August 2018 - United Country Real Estate

Organic vs. Conventional FARMING By Angela Smith

“Organic” foods have been slowly gaining

and aims to improve soil health.

popularity for years now. For many people, when they think of organic food, they automatically think it’s healthier than the non-organic. Most don’t realize that the difference between the two stems from the farming methods use when it’s in production. The word organic refers directly to the way farms grow and process the food we consume. The fact is, just because something is organic doesn’t necessarily mean it is higher in nutritional content. Very few studies have shown organic produce having a slight increase in nutrients. It also isn’t as widely available as non-organic food so it may even be

Even though it may pose a small risk, most of us don’t see any effect on our health from consuming conventional, non-organic foods. However, if you want to buy organic and don’t have accessibility to organic foods, consider seeking sources of produce from local farmers or ranchers. It will help the local economy and even though it may not mean it’s organically grown and produced, the food will be fresh which directly impacts nutritional value and taste. If you don’t know if it’s organic or not, you can always peel the fruit and trim the outer leaves of the vegetables, which will be the parts that harbor the most pesticides and herbicides.

shipped from farther away and sit on the shelves longer. In these cases, nutrients can degrade within the product. Let’s break down the biggest differences between the two. Non-organic farming: This practice is more commonly used and is known to utilize chemicals and other materials to manage pesky insects and weeds. It also uses unnatural farming methods like synthetics

and genetically modified organisms to maximize output. These chemicals and unnatural additions can be damaging to your health. Organic farming: Farming in this style is less common and uses natural farming methods without artificial ingredients or preservatives. Farm animals are also outdoors and fed organic feed. Organic farming also promotes biodiversity

Sources: http://freshconnect.com/organic-farming-vs-conventional-farming/, http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sns-health-organic-or-not-story.html

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