"Organic" Farming and the True Cost of Food-A Small Farmers Perspective

[womanofthehills]

103. Pesticides - it's not just cancer

In the 90's the city of Albuquerque was spraying malathion for mosquitos in my neighborhood and the whole neighborhood became ill - especially the little children. Main symptoms: breathing problems, big gastro problems, excess salivation, back pain, and I came down with all of the above leading to environmental illness. Since then, I eat about 98 percent organic. I have my own chickens that eat organically because I don't want eggs from chickens eating gmo's. Even in the winter, I grow tomatoes and lettuce in my south windows.

I moved from the city to the high country desert and cleaner air. Between the clean air and clean food I have recovered my health but it took a long time.

Most pesticides and herbicides have "secret ingredients" - how scary is that? Pesticides have piperonyl butoxide to shut down the bugs liver otherwise the bug would be able to detox the pesticide. What does it do to our livers?

Good for you BronxBoy - my small garden was hard work: I can't imagine farming on the scale you do.