What is organic food ?

[muckshifter]

No, really ... I see it on the shelves, and I laugh my bloody head off every time I see "organic milk", it cracks me up ... but what is it?

Oh, don't go posting links to these organic.org sites either, I've had a look, I'm just as confused ... do you mean that the supermarkets have been feeding us sh1t all this time and now we get to eat how we used to when Mum made it ... or what? Oh, you need to be 20+ age here, maybe 40+




We are fortunate here in Southport to be surrounded by fertile lowlands ... I actually do not buy my fruit-n-veg from a Supermarket and the landlord won't let me keep 'pets' so I also visit the butchers, we have a few good ones here. We can buy tripe & other offal and good old fashioned black puddings ... the list is endless. We have three very good fishmongers too.

Come to think on it, the only time I visit a Supermarket is to get me toilet rolls & such like, Asda comes top there.


So, what IS organic?

 

[floppybootstomp]

I'd generally take it to be food grown without the aid of science.

That means natural compost for fruit and veg, only natural foodstuffs and the ability to roam about for animals.

In other words, no pesticides, man made fertilisers or feeding animals offal from their own species or injecting them up with antibiotics and stuff.

Organic food, depending on what it is, will often taste a helluva lot better, not look so appetising and not stay fresh so long as Dr Frankenstein's creations. It is usually also more expensive as it costs more to grow/raise.

Having said that, I personally don't think there's much wrong with food grown with 'unnatural' assistance.

But, on the other hand, I did go veggie for 6 years because of mad cow disease.

Anyway, that's my understanding of organic.

And tripe is disgusting.

 

[arbour]

But, on the other hand, I did go veggie for 6 years because of mad cow disease.
And tripe is disgusting.

I went veggie after visiting the well known chittys abattoir in Surrey.
So been veggie over 20 years
Organic at the moment costs more to make or produce but does taste better!
Tripe well it's an aquired taste, hated by some, loved by others.

 

[muckshifter]

So why does it cost more to produce ... all you need do is leave the cow in the field all day ... with no injections and no food enhancements?




... and you 'vegies' are not saying that your food is humanly prepared, are you?

 

[Taffycat]

No, really ... I see it on the shelves, and I laugh my bloody head off every time I see "organic milk", it cracks me up ... but what is it?

One of the things that cracks me up, is to find that supermarket fruit/veg comes labelled with the size of the individual item! We bought some cherries a couple of days ago, and even THEY were "sized!" I keep imagining people being employed to measure the "waistline" of a plum, or the girth of an apple.

It's a bit sad really; and whilst Organic may not look very pretty, it's a tad more natural to have a bag of potatoes (or whatever) that come in different shapes and sizes, isn't it?

We tend to use the supermarket because they will deliver, but a lot of their fruit and veg tends to lack flavour, regardless of whether it's supposed to be organic or otherwise - anyone else find that? (I'd like to use the small greengrocers, but they're both on a hill here (surprise) and parking is not very good, so cannot lug the heavy bags without doing myself a mischief!!)

Er... think you stirred a few thoughts there Mr. McSpreader, reckon Flops has got it right though ........ you still a veggie Flops? We did the same thing re mad cow disease and never went back - we still eat fish though.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I'm afraid I went through a very stressful time mid-2002 and went back to eating meat

I'd say that at least half the meals I eat are still veggie though.

I've visited abbatoirs. It doesn't bother me so much raising animals to eat, it's the (sometimes) cruel conditions they suffer (veal, anybody?) but most of all injecting them up with stuff and feeding them rubbish.

I once visited an abbatoir/deep freeze depot at Kings Cross to pick up some frozen salmon and as I reversed the van in there must have been at least 200 sheeps head laying on the yard floor, they all seemed to be staring up at me Some fella was using a shovel to scoop them up into sacks.

When I went inside the building there was this huge open space full of what looked like earthenware horses troughs. Most contained hot water and were tended to by fellas wearing big elbow length rubber gloves and protective clothing.

They were dealing with animal carcasses in each trough, scooping off every trace of flesh they could. I asked 'What are they doing?' and was told 'Making Oxo cubes'.

The place stank to high heaven.

Of course nowadays it's all automated, high pressure steam chambers gets all that flesh and tissue off the carcasses whilst they pass through on a conveyor belt.

The ensuing mass is mixed with colouring, flavouring, wheatmeal of some sort and some preservatives and is then compressed into those so-called 'meat' dishes you buy in Iceland, Netto and Lidls.

Bon Appetit

 

[floppybootstomp]

So why does it cost more to produce ... all you need do is leave the cow in the field all day ... with no injections and no food enhancements?

I'm not really sure myself when it comes to cattle, perhaps one of our farming community could enlighten us.

Higher quality feed? Higher vets bills? dunno.

With veg and fruit I do know the yield is not so high as the fruit won't have been made to behave in a uniform pattern and will also not have have any artificial protection against it's common natural enemies.

... and you 'vegies' are not saying that your food is humanly prepared, are you?

Not sure what you mean by this, care to enlighten us as to how the farming and harvesting of fruit, veg and grains involves cruelty? Unless you mean how poorly paid farm workers are of course

That's just the workers of course, farmers may whinge and moan about bureacracy but has anybody ever met a poor farmer? Well, have you?

Those EEC subsidies are luvverly, thank you very much

 

[Taffycat]

I think "organic" cattle are not given growth hormones, or food which is made from their own species (as you mentioned above Flops) and I think medications are used only when absolutely necessary too. (No doubt farming members will correct any misconceptions there .... but meanwhile, I'm just going by some of the things I hear on "The Archers"...Now who's for a pint of Shires??)

 

[cirianz]

I think one of the reason that the cost is so high is usually because, without the aid of the 'additives' & steroids, plants & animals do not grow so big & generally take longer to do it so yeild is much lower. Also, if it is anything like here, the requirements that have to be met for a food item to be labeled organic are very high & are often insepected & tested.fertilisers, composts & animal feeds have to meet very strict standards & follow precise rules & regulations.
In addition, I would expect that the food must also be certified GE free which requires laboratory testing.
New Zealand exports a lot of organic & GE free products. It was one of the main avenues we turned to when going Nuclear free lost us so much trade, & one of the few areas where our 'clean - green' image actually did us any good. But the regulations to be met in order to be certified organic are very strict as I said.


John sez "Well, it's when you put two foods together... & they get excited... & things start to get... organic"