Talk:Organic food

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This article seems to be a bit of an overreaction. All things considered, isn't it pretty reasonable to assume that an apple that hasn't been sprayed regularly with all sorts of -cides, then coated in wax to make it stay fresh longer would be at least somewhat healthier than one that has? Or that a chicken reared on fresh food and air would be superior to one kept in a cage and fed on a steady diet of growth hormones? --AKjeldsenGodspeed! 15:04, 28 February 2008 (EST)

I don't know what it used to say back in February but it seems reasonable now. I'd like to see citations for quite a few of its claims, though, and perhaps something about the current food crisis (with organic's lower yields in mind). Actually seeing as I live in Totnes I could do something with this article, there are entire organic-only shops here. Totnesmartin 05:17, 4 August 2008 (EDT)

The problem with organic farming as a skeptical topic is that it really isn't that bad an idea; a completely negative article on the subject is just unwarranted. It's not that it's woo in and of itself; the woo factor comes in when people make assumptions about things being "organic" and "natural" that are unwarranted. There's really quite a lot to say on it, both pro and con, so let's do that. EVDebs 13:07, 4 August 2008 (EDT)
On the "woo" aspect, I would think, is the marketing and the US govt (extremely loose) requirements for what is and is not "organic". --Waiting for Godot 13:09, 4 August 2008 (EDT)

Contents

[edit] Pesticide retention

For people who intend on using the knowledge, practically, I have seen charts on which fruits and vegetables do and do not retain pesticides (I've heard bananas are always safe, where foods like grapes are not), but I don't have official numbers, nor do I have the article at hand nor know if it's reliably sourced. It would be a worthy addition to this entry if this information were included. — Unsigned, by: 71.23.152.92 / talk / contribs

You wil be accused of Chemophobia for pretending pesticides are harmful. --Vladimir Putin 12015.jpg Brasov ] 109.195.54.231 (talk) 16:53, 6 February 2013 (UTC)
Why has your comment not already been deleted?--Token Conservative (talk) 23:11, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

[edit] Bruce Ames and natural pesticides

Could this or this be added to the article?--Krejtalk 16:16, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

Also, what do you guys think about his research on vitamins and aging?--Krejtalk 16:21, 6 February 2013 (UTC)
I think in order to have a real opinion on the gentleman's work, I'd need to some research on pesticide retention in different plants, which I imagine depends on the plant and the pesticide. And I'm not familiar with, well, anyone's work on vitamins and aging.--Token Conservative (talk) 23:12, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

[edit] Jerome Rodale

More should be here about the roots of organic farming. All we have now is 'Organic farming was pioneered by alternative medicine promoter Jerome Rodale (né Cohen) blah blah etc.'   I'm not about to write it myself (yet?), but sooner or later something should be added about Albert Howard, the "father of organic farming". He might have been a bit amused by the appellation himself, considering that his "Indore method" of soil-building and pest control was just one method of organic farming, and he'd probably agree that using only natural substances in farming and nothing more, while blundering about the work in credulous ignorance and following the herd of whatever cult appeals to you that way would be like bricks without mortar. Howard was big on pragmatic empiricism. Things get murky. You might say Rodale was the Marianne Williamson of organic farming, and Howard was like Schucman and Thetford. Or Jesus. Ultimately Satan of course, since Schucman, Thetford and Jesus were all tools of Satan :)   . But they're only analogous in congruence of form, not essence, since A Course In Miracles can be empirically disproven by any maniac with a machine gun, and An Agricultural Testament is more scientific than Archimedes. If my attitude rubs people the wrong way, I'll paste the cut-out silly bits into the Uncyclopedia.

[edit] Overly Negative?

While organic food may not have proven health benefits, it does reduce some forms of environmental impact. Depending on the location and the crop in question, this can lead to some organic crops clearly coming out ahead.--TiaC (talk) 10:53, 8 December 2014 (UTC)

Also would like to add that this article is very US centric. Organic farming isn't the same worldwide.--179.178.246.150 (talk) 20:25, 27 December 2014 (UTC)
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