Above is a recent picture of the coming garlic crop. It is going very well. We've had some serious frosts, with more forecast in coming days, so there are some browned leaf tips. You can see in the foreground yet another weeding 'meditation' is under way and in the background where it was yet to be weeded. All of the foreground garlic had to be hand-weeded, but thankfully much of the garlic behind it has been able to be weeded using long-handled hoes...a more comfortable and more timely proposition than working on hands and knees!
Otherwise, as we approach early springtime, trimmed herbs are sprouting new growth, compost is being added to and turned and much of the still 'bare' earth has been cultivated with green manures and some of it's area is now being prepared for early season crop seeding. Seeds are being sown in little pots to establish healthy seedlings for later planting of certain vegetable crops. Generally speaking, a lot of effort and planning is afoot towards an abundant new growing season to come...
In other news of possible interest, we just received a newsletter which covers some information about the proposed banning of a pesticide spray, dimethoate, widely used in conventional (non-organic) commercial Australian fruit and vegetable growing.
Australia’s chemical regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), is considering banning dimethoate, as it is concerned that the insecticide, widely used to control fruit fly, may pose a health risk for consumers.
According to information sourced from www.ausfoodnews.com.au, after completing a Residues and Dietary Risk Assessment, the APVMA said that the use of dimethoate on many crops exceeds the health standard established in January this year.
Dimethoate is sprayed on many of our fruits and vegetables, including apples, avacados, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, potatoes, mandarins, melons, tomatoes, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, oranges, pears, and many others. The APVMA proposes to suspend dimethoate products as an interim regulatory action while it completes further assessments on the chemical. This would prohibit the use of dimethoate.
The APVMA has asked dimethoate product registrants and permit approval holders, including grower groups to submit information or data that may change the outcome of the dietary risk assessment by 13 September 2011.
The APVMA says it will consider the information received and determine the appropriate regulatory action. If regulatory action, such as suspension is to be taken, it will take effect by the end of September 2011, prior to the commencement of the main post-harvest dipping season.
It is good to know when these kinds of health threats in our food chain are picked up and scrutinised, however, this is only one of the many synthetic chemicals used widely in conventional agriculture and frankly, none of them are truly healthy for us or our land and waterways, even when used within 'health standard' ranges...we'd all be better off without being exposed to them at all.
For certified organic growers like ourselves, who are committed to growing food naturally and sustainably, as nature intended us to have it, it begs among other questions, "why is it we that have to (at significant added expense) provide organic certification, and not so-called conventional growers having to declare to the consumers
all the chemicals they apply to the land, animals and food plants to produce people's food?"
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