Everything Old is New Again

Discussion in 'Organic Gardening' started by digitaldazey, Sep 5, 2009.

  1. digitaldazey

    digitaldazey Member

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    Location:
    New York State
    I grew up in a very small village in New York. Back in the beginning of the 1960"s we started growing in population. Most who moved into town were Irish and Italian and EVERYONE grew their own fruits and vegetables. During the summer months we would all exchange fruits and veggies with our neighbors so there was plenty to go around. Everyone ate healthy. Then came the push for packaged and frozen foods meant to cut the worktime in half due to he fact that more women were going to work and no one had time for gardening.

    Having said all this. I will say this now. I DO NOT have anything against prepackaged frozen vegetables (although it's not my taste, I tend to buy and eat fresh) for back then it really did help. But we've gone overboard.

    What I miss the most was the sense of community back then. During the summer there were backyard BBQ's that stretched some 6 houses long. Everyone mingled and had a great time helping each other with gardens and garden tips. Then in the fall we all would pitch in to jar tomatoes and fruit, press grapes for wine and vinegar, and then pull everything out from the bed and turn the soil.

    So Organic Gardening back then wasn't some trumped up fancy name for the new millenium, it was a WAY OF LIFE. Now the generation that did all this is slowly getting too old and they have ALOT to teach us. We have to listen and do more instead of just talking ORGANIC VS. STORE.

    What the SOME superstores are doing to help area farmers is a VITAL part of THEIR FUTURE EXISTENCE. Local stores are starting to carry local produce (grown in an organic way, just not labeled that way because of pricing issue) from local farmers. Those farmers are now able to SAVE THE FARM. So before we throw out the baby with the bathwater - we need to take a step back and see we are part of the solution and part of the problem. Pushing to eat better is a very CONSCIOUS effort and very hard in our fast paced lives.

    In the end - when the work day is long and the kids are asking every 5 seconds where's dinner? Sometimes one has to just pull out whatever is jarred, ready and easy to make. Knowing that the next day, we can get back on track.

    Organic farming is taking a huge leap forward for being sold, but the cost is still very prohibitive. In this day and age when everyone is cost conscious, they are going to buy apples at $.79/lb., instead of organic apples at $1.29/lb. There has to be a point where organic foods grown can be competitive enough. Once that happens you won't be able to keep the shelves stocked fast enough.
     
  2. bob 2

    bob 2 Active Member

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    Location:
    edmonton
    Eat the $0.79 /lb apples.
    You will be just fine and live a long and healthy life.
    You may save enough to buy yourself a small villa for retirement where you can practice organic gardening before going to the bistro for dinner. <g>

    Bob
     
  3. 2annbrow

    2annbrow Active Member

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    Location:
    North Bend OR US;Oregon coast, just N of Coos Bay
    Some folks have always known that everything can be used up, if we're not careful! I read the Mother Earth News mag religiously for years, and it's still a wonderful resource! If you're not familiar with it, check this out - it's all about sustainable lifestyles. As my grandma used to say: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do - or do without!"
    www.motherearthnews.com
     
  4. candychikita

    candychikita Member

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    Location:
    langley, bc canada
    so true. thankfully, my grandparents are still around (with their cookbooks and their canning/jamming know-how) that i can still pick their brains, but other people aren't as fortunate. so many of our lifeskills are going to be lost if people don't learn the basics again!
     
  5. canadiyank

    canadiyank Active Member

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    Location:
    Central WA, USA, Zone 6B
    I think that's one of the things I find encouraging about forums such as this - that we can connect over similar interests, giving tips and encouragement, even if we aren't exactly neighbours. :) I am outside as much as possible and people seem to enjoy both my front and back yards, I see lots of people walking with their families, friends, dogs, etc. Very connecting. We just have to find new ways to connect in a personal way, whether that be through the computer or with our neighbours who are out walking their dog but have no interest in growing their own veggies/plants.
     

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