May Edible Gardening - seed sowing, succession planting, harvesting, and pruning

By Cherry Crawford May 3, 2023 12 mins read 388 Views

At Belovedsaffron.com, we are dedicated to exploring the amazing world of spices and herbs, encouraging sustainable eating practices and sharing meaningful stories.

Through our website, we want to bring people closer to delicious, creative meals that nourish both body and soul. We don’t intend to become famous chefs –we just love food!

We firmly believe in celebrating the beauty of different cultures through their cuisine. From home kitchens to 5-star restaurants, each meal has its own secret recipe for success.

The love for Saffron initially inspired us on this journey, but our mission is much larger than that. We strive to provide helpful resources and meaningful conversations about organic farming techniques, cooking tips and culinary customs from around the world.

If you’d like to join us in showcasing your special family recipes or other noteworthy ideas relating to food culture, please reach out at [email protected] –your contribution will be highly cherished!

For now, love yourself and enjoy this one ...

May Edible Gardening - seed sowing, succession planting, harvesting, and pruning

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should you buy organic?

Conventional agriculture has been linked with many health problems including asthma, allergies. Make healthy food choices.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), offers these tips to help you choose "cleaner" foods:

As much as possible, purchase organic fruits or vegetables

USDA organic labels for meat, poultry eggs, milk and cheese as well butter and honey are recommended.

Avoid processed foods that claim to be "natural" and "no additives."

Be sure to read all ingredient labels. If an ingredient isn't listed, it may be added during processing.

Fresh meats are better than canned or frozen. Frozen and canned foods often contain less nutrient-rich ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.

What are organic beauty products?

Organic Beauty Products are natural products without synthetic chemicals such as petroleum, parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, and artificial preservatives. These ingredients are present in all conventional beauty products including shampoos and cosmetics.

Organic beauty products are also free from animal testing and do not contain any genetically modified organisms (GMO).

The USDA defines organic production as "a system of production which fosters the cycle of resources" and it has been used since decades to refer to foods grown without pesticides.

Due to the adverse effects of chemicals on our bodies, there has been a growing demand for eco-friendly cosmetics in recent years.

These include cancer, allergies, skin irritation, hormonal imbalance, and premature aging.

Organic beauty products are created by companies that care about the environment and create safe, healthy products for customers.

What is an inorganic food?

Organic food is produced without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals can be harmful for your health.

Organic food is organically grown without the use of harmful chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides. These chemicals can be dangerous for both humans and animals.

Inorganic foods are meats, fishes, eggs, buttermilk, cheese, yogurt and honey as well as vegetables, fruits and spices.

Organic refers to how an agricultural product was grown. For example, organic farming uses natural methods and soil amendments to grow crops, while conventional farming uses synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines must be followed when organic food is labeled. The National Organic Program Standards require that all organic foods are free of prohibited substances such as antibiotics and growth hormones, genetically modified organisms or industrial solvents. Additionally, organic food must be raised without toxic chemicals, petroleum-based fertilizers, sewage sludges, or ionizing radiation.

How do I find out if my produce's organic?

These three labels are essential if you want to be certain that you are purchasing organic produce.

USDA Organic Certified – This certification is issued by USDA to ensure that the product is 100% organic.

Certified Naturally Grown: Produce that has been grown in accordance with organic practices, but has yet to receive certification from USDA.

Pastured/Free Range – Produced from animals that live outdoors and graze on grasses or herbs.

These labels indicate that the product meets certain criteria.

No synthetic pesticides and fertilizers
No genetically altered organisms
The animal is never given antibiotics
Animals never receive hormones
No growth-promoting drugs
No feed additives
No artificial ingredients
No irradiation
No sewage effluent
GMOs not allowed
There have never been any antibiotics given.
No hormones ever given
No growth-promoting drug
No feed-additives
No artificial ingredients
No sewage waste (if it's non-GMO).
No irradiation

I hope this article has been helpful.

Statistics

When packaged products indicate they are “made with organic [specific ingredient or food group],” they contain at least 70% organically produced ingredients. (usda.gov)
Once certified by the USDA, it can fall into one of four categories: "100 percent organic", "organic," "made with organic ingredients," or "made with less than 70 percent organic ingredients. (en.wikipedia.org)
According to a study performed by consumerreports.org, organic products, compared to non-organic products, ranged anywhere from 13 percent cheaper to 303 percent more expensive. (en.wikipedia.org)
Cosmetic brands such as Laurel and Rose Mira are 100 percent organic and have a wide array of skincare products. (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

Organic foods are healthier and more nutritious.

Organic foods can be grown without the use synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides. They are grown in natural environments without artificial inputs (fungicides/herbicides/hormones, antibiotics or genetic engineering). Organic farming methods include crop rotation, cover, composting animal manure and recycling wastewater.

In 2002, USDA National Organic Program was established. It regulates the handling, processing, labelling and sale of organic products within the United States. NOP regulations ensure organic agricultural products conform to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Organic products must also be free from banned substances, such as pesticides residues, growth hormones and irradiation.

There are two types available in the U.S. for producers who want their products to be labeled "organic". One for farmers and ranchers, and one for manufacturers. Both programs require annual audits of operations to verify compliance with rigorous standards. Many certifying agents offer this service, including CCOF Certified Organic Farmers & Ranchers (QA International), American Grassfed Association, and Quality Assurance International. All three organizations provide third-party verification of farms' adherence to strict guidelines regarding environmental stewardship, labour practices, and livestock care.

According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, organic farming accounted for $4.7Billion in 2013 sales. Retail spending on certified organic products reached nearly $1.5 Billion in 2013. This is a 23 per cent increase from 2009. During this time, grocery store sales increased by 12 percent. Spending directly on organic produce grew by 29 percent while that on meat, poultry, eggs and seafood only grew by 1 percent.

Although organic food can be more expensive than regular food, many consumers feel that its quality is well worth the additional cost. Consumer Reports conducted a survey in 2015 and found that 88 percent of respondents would pay more for organic foods if they had higher nutritional value. Health Affairs published another study that found organic food eaters are less likely than those who consume conventional foods to have health problems such diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Although there is no evidence eating organic foods prevents or treats any diseases, some studies suggest that consuming them might improve overall health by reducing exposure to specific contaminants and pesticides. In 2010, a review that included 31 studies concluded that organically-raised beef had lower levels of parasites and toxic chemicals than conventionally reared beef. Similar conclusions were reached in a separate analysis of 11 other studies published in 2012.

According to a 2014 report by the Environmental Working Group, the incidence of foodborne disease caused by E.coli, salmonella or listeria monocytogenes, E. coli and E. coli O157H7 was lower when organic chicken, non-organic pork, beef, lamb and milk were compared. The report also pointed out that E.coli 157 caused human illness declined in both children and adults following 2006 when USDA established stricter organic standards.