Share this
Twitter
Myspace
Digg
Slashdot
Yahoo
Googlize this
Facebook
Export PDF
Print
E-mail
Is organic really better? The answer may surprise you!
No doubt, organically grown produce, including wine, is better for us than produce grown with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. However, the organic certification, whether state or federal, has no requirement that the produce be grown using sustainable agricultural practices. In order for a producer to get an organic certification, all they need to do is pay a fee and provide records that they are not using harmful, synthetic chemicals to grow their produce.
Certification does not require them to prove that they are controlling erosion, using cover crops to build and protect the soil or protecting watersheds. In fact, most of the certified organic produce sold in brand name supermarkets is grown using the same environmentally damaging monoculture practices as other non-organic industrial producers.
In contrast, much of the produce sold at local farmers markets is produced using organic AND sustainable poly-culture practices. Many of these small family farmers do not have the time or money it takes to get certified.
For example, here at Roblar, we use no synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. We do farm organically and are in the process of getting certified. But, we go well beyond the organic certification requirements by carefully selecting and managing cover crops. We also use chickens and sheep for weed and pest control. The animals also provide organic fertilizer. In fact, for the last five years, we've never used any fertilizer on our vineyard that did not originate from our farm. The chickens also provide meat and eggs for our kitchen.
So, is organic better? The answer is – yes, better than the alternitive--but not enough. It's always best to buy wine and produce from a local source that uses organic AND sustainable practices. So, get to know your farmer – it’s a lot safer and a lot more satisfying to know where your food and wine comes from!
