We Are A Naturally Organic Sustainable Farm
Which do you prefer, Naturally grown produce or Organically grown produce? Did you know there was a difference? WHAT in the world is the difference?
There is definitely a difference! Both terms are thrown around a lot and it can get very confusing. Probably the biggest difference in Natural food and Organic food is that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has standards that are required to label something Organic and there is no government agency that defines what it means to label something Natural. So what happens is food companies label lots of things as being Natural since there is no clear definition to what that is supposed to mean.
Organic is the most heavily regulated food system. Only organic guarantees no toxic synthetic pesticides, toxic synthetic herbicides, or chemical NPK fertilizers are used in production, and no antibiotics or growth hormones are given to animals. Organic producers and processors also are subject to rigorous announced – and unannounced – certification inspections by third-party inspectors to ensure that they are producing and processing organic products in a manner you and your family can trust.
Isn’t “natural food” just as safe and healthy as organic food? Unfortunately, natural does not mean organic and comes with no guarantees. “Natural foods” are often assumed to be foods that are minimally processed and do not contain any hormones, antibiotics or artificial flavors. In the United States, however, neither the FDA nor the USDA has rules or regulations for products labeled “natural.” As a result, food manufacturers often place a “natural” label on foods containing heavily processed ingredients.
What is our definition of Natural and Organic?
We agree with the USDA regulations on being Certified Organic and not using any toxic synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizers in the production process. We also believe that to use the term Naturally Grown, means that not only does the produce meet the USDA standards to be Certified Organic, but in addition the produce is also NOT Genetically Modified (Non GMO). We also take all this a step further and we grow our produce using sustainable practices. We use woodchips in our growing beds to use less water and help preserve the land.
So when we say Naturally Organic and Sustainable, we mean that we do not use any toxic chemicals, our plants are not genetically modified and we care for and protect the earth with our growing practices.