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| One the many varieties of USDA Certified Organic apples grown on Metzger Heritage Farm |
"A recent study conducted in Austria and published in 'Frontiers in Microbiology' found that conventionally grown apples host more pathogenic bacteria that can harm human health than organic apples. In contrast, organic apples are home to greater varieties of the 'good' bacteria, such as probiotics that can promote gut health."
Fascinated? Read more about the study in this article in Modern Farmer.
Add this information to the fact that conventionally grown apples have more pesticide residues than any other fruit or vegetable. According to the Environmental Working Group's analysis of USDA data, pesticides showed up on 98 percent of apples tested. Apples were found to have up to 48 different kinds of pesticides on them. Long-term exposure to pesticides is linked to cancer, infertility and neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's, and even small doses of pesticides are far more dangerous for children, with their smaller bodies and developing nervous systems.
Our organic apple orchard is blanketed in a layer of slushy snow on this January afternoon but winter's chill is just what they need! Fruit trees must go through a dormant period (known as a chilling period) to prepare to produce fruit the following summer.
1 comment:
I understand that commercial apple growers use chemicals to limit blooming. If you can get rid of the smaller blossoms somehow, the big blooms are more likely to yield the kind of perfectly shaped apple the consumer has become accustomed to. This is obviously bad for pollinators, and I guess it's not all that great for the consumers either.
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