Organic Food Australia – What to eat, what is good for you

There is a complex invisible world beneath your feet and it is necessary to make an effort to develop an appreciation of how the state of the soil affects plant growth.

Soil is a mixture of tiny rock particles, living organisms, chemicals and the remains of dead plants and animals. Spaces between the particles will also contain a certain amount of air and water depending on the type of soil.

Rocks near the earth’s surface are slowly broken down in nature by a process called weathering. Eventually small particles such as sand, silt and clay are formed. These particles create the environment for billions of mostly tiny organisms to live. Larger organisms such as earthworms and insects are also found in soil. A healthy soil is teeming with life.

The main aim as a hobby farmer is thus to try to improve soil health by good management. Poor management can lead to a loss of fertility and degradation of the soil. In extreme cases the valuable topsoil can also be blown or washed away. In the end poor soils lead to low quality crops lacking in nutrition.

Below are examples of some checks I plan to carry out on my farm with the aim of improving soil fertility.

1) Carry out a pH test in different places. This test will determine if the soil is acid, alkaline or neutral. Most plants prefer a pH level around 6.5. Should the pH level be too (below 6) corrections can be made by adding lime. Should the pH be too high (above 7) this can be lowered by adding plenty of organic matter and mulch. Extremely alkaline soils can be changed by adding ground sulphur.

2) Check the soil texture of the soil by rubbing some moist soil between your fingers. This will help to determine the type of soil present. Sandy soils will have a coarse feel. These soils dry quickly. Adding lots of organic matter will improve sandy soils. Very sandy soil can also be improved by adding clay. If the soil feels sticky when rubbed it contains too much clay. Clay soils drain slowly and are difficult to work when wet. Adding gypsum will help in most cases. Should the soil have a good balance of sand, silt and clay you will be blessed with a loamy soil. These soils are generally easy to manage and do not require treatments.

3) Check the level of organic matter in the soil. This can be done by shaking a handful of soil in a jar and seeing how much organic matter floats to the surface. If only a thin layer is present on the surface, lots of organic matter needs to be added. This means more microorganisms can be sustained, these in turn will release essential health giving chemicals needed by plants.

The above tests are simple to carry out and much information is available on these topics. Further tests require equipment or a soil testing company to analyse the soil. These include salinity, especially if bore water is used. Individual soil nutrient levels for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium as well as trace element levels can also be measured. Other aspects such as fertilizer application and cultivation practices to maintain soil structure also need attention.

Soil care requires years of experience and looking to older gardeners will give you lots of essential tips. Also, experienced gardeners can often identify soil problems by looking at the general appearance of plants. Getting a spade and digging around will give you information about conditions such as waterlogging and excessive dryness.

Do all you can to look after your soil and allow your plants to carry out the magic task of turning fertilizers and compost into healthy and nutritious food.

Ben is a close associate of Alf, the proud owner of a hobby farm in Australia. Ben encourages Alf to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences on hobby farming by writing articles and books. Ben helps Alf to luanch the website www.farmforfun.com. Ben is also in the process of helping to help Alf to publish an eBook on his writings. This article is taken from Alf’s Hobby farm site at www.farmforfun.com/Soil.html.

About the Author
Ben is a close associate of Alf, the proud owner of a hobby farm in Australia. Ben encourages Alf to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences on hobby farming by writing articles and books. Ben helps Alf to luanch the website http://www.farmforfun.com Ben is also in the process of helping to help Alf to publish an eBook on his writings. This article is taken from Alf’s Hobby farm site at http://www.farmforfun.com/Soil.html

Again, I find myself torn apart with choices when deciding which is the most ethical, eco friendly and/or healthy option when it comes to shopping for food and non-food products.

Should I buy food and products that support workers in Third World by buying Fairtrade labelled products even though these goods normally travel thousands of miles from Africa, South America or South East Asia? What if these foods were produced with the use of pesticides and additives? It makes sense then to look for and to buy Fairtrade, organic food to both help the producers in the Third World and fulfil my lifestyle choice to eat healthy and additive/pesticide free food. Thankfully, many producers are now wising up to this dilemma by increasingly producing organic and Fairtrade labelled products.

I am currently using Fairtrade, organic t-bags at home! Now comes another important question, should I buy Fairly Traded organic sugar from Kenya that has travelled thousands of miles, or should I buy apples grown in the UK (ideally from a farmers market) that have only travelled only a few hundred miles which means less carbon dioxide and other nasty emissions from the lorries that you see constantly on the motorways in the UK? Buying UK products not only ensures less food miles but also supports local farmers, communities and economies. Unfortunately, choice is often limited and can be more expensive then food produced in other countries……… Decisions, decisions, it’s probably best to abstain from eating and give your choice making brain a rest!

But I can safely say that I make attempts to avoid food or products that have travelled from far away destinations such as Australia even if they are organic! Next time you are in the supermarket or wherever you buy your food from check the labels and you will be surprised by how far your food has travelled. Also look at the amount of unnecessary wrapping such as individually wrapped peppers, mushrooms and kiwi fruit in wrapped boxes. When I buy from the local market I tell them to throw it all into one bag, the customer next to me often has 10 individually wrapped portions of fruit and veg. That’s 11 (10 plus one big plastic bag) bags into the landfill site that day. For maximum eco efficiency we need to be using jute or other bags made from recycled materials and putting all the loose food into that.

For recycled bags, Fairtrade and Organic companies, products and food see GuideMeGreen.

About the Author
Davinos Greeno works for the organic directory . This green directory lists 100s of Organic Food and Drink Companies and Eco Jobs and Campaigning Videos