Frequently Asked Questions

What is an heirloom fruit or vegetable?

Often passed down through generations with great care, heirloom variety fruits and vegetables are best suited for their region’s microclimate and pests and more nutritious than commercial seeds.

I don’t have a yard. Can I still compost?

Yes! Absolutely. A fully functioning compost bin can be small enough to slip under the sink and, if you use worms to process your garbage, you can add up to 3.5 lbs of garbage per week for every pound of worms in your bin!

What’s the difference between grass-fed and organic beef?

Grass-fed beef comes from cattle fed mother’s milk and grass only. These cattle are raised with continuous access to pasture. The American Grassfed Association also mandates that cattle cannot be fed corn, soy, grain, antibiotics or hormones. An organic label requires access to pasture, but does not require a minimum for time spent on the pasture. It does mean that the animal was not given antibiotics or hormones and that they grass, hay or grain they were fed was organically certified.

How do I know which fruits and veggies are local and seasonal?

Visit your farmer's market for the best seasonal and local selections. At most farmer's markets, you'll find at least a couple of organic growers. Visit South Coast Farms for local and organic food year-round, San Juan Capistrano.
 

The bottom line.

By implementing sustainable farming and gardening methods like crop rotation, mulching, cover crop, organic fertilizers and integrated pest management, local farms and gardens can enhance soil quality, ensuring abundant and nutritious food production for future generations.
 

Know the facts.

The typical carrot travels 1838 miles to reach your dinner table. Transportation, refrigeration, processing and packaging associated with the trip are major sources of air and water pollution - which can be mediated when you support your local farmers OR grow your own fruits and veggies!
The Sustainable Table. Online Access January 2010.

Sustainable farms enhance surrounding communities by preserving green space, providing habitat for wildlife and stimulating the local economy.
R & Benjamin, A. Checking the Food Odometer; Comparing Food Miles for Local Versus Conventional Produce Sales in Iowa Institution. Leopold CEnter for Sustainable Agriculture, July 2003.

US Consumer demand for organic produce rose 20% or more annually throughout the 1990s. The year 2005 marked the first time all 50 US states contained some certified organic farmland.
USDA Economic Research Service, 2008. Online Access. January 2010.

It’s been estimated that only 0.1% of applied pesticides reach target pests. The other 99.9% has its impacts on environmental and public health.
Pimentel, D. 1995. Amounts of Pesticides Reaching Target Pests: Environmental Impacts and Ethics. Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Ethics 8 (1).

Often passed down through generations with great care, heirloom variety fruits and vegetables are best suited for their region’s microclimate and pests and more nutritious than commercial seeds.
Seed Savers Exchange. What are Heirlooms? at Seedsavers.org.
Data assembled by Dr. Donald R. Davis, chemist at the University of Texas.

Compared to conventional crops, organic fruits, vegetables and grains have significantly more Vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus and significantly less nitrates.
Virginia Worthington. Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables and Grains. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. April 2001, 7(2): 161-173.

 

Get inspired. A few projects to get you started.

Explore the health of your soil. Start with a soil test to identify pH and available/deficient nutrients.
Build a backyard compost bin
Reassess your yard/garden’s natural ecology and re-design accordingly by planting perennial herbs and flowering plants.
Plant an herb garden
Build a raised or keyhole vegetable bed
Identify and plant pollinator plants
Start savings seeds
Put cover crops to use in rebuilding soil health.

 

Find support. A list of recommended resources.

Print
Gaia’s Garden, Toby Hemenway
Southern California Organic Gardening, Pat Welsh
Seed to Seed, Suzanne Ashworth
Food Rules, Michael Pollan

Online
localharvest.org
sustainabletable.org
havenrecipes.com

Other
Join a CSA. May we recommend our neighbor, South Coast Farms!
Sign-up for a local community garden plot.
Attend a Backyard Skills course at The Ecology Center.

 

Local Case Study. Path to Freedom.

In the mid-1980s, the Dervaes family set out to transform an ordinary 1500 square foot urban home in Pasadena, California, into an organic permaculture garden. Having employed planting methods such as remineralization, integrated pest management, polyculture, vermicomposting, companion planting and seed saving, the family now enjoys a secure food source: their own backyard. The Dervaes’ 3,900 sq ft garden produces 6,000 lbs of harvest each year and 99% of their produce. They call their homegrown venture, “Path to Freedom”.

Location: Northwest Pasadena, one mile from downtown Pasadena
Property Size: 66’ x 132’ = 8,712 sq.ft. (1/5 acre)
House: Simple, wood frame craftsman bungalow. Circa 1917.
House Size: 1,500 sq. ft.
Garage Size: 600 sq.ft.
Garden Size: ~ 1/10 acre (3,900 sq.ft. / ~ 66' x 66')
Garden Diversity: Over 350 different vegetables, herbs, fruits & berries
Productivity: Up to 6,000 lbs harvest annually on 1/10 acre


Informed? Inspired? Don’t stop now! Stay connected to your local source of sustainability education and become a member of The Ecology Center today.