TV and Radio permalink
Monty's metamorphosis...
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Â
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
Look's like Monty is on the cusp of re-emergence to public life with the Soil Association. In an excellent interview in the Saturday Guardian he says (amongst other things) that he'd like the organisation to drop the term 'organic' and move to 'sustainable' instead. I couldn't agree more.
It's always struck me as bonkers that an overseas grower using unsustainable water supplies and airfreight can get an big tick of approval for sticking to strict no pesticide principles but a highly sustainable UK grower who doesn't quite meet the specification is lumped in with the bad boys. Focusing on the bigger sustainability question allows the word 'organic' to be reserved for a dietary specification with strict adherence to no pesticide use.
Anyway, good to see Monty putting his horticultural expertise and media savvy to good use and apparently in much improved health too. -
Message 2
Posted by Boofer (U3709461) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
Thanks for highlighting this Trillium.
Have just found it on the web:
There are people who don't like him but I think he talks a great deal of sense. -
Message 3
Posted by green-buddha (U11615833) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
Oh really? Name one!
-
Message 4
Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
Phew, because on this reasoning I have sprayed my winter/spring brassicas because of cabbage white butterflies. I have been growing them organically for years without protection but at the moment we are infested.
Years ago, fruit and veg flown into Heathrow were known as 'queer gear', because of it's novelty, whereas now it is a big industry.
You could ague that imported 'organic' crops put pressure on regional suppliers to go organic. However possibly an intermediate classification is needed to promote crops where the minimum fertilizers and pesticides are used? -
Message 5
Posted by toonia (U4760062) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
I don't think the serious issue is whether we say organic or sustainable.
Once again, the majority of gardeners are converted to the cause and I am like hereisabee - only resort to pesticide when something is getting really out of control.
I am still not comfortable with this aspect of MD's argument:
"maybe third-world countries will have to suffer as a result of our national food policy"
I couldn't help thinking of Sir Bob -maybe the bad language is an emulation? I'd like to see a debate between Geldof and Don - Feed the World versus Feed Yourself.
Jamie Oliver and Sir Bob both realised that they had to have politicians onside to get anywhere. It will be interesting to see if the MD approach of terrorist cells will work! -
Message 6
Posted by Ariadne Knickerbocker (U4534559) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
My problem is with the move away from organic to sustainable and local. Ideally for me all three should come into play as I want to buy the latter and I NEED to buy the former because I have chemical sensitivities. I have already had to give up on always buying organic chicken and moved to free-range locally sourced for instance. The minute organic gets knocked off the agenda all sorts of crap will creep back into/onto food. It is unrealistic to say that we can control this by growing everything ourselves and although I have tried to grow a small amount of veg this year (and others) the amount I have invested in growing the 5 weather surviving tomatoes probably makes them cost about £5.00 each.
-
Message 7
Posted by janerowena (U10782401) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
That is a problem. I always reckon to lose at least one of my veg varieties every year because of one pest or another, but I don't resort to pesticides to cure the problem. I just count myself lucky to have got the others through unscathed.
I suppose, logically, we would be swapping any glut we have with a neighbour for another veg that failed in our own garden. -
Message 8
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
All three simultaneously would indeed be the ideal, VM. But if we could trust organic to mean absolutely pesticide free, and 'sustainable' and 'local' had their own clear definitions too (so local = not trucked to the other side of the country and back to be washed, for instance) then we would all know what we were buying and could select our own priorities according to need/preference.
-
Message 9
Posted by Ariadne Knickerbocker (U4534559) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
I agree Trillium but the fact is we can't trust much at all and never will be able to. I seem to remember reading that much of the organic stuff grown abroad has a lot looser definition of organic than the UK has. Sustainable? What does that mean? It will mean whatever any unscrupulous marketer wants it to mean until the government tightens up on the use of the word on food products and then the marketeers will just find something else like "accessible".
And what is local? Scotland is more local to me than Kenya. -
Message 10
Posted by greeneddy (U6603838) on Sunday, 31st August 2008
A label on a product to denote food miles would be good, wouldn't it? Including, as Trillium says, whether it's been trucked across the country to be washed.
I'm lucky, I have my allotment, swap gluts with friends and neighbours, and also buy stuff at a local organic shop (with much of the produce coming from local allotments) which opens 2 days a week. All within 20 mins walk. I'm also keen to learn more about how to preserve/store fresh organic food, as I feel it's one of the things my gran probvably knew very well how to do, my mum less so, and me, I just make jam. -
Message 11
Posted by upthegardenpath (U5327429) on Friday, 5th September 2008
.... and France is more local to me than Scotland....
-
Message 12
Posted by Braidman (U11753668) on Friday, 5th September 2008
I have no problem with the word "ORGANIC" to describe veggies, only with the people who sprout it in every sentance.
If any of the "I only buy organic" crew believe that the stuff they buy in supermarkets have had nothing "illegal" put on them, well they don't live in the real world!
They may trust the continental growers, where most of the stuff comes from, but if they do not remember the start of the EU and it's wine lakes and butter mountains, and all the scams and cheating that went on; I still do.
If any bug or disease was going to affect their crop or profit,out would come the sprays and poisons and to heck with chemical free produce.
Oh! yes, I know it is tested for chemicals, but so are sports men and women and they still cheat. -
Message 13
Posted by TallyHo (U2364821) on Friday, 5th September 2008
Braidman I agree. All the more reason to grow your own... and stop whinging about the people who try to show you how.
-
Message 14
Posted by greeneddy (U6603838) on Friday, 5th September 2008
only with the people who sprout it in every sentanceÂ
Freudian slip, Braidman?
I think I may fall into your "organic crew" label; I don't buy only organic, as that would be beyond my means, but I grow as much of my own stuff as I can, and buy from the local organic shop as much as I can. It's a belief, but its not a religion.
Personally, I'm just pleased that there is a lot more organic stuff about. To me it just makes sense that, because of the nature of plants (taking things in from their leaves and roots, including pesticide sprays, etc), the fewer nasties they've come into contact with, the better. -
Message 15
Posted by Braidman (U11753668) on Friday, 5th September 2008
Tally ho!
Bite! Bite!
They always do! -
Message 16
Posted by greeneddy (U6603838) on Friday, 5th September 2008
Ouch, Braidman, that hurt! You apologise right now!
Once bitten, though
-
Message 17
Posted by hageyfella (U13274467) on Friday, 5th September 2008
Although i grow my veg without sprays there seems to be this holier than thou attitude about people who spray.
Peer groups seem to form whatever the subject matter. -
Message 18
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Saturday, 6th September 2008
Sales of organic items are down 20% this year due to the economic position and I don't see this getting any better some time soon. Some of the organic egg producers are moving back to free range as the bottom is now dropping out of the organic market.
Could be bumpy times ahead for the soil association and organic growers -
Message 19
Posted by TallyHo (U2364821) on Saturday, 6th September 2008
Sales are down, full stop. Veg seeds however, are up, up, up. Outselling flower seed.
All evidence pointing to more and more people are growing their OWN organic produce. I'm really glad I do, I'm saving @ £20–30 a week at present. I don't have to buy any veg at all for 8 months of the year. -
Message 20
Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Saturday, 6th September 2008
On this theme it is poor of Joe Swift to 'slang off' his previous box of vegetables, as these schemes are a good deal for many people and should be encouraged rather than despised?
About this Board
Welcome to the new Gardening Board. If this is your first time, then make sure you check out the
or  to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
Weekdays 09:00-00:00
Weekends 10:00-00:00
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.