What’s it all about?
Organic produce in Australia is a billion dollar industry. Food labelled as organic is presented in attractive packaging with certified labels – and it usually costs more than similar products on supermarket shelves or market bins. Shopping organically can considerably increase the price of your weekly shop.
But what’s the real difference between organic and “conventional” products?
Are organic goods really worth the premium prices?
What will we cover?
We will examine the commonly publicised benefits of organic food over “conventional” agriculture, and find out if they hold up in comparison to mainstream methods. We will also analyse what organic certification means, and how farmers get it.
Then we will review modern methods of farming in comparison to organic methods and interrogate food production on a large scale, evaluating the associated real world impacts. Finishing by reviewing all this information in light of how we can make wise food choices, with a bit of gardening advice to take home to your backyards.
Who will be teaching?
Stu Burns is the Garden Doctor, an experienced horticulturist and former consultant to the ABC’s Gardening Australia. He has extensive experience in educating young gardeners and once discovered a new species of fungus. When he’s not in the garden he’s sharing his knowledge as a presenter on the program Lost in Science, on community radio.