Packaged organic compost is often human sewage
joellenh
13 years ago
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piscesfish
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoscottokla
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Composting kitchen scraps really Organic?
Comments (27)Ugg...that Davis book and his lack of knowledge about horticulture/crop production. He may have a handle on health, but he's missing a lot when it comes to crop development. First, Dr. Davis is a medical doctor with no background in horticulture. Second, the "mutant" wheat he goes on about is 1- not created by Monsanto (it is BASF and some educational institutions) 2- it's Clearfield wheat which is naturally resistant to certain herbicides early in it's growth by this forced chemical mutation hybrid 3- Clearfield varieties are planted on about 1m acres...out of the 62m acres of wheat planted. Third, the mutant genes came from a French wheat variety called 'Fidel' which was naturally resistant to a specific class of herbicides, but was not a commercially viable variety in the US. The crossing process used was used to speed up crossing these traits, not because it wouldn't be able to be done naturally. Texas A&M actually did most of the heavy work on this cross in conjunction with BASF. Also, this didn't happen til the late 1980s and it didn't hit the market til the mid/late-1990s. Fourth, his notions about wheat protein diversity are off base. His claim that modern wheat varieties only contain 10-15% protein compared to older varieties is just bunk. Variation from 7-25% are quite common in older varieties and are all over the place. His claim that wheat was "left alone" for 200+ years up until the 1940s by breeders is simply bunk. Fifth, Monsanto isn't the beginning, nor end of the world, but it seems to be the only corporation some people are aware of in the world. Wheat is a complex crop cultivated over many thousands of years for different purposes. From a genetic point of view there are diploid (2 sets of chromosomes), tetraploid (4 sets of chromosomes), and hexaploid (6 sets of chromosomes) varieties out in the wild before science even had the means to determine chromosome content...much less mess with them. The genetic diversity is wide in scope I can't speak on the medical stuff he claims...such as linking wheat consumption to autism and schizophrenia, though there's a lot of people upset about those claims, too....See MoreCity sewage sludge for lawn, garden...?
Comments (12)"humans are the moist diseased and poisoned creatures in the world now" Ummm...okay, then...uh...hmmm. I know a lot of fish, bird, lizard, and plant species that would like to have a word with you on that subject. ...and there's the whole aspect of what's being sold as human sludge to the general public is already well composted (with much more regulation and care than even most every plant waste composting facility). To get back on subject... The biggest downside to using sewage sludge for anything but lawns and trees/shrubs...aka, food crops...is using them in constant application as an amendment for years on end. The accumulation of metals via constant application can occasionally cause some problems with a lot of annual plants sensitive to them. A lot of grasses and trees/shrubs can handle it fine, but growing veggies through seedling/youth/adult/fruiting/decline has various levels of sensitivities to metal buildup in the soil. It's a nice source for a lot of things, but it's not something I'd use as an "every season/year" compost amendment to a veggie garden....See MoreAnother post on human urine in compost
Comments (16)Informative and thoughtful posts, Sue and Blutranes. Thank you. :) If I was the only person eating what I grow, I'd have no hesitation about adding pee to the garden. But, I give away food all summer long and well into the winter. My friends already think I'm a tad strange when I haul home 50lb bags of alfalfa and weekly loads of UCG and pile them up with leaves raked up in the park and yard waste bags scrounged from the street after dark, then cover up the lasagna layers with cardboard, paper, and burlap. They tend to look at me rather askance, when I ramble on about the crucial importance of the microherd and how to encourage diverse bacteria and fungal growth. Part of my own faith as an organic gardener is to spread the word about how it works. I want others to see and understand the process, as well as the product. When I can demonstrate the clear visible difference in soil which has been improved by organic materials -- and show the results, in increased plant growth and productivity -- I like to hope it will encourage others to try to do the same. However, if I told them I was achieving these results by peeing on my compost heaps, I think it would have a more negative impact. And I don't want to lie to my friends about what I'm doing. Or lie about what goes into the food I give to them. Like Blutranes, disclosure is a major issue for me. Perhaps if (when!) people grow more familiar with the many sides of small-scale organic gardening, folks will be more accepting and understanding of composting with pee. For now, for me -- I'd rather not piss them off. :) All the best, -Patrick...See MoreOrganic compost?
Comments (22)I pretty much agree with Lloyd. "Organic", as it is applied to agriculture, home gardening and food in general, is a term that has been widely used, abused and misused. Thanks to the USDA it now has specific meaning for commercial purposes for those who wish to label food products they sell as organic. But that's about it. After that it is a general concept that guides practice and process. Once it is understood it is a matter of personal preference of what is embraced and practiced as "organic". There is no absolute right or wrong, just a difference. Someone wants to be vocal and take a position, that's their position, and their's alone. There are no judges for the home grower or gardener. Each must decide for themselves. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements defines organic agriculture as, " a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved." There is little more natural than crude oil, straight from the ground. The same can be said for sodium chloride (salt) either mined as a solid, or recovered from brine or seawater by evaporation. Both are abundant, natural resources where I live. But as amendments for your soil or additions to your compost, they are both quite destructive. As inputs for agriculture or gardening, the are few things that would have more adverse effects, and as a result be entirely inconsistent with the fundamental foundation and premise of organic gardening. Understand the fundamental premise, then do what makes sense....See MoreOkiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agododemeister
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agomiraje
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoscottokla
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agolittledog
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agomiraje
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agohshields
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agokelleyp125
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agododemeister
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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