Page 3 - Organic Gardening 3 Part Series

Introduction

Organic gardening has made a resurgence in recent years due to concern about
the toxic pesticides and genetically modified products which have found their way
into our food supply. Unfortunately buying organic food can become quite
expensive and recent news stories have highlighted the fact that not all organic
foods are equal.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted a study in 2016, which found that
organic food such as eggs, milk, and salad greens cost as much as 60 percent

more than nonorganic alternatives. Items such as apples, carrots, and spinach can
be anywhere from 7 to 30 percent more expensive.

That's why more people are opting to start their own organic vegetable gardens
providing them easy access to food they know is grown in the healthiest possible
way and which is considerably cheaper than anything available at the store or at
farmer's markets.

The increasing popularity of
organic gardening has
made it easier than ever to
get started. Resources are
available in numerous
books, on the internet, and

in the form of gardening
clubs. Your local university
or agricultural extension
office can also be valuable
sources of information.

What is organic gardening?

Organic gardening simply
means that chemical sprays and fertilizers are not used in the growing process.
Instead, an organic garden relies on Nature's processes and restoring plant matter
to the soil by way of mulch and compost. This process allows bacteria, fungi,

insects, and earthworms to become plentiful and do their part to prepare the soil
for planting.