Labels like 'organic', 'regenerative', 'sustainable' and 'eco friendly' are almost clichés now but increasingly I find myself amazed at the truth of their foundational concept: that a type of farming which aims to work with nature, is incredibly more powerful than one that fights it. It's a different paradigm. I still remember the epiphany I received when I realised that nature does not know anyth
ing of a bag of fertiliser. Then how do plants continue to grow in nature without a top up of nutrients. Microbes in the soil turn unlimited undissolved nutrients (in sand, silt, clay, rock and humus) into dissolved nutrients that plants can actually access. They are happy to do this because happy plant is happy microbe. The plant exudes 30-40% of its sugars generated through photosynthesis out through its roots to feed the trillions of microbes that live and die in the soil. Here's the rub: when soils are nutritionally rich, plants are nutritionally rich. The extension is then obvious: if you want to be healthy, your best chance is with very healthy fruits and vegetables. One other point for those who are keen on flowers, Our skin is like a mouth, absorbing substances constantly. If you handle flowers that are not organic you might as well be eating insecticides and fungicides. Note this: most of our flowers, even in regional centres, come from Africa and South America where they are assiduously sprayed (to facilitate international travel). They land in Amsterdam and from there to us (and the world). Entry into Australia requires further fumigation. What does this do to the world's environments? What does it do to you the end buyer?
