Rodale was founded on the belief that organic gardening is the key to better health both for us and for the planet, and never has this message been more urgent. Now Maria Rodale, chairman of Rodale, sheds new light on the state of 21st century farming. She examines the unholy alliances that have formed between the chemical companies that produce fertilizer and genetically altered seeds, the agricultural educational system that is virtually subsidized by those same companies, and the government agencies in thrall to powerful lobbyists, all of which perpetuate dangerous farming practices and deliberate misconceptions about organic farming and foods. Interviews with government officials, doctors, scientists, and farmers from coast to coast bolster her position that chemical-free farming may be the single most effective tool we have to protect our environment and, even more important, our health.
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Granddaughter to Rodale's founder, and its current CEO, the author offers a passionate, evenhanded, nonacademic argument for the overall wisdom (economical and ecological) for farming organic. Deeply aware of the public confusion and suspicion surrounding organic farming as a “hippie” cause, Rodale first persuades readers that years of chemical and pesticide use have poisoned our environment<not hard to do, considering elevated cancer levels, increases in asthma, and fertility disorders, among other afflictions attributed to environmental factors. Rodale places blame for U.S. reliance on chemical saturated farming, especially employing the use of genetically modified seeds, mostly on powerful chemical companies' manipulative advertising doublespeak, but also on government protection of conventional farmers. In her strongest section delineating ³a year in the life of a chemical farmer,² Rodale shares clarifying findings from her own focus group that these farmers become dependent on chemical companies for their products and can't see another way, even when costs keep going up, soil is depleted, and yields decrease. In the end, Rodale does a vigorous job of debunking myths plaguing both sides.
Maria Rodale is Chairman and CEO of Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, which specializes in information for healthy living on a healthy planet. She is married and has three daughters, a dog, a cat and 6 guinea hens. In her spare time, she blogs at mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com.
The Organic Manifesto will convert anyone who is on the fence about the benefits of organic food and farming. Maria Rodale's well researched and easy-to-read manifesto is an articulate outpouring of convincing information that makes you want to stand firm and demand organic. She writes about the origins of conventional farming, why it's so toxic for the planet and our bodies, and why chemicals aren't necessary to produce an abundance of healthy food. She explains how organic farming mitigates global warming, produces the tastiest and most nutritious foods, and why a shift to organic is essential to creating a sustainable future. Maria's passion pours off every page and is contagious. This is a wonderful and important book that everyone should read!
I hadn't thought much about the organic vs conventional/chemical debate. Organic seemed like a nice option if you can afford it but not really something to get too fussed about. When a friend gave me this book it totally turned that perspective on its head. I had no idea what actually went into the farming we take for granted but the research Maria Rodale has collected in this book was shocking. I'm writing this three days later and I still haven't been able to stop thinking about it. This isn't about more nutrients or feeling better about supporting your local farmer, this is about the health of my family and our country. This book will be the one that changes how you see the world, it did for me.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's with my Mom's strong opinion on organics and everything natural. I continued that approach to eating up to about 2006 where I spent about 3 years eating what others eat.
I gained weight - 25% body weight increased! Diabetes, fatigue, growths on my thyroids and behavior alterations. I found that a large part of the issue was associated with MSG. However, that did not fix everything.
This book provided an easy read to the problems of eating mass produced foods and the chemicals that can be found in and on them. It details how these chemicals enter our bodies and what they do to them.
This was the other piece of the puzzle I was missing and I am so glad to have a book that I can easily read while gaining meaningful facts in quantities.
I highly recommend this book for anyone not feeling quit right and wants to investigate more about the source of the potential problems.
As she says, the solution is easy, go organic! After reading this book, you will probably never eat anything that is not organic again!
