The Truth About Organic Foods

Below is a great letter that was sent to my publisher from a die-hard organic believer who really liked the book and wants 4 copies for her other die-hard organic-minded friends.
Best, Alex

Dear Mr. Avery,

At the urging of my brother, who heard you speak at a tree man’s convention last year, I read your newly-published book, “The Truth About Organic Foods.”

My brother and I have had an unspoken disagreement about natural and organic foods since he became an adult and assumed the tree business which my father began in 1945. He works with sprays and chemicals and I, nine years his senior and married when he was just a boy, have always attempted to raise our ten children on wholesome, natural and organic foods. Our vegetable gardens have been all organically grown and, yes, I’ve covered the children’s sand box on the few occasions that we’ve decided we needed to spray our property for mosquitoes or an ant infestation. For 32 years of marriage, we’ve been “natural and organic”! (“Health food nuts” they used to call us in the beginning).

I told him I’d read the book with an open mind, as I have no “agenda” save the truth! However, I must admit that I went at it with a jaundiced eye, expecting to find stories of how the farms which call themselves “organic” are not really organic and that they’re being run by big money, etc. (which is true). What I didn’t expect, though, was the thorough study that you presented! I am really impressed by your work! I am not entirely convinced, however, because we’ve been organic farmers ourselves; back in 1978 we ran one of the only organic potato farms in the Northeast and our fields were absolutely gorgeous – the loam (we grew in muck fields, if you are familiar with them) was dark, dark brown, light and fluffy when dry and grew the largest, most delicious and succulent vegetables you have ever seen. When we first moved to the farm we couldn’t believe the size of the vegetables (the vegetable gardens were planted in the muck fields too, because of the resulting fabulous bounty). The potato crop was always great; the potatoes were delicious and insect resistant. The difference between the vegetables grown in those organic muck fields as compared to anything we’d ever seen anywhere, was truly phenomenal. Our neighbor’s fields, on the other hand, also muck, were light brown and horrible-looking. They always had problems with their crops. They used chemical fertilizer, and our farm hadn’t had any for more than 10 years. The difference was quite noticeable.

So, while I see that your studies show one thing, my experience at our own farm was the opposite, so I’m wondering where the discrepancy can be. I would like to know your thoughts on this. I would also like to obtain about 4 of your books if they are of a reasonable price, because I have told some of my hard-line, organic-minded friends about it and asked them if they would be open to reading it, and the response was “yes”! Would you please be so kind as to send me four books…?

Sincerely,

XXX