Organic simply means food that has been grown or produced without chemical aid. It respects the natural capacity of plants, of animals and the landscape, turning back to a time before artificial fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals were introduced.

You may have also come across the term organic at your local nursery. In this sense, organic implies compounds which occur naturally and has nothing to do with the term organic as we use it. Organic fertilizers at the garden shop simply mean fertilizers which are produced from animal or plant matter. Fact is, they most likely will contain chemicals.



The health of the soil lies at the heart of organic crop farming and is maintained using natural methods, which do not strip the minerals from the soil or contaminate crops or the environment.

Organic farmers replace pesticides with time-proven techniques, such as crop rotation and by encouraging the natural predators of pests. Khakibos and strawberries for example are planted together because they complement each other and keep pests away effectively. No chemicals, no herbicides or pesticides, or artificial substances are used at any stage. The produce is entirely natural, pure and nutritious.

Many forms of modern agriculture on the other hand use artificial fertilizers, which displace the natural mineral content of the soil and the produce. Plants themselves may be genetically manipulated and sprayed with chemical pesticides and herbicides. After harvesting, the produce is then processed further, where other chemicals (such as preservatives) may be added.

The end result is food that yields a fraction of the nutrition than it would in its pure, natural state, as well as chemical toxicity.