Irradiated Spinach and Lettuce Coming to a Store Near You

[jenny]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/business/02irradiate.html?hp

Can I just say that I find this a little scary? Granted it might curb the salmonella, listeria and e.coli outbreaks that have been on the rise lately with contaminated food, but I'm not convinced that it is safe, even if they say there are no traces of radiation in the food after it's irradiated.

Of course, some people may say all the more reason to grow our own food, but not sure how feasible that is. What do you do in the winter months then?

[JElaineB]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/business/02irradiate.html?hp

Can I just say that I find this a little scary? Granted it might curb the salmonella, listeria and e.coli outbreaks that have been on the rise lately with contaminated food, but I'm not convinced that it is safe, even if they say there are no traces of radiation in the food after it's irradiated.

Of course, some people may say all the more reason to grow our own food, but not sure how feasible that is. What do you do in the winter months then?

I agree it is scary. But to answer your second question, when you eat seasonally you do not eat lettuce in the winter if not available locally. Root vegetables and fermented vegetables would be typical winter fare.

[brittone2]

For gardening, I can highly recommend Mel Bartholomew's book Square Foot Gardening http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Seriously...low maintenance and it spells it out for you and makes it simple. I learned about it on MDC, looked at my library copy, and then bought it. My dad and mom are putting in some sq. foot gardens this spring, as are we (starting the bed prep ASAP).

You can grow in the cold months of the year w/ a coldframe (google). It is basically like a small version of a greenhouse. You can use old windows (make sure there's no lead in the paint), etc.

[jenny]

Does eating seasonally reduce risk of salmonella and e. coli?

[o_mom]

Wanted to throw out another option for gardening - Lasagna Gardening (http://www.amazon.com/Lasagna-Gardening-Layering-Bountiful-Gardens/dp/0875969623)- a no-till method that we are going to try this year.

[brittone2]

Wanted to throw out another option for gardening - Lasagna Gardening (http://www.amazon.com/Lasagna-Gardening-Layering-Bountiful-Gardens/dp/0875969623)- a no-till method that we are going to try this year.

Yeah, we have that book but I've never actually tried to implement it. I know there are even people who combine the lasagne and square foot gardening methods. I don't think I can handle that yet ;)

[o_mom]

Yeah, we have that book but I've never actually tried to implement it. I know there are even people who combine the lasagne and square foot gardening methods. I don't think I can handle that yet ;)

I'm drawn to the no-till part. I am starting from scratch - literally just sod and DH has very little desire to rent a tiller, truck in soil or dig it out by hand. :ROTFLMAO: I think we will end up with a combo eventually.

[motherofone]

I am curious to know what it is about irradiated food that frightens people?

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I am curious to know what it is about irradiated food that frightens people?

For me, it removes veggies from nature by another step, making it more like a processed food. I also think that we don't really know for sure how safe it is. I don't trust the government to protect us, so them telling me something is safe, doesn't mean anything to me.

I really want to garden, but living in the Southwest Mountains, with volcanic cinder as soil, not the greatest. Plus, we deal with freezes from Sept-May. My front yard literally is sandstone, think The Grand Canyon...

[writermama]

I really want to garden, but living in the Southwest Mountains, with volcanic cinder as soil, not the greatest. Plus, we deal with freezes from Sept-May. My front yard literally is sandstone, think The Grand Canyon...

You might be interested in Square Foot Gardening -- if you get the new edition, he goes into building a raised bed and essentially making good garden soil. IIRC, he talks about buying compost (or you can use your own if you have a bin) and some other things to essentially make your own potting soil -- very fertile well-drained soil.

[writermama]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/business/02irradiate.html?hp

Can I just say that I find this a little scary? Granted it might curb the salmonella, listeria and e.coli outbreaks that have been on the rise lately with contaminated food, but I'm not convinced that it is safe, even if they say there are no traces of radiation in the food after it's irradiated.


What frustrates me so much about this is that they take these kinds of outbreaks that all came from unsanitary industrialized farming techniques (for example, in the case of the e. coli spinach, it was contamination from a nearby feed lot) and instead of reforming those techniques, they say, "Hey, let's try something new! What's the worst that can happen?"

I am not volunteering to be a human test subject for this experiment.

[overcome]

Again I have to recommend reading Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

-Only eat what is in season.

-Buy from local farmers that you get to know and can speak to in person (regarding farming practices, etc) at a farmer's market.

-Learn to can/freeze/dehydrate so you can enjoy of all the wonderful produce from the summer months throughout the winter.