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Organic Gardening or Living Better -Naturally

I'm so happy you are here!

True organic living is an all encompassing lifestyle that I find difficult and expensive to achieve.  I endorse the concept in theory but in principle I am not against some "lethal doses" of chemical sprays for those pesky bugs.  I know that by being bold enough to make that statement I have just caused true organic gardeners to wring their hands in despair!

I prefer to live better -naturally.  That to me means that I will do all I can to be environmental friendly within reason, however, I will not hesitate to use approved chemical pesticides or fertilizers when needed.  

Here are some ways I strive to live naturally:

  • Grow, can and freeze my own vegetables
  • Use natural mulches (sawdust, grass clippings)
  • Use some natural fertilizers (animal manures)
  • Make home cooked meals using fresh vegetables and fruits.
  • Make my own soups, French fries, scalloped potatoes, etc. instead of using prepackaged, ready-to-use meals
  • Use Rotenone dust, sulfur whenever possible instead of chemical dust
  • Preserve the ladybugs (even though they are a nuisance in the fall when they invade the house!)
  • Make use of cover crops for added soil nutrition 
  • We raise our own beef and eggs 
  • Usually make my own cakes, cookies and muffins
  • Always make my own pies including the crust!
  • On occasion I will  make ice-cream, doughnuts, granola or bread

Like most of you, we live a busy life-style and times have changed.  I am grateful for easy to fix meals.  I have in my cabinet a box of scalloped potatoes, cans of soup ready to open, a cake, cookie or muffin mix etc. for those times when I need a quick meal.  I now buy my pickles and jelly. (Sam's Club is just too convenient!) We used to be dairy farmers and had our own milk.  Now I go to the store and buy it like most of the rest of the world!  I  can and will on occasion make bread.  We feed our beef and chickens processed feed along with garden scraps and grass. I do not hesitate to buy meat from the grocery store but I do look for quality and leanness.  I do what I can do with the resources and time that I have but I will not hesitate to take advantage of some convenience!

--Pat Hertzler

Links to organic gardening sites and articles that I found very helpful.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Milky Spore

Rich Earth  Rich Earth - organic soil conditioner for improving the nutrients in the soil and improving the quality of the plants and vegetables grown in the soil.for Healthier Plants...and a Healthier Planet!  This is an amazing product!

Rich Earth™ is a 100% Natural Mineral Soil Conditioner from the earth's richest humate. Composted from prehistoric plant matter for over 75 million years, it contains over 70 trace minerals. It adds essential minerals back into your garden soil and dramatically improves the health of your plants and the nutrient content of your fruits and vegetables. 

For local grown organic beef contact Sandy Fisher at Brookview Farms, Sandy Hook, VA. 804-784-3131.

For Organic Liquid Fertilizer:  Contact AGGRAND tp@organicgardensgrow.com  (021507)

If you have information or other helpful hints to share:    mailbox-animated.gif (16634 bytes) please email me at  hffinc@i-c.net

Hertzler Farm and Feed Inc.