Garden Cat Lady No. 3 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on June 26, 2009 and introduced us to 10 good reasons to grow, buy and eat organic fruits and vegetables.Because October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, it seems a good time to review the benefits of organic foods and products, according to the Organic Trade Association:
Organic products meet stringent standards
Organic certification is the public’s assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs.
Organic food tastes great!
It’s common sense – well-balanced soils produce strong, healthy plants that become nourishing food for people and animals.
Organic production reduces health risks
Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.
Organic farms respect our water resources
The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.
Organic farmers build healthy soil
Soil is the foundation of the food chain. The primary focus of organic farming is to use practices that build healthy soils.
Organic farmers work in harmony with nature
Organic agricultural respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem: wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fence rows, wetlands, and other natural areas.
Organic producers are leaders in innovative research
Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agriculture’s impact on the environment.
Organic producers strive to preserve diversity
The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of the most pressing environmental concerns. The good news is that many organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.
Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy
USDA reported that in 1997, half of U.S. farm production came from only 2% of farms. Organic agriculture can be a lifeline for small farms because it offers an alternative market where sellers can command fair prices for crops.
Organic abundance – Foods and non-foods alike!
Now every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically – even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way.
My mini watercolor painting of Garden Cat Lady No. 3 is in ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) format, which means that the artwork size is 2.5" x 3.5", the same as a baseball card. ACEOs are a fun and economical way to enjoy and collect original artwork!It is hand-painted on super-heavy Arches 300-lb. acid-free cold-press watercolor paper with professional quality watercolor paints. It is artist-initialed by me on the front, signed, dated, and titled on back. For information about purchasing this one-of-a-kind original mini painting, click on the image.
Thanks for visiting!
Lovely garden cat lady! I love her little gardening glove. And hooray for sharing the virtues of environmentally conscious living.
ReplyDeleteActually, I was just scrolling down through the posts and all the cat ladies are really great, with their neat little scarves and falling leaves and ribbons. Very nice! (Even though I'm a dog person. But really an all-animal person.) :)