Re: Low-risk pesticides ...

Steve Groff (sgroff@epix.net)
Tue, 21 Dec 1999 23:31:13 -0500

Grace Gershuny wrote:

> I don't think the intent here was to paint all organic farmers as rotenone
> junkies, just make the point that the stuff is permitted to them in case of
> 'need.' There is no doubt that very few ever use it......

you have perceived correctly.

Alison Wiediger wrote:

> Only in the greenhouse, which is a closed
> and somewhat artificial system, do we ever have a large enough problem for
> intervention, and we usually use a soap solution.

is the soap solution considered a natural insecticide or is it a deterent? what is
the toxicity rating?
I wouldn't want to drink the soap solution, but I don't know if it would negativly
affect me or not.

You mentioned you have a market garden. I commend you for that, but could you use
the same practices and be economically viable on a scale 10 times bigger? (I'm not
alluding that bigger is better, it's just that there are not enough folks who what
to grow food on the scale of a market garden to meet the needs of all the eaters.)
I farm 175 acres (60 vegetables) but I'm sure I could do it organically on 10
acres.

Bluestem Associates wrote:

> they continue to approve Bordeaux mixture with its known negative
> impact on earthworms?

does Bordeaux hurt earthworms?

I'm asking these questions not as way to change organic regs, but as a basis to
objectively look at what practises are the most sustainable and the least
detrimental to the environment. I think there are some manmade imputs that can aid
us in being a better stewart of the soil the some of the natural ones. Organic
agriculture is a good system, but it is not nessesarily the most sustainable in
all it's aspects.

Steve Groff

"Enhancing the Environment" http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/
Cedar Meadow Farm
679 Hilldale Road
Holtwood, PA 17532 USA

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