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Re: Organic

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Thought I'd stick in a few words on this. The organic gardening list (OGL)
is a large, active list that occasionally has had stormy periods, but by and
large is, as Jim Kirker points out, an incredible resource.

A list I was on that is even more rambunctious is the Homestead list.

Basically, if you wish to participate in lists with a wide range of
divergent views, you must be able to tolerate, or at least identify and
delete relatively easily, stuff which you are not interested in.  Even so,
winnowing the chaff out of the wheat may or may not be worth your while;
everyone has their own time to manage, after all.

On a recent trip to the bookstore, I picked up a copy of JI Rodale's
PayDirt, a classic organic text.  In the introduction by Sir Albert Howard,
the following statement is made:

"...in a world which tends to become more and more superficial, due in large
measure to that disease of civilization--fragmentation---by which such
intimately related subjects as agriculture, food, nutrition and health have
become split up into innumerable rigid and self-contained little units, each
in the hands of some group of specialists. The experts, as their studies
become focused on smaller and smaller fragments, soon find themselves
wasting their lives in learning more and more about less and less. The
result is the confusion and chaos now such a feature of the work of
experiment stations and teaching centres devoted to agriculture and
gardening. Everywhere knowledge increases at the expense of understanding.

"The remedy is to look at the whole field covered by crop production, animal
husbandry, food, nutrition, and health as one related subject and then to
realize the great principle that the birthright of every crop, every animal,
and every human being is health."

---Albert Howard, March 1st, 1945.

Or as E.F. Schumacher put it, "Our task is to look at the world, and see it
whole."

The problem with this is that it opens the door to all sorts of issues. For
example, questions of human population levels have been discussed
periodically; other environmental questions have been raised, and other
things going beyond gardening basics into other planetary and cosmic issues
have been taken up on on the OGL.

If this seems interesting to you, send a message to LISTSERV@LSV.UKY.EDU
saying just SUBSCRIBE OGL, and save the info it sends you if you wish to
unsub later.

Certainly, on that list, discussion of what is, and what is not organic, is
very appropriate. Male-bashing is not that common, IMHO; but some have done
it. Tree-hugging though, is a common shared activity...we have several
Permaculturists and other arborophiles, there, and I'm proud to be one of
them, even though I know how to cut down a tree and tear out its roots when
the need arises....

The writing of the Rodales', both JI and Robert, is both visionary and
practical. It is useful, for the SQFT list, to recognize that Mel's books
have been published by Rodale Press, and his work written up in Organic
Gardening magazine, as well as other Rodale publications.

Mel has taken some more complicated ideas and simplified them into a clear,
practical method of growing vegetables.

Topics I feel are related include French Intensive/Biodynamic gardening a la
John Jeavons, High Yield Gardening (there's a Rodale book by this name,
which includes a full discussion of SQFT methods), and similar ideas that
aim to produce a lot in a small space.

Obviously, issues like pH testing, diatomaceous earth and other pest
controls, and other general gardening questions are also relevant.

And, an appreciation of the fact that intensive use of one space means more
space left for trees and wilderness is OK, too, as I see it...:-)

Frank Teuton---has multiple list memberships, including the OGL, SQFT, SANET
(sustainable agriculture network) and a few others.....
-----Original Message-----
From: William McKay <bmckay55@hotmail.com>
To: martin@zianet.com <martin@zianet.com>; sqft@listbot.com
<sqft@listbot.com>
Date: Friday, February 19, 1999 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: Organic


>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
>I do not garden the square foot method, although I did read Mel B's book
>and took some tips from it.  I also grow organically.  I also  belong to
>an organic list (begins with ogl) and have just about given up;
>couldn't stand the politics of it (what is organic, male bashing, tree
>hugging, etc).  Right now I get the digest version, take a look at the
>topics and usually trash the entire digest.
>
>I am not sure that there is any absolute definition of organic growing
>for home gardeners (different story for farmers who choose to be
>certified organic growers).  Your definition seems to be a fair
>statement
>
>As for giving out the URL, I have to idea what the rules are.  I assumed
>anyone could participate in this list.  If that is not the case, the
>list owner can contact me and I will get off the list.  I hope that is
>not the case, however.  Very nice list and very nice people with a
>refreshing lack of unpleasantness.  If you are looking for other lists,
>there is a heirloom gardening list, most of whose members seem to be
>organic growing types.  Also there is a tomato list which is a lot of
>fun.
>
>Good Growing
>Bill McKay in E. Massachusetts
>
>>Hello All,
>
>>I am a member of this really great, or better yet was a really great
>list that is being torn apart by a select few debating what is and what
>is not organic.  I was always lead to believe that the use of any
>chemicals that were no natural was not organic.  That you needed to use
>only what mother nature gave you to grow in the garden.  I do not wish
>this to become a debate, just correct me if I am wrong. Also, do we have
>members that do not square foot garden?  Is it ok for me to give out
>this URL to those member on the other list that wish to garden
>organically??  I am so new at gardening that I don't want to do it
>wrong. Debbie
>>
>>http://www.zianet.com/martin/martin9.htm
>>
>>
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