muso wrote on Jul 3
rd, 2013 at 10:10pm:
Lionel Edriess wrote on May 29
th, 2013 at 7:48pm:
One presumes that you have no objection, then, to the irradiated, genetically modified, gas-ripened, artificially enhanced foodstuffs now crowding our supermarket shelves?
I don't. The risk is practically zero.
Irradiated? Health risk to the consumer - zero. It is not radioactive and it doesn't contain radioactive substances (other than Carbon 14 etc)
Genetically modified? Not in Australia, unless you mean certain vegetable oils, and oils don't contain DNA. No DNA, no problem.
Gas ripened? What exactly is the problem with using a bit of ethylene? It's non toxic.
Artificially enhanced? Not even sure what you mean. You mean the old story of chooks on steroids? Doesn't happen these days. If it did, it would be a problem.
Having said that, there are some consumer goods that do concern me. Neonicotinoids, used to control fleas and ticks in dogs are decimating the bee population and wreaking havoc when it comes to reduced pollination (and yield) of commercial crops.
The next time you use a flea or tick treatment for your pet, check the active ingredients. Imidacloprid is the most common neonicotinoid in use.
I'll probably stir up the faithful zealots of the brainless deep greens again, but who cares.
The proof of the pudding is the in the eating, as someone once said.
As an elder, I'm sceptical about the 'goodness' of the supermarket foodstuffs available to us when compared to the choices available to the older generations.
I'm all in favour of the benefits of refrigeration, etc - but I mourn the loss of backyard vege patches, fruit trees and the occasional chook yard.
My backyard, as a kid, had plums, oranges, peaches, guavas, apricots, grapefruit, passion-fruit, 4 varieties of grapes on a trellis we could climb and the usual vege patch. On a small town lot.
Should be mandatory to plant a few fruit trees in new developments as far as I'm concerned.
Then again, where can you buy seeds for Grosse Lissie tomatoes these days? Or, for that matter, pick sun-ripened peaches from a tree?
I've nothing against native gardens, but they produce FA edible fruit.
If nothing else, an established varietal fruit tree expanse across a suburb would promote societal integration.
Anyway, no harm done. Yes?
I agree with you on most of that. We need to get more people growing their own. The old varieties taste much better than commercial varieties. You can get Grosse Lisse seeds if you do a Google for them. Vine riped tomatoes also taste better.
I also think these community gardens can be a great thing for community integration. (but often result in conflict)