Re: [compost_tea] Re: Adding non-organic parts to compost for tea?

From: EAReinheimer <erica_r_at_charter.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:06:43 -0700

Yes, I was quite surprised when a pesticide specialist from Oregon Tilth
(Organic Certifiers) came to speak to us at Portland (OR) Tilth in 1992.
She said that most commercial pesticides are not taken up by the plants,
and in fact are only on the surface of the fruit or vegetable.

So, I used to use vinegar, then later a special soap from Trader Joes to
wash commercial produce. When the radiated food arrived, I switched to
Organic entirely (except at restaurants).

The most notable exception is some of the pesticidess often sprayed
around house foundations to deter termites, carpenter ants, etc. Very
persistant and absorbed throughout the plant. Bad idea to grow food
next to the house.

Since then the, cyprosyliads and aminosyliads (didn't look up the
spelling) are also notable exceptions, with persistence more than a few
years.

Erica



On 6/22/2011 9:01 PM, Stephen Steyn wrote:
>
> John:
>
> I would imagine that any pesticide would impregnate the whole fruit.
> Maybe you're right, maybe it only stays on the skin in which case you
> wouldn't eat it except in cases where one ate the skin -- such as
> eating an apple without peeling it, or a grape.
>
> I think most people are worried about anthelmintic (livestock worm
> remedies) getting into the compost and taking out part of the web. One
> would think that anthelmintic are designed to persist as many are
> supposed to have extended efficacy (say 7 weeks). So people tend to
> avoid manures except from organic farms.
>
> SS
>
> *From:*compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] *On Behalf Of *skyjs
> *Sent:* 23 June 2011 00:45
> *To:* compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> *Subject:* [compost_tea] Re: Adding non-organic parts to compost for tea?
>
> Hi Stephen,
> My thinking was that the pesticides, etc, stayed in the skin and that
> is why we didn't eat it, but I was worried that the skin, which we did
> not eat, was going into the compost, and might do harm there.
>
> There are a lot of people with PhD's and advanced knowledge about
> microbiology on this list, which I don't have, and that is why I'm asking.
> John S
> PDX, OR
>
> --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>, "Stephen Steyn" <ssteyn_at_...
> <mailto:ssteyn_at_...>> wrote:
> >
> > John;
> >
> > If you're an organic guy, why are you not eating an organic mango?
> Why do
> > you worry so much about your compost and so little about your son?
> Does this
> > not seem irrational to you too?
> >
> > My personal policy is to try and ingest as few chemicals as reasonable
> > within the modern agricultural setup. I hope producers are aware of
> > withholding periods on chemicals and that the stores I buy from have
> > reasonable policies in this regard. As a producer, I use chemicals
> as wisely
> > as I know how, and try and limit their inclusion in my products. I don't
> > worry so much about air miles and carbon credits in the products I
> buy. I am
> > aware though that some people worry about this, about plastics and their
> > effects in the food cycle, about soaps and detergents we use etc.
> >
> > SS
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>
> [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>] On
> > Behalf Of skyjs
> > Sent: 21 June 2011 07:34
> > To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>
> > Subject: [compost_tea] Adding non-organic parts to compost for tea?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > My son today asked me, "Dad, if we don't eat the peel of the mango
> because
> > it was grown in Mexico and probably has pesticides in it, should we
> really
> > put it in the compost?"
> >
> > I am now having second thoughts myself. Does anyone have a
> reasonable way of
> > thinking about this?
> > Thansk
> > John S
> > PDX OR
> >
>
>


Received on Fri Jun 24 2011 - 09:06:35 EDT

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