h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We cannot begin to understand the damage done to ourselves, and to fellow residents of the planet, by the chemicals we ingest through our food. Individually, I am sure they are harmless, but do we have any idea of the effects of the cocktails we produce in our bodies. Asthma, Eczema, endless digestive problems, perhaps some cancers, behavioural problems etc etc can all be associated with manmade chemical pollutants.

Somehow a way must be found to return to low input - low output farming & agriculture. It is better for consumers, better for the land, better for the animals and better in every way except for our wallets and the producers of fertilisers and other agro-industrial products. What is the point of being a more wealthy society if we cannot feed ourselves properly.

Hmm, I heard someone say that if we switched over completely to organic food, we'd not have enough. Dunno if this is true. Anyone know?

I don't know, but if its not, it should be! I have in mind an old maxim that said one acre could support one person if farmed organically. I have no idea how much 'farmable' land is available, but don't you shudder every time you pass a 'set-aside' field? I am not advocating that we should all live a 'Good Life', nor should all farmland be mixed. Of course there must be specialisation and maximising of production using the most inventive methods possible.

Incidentally, I would exclude hydroponics, the growing of (e.g.)peppers in fertilised (however 'organic') water under glass in forced conditions from my particular utopia.

People have been farming for thousands of years without chemicals, thats organic, it was the World Wars which encouraged farmers to over-produce. Now we have technology to help us be more efficent and have a better understanding of ecosystems. Wind power is good and maybe hydroponics if its done right.

Yes wind power is good, as of course is solar power, wave power etc., especially if they can be combined with developments in power cell (battery) storage.

Hydroponics has a place, but my reservations are to do with the end product. As a consumer I am interested in flavour as well as shape, colour and a 'rightness' about a product, and it doesn't seem to me correct to compare the 'produced' hydroponic product with the 'grown' organically farmed product, even though the former may be technically 'organic. From Holland now we have a variety of 'vegetable matter' in the shape of peppers, courgettes etc. which are essentially tasteless, though 'organic'. And, as we have seen from fish farms, BSE etc., unnaturally produced foods leads to problems further down the line. Nevertheless it may be a way forward, but not the ideal, and not 'my' way (like I have a choice!)

"Organic food is the future" this is an odd statement considering we've had organic food for over 10,000 years...