The winter brings a sabbatical from many of the physical labors of farm life, but that doesn't mean it stops completely. Several winters, including when we didn't live on a farm we would begin planning what to plant for the spring in our square foot gardens. We only had an acre then, so we knew we had to maximize our space for the most growing possible. What fun, but it didn't take as much planning as we're encountering being on 63! Well not 63 acres of garden, but certainly more than what we have been accustomed to. Planting gardens is the begining and most important venture in becoming self-sufficient. After all, if you can grow much of your own food, then you have more control over it's quality and supply. Garden fresh produce is less expensive and light years more nutritious than grocery store produce.
So let's talk quality. Before you actually put the veggies in your shopping cart, grocery store items have gone through a litany of processes to render it well...less than a food product. First, depending on the seeds that are used (more and more seed companies are being bought by Monsanto who is genetically modifying them) decides whether or not it is nutritious. Heirloom seeds are the best bet...and learning to dry and save them is the next best. Second, soil treated with herbicides and fungicides sterilize the good bacteria in the dirt, rendering it less nutrition rich and limits the production of the growth. Thirdly, over-worked soil not allowed to rest (like the land Sabbaths God commanded in the Bible every seven years) also decreases mineral content and flavor of vegetation. Inferior soil always calls for inferior vegetables and usually sick plants susceptible to pests and disease...HENCE the need for toxic pesticides. Once the produce is harvested (fruit when it's unripe, sprayed with ripening agents) and before taken to grocery stores they are also often irradiated...shot with a beam of radiation to supposedly kill bad bugs...which also kills many of the enzymes and good bacteria in the produce. Kind of like sticking it in the microwave. Finally, it is whisked away... often MILES away...even COUNTRIES away to sit on the grocery shelves for days. People then wonder why their tomatoes taste like paper...or can anyone tell the difference anymore. Taste an heirloom tomato and I bet...you'll notice the difference. For additional information see links below.
Organic produce in stores are raised in better conditions meaning non-GMO seeds, no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and non-irritated. Certainly better than conventional, but even organic standards are becoming more loosely defined as more corporate conglomerates are trying to get in on the organic profit craze AND buying up organic companies. Best bet to insure quality is to grow some yourself.
As far as our farm goes, the spiffy John Deere, tiller plus old horse manure from the barn will make for great soil to begin our efforts. Still not expecting miracles the first year, but hope for better than in Knoxville, I'm also researching other additives to improve the soil...specifically pulverized rock dust from quarries to increase mineral content. Course all the seed catalogs are finding their way to my mailbox right now and I feel like an excited child pouring over all the options. Since we're not limited by size...anything goes!! Our compost pile is getting larger but won't be usable until much later in the year. I'd like to begin an earth worm farm to break down the compost too.
I'm also most excited about using a new gardening tool. Mother Earth News has a computer program to help with organizing garden planing and layout http://www.motherearthnews.com/garden-planner/vegetable-garden-planner.aspx. Very high tech and a great way to have all the ducks in a row before planting time. Hopefully, this will prove to be user friendly and more efficient than pencil and paper. I'll let you know!
http://www.newswithviews.com/Smith/jeffrey125.htm Drs Warn: Stay away from GMO's
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/monsantos-herbicide-harming-male-fertility
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/dows-deadly-harvest-return-agent-orange
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ Clean 15 guide to produce
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1379245/Pesticide-exposure-womb-linked-lower-IQ-children.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/8000399/Organic-farms-soil.html Organic farms have better soil
http://www.naturalnews.com/031648_minerals_nutrition.html Where have all the minerals gone?
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