What is organic

Organic is a general term that has various different definitions. If you ask a chemist he would say that it refers to a class of chemical compounds that have a carbon and hydrogen. Hence all hydrocarbons are organic.

A biologist would say that organic refers to living organisms and use the term in relation to living beings for example organic life, organic disease, organic growth etc.

These days the term organic is increasingly being used to denote a lifestyle that is eco friendly and green. It also is used in relation to foodstuff that is grown or raised on farms that do not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and growth hormones. This has led to the use of such terms like organic vegetables, organic eggs, organic milk and organic pesticide (manure).

Organic vegetables and fruits are those crops that are grown without usage of chemical pesticides. No artificial fertilizer is used in such farms. These farms also do not use sewage sludge, radiation or genetic engineering. This means one does not have to worry about residue of pesticides and fertilizers that may lead to ailments. Since GM food is not produced here, we do not have to be concerned about cellular damage in our bodies.

Organic chicken, meat and diary products are also raised in a non-toxic way. They are raised and slaughtered humanely. They are not fed antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic chicken are cage-free and cattle are free range. These livestock are also raised to be vegetarian. Of course when the organic animals are ill, they are often given home remedies. In case they are given antibiotics their organic classification is permanently withdrawn.

Eco friendly methods of farming are used like crop rotation, composting and crop is grown which are best suited for the region where the farm is located. For instance watermelons are not grown in cold regions and peas in the desert. This means that organic products are healthier for people, animals and also the environment.

The only disadvantage with organic products is that they are very expensive. They may even cost twice as much as crops grown the conventional way. This is because they are labor intensive and cost effective short cuts like chemical pesticides and fertilizers can not be used. Weeding is done manually and with the help of natural predators. This is the price one has to pay for being eco-friendly and going organic.