Plants that are grown in organic means are known to be healthier to eat than those that have been subjected to commercial grown enhancers. Also, the soil is maintained well with an organic system allowing natural microorganisms to work and help the plant grow. This process is usually hindered by chemical fertilizers, improvers, and pesticides that are known to kill even the healthy bacteria found in the soil.

Natural and all organic soil is characterized by the lives that to which it becomes a home, bacteria, fungi, and worms. All these organisms and microorganisms work hand in hand to make the plant grow. When chemicals are used on the soil, all these are destroyed and prevented even if they could be beneficial to the growth of the plant. Farmers are aware of the fact that there are microorganisms present in the soil and plants that help produce healthy and nutrient filled fruits and produces.

With the many new techniques in improving the soil, gardeners and farmers always try to ensure the fertility and natural structure of the soil to take good care of the plants. As part of the soil improvement in farms, the crop rotation is needed to ensure that the soil will be able to develop the needed nutrients these crops need.. The right way to choose crops for planting depends on the season and the condition of the land in the farm.

The use of fertilizers is still needed even in organic farming procedures. However, organic compost is usually preferred because it provides the most natural elements for the soil. An organic compost can be readily done by collecting kitchen wastes, garden pruning, and animal wastes. There are many ways to make an organic compost with the biodegradable wastes that may be collected from the home or the farms itself. Today, there are a lot of ways that farms can utilize the natural composting means in order to improve the condition of the soil of an agricultural land.

Even pesticides may also have an organic replacement in the form of green pesticides. Using compost tea, spinosad, or neem may be non toxic ways of killing unwanted pests from the garden or field. These kinds of green pesticides will help in removing the pests from the soil and plants but still maintain the health of the soil.

Clearing the land of diseased plants and materials is also important because these may take up space on the soil. With these left on the soil, the nutrients that other thriving plants need cannot travel at a faster rate. This would also help avoid possible diseases that may spread to other plants that are healthier and more productive.

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Soil is obviously important because we wouldn’t have anything to stand on without soil.  Without soil, we wouldn’t be able to plant trees, food crops hence, we wouldn’t be able to eat or have shelter to rest from the sun.  In short, our soil is just as important as any other element in our planet. We are all connected in this planet and our soil is one of the most basic elements in our lives.

Aside from providing for a place for seeds, plants and trees to grow our soil is a very important data gathering element in our planet.  Soil quality is measured to help scientist predict impending drought by measuring the soil’s capability to hold water during the dry season.  It can also tell if the area can withstand flooding.  The same is true when scientists are measuring the amount of chemicals and pH in the soil to tell if the area can still sustain healthy plant life.  In other words, our soil is like a measuring device that tells scientists the over all health of an area or a part of land.

Our soil is also a very big link in the chain of life and death in our planet.  Living things like animals, leaves, seeds and other organic matter decompose on the soil providing organic matter that fatten up the soil.  These in turn make plants grow healthier which in turn are eaten by animals that are eaten by humans.  The cycle resumes when the animal dies or something decomposes with a very big help from our soil.

So the next time you feel lower than dirt, think of how important our soil is and how big a contribution it gives to our environment by being just something we step on everyday!

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Organic farmers believe that a free range chicken is one happy chicken and therefore is not oozing with harmful toxins. Not only will it help your energy levels and staying power last longer but also it was said to delay the aging process when introduced along with overall healthy lifestyle.

Most free range chickens are kept organic, since then it became so popular to health buffs the world over causing a shortage in supply. This alone makes it a very lucrative business for farmers worldwide especially in times like these when people are beginning to make a conscious effort in living a healthy lifestyle. Organically raised chickens are grass fed and they are encouraged to live a stress free life of clean air and water. As much as possible, no chemicals are introduced to the chicken’s system, whether directly to the chicken or to its surrounding areas.

Free range chickens are a great source of protein. Aside from that, it offers many benefits to humans when consumed. It is healthy and very delicious too unlike those that are raised in coops which tend to be less tasty. Be warned though, since free range chickens require special care, it tends to cost more than its supermarket counterparts.

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Bee farms are cheap and easy. In fact, they are most recommended for small scale farmers with no resources to start their own businesses with. Many organizations are working on introducing this kind of activity for developing countries like Africa and Asia. So far, may farmers have responded and bee farms are faring well.

There’s no better time to start your own bee farm than today since the demand is very high and the supply is somewhat lacking. It opens a door for poor farmers to somehow generate enough income to support his or her family. It can even be a family business since beekeeping can be done by everyone in the family including kids. Best of all, it can blend perfectly with your crops, assuming you’re also growing them. As we all know, bees pollinate, making your crops all the more healthy therefore increasing their productivity level.

Bees produce honey while honey has high value when sold. They are very easy to harvest and won’t require any additional technology to do so. All it takes is a simple know-how which most free seminars will teach you. Furthermore, its byproduct is well sought-after by manufacturing companies and even health conscious individuals so there’s no need to fret where to sell your goods after each harvest.

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Although it’s to be expected, the slow phase organic fertilizer is currently experiencing is partly due to the fact that farmers are quite confused on what organic fertilizers are and how it can work on their farms. It seems that there is no existing group or organization that helps spreading the word to farmers while commercial fertilizers come complete with instructions and even extend support to small farm communities. According to surveys, almost a hundred percent of gardening hobbyists already made the switch and have been enjoying the benefits of organic fertilizers ever since. It’s because they can afford to wait, spend a little more money and most of all, can try again next time if this season’s batch won’t come out great while farmers don’t have this kind of luxury and unfortunately, they are not informed how to do it properly.

