Boost your roots at ‘Umeke Market

By Guest writer
Wednesday - May 19, 2010

Do you know the difference between “Conventional” and “Organic”? Now when you go in a grocery store and check out the produce section, you will see these signs. Some people will say the difference between them are one is more expensive than the other but it’s more than that, it is the difference of keeping our air clean, less carbon imprint on the environment, and especially keeping it local.

Organic gardening has become very popular in the past few years. Not only has it been a growing industry for the grocery stores and farmer’s markets but in our own back yards right here in our cities. Organic Urban Gardening has been on a steady rise in various countries such as Cuba, Mexico, and Peru also cities such as Salt Lake City, Chicago and the Bronx in New York.

What exactly does “organic” mean? Organic gardening means to grow fruits, vegetables and other plants without relying on synthetic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Does this mean you do not feed your soil and that you cannot control weeds or pests? Not at all! There are many natural ways to maintain your garden.

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Why would you want to have an organic garden? You can limit the amount of genetically modified foods (GMO) that you consume by growing and eating organic produce.

Rather than apply chemicals to cure disease and control pests, as conventional growers must do, organic growers are oriented toward prevention through continuous soil improvements. It is a big difference in the attitude: the chemical quick fix vs. long-term soil building.

The benefits of taking the long-term approach are immediate. Rather than having to keep indoors during a “re-entry interval,” (after using poisonous chemical pesticides, there is a required safety period when people must avoid the area), organic gardeners never experience exile from the location where they grow food.

Also, there is the difference in the effect on local water sources. Organic gardeners don’t contaminate ponds and groundwater with synthetics.

Organic foods are the safest choice for you and for the environment. But organic fruits and vegetables can also be expensive—but not if you grow them yourself! With the recession, and being budget, going organic in your garden is easier than you might expect, and the impressive yields you can obtain with natural methods may surprise you.

Since the fall of the USSR, Cuba has created the term “Organop’onicos” which restored their population infrastructure of daily nutrition from 1,800 calories and a plummeted protein consumption of 40% per capa in 1995 to more than 90% sustainable supply of organic, pesticide free fruits and veggies provided for the country in Havana. In the United States, we have cities called “Green Cities”, rated by the public data from the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the American Lung Association, are cities that do organic urban gardening on top of skyscraper roofs, open abandoned lots and lanais/patios.

In short, gardeners who live where they grow food have a particular motivation and advantage in using an organic system: personal health and safety. But everyone benefits when organic methods are used because they are sustainable: wholesome food is produced in a system that respects the natural environment.

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For all of us “Townies” whom don’t have the “Farmer” in us, ‘Umeke Market has our Café with our broke da mouth foods which uses all organic, free-range, wild caught, and grass fed meats. Our organic greens come from MA’O Farms and Mari’s Nusery Aquaponic Greens.

To have your one stop shop environment, along with our fantastic deli, supplement, Cosmetic, Apparel and Grocery department, we here at ‘Umeke Market are proud to introduce our Gardening Department!!!

 

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