“The whole organic foods thing is a scam to separate people who don’t know anything about growing plants from their money.”
Indeed. The chemicals with “organic” labels are often proven to be more toxic to humans than synthetic. There are no requirements for nutrition value or proper ripening. “Organic” is often harvested too early so the crop is not yet attractive to bugs. Resulting in smaller, tasteless and less nutritious yield.
However, as someone who grows all their own produce, I can say there exists a higher level of food that is rarely sold in stores and you can 100% taste the difference. My practices are as follows:
-Only fertilize with compost made from food scraps, leaves and straw. Preferably from a source where all the same practices are followed. No concentrated liquids or powders should ever directly be used on fields since the drastic ph/ec change destroys the soil life.
-Use cover crops and rotation to maintain nitrogen, scavenge minerals from deep underground, reduce compaction and repel soil pests. Never till beyond the few inches needed to remove the cover.
-No poisonous pesticides of any type. Only biological pest controls like bacteria, nematodes, bugs, chickens.
-No herbicides or dead mulch for weeds. The soil must be as open to the air as possible for soil life to do the work. In my climate, I simply stop all irrigation once my crop’s roots are deep enough and weeds then cannot take hold. The water is pulled right from under them. In more moist climates, do a “living mulch” that is compatible with your climate and crop.
-In terms of building soil life, “companion plants” become very important. Planting certain plants next to each other will create a synergy in soil life and increased yield for both plants (i.e. beans and corn, tomato and basil). Planting very uncompatible plants will suppress soil life and result is less yield for both (i.e. brassica cabbage next to nearly anything else)
-Harvest only at peak ripeness every few days. The difference in taste of even 1 more day under optimal growing conditions can be huge. Commercial growers have fewer harvests and most pick earlier to maintain harder fruit that can be boxed for market.
NO commercial growers will farm this way because the skilled labor costs are high, the learning curve is high, and there is no certification above the BS “organic” one. But if you do have the ability to learn and grow this way for your family, I highly recommend it. The vegetables taste so good that kids get excited for them.
You’re doing things the right way. I bet you have great soil. That effects taste a great deal. Yeah my neighbor couldn’t do things your way, too labor intensive.