Basically, anything that comes from nature and encourages bacterial growth is considered as an organic fertilizer. Some examples of which are manure, fish emulsions, blood meal, bone meal and even sewer sludge. Organic fertilizers take time to generate results but if one can afford the wait, it will all be worth it.

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Forest farming involves trimming down, albeit cautiously, some certain genus to reestablish balance and equilibrium of a particular forest. Forest farming is encouraged in areas wherein there is an existing issue of overabundance of certain species which restrict growth of other living organisms essential in the biological cycle. Some of the most popular harvests are exotic mushrooms such as Shiitake and other medicinal, edible fungi. This method of farming is not only about harvesting but also it involves planning and cultivating to ensure that the biocycle is not destroyed in any way. Forest farming proves to be a fun and profitable venture that anyone could explore.

Several government funded seminars are conducted to teach locals residing near forest areas about forest farming methods and techniques, as well as the kinds of mushrooms that could be grown in the area. These seminars go as far as how and where to sell your produce after harvests. Aside from mushrooms, there are other crops you can find, grow and harvest in forests since they have rich and very fertile soil that could grow practically anything you can think of. These crops include, but not limited to:  ginseng and ferns which are used for medicinal and ornamental purposes.

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Given these bountiful rewards, who could turn away from this very lucrative business? If the only thing that hinders you from acquiring your own income generating farm is land, think again; there are microfarms operated right in the heart of the city and its neighboring suburbs–one might even be near your place.

Actually, all you need is a piece of land. Determine how much space you can set aside for your own garden and consult an expert on what crops could be grown based on the condition of soil within your space. Usually, you can grow small crops like tomatoes, peppers and radishes. In microfarming, variety is important. However, if you plan to make this as an income generating one, stick to crops that are popular so you could sell them once they are ready and stay away from the ones that will take up too much space such as corn and potatoes. Start with a little garden first then if everything goes right in place, you can add a greenhouse later.

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A macrobiotic diet is different from a vegan diet. A vegan diet is exclusively greens while a macrobiotic diet includes some foods from animal sources, although in limited amounts only. In some ways, a vegan diet shares common food staples with macrobiotic diet such as brown rice and beans but their principles are different. Generally, macrobiotics is based on healthy eating practices that were applied before, when artificial and chemical compositions in food are unheard of.

Macrobiotic dieters state that macrobiotic is a way of life and not a diet which focuses on nutritional value of the food they eat. They believe that in order for the body to achieve maximum health levels, everything inside it should be in perfect balance. This means that a dieter should not deprive the body of nourishment but not overeat. Macrobiotics also has set of rules for cooking and what to eat on certain seasons such as spring, summer, fall and winter. You will also have to learn how to do a macrobiotic diet properly, if you are planning to engage with one.

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Choosing an organic lifestyle is not really that difficult.  The concern over the destruction of our planet have made people like you and me to rise up and take on the challenge to look for more environment friendly of manufacturing goods and services we enjoy everyday.

The easiest way of knowing for sure that an item is organic or environment friendly- from the manufacturing process until such time it reaches the store- is to check out the website of the company that manufactures the item.  Most companies are obliged by federal law to put the ingredients and components used to make certain products on their labels.  While it might say “natural” or “organic or “biodegradable” on the label, make sure to read the fine print and avoid products that are made with pesticides, toxic gases, heavy metals and volatile chemicals.

If the website is unavailable then look for certified seals or eco-labels that have been awarded by an independent, third party organization which has tested and vouched for the product.  Labels from TransFair (Fair Trade Certified),  GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Demeter, SKAL, KRAV, Oeko-Tex and ECOCERT are some of the labels which you should look out for.  Certification from any of these organizations means that the product has been manufactured following environment safe procedures and practices.

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Literally meaning ‘the droppings of seabirds’, guano has been known as a fertilizer to humans as early as the 15th century AD. The Incans gathered guano from the Peruvian coast and used it to enrich their soils. They were so conscious to the agricultural value of birds that disturbing birds was punishable by penalties as strict as death. Besides being an invaluable fertilizer, guano has also been used as an important component of gunpowder. It is said that these uses of guano led, at least in part, to the War of the Pacific (1879 – 83) between Chile and the alliance of Peru and Bolivia.

In contemporary farming, guano has regained its importance as the ecological and health hazards of synthetic fertilizers have come to the attention of farming communities. Guano is used for both agricultural (large-scale) and gardening (small-scale) purposes. Besides enriching the soil with phosphorus, nitrates, and potassium, guano also acts as a benign, natural fungicide and is effective in controlling harmful nematodes. Using guano also activates the compost, owing to the action of microbes that decompose it.

Today, the Pacific islands remain the leading source of guano, though the best quality of guano is one mined in arid regions since rain dissolves the nitrogen component of the guano deposits. Guano is also available at gardening stores and a number of verities come packed with specific components printed on the labels. However, guano mining has been of concern lately to eco-friendly groups since it disturbs the bat colonies that produce it in caves. Bats are sensitive creatures and even slight disturbances make them fret, resulting in their abandonment of their dwelling or even starving to death in stress. This affects further production of fresh guano.

As the current sources of phosphorous in natural soils are estimated to last no longer than another 30 years, guano is just the ideal fertilizer which has no harmful effects on the environment and comes from the air as a natural gift from birds for sustaining the fertility of our planet.

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