What does “Organic” mean? I mean really, what does it mean? That you can charge an extra few bucks for “organic strawberries”? Or lettuce. That one kills me. My guinea pig will eat “Organic lettuce” and I suppose the “other lettuce” is inorganic? Well, she’ll eat that too. To a guinea pig lettuce is lettuce. So what does organic mean?
Organic, by definition means (1) : of, relating to, or derived from living organisms. (2) : relating to, yielding, dealing in, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides. (Merriam-Webster) Ok, so from that definition the snot in your sinus’ is totally organic, but if you buy lettuce with “miracle grow” sprinkled on it, its then non-organic. But you’ll still eat your salad with whatever lettuce you buy, just as your guinea pig will. Does your lettuce taste any different? And how does all this relate to our honey bees?
According to some, “organic honey” is made by Bees that haven’t been treated by antibiotics, growth stimulants, (if Bees can have growth stimulants I don’t know) or anything at all. I can see the use of “natural fertilizers” in crops, and I know that commercial farmers use pesticides to ward off nasty bugs that eat their lettuce, but for a Bee Farmer to have truly organic honey, they have to make sure that the 5 mile radius around their farms are free from pesticides, pollutants, and chemical residue. A little crazy right? How do you train your Bees to stay away from the clover, that they are naturally attracted to, because the clover farmer used Miracle Grow on their clover? Well, you don’t.
Producing “organic honey” is no easy task, and quite honestly, after reading about the extensive testing by the USDA, and the stringent guidelines that Bee farmers have to follow, I understand the hike in the price. The honey that is labeled organic have to meet a set of standards and conditions during its production and then undergoes a certification process which tests sources of nectar, foraging area, bee management and extraction process. But Bees are foragers and will go where they want, so is 100% organic honey even possible? Probably not. Does it taste any better to justify the higher price? I suppose only the true Honey Snob could answer that, and honestly, I like our local Bee-Keepers honey. The boy friend received two jars from a bee-keeping co-worker that I’ve been using in my tea to try and get rid of this cold. Taking a spoonful of co-workers honey tastes better than the honey I’ve got in my cabinet from the grocery store. But then again, my neighbors strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce and corn also tastes better because of the lack of pesticides and fertilizer or is it because the produce is fresher?
A friend of mine once commented on how finicky her taste buds were because she could taste the preservatives in pickles. I can taste the difference in teas, my son can taste the differences in sodas, and I believe that fresher produce does taste better than older produce. The taste in farm fresh eggs over commercial eggs is huge! Farm fresh eggs make fluffier omelets.
So I guess, we’re back to what does “Organic” really mean? I think it means that every living being, that comes from another living being, is organic. From the snot in your nose to the fresh sweet honey our honey bees make, its all organic. Mass production of honey for sale obviously affects the taste, but in the end, its all organic.
Whats next? You’ll have to read nexts week blog to find out.. Bee Happy!!
Bee Proactive 