Pursuing Organic, non-GM Gardening

As I touched on in a previous post, I'm exploring the world of organic, non-GMO gardening.  I don't recall any one thing that really pushed me toward that.  I think it was a number of things.  I watched a few videos (quite a few are available, streaming on Netflix), read a few articles (printed and online), talked to some people who are educated (doctors and whatnot), and did a bit of critical thinking.

I also noticed that when I ate only whole (unprocessed) organic foods, particularly over a duration as long as a week, that I felt better.  Less congested (a problem for me at this time of year), clearer-thinking, less bloated, slept better, was more awake when I was awake, and lost weight.  Would I get similar results from whole, non-organic foods?  Probably, but since we're trying to avoid chemical-laced products and foods that have been genetically modified, organic is the focus.

My world view has shifted to one where I really came to realize that what goes in our bodies all affects how they operate.  The cleaner, more pure version of what goes in the better off we are.  The way I see it, chemicals, pesticides, hormones, and genetic modification to food sources all have a trickle-down effect on how our bodies operate and also deter them from effective operation.  And that's before we eat junk food and/or overeat.

My family's not to a point where we only eat organic/non-GMO stuff, but we're slowly working our way there.  I figured that starting a garden with that methodology is a great way to start.  It also helps us on our way toward the goal of having a small-scale homestead at some point in the future.

The Garden
A lot goes into gardening: the soil, the vessel (boxes, pots, etc), means of fertilization, pest control, fungicides.  That's not including water, sun, wind, and any climbing structure that may be needed.  All of those tangible aspects to the garden can and will leech unwanted chemicals into food crops. 

Are your seeds safe?
I very recently stumbled across an article detailing some companies that have taken a "Safe Seed Pledge," meaning that they don't sell genetically modified seed.  I'm happy to see that the two companies that I have bought my seeds from, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, are both on the list of having made that pledge.  Johnny's Selected Seeds, a company I know a lot of people use, is also on that list.

What's all this mean?
It means that it's harder than ever to lead a healthy lifestyle.  I think it's still worth the effort, though.