Composting

In the last ten years there has been a concerted effort to make the system of collecting garbage and sorting recyclable materials for further use. Our dump (land fill site) is state of the art and we the people benefit from the effort to redirect usable materials. All across Canada there is a move to use the science to make us aware of the impact we have on our environment. Large cities and small villages are doing their part to make it work.

As a believer in the science and a follower of re cycling mode I have since the opportunity availed itself made the pilgrimage to the landfill site to reap the benefits of the program. Every year Theresa and I go to the land fill site and bring a donation to the food bank and load up with compost. They say seven bags but since I use barrels I get large bags of compost. It has made my garden and trees very happy and we look forward every year to belong to the program.

Our town has being doing this for 11 years and every year I have been a participant. The difference is that eleven years ago there were a few people and now there is a lineup. What a wonderful way to make garbage a viable product and everyone who participates a winner. We love the program and wish everyone would join.

Organic Gardening

My daughter Lyn has the ability the write blogs that take the newness from mine. It is like a reporter who files a story just before you and winning the news of the day.I planned to write about organic gardening as many of my friends practise this hobby to great ends.

I personally have been using this method for about 50 years and found it to be a little more difficult to get the same results but there is satisfaction to know you are helping the environment and your health. We have 4 composters and right now they are full. My neighbour has given up the practise because like my daughter, has not seen any magnificent results.

We receive as many as 15 wheel barrows of good black, fine soil each year.We supplement this with many barrels of compost from the Halton land fill site. Our vegetable garden now has about 15 inches of soft, black topsoil in place of the red clay which is what we started with. It took 10 years years but the yields have multiplied and the produce is beautiful.

One has to be prepared to have problems with insects and mildew but remedies are available. My friend John from Pembroke just plants enough for himself and the other. I do the same but still use homegrown recipes for protection from the other (pests and mildew) and they are partially effective.

I never heard of organic when I was growing up and still look at the produce in the supermarket and ask myself, " what is the difference?". The difference to me is you are not ingesting the multitude of chemicals and pollutants used by corporate farms to get the product faster and larger than nature planned. The difference is in the taste and all you have to do is taste a Florida tomato and compare it to an organic tomato from Ontario or anywhere in Canada.

As I look at my garden this year I am thankful for the years that I did the right thing without knowing it and am trying to educate more people in the art and fun of organic gardening. And thank you Lyn for your lead on my blog.