FitChick Posted August 18, 2014 Posted August 18, 2014 If I could afford it I'd eat organic only. Now it's only for leafy greens and berries. Fruits and veg that are peeled, I don't mind. Had to laugh at calling organic farming a "fad." Er, how do you think humans farmed for thousands of years? No GMOs or pesticides or chemicals. Now that stuff is a fad I wish would fade.
sweetjasmine Posted August 18, 2014 Posted August 18, 2014 Agriculture and domestication of wild animals are both rudimentary forms of genetic modification.
MuddyFootprints Posted August 18, 2014 Posted August 18, 2014 As far as I understand it, selective breeding does not change genetic code.
sweetjasmine Posted August 18, 2014 Posted August 18, 2014 As for pesticides, there's evidence that people have been using various kinds for thousands of years. Instead of RoundUp, farmers used to use sulfur, mercury, lead, and arsenic on produce to control pests. Couldn't remember exactly, but after looking it up, it seems that nicotine sulfate, which is still in use today, was first used in the 17th century. I'll take RoundUp over mercury or arsenic any day, thanks. As far as I understand it, selective breeding does not change genetic code. Selective breeding does lead to genetic change over time. It's how we ended up with chihuahuas and Great Danes belonging to the same species. What we can do in a lab these days is far more accurate and allows for insertion of genes from other organisms, but it's not as if the entire world was unspoiled, pristine, and 100% "natural" and healthy before we started creating synthetic pesticides and playing with DNA.
MuddyFootprints Posted August 18, 2014 Posted August 18, 2014 Nicotine's use in insect control is prehistoric in the Americas. We are making progress, but are already seeing roundup resistant weeds. My understanding was that selective breeding could only be done within species. I guess I need to do some reading.
sweetjasmine Posted August 18, 2014 Posted August 18, 2014 Nicotine's use in insect control is prehistoric in the Americas. We are making progress, but are already seeing roundup resistant weeds. Right, nothing is perfect. There are downsides to everything, from using absolutely nothing on crops to using synthetic pesticides to using natural pesticides. I'm just responding to the implication that everything was better and cleaner in the past. My understanding was that selective breeding could only be done within species. Yes, and sometimes crossing closely related subspecies can create more or less viable hybrids. But artificial selection in one species can lead to enough change over time that the descendants can be considered another species. It's how we ended up with the milk cow from the now-extinct aurochs. 3
pink_sugar Posted August 19, 2014 Posted August 19, 2014 For me, it's all about food being natural with limited additives. As for pesticides, I can easily buy a fruit and vegetable wash for all the non-organic produce. 1
Trane Posted August 30, 2014 Posted August 30, 2014 I buy organic food when it's on sale but i don't buy it like it's going out of style like some people. I don't taste the difference really. Some of the pricing I see on these foods make me hope there's a coupon for a steak or a couple racks of ribs. The odd time I can get three times as much for one organic product in some stores.
Maleficent Posted August 30, 2014 Posted August 30, 2014 I buy organic from local farmers during the summer. The rest of the time I will buy regular and wash in vinegar. I am starting to doubt the organic industry - not because I think it's not a better way of growing produce but because it is becoming a fad. I'm not convinced the (much) higher price of organic food is justified... The produce I buy from the local farmers is no more expensive than the non-organic produce I buy at the grocery store. The organic food store sells the produce from the same local farmers almost twice what I pay. We are getting seriously screwed...
regine_phalange Posted August 31, 2014 Posted August 31, 2014 I buy organic chicken brands because they happen not to be very expensive where I live. But when it comes to veggies, no. They are expensive and they have a similar taste as the non-organic ones, because of the seeds used. I miss fleshy, fragrant, juicy tomatoes so much... Nothing tastes as real and lovely anymore
Thruster Posted September 2, 2014 Posted September 2, 2014 If it grows - natural - in a warehouse -- over in a plant - I eat it! Organic - none -- I don't care
FitChick Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 I miss fleshy, fragrant, juicy tomatoes so much... Nothing tastes as real and lovely anymore Even the farmer's markets in cities don't sell good tomatoes. Must be the seeds used.
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