Strawberries are one of the fruits that always appears on the “only eat organic” list because of the use of toxic fumigants used on the crop. In a victory for environmentalists and farm workers, one of those fumigants is being pulled out of the US market. Tokyo-based Arysta Lifescience, one of the largest pesticide producers in the world, is pulling methyl oidide, sold under the name “Midas,” out of the US market.
Organic strawberry growers avoid the need to fumigate by establishing a good rotation of crops. The fields do best if strawberries are grown every third year, and there is a vegetable crop, cover crop, and/or a rotation of raspberries for several years. Read the full article.
While the yield is often somewhat less for organic strawberries, the flavor is superior. Organic methods preserve soil heath and biodiversity, sequest carbon and protect the health of farm workers.
Shared by Wendy Martinenas: a seasoned Realtor with Green Expertise with William Raveis Real Estate in Fairfield County, CT