Approximately five years ago a word that was reserved for those products that were perceived as most wholesome and closest to nature started to appear on food packaging with flaming speed. Huge corporations were plastering the term in a variety of bold fonts and colors to lure the public into buying a "healthier" product. The word "organic" was bastardized and diluted by the FDA and USDA because large companies had recognized a budding niche in the grocery industry. Consumers were voting with their dollars by buying products that were grown without the aid of hormones, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers, growth stimulants and insecticides. They were becoming aware agribusinesses and farm corporations were not responsibly using fertilizers and insecticides as evidenced by the accumulation of these additives in the water in addition to other poor farming practices resulting in the degradation of the environment. Agribusiness and grocery corporations wanted to cash in on the new "organic" niche but could not do so with their mono-cropping and petrol-chemical laden practices. Hence, the government relaxed its definition of the terms "Organic and Natural" in November 2005. (Hawken, Paul 1993. The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability) (www.ams.usda.gov)
ORGANIC ORGANIC ORGANICBio: "...dealing with living organisms and vital processes."
Conscious: "perceiving, apprehending, or noticing with a degree of controlled thought or
observation." (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Bio-Conscious: Dealing with vital processes of organisms with controlled thought and observation.
Advancements in agriculture and farming are not all insidious. In fact, many of them are assets and thus require consideration for use in our plots. For instance, plant varieties that are heat or drought tolerant can produce higher yields in some climates. Additionally, the development of organic practices such as companion planting, composting, fertigation (liquid compost teas applied to leaves), and natural insecticides like pyrethrins and soaps all warrant employment to minimize reliance on petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides. Physical barriers like row cover have been created to allow sunlight and rain to penetrate and regulate temperature but also keep bugs out. Being conscious and managing of all of these components are prudent to a gardener who is optimizing yield with the least environmental impact. However, when an epoch invasion of potato beetles readily decimating plants with your yield and traditional organic methods are failing it would be acceptable to spray a pesticide on the affected plants. Cautiously following the manufacturers' instructions and treating only the infested plants, not widely broadcasting or overhead spraying all of the crops like larger operations. In other words, acting in a bio-conscious manner means to practice organic farming processes with the sparse and responsible utilization of petroleum based products. We do not consider genetically modified organisms/seeds to be bio-conscious due to the lack of knowledge of long term effects on the environment and people.
We are bio-conscious gardeners. To hone the practice means spending a lot of time observing our treasured plants, fertilizing with compost and manures, protecting our soil with green manures, planting flowers amongst the vegetables and fruits to encourage beneficial insects, identifying problems early and using non-organic products only when complete crop loss is at risk and as a last resort.
