Science one the greatest principles that human beings mind’s discovered. Along with this, man’s search for knowledge led them to a useful way of applying these principles in what we called now Technology. Through the years, these discoveries of man enabled them to live different life styles.
Thousands of years ago, our ancestors already developed a useful and healthy way of farming, they called it Organic Farming. This was the process of producing food naturally. It avoids the used of synthetic chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms to affect the growth of crops. Moreover, organic farming resulted to ‘zero impact’ on the environment.
Study shows that organic farming has re-emerged as the outcome of consumer reaction against harmful toxins and the desire for more health and environmental safeguards. It was consider a re-implementation of an ancient process followed by our ancestors before they discovered chemicals that could save time and improve crop quality. Besides, experts revealed that organic farming had an unfortunate side effect of ruining our air, water, and soil.
Like other methods of farming, this process followed basic rules such as no used of chemical fertilizers, no used of genetically modified organisms, prevention from soil loss and erosion, and promotion of ‘bio diversity’ to support a range of crops, not a single species.
According to scientists, this unique technique was a form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. It aims to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm. It used fertilizers and pesticides but strictly limited the used of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics and food additives.
To ensure the highest quality of products and a successful organic farming, here are some of the procedures to be followed.
1. It is important the all seeds were untreated and free of genetically modified organisms.
2. Irrigation water is supplied from a naturally occurring artesian flowage over 500 feet below the farm's surface.
3. In controlling the weeds it’s advisable to use the methods of cultivating the soil. Mowing and hand weeding can also be applied. Experts suggested to cover crops for prevention of weed and a source of nitrogen and organic matter. Additionally, crop flamer was also used to eliminate the last flush of weeds before vegetable emergence.
4. Eco – sensitive processing was also applied. After the nutrients have been extracted from the raw materials, the majority of biodegradable by-products are returned to the fields in a monitored, land-spreading program.
5. Environmental Buffers. Farm should be surrounded on all sides by environmental buffers to minimize the impact of non-agricultural land and chemical inputs from traditional farming practices.
In addition, organic farmers can use certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal, and various mineral powders such as green and rock phosphate. These methods helped in maintaining the soil productivity and to supply the plant nutrients and to control weeds, insects and other pests.
With the help of proper procedures in applying organic farming, our environment and us will greatly benefit from it. Organic farming is helpful in creating integrated, humane, environmentally and economically sustainable agriculture production systems. Organic food has the highest nutritional value as compare to products from modern conventional methods. Organic food tastes better than that of conventionally grown. Organic food can be stored longer and do not show the latter’s susceptibility to rapid mold and rotting.
Moreover, a healthy plant grown organically in properly balanced soil resists most diseases and insect pests. In organic agriculture, plants conditions improve greatly that dissuaded many weeds and favor the crops. In effect, the crops have the greater ability to compete with the weeds. Since organic farming does not incur the use of expensive agrichemicals, greater resistance of the crops to pests and the diseases save farmers significantly in expensive insecticides, fungicides and other pesticides making the organic products low cost or affordable in the market. In addition, organically grown plants had more droughts tolerant.
Our people here in our locality were already in a decade of practicing the method of organic farming. Surprisingly, many of our farmers were very proud of their organic food products. Their laborious and passion in farming using organic farming methods resulted in producing the finest products in our region. Below are the following products foods from organic farming.
1. Organic Rice – Brown, Red, Black, Violet
2. Organic Fruits – Mango, Pineapple, Papaya, Guava, Citrus
3. Organic Vegetables – Cucumber, Lettuce, Bitter ground, Eggplant, Cabbage, Carrots, Stevia, Parsley, Tomatoes, Peanuts
4. Organic Flowers – Dalia, Big Wonder Flowers, Asther, Springery, Rose
5. Vermicompost, Organic Fertilizers from Hog manure and Chicken manure
6. Cocosap Juice, Bignay Wine, Rice Wine, Virgin Coconut Oil, Lemon Grass Juice
7. Muscovado sugar, honey, insect repellent from organic herbal plants
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