Pictures of Organically Grown Food

Pictures of organically grown food may be fun to look at, but they really don't adequately describe the benefits of an organic diet. You can't taste the difference between organic and non-organic produce by looking at a picture, nor can you determine how the food you feed your family affects their health and well being.

Did you know that imported grapes are on the list of the "Dirty Dozen" – foods that are the most likely to be contaminated if they are not grown organically? Growing your own organic grapes is a wonderful way to make sure you can enjoy this healthy snack without worrying about the dangers of excessive pesticide use.

Organic gardening can be addictive, leaving many people to discover they have more produce than they can easily eat. Try canning the leftovers so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor all year long. If you don't have a kitchen pantry for storage, consider converting a spare closet into a space for your canned goods.

Many people simply don't realize how delicious organically grown food can be. Share the benefits of an organic diet by giving jars of jam or jelly as gifts to your family and friends. Just don’t be surprised if they start to request that you make this an annual tradition!

Organic meat can be very expensive to purchase, so raising your own livestock is a great way to cut the cost of your grocery bill while still enjoying the benefits of an organic diet. If you plan to earn money by selling your livestock, however, you will need to keep in mind that the USDA has a detailed certification process that you must follow.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as "mad cow" disease, became a problem when cows on large livestock farms were given brain and spinal tissue of other cows in their feed. This practice is no longer legal, but there are still other animal by-products in the feed given to non-organic beef and dairy cattle. Since cows are naturally vegetarians, you can only imagine how this affects their health and development.

If you're interested in organic gardening or raising organic livestock, education is key. Beyond looking at pictures of organically grown food, you need to read as much as possible about organic farming and gardening practices, including do it yourself organic pest control, organic gardening compost, and organic soil testing.