Is Your Organic Garden Really Organic?

Organic foods are certainly all the rage these days. I immediately gravitate towards that section when ever I visit the shopping market and will gladly shell out the additional money to buy these foods. In the spring, I set about tending to my own organic garden so I can enjoy my own organic produce. I used to think that I was doing it all right – the garden was away from the home so as to avoid any possible lead or other contaminants that may be involved in the construction of the house from interfering with the fruits and vegetables; the garden was well away from the road, so as to prevent exhaustion and other chemicals from contaminating my food; and I used only natural pesticides and eco-friendly bug-battling products to keep my produce parasite-free.

That’s when my friend told me that she learned that, years ago, a strip mall used to span her property and others, where a Laundromat was also located.

“I tested the soil, and I found out that there was a lot of junk in the soil STILL from that Laundromat 20 years ago! Can you believe that?” She was stunned. That got me thinking – what used to be on the property I live on? Are my organic goods really not all that organic?

Know Your Land

A quick visit to city hall will allow you to look into what the land you currently live on has been used for. Were there ever any businesses here? How about any conventional farms? Conventional farming used arsenic-based pesticides from the 1800s right up to 1945, where farmers then mostly switched to synthetic pesticides. But arsenic pesticides were not banned outright until 1988.

Is it Still Organic?

Many organic produce has been scrutinized lately, and for good reason. FDA testing in 1997 revealed that many frozen vegetables actually had large amounts of lead in them thanks to the land previously being used for “conventional” farming uses. Land that used to be used for orchards or that had fruit trees growing on them seem to have a drastically increased amount of lead in the soil, thanks to the types of pesticides that were used.

Keep Growing

If you do happen to find out that the land you are using for your organic farm was actually previously used for conventional farming or any other sort of business that may have contaminated the soil, this does not mean that you have to stop farming all together. To prevent contamination, you can:

• Wash all fruits and vegetables for at least 30 seconds, being sure to rub them vigorously before consumption. This will help ensure that all contaminated soil has been removed from the produce.
• Wash your hands and take off your shoes before entering the house. Rinse off and wipe off your pet’s feet before they enter your home as well.
• Leafy vegetables and roots vegetables (such as carrots) tend to “take in” the most amounts of metals from the soil. If your garden is contaminated, consider growing fruits that grow above ground, such as tomatoes, in that area instead.
• You can also always import some fresh organic topsoil, or use planters to plant your organic crops.

It is important to not let a little bit of contaminated soil keep you from providing you and your family with fresh fruits and vegetables! Be proactive in seeking solutions and you will surely enjoy a great crop of organic fruits and vegetables this spring.

photo by Christa Richert