It must be the mulch…

OK- new blog. So I finished another reunion- this one from camp- and a great time was had by all. It really was fun to see old friends, share memories- deep conversations and fun ones. Always picking up just where we left off- but understanding we’ve changed and grown and not expecting anything more than for us to just be ourselves. There is a little pressure to be as entertaining or outrageous as you used to be, but not usually- just warmth, gladness and a reclamation of a great community.

Otherwise, I got a great chance to get a question answered that’s been bouncing around in my head. I realize I have asked this from a very consumeristic and uneducated viewpoint- but it seems to me to be counterintuitive that organically grown produce (as well as meats) cost more than their ‘regular’ counterparts. I mean, how is it you can put less chemicals, pesticides and steroids in something and have it cost more? I used to think it had to do with the distance to ship it- as there weren’t that many organic farms that close. Another factor I put in was labor- but then a good portion of our food comes from the USA- minus some off season fruits & veggies- maybe some seafood. And, the US is going to have a fairly uniform labor pay scale. I did think though, that those who go to the trouble of being good stewards and grow organically also like to pay more than the bare minimum in wages. Still, I had trouble making it all compute.

My friend Nancy- who is wise beyond wise and shares my penchant for theory making and deep thinking around the dinner table- she enlightened me on a few things concerning organics. Her brother is currently involved in a program to enhance organics in the Eastern Carolina area- to promote sustainable farming initiatives- to get rid of tobacco dependent farming. He (and Nancy) spend a good amount of time trying to broker local crops to grocery stores and doing education about organics. So, first of all, while it is true there are less pesticides and chemicals, it doesn’t mean there are none- there are some approved organic sprays, or in lieu of those you have to pay someone to go pick aphids or the like off the crops by hand. Secondly, organic seed costs more- to ensure no genetic tampering and no radiation or coating with fertilizer- that makes for more expensive seed. Lastly, there is the issue of soil prep. Organics need much more composting, working and conditioning the soil before you even plant. More stuff in the soil, more labor to do it- there you have it. That partially answers my question- still seems like there can be a lowering in price, but then demand is rising and for now I imagine supply is staying put.

So that brings me to one of my favorite rants: Wal-mart- or how one corporation found the scotch-irish cheapskate in all of us. They are poised to go after the organic market- offering organics in their grocery sections. They are promising to keep prices reasonable, and I imagine they will ply their usual tactics on the suppliers to keep it so. Seeing as how they are unlikely to make inroads on an industry that has been set for years, my theory on this one is that they will go a different direction and cause a degradation in what meets the standard of “organically grown”. I mentioned this to George Sunday and the next day in the paper, there is an article about how the gov’t is looking to change the definition of “grass fed” beef- so it can make it broader and easier for farmers to slap that label on the package. Watch what happens when Wally-world gets in on the action- I foresee a whole line of “almost-organic” products coming to aisle 4 at a superstore near you! Makes you want to throw rotten veggies at someone- wonder where we could find some?