­Artificial bovine growth hormone -- rBGH. Partially hydrogenated. Monosaturated fat. Low fat. Reduced fat. As if label deciphering wasn't already difficult, we're now facing down labels claiming a variety of organic messages, many with happy, smiling cartoon cows.

The organic food trend that began making headlines in 2000 now appears to be a mainstream lifestyle for some -- which translates into big business. So where do organic foods and fibers come from, and what makes them organic?

Organic farming is based on holistic, ecologically balanced agricultural principles involving soil fertility, crop rotation and natural pest control. It may sound like an elusive concept, but the basis for organic farming is actually very simple: Allow nature to do what nature does best.

Organic Farmer
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Organic farmer Johann Schaffer greets one of his organically
raised cows on his farm in Arnbruck, Germany. Demand for
organic products has increased in the wake of food-industry
related scares like mad cow disease.

Many everyday products can be produced on organic farms, including vegetables, grains, meat, dairy, eggs and fibers such as cotton. What makes these things organic is how close to their natural state they stay. When growing organic goods, farmers do not use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers on crops, and they reject the use of synthetic hormones, antibiotics or other medications in their livestock. Animals are provided with organic feed and allowed access to the outdoors.

Video Gallery: The Urban Farmer
Manny Howard grew vegetables, raised chickens and ducks and even tried to raise halibut in order to live off of home-grown produce in his 200-square-foot Brooklyn backyard. See how he did it in this news video from Reuters.

When the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) began its tracking program in 1994, there were approximately 2,500 to 3,000 certified organic farmers in the United States. In 2005, all 50 states had some certified organic farmland. Today there are more than 10,000 certified organic farmers who produce 2 percent of the U.S. food supply.

In this article, we will explore various organic farming methods, as well as genetically modified food. We'll also find out why some people criticize the organic movement.

How Does Your Garden Grow?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to creating an organic garden in your yard, but we've collected a few easy tips for you to try:
  • Soil - put your kitchen scraps to good use: Make your own compost. While there are highly advanced ways of composting, an easy way to start is in your kitchen. Throw coffee grounds, vegetable peels, eggshells and other scraps into a small compost pail and use the rubbish as mulch.
  • Plants - mix and match flowers and vegetables in your bed, making it more difficult for insects to feast on your vegetable buffet.
  • Get rid of pests - love the ladybug. Ladybugs are healthy, good bugs that feed on aphids. Attract them by planting fennel, dill, dandelions and geraniums. Crushed garlic can be used as insect repellent by mixing crushed garlic with water and spraying it onto your plants. As it turns out, insects don't like the smell of garlicky leaves any more than humans like garlicky breath.

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