, rather than running the mineral and natural qualities of soils 'into the ground' (so to speak). Vegetables, fruits, grains and seeds grown organically will have all the natural nutritional constituents that they are supposed to have as opposed to becoming nutritionally impoverished – such as many conventional, and chemically cultivated crops are now recognized as having become. The trees plants and flowers are also maintained as nature intended rather than falsely enhanced or adulterated through the use of questionable genetic meddling, and toxic chemical interventions.

To produce officially recognized organic products you would acquire certification from one of a number of bodies. Some are established in local and regional areas but all have to be accredited by the USDA, or the Soil Association, or relevant National body. Those farms and gardens that seek to become officially recognized have to submit their organic systems on an annual basis for assessment and approval by the awarding and certificating organization.

Based upon these systems inspectors will come and inspect their establishments and verify with the systems that they have submitted. All facilities are included in the inspection and this includes pest control method, livestock, feedstock for livestock, soil management programs etc.

The organically grown products are minimally processed to retain their naturalness and nutritious value. Consequently processes such as irradiation, synthetic chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, growth promoters, and any genetically engineered derivatives and seed-stock cannot be used in organic farming or gardening.

Of course, to develop your own organic vegetable garden will not require that you have to go through all the official hoopla, and get all the certifications, you will just personally 'know' that your food is cleanly and naturally produced, and free as possible from toxins and residues! That is such a blessing!

The biggest advantage is that there are no synthetic chemicals and pesticides used in crop production whether on a large industrial agricultural scale, or in a domestic sized organic garden plot. This means that we are not going to be consuming the known toxic residues that end up both on the surface of plants, fruits, vegetables and grains, but also (more insidiously) within the foods at a cellular level... this stuff cannot be simply 'washed off'!!

This is important because many such toxic elements that come into the food chain from modern farming are the type that slowly build up in the system, with potential to do long-term damage and cause chronic health conditions. That growing and eating organic can save us, and our families, from this potential health hazard is one of its biggest benefits!

The impact of daily consumption of health-impugning toxic chemical residues cannot be underestimated as we are only now beginning to realize that minute qualities of some chemicals can have devastating effects on our natural biological system. Chemicals that interfere with our hormonal balance; chemicals that can cause genetic damage (and mutation) affecting future generations and even fetility; chemical that can damage cells in a way that they can go on to become cancerous; are all potential problems associated with maintaining a diet that is based on conventional and chemically farmed foods.

Similarly the huge rise in allergies, and conditions such as asthma, eczema and other auto-immune related illness may all have been exacerbated by the slow and detrimental effects that these non-natural substances are wreaking on our 'natural' bodies...

You have to ask yourself just how much your long-term health is worth... But perhaps more importantly, you have to ask how much is your child's future health worth... young and developing bodies being even more susceptible to the ravages of toxic chemical adulteration.

So if you have a piece of garden, or even just a few window boxes, you should consider trying to grow as much of your own organic food as possible. You can learn more about growing a organic garden here.

If you can't grow your own organic vegetable garden, at least you can order fresh organic produce every week from reliable suppliers such as (in the US) The Fruit Company: