Have you ever considered the benefits of organic gardening? Modern farming is geared towards mechanization and homogenization. Instead of organic gardening techniques, most modern farmers use GMOs, pesticides, additives, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and mass-production techniques. All this is clearly affecting our health, and new diseases are spreading rapidly among humans and animals.

According to the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), modern agriculture “can affect a range of health issues including diseases, infectious diseases, food safety, and environmental and occupational health.”

And according to a study on PubMed published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “Modern biotechnology, producing genetically modified foods, if not regulated appropriately could pose dangers to human health.”

I won’t even go into the ways modern farming deplete the soil of nutrients, resulting in nutritionally inferior foods.

But I think you’ll agree that organic gardening is a perfect way to avoid these problems. You’ll also get lots of exercise and improve your mental health according to studies, so what’s not to love?

If you have space for a few pots or even a small piece of land, you should take advantage of the benefits of organic gardening.

Here are 7 benefits of organic gardening

1. You will have no additives in your vegetables.

Research has shown that additives in our food can cause heart diseases, osteoporosis, migraines and hyperactivity. Canning and preserving your own healthy vegetables at the peak of ripeness preserves nutrients without added chemicals and who knows what.

2. There will be no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers used.

These chemical products are applied to kill insects and weeds, and prevent disease. However, these chemicals also hurt the environment, deplete the soil, and are poisonous to humans. Have you seen those pictures on social media of people spraying crops wearing HAZMAT suits? Doesn’t look too healthy to me. I’d rather attract beneficial insects to do the work for me.

3. Your vegetables will not be genetically modified.

There really isn’t enough information to know the long term health dangers of genetically modified crops, but some of the preliminary information is enough to concern me. With the possible increase of cancers, antibacterial resistance, and allergies, I don’t feel like I want to be the guinea pig. Do you?

In addition, GMO crops are made to withstand the application of RoundUp. This kills the weeds while leaving the food crops unharmed. This sounds great for food production, but RoundUp destroys soil health. That means the plants and animals we consume have fewer nutrients. We have more food but more nutritional deficiency. We can become obese while still suffering from malnutrition.

4. Eating your own organic vegetables will be much more healthy for you.

They will not contain any of the products or chemicals we just talked about, and they will be much more natural than any you would find at the grocery store. You can harvest food at the peak of ripeness, which means they are also at their peak nutritionally. And because organic gardening focuses on soil health, your foods will be richer nutritionally than commercially grown foods.

5. Your own organic vegetables will be much more tasty.

Again, picking at the peak of ripeness gives you more flavor. If you don’t believe me, taste a tomato from the grocery store and then taste one that came fresh out of the garden. You can also grow heirloom vegetables which are often more flavorful than today’s modern varieties. Modern foods have been bred for durability, not for flavor. They have to stay pretty while they are picked still green and transported across the country.

6. Organic gardening is friendly to the environment.

Because you won’t use pesticides or other harmful products on your vegetables, you will not damage the soil, air, or water with the chemicals. Instead, you will build soil health and implement practices that are beneficial to the environment as a whole.

7. And here is my favorite part.

When you grow your own organic vegetables you are contributing to your own self-sustainability and the sustainability of the planet. If you haven’t grown your own food, you haven’t yet experienced how good it feels to provide for yourself and not have to rely on the grocery store for food. There is a real feeling of accomplishment and security knowing that if there is some kind of disaster, you can take care of yourself. Producing your own food is a big part of that.

Nature Does It Better

It always boggles my mind that man thinks they need to improve on Nature. I find that working with Nature works better for our own health and well-being, as well as that of the planet. Don’t you agree?

So, it’s still winter. In fact, we just got a couple of inches of snow Saturday night (blah). But now is the perfect time to start planning your organic garden. Start with my favorite seed catalogs.

Seed Savers Exchange: Their print or digital catalog is full of untreated, non-GMO, non-hybrid seeds. Non-hybrid means that you can save seeds from your crops to replant the next year, allowing you to build your own seeds supply. That’s another big perk for those who want to be more self-sufficient. This catalog also offer recipes and other garden information.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds: Baker Creek is my favorite place to get seeds. Not just vegetables, but herbs and flowers too. And you’ll find some really amazing things that you have never heard of before. They also have growing and planting guides. Not to mention, a really beautiful catalog that I look forward to every year.

I’m sure there are lots of other places to get non-hybrid, non-GMO, heirloom seeds. I tend to not like the big names in gardening because they focus on modern garden practices and just sort of ride the organic gardening gravy train. I like the companies that are all about sustainability and health, but that’s me. So I’d love to hear about your favorite catalogs and seed companies.