Agriculture and health are inseparable

2010-03-20T16:07:45-04:00

It would be fun if one could visit the past in a time machine. I would like to visit my old neighborhood, particularly the years 1962 or 1963. I would just like to watch myself at play; whether bored and cranky, or enthusiastic and happy. What signs of future greatness, or failure, would I see?

I am in the mood to wax nostalgic (become nostalgic) . The other day I was outside planting some of the first seeds in a garden. My neighbors, a mother with her three year old, were also outside. They were riding this large plastic truck down the hill. They eventually wandered over to my garden after the truck crashed into some rocks and broke a wheel. The young boy helped me plant some peas, scallions and kale. I was amazed that he stuck with it for almost an hour. His Mom and I were pretty busy making sure he didn't chop off his finger with the trowel, or put all his seeds in a single pile. He took a lot of pride in placing plant markers on his rows. Eventually he wandered off to get a yogurt drink. He came back with an armful and offered me a purple one. Not bad at all. Today the Mom and son were both outside planting some carrots. He assured me that his carrots would be "THIS" big.

I grew up in the inner city, in housing projects. The doors to each unit were solid steel. I can remember the locks. I remember the locks because doors were always locked. This was a big disadvantage when being chased by the "big" kids...which happened to me a lot. No place to run. No place to hide. Lots of beatings. We played on concrete or asphalt, there was no grass. We were fortunate that there was a playground within easy walking distance. The local elementary school also had what served as a basketball court. The asphalt was old; the court had a very distinct curve. If you missed a pass you had a long run down the hill chasing the ball.

My Dad won the lottery, the Irish Sweepstakes, and we bought a house in the suburbs, with a large back yard. After moving out of the housing project, my Dad developed four passions. One he cultivated, poorly, but with great gusto. That was golf. Another, his garden, -vegetables (tomatoes in particular), not flowers, was merely an ornament, a backdrop for his third and fourth passions. The third passion was listening on the radio to the Boston Red Sox baseball broadcasts. The fourth, and the greatest passion was drinking; beer, and when feeling flush with cash, boilermakers.

I took over the garden, and, I don't know how, became a follower of the "organic" method. I wasn't a fanatic, I'd use a the deadliest "poison", followed by a flamethrower, if necessary, to save my tomatoes. But I started each season as an "organic" acolyte. I think my first subscription to any magazine was to Organic Farming and Gardening. I used some of the money I made from being a caddy at the Country Club. No, we weren't rich. Just like the movie, I bicycled to the course, hung out in the caddy shack, and the only time I played golf was on "caddy day". The movie was pretty accurate. I think we got to use the pool one time before we were "banned".

As close as anyone can determine, the first use of the term "organic" (in the United States, anyway) was in 1940. J.I. Rodale coined it in an article for the publication Fact Digest. Shortly thereafter, he launched Organic Farming and Gardening (OFG) magazine — for many years the flagship publication of Rodale Press. The publication would later be retitled Organic Gardening. For a long time the publishing house was the most highly visible and accessible source of information about "non-chemical" farming and gardening in the U.S.

Rodale had an interest in promoting a healthy and active lifestyle that emphasized organically grown foods. To Rodale, agriculture and health were inseparable. Healthy soil required compost, eschewing poisonous pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Eating plants grown in such soil would then help humans stay healthier, he expounded.

During this time of social upheaval, (the 60's) Organic Gardening was recognized as a major source of information and a communication forum for those interested in alternatives to conventional agriculture and food production techniques. Rodale himself used the magazine to reinforce his personal belief that organically grown food was infinitely healthier than the alternative. He praised the virtues of simple, unprocessed foods which arise from healthy, productive soils combined with a clean atmosphere and water supply.

When I started to consider the garden for this season I wasn't too concerned about how I would fertilize the plants. I had even placed some old, very old, chemical herbicide I found in the cellar on my "active" garden shelf. However, now I have a three year old who will probably ask me a question or two during the growing season. How can I tell him, "My tomatoes are bigger than yours because I use better chemicals"? Now I could handle the angry screams from the spirit of J.I. Rodale as I sprayed some chemical dust on my beans. I could probably even handle his angry apparition late at night while cycling down a country road. What I can not do is offer bad advice to a young gardener. I am organic, again.

I remember neighbors laughing at me when I was a kid. Some would even complain about some of the smells, especially from the seaweed on a hot day. However, they never refused one of my tomatoes.

May I offer for you reading pleasure: Getting old isn't for sissies.

You may also enjoy reading: One Sign Of Spring

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Epicurean Health

Agriculture and health are inseparable