A Discussion on Organic

[xoxocammyxoxo]

Or I guess more specifically becoming organic.

I've been doing some research online, and will continue to do so after this post, about becoming more organic. We've started to make some changes in our lives around here but I'm still not fully understanding how to become organic. I realize what it means but I don't fully understand the process... here let me give you my examples.

I live in this rental house. I can't tell you if any chemicals have been used on this lawn or garden. I know in the last year all that's really been done to the lawn is been mowed by the neighbor (with questionable landscaping equipment) and the dogs have pooped in it. I'm not to concerned over becoming organic in the garden here for two reasons 1) I don't know how long we are going to stay here and 2) I haven't gardened in years so this is my first go at it since 4th grade (about 20 years). In the future though I plan to buy property and will be in the same situation of not knowing if chemicals had been used etc.

Second situation is I currently raise meal worms which I started as a side business for reptile feed. They are currently on wheat bran with no organic labeling. My goal is to eventually convert them over to organic. I also plan to buy rabbits and chickens who I don't know are organic or not. What's the time frame/procedures to obtaining organic from non organic.


Or am I just missing the concept all together, because I feel like I am

 

[wyoDreamer]

Depends on what your goals are.
Do you want to be Certified Organic for sale of goods?
or do you just want to do things organically for yourself and family?

For some reason, it pops into mind that it is 6 years of organic husbandry for a farm to be certified organic. I will have to research that though.

EDITTED: I looked it up on the USDA web-site. It is 3 years of transition time after switching to organic methods before you can be certified organic.

 

[xoxocammyxoxo]

Depends on what your goals are.
Do you want to be Certified Organic for sale of goods?
or do you just want to do things organically for yourself and family?

For some reason, it pops into mind that it is 6 years of organic husbandry for a farm to be certified organic. I will have to research that though.

EDITTED: I looked it up on the USDA web-site. It is 3 years of transition time after switching to organic methods before you can be certified organic.

The priority would be me and my family. I don't think it would financially make sense to become certified because I really don't intend to market any of my animals or produce to people. At this time the only things I am marketing is the reptile feeds which are currently not organic.

It's interesting that they say three years. I'm assuming that's for livestock and gardening. The average lifespan of a mealworm is three to six months. It would take dramatically less time to switch an entire colony of mealworms over to organic than it would chickens, I would assume.

But that's what confuses me I guess is the transition itself. Example would be, say I buy six Delaware hens from a lady and they are not raised organic, but I introduce them to birds who have been eating organic for a while. Do I by default start my three years over again? Or what if I have a yard full of organic plants and animals but I decide I want to take on a cow that's not raised organic.... Does that mean my farm starts over? or is that one animal start it's own 3 year transition.

It may seem like I'm over thinking and maybe I am... but if its a restart then I want to plan to buy as many as possible all at once. I've done enough restarting in my life

 

[wyoDreamer]

Its not a restart. If a disease comes through and you need to chemically treat your crop to save it, then you restart for three years. However, if you want to grow organically on one field and not on another, the organic fields would still be organic after the three years of transition.
This is all dealing with the legality of being "Certified Organic".

IMHO, I think it takes more than 3 years for some of those chemicals to break down in the soil, and for my own benefit I would not consider it truly organic for a longer time than 3 years. I am going to have to spray my garden area to kill the weeds this spring. It is the only way that I will be able to garden at all. I will do my best to stay ahead of the weeds and pests, to use as little chemical as I can, but I am going to be realistic and acknowledge the need to use some.

One of the concerns with the organic industry is that a producer can grow certified organic and regular industrial farming at the same time, on the same farm. It would be easy for a unscrupulous producer to add some of the other product in with the Organic and get the higher price for it. It is mostly on the honor system, they have to keep records and have an annual inspection, but there is no way to actually make sure that 100 % of it was grown 100% organically.

 

[xoxocammyxoxo]

Its not a restart. If a disease comes through and you need to chemically treat your crop to save it, then you restart for three years. However, if you want to grow organically on one field and not on another, the organic fields would still be organic after the three years of transition.
This is all dealing with the legality of being "Certified Organic".

IMHO, I think it takes more than 3 years for some of those chemicals to break down in the soil, and for my own benefit I would not consider it truly organic for a longer time than 3 years. I am going to have to spray my garden area to kill the weeds this spring. It is the only way that I will be able to garden at all. I will do my best to stay ahead of the weeds and pests, to use as little chemical as I can, but I am going to be realistic and acknowledge the need to use some.

One of the concerns with the organic industry is that a producer can grow certified organic and regular industrial farming at the same time, on the same farm. It would be easy for a unscrupulous producer to add some of the other product in with the Organic and get the higher price for it. It is mostly on the honor system, they have to keep records and have an annual inspection, but there is no way to actually make sure that 100 % of it was grown 100% organically.

Ok well that puts my mind at ease quite a bit. I don't know if I mentioned before but I'm not to worried about it this year because we live in this rental and we wont be staying here three years... we won't be staying here for another year, so help me.....

I think three years is a little short too... I also thought it was six years from your previous post but I know very little about this going organic process. I picked up a couple magazines today from Walmart on going organic.