Run by the Soil Association, Organic September is a month-long campaign to raise awareness of the many benefits of organic food and farming. Organic farming is a way of growing food that works in harmony with the natural world and enhances rather than damages it. That means NO pesticides, NO artificial fertilisers and NO genetic modification.

The impact that a systemic change to organic farming could have on our planet is astonishing. A recent report modelling a Europe that transitioned all farming to agroecology (an application of ecological concepts and principals in farming), found that agricultural emissions could drop by 40-50% by 2050 – with plenty to feed the growing population healthy diets.

This is subject that is core to our business values, we’ve previously written about the benefits of organic food in our previous blog post ‘Organic Food – you know it makes sense’.

While a whole system change is key it can sometimes feel overwhelming. What can you as an individual do to help make a positive impact on our planet and for your health?

The Soil Association have set up Pledge for Our Planet to help you make the small actions that can add up to a big result. Below are some focused on food and diet. As customers of Tod Almighty you may already be doing most of these but each commitment makes a difference and the more you do the better.

Eat two meals a week with seasonal food grown in the UK

 - We stock lots of organic fruit and veg grown in the UK. Our main delivery day is Wednesday with an additional topup on each Friday. We get our produce from Organic North and Organic Pantry, as well as local growers in the valley.

Grow one fruit or veg crop this season

 - Growing your own food is a surefire way to help you appreciate the food on your plate. You don’t need an allotment, just some time, space and sunshine. We’re just coming into harvest season but it’s worth planning ahead for next year. How about a few tomatoes on your windowsill, or some peppers? 

Shop at your local indie once a week

 - We can certainly help with this! And you only need to commit to doing it once a week (although we’d happily see you more often than that). The best way to show you love your town is to spend your money there!

Sign up to an organic box scheme

 - Again we’ve got this covered. We have a weekly veg box scheme which can provide you with a box full of beautiful, fresh seasonal organic fruit and veg. More information here.

For more information about these pledges visit:

https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/pledge-for-our-planet/food-and-diet/

If you purchase your fruit and veg from us, you are already doing good things for the planet. With the environment now under such enormous pressure from pollution, climate change and the destruction of the natural world, it has never been more important to support organic farming.

If you want to know more about Organic September visit: www.soilassociation.org

Remember, Organic farming systems are good for wildlife, good for the planet and good for your health.

But with organic veg, you can dine with peace of mind. To earn the organic label, farmers are restricted to spraying their crops with nothing stronger than the likes of citronella and clove oil. In organic agriculture, a greater emphasis is placed on the introduction of predatory insects (ladybirds to hunt aphids) and the tactical placement and rotation of crops in order to reduce the effects of weeds and pesky critters nibbling at your lettuce, whilst accepting that any attempt to completely eradicate them is foolish and unnecessarily destructive.

As a result of being kinder to the ecosystem, organic produce is also kinder to your body. Soil depletion due to over-intensive chemical agriculture means the average non-organic carrot is much less nutritious nowadays than it would have been just decades ago, with significantly reduced levels of magnesium, zinc and vitamin E. Organic farmers rehabilitate their environment by switching out chemical fertilisers for compost (among other measures). Healthier soil means healthier customers.

Much has been made of claims that organic agriculture would, if scaled up to meet the needs of every household in the UK, produce more CO₂ than the current system. The current system of chemical-intensive agriculture can, admittedly, produce more food to a more predictable schedule, increasing energy-efficiency and making us less dependent on overseas imports. But this is only one small part of the whole story. The aforementioned study worked off a prediction of a 100% shift to organic, catering to current demand for vegetables. Cultural trends towards eating seasonally available produce and reducing waste are only just beginning, and as organic market share increases, improvements to efficiency are inevitable. Added to this, a highly efficient agricultural system which depletes the nutrients of the soil is only going to lead to soil degradation and desertification faster than a less efficient one. If we are headed over a cliff-edge, why would we want to go faster?

Finally, the cultural and psychological benefits of a strong organic food industry are immeasurable. Chemical-intensive agriculture is borne of a reductive and mechanistic mindset which reduces the relationship of humanity to nature to one of extraction and domination. Organic agriculture is a positive step towards understanding the complexity of nature and working with its already existing systems to create a more harmonious co-existence and ensure the continued thriving of both parties. I think that’s worth supporting.