Gentle with the Environment The organic growing method aims towards keeping the circle of nature intact. Only organic substances are used and supplied to the soil That is why this growing method is very friendly to the environment. Less nitrogen is being used at the organic fields, and we do not apply chemicals to the soil. Therefore, the risk of nutrients and pesticides going down to the ground water is very small. After a few years of organic farming, where the soil is supplied with organic materials, the micro life in the ground is enhanced considerably and the number of worms in the soil is growing significantly. More studies confirm that the number of birds that breed on the open land is considerably higher at organic fields, compared to the same space at traditional fields. It is also known that the variation of weed species increases with the transition from traditional to organic growing. This can be a problem and give more work for the gardener, but it also gives animals a far better source for food. Living Soil We inherited the soil from our ancestors, and you could say that we are lending it from our kids. It is very important to protect this resource, which is the foundation of life on land. A must to be able to grow healthy products is a living and vital soil. Ecology is to protect and supply the soil with life. Among other things by organic material, which serves as food for the soil's micro-organisms. Their job is to change the organic materials and make nutrients available for the plants and also to free the vital minerals from the particles in the soil. In a healthy living soil, there are millions of organisms, mushrooms and so on, in each square centimeter. The balance between good and harmful organisms is kept all the time by keeping the growth and treating the soil with care. You could say that Ecology strengthens the soil and the plants immune system. It is also important to have a balance between harmful and useful insects. As an organic grower, you have to live with the fact that there are harmful insects and illnesses on the farm, but by using Nature as our ally, we can avoid this becoming a problem. That is why we do not see any reason to spread out chemicals. Health There is no need for big scientific investigations concerning the health of organic products. A little common sense is enough to understand the meaning of a balanced soil, which has a natural release of nutrients for plants to obtain. In a good Danish soil, there are over 100 different minerals, which all have a function in the edification of the crops we are eating. Some substances are only needed in a very small amount, and nobody knows their function all the way. However, the plants obtain it because they need all the substances as bricks, just as we obtain all of it in our bodies - when it is in the food we eat, that is. The absence of important minerals in our food can make us receptive to catch diseases. Using big amounts of fertilizers, which very easily disintegrate, make natural composition of minerals, which are obtainable for the plants, disturbed. And with that, some of the substances are going to be missing. Using fertilizers for a long time and monotonous cultivation, the soil looses parts of its micro life and has a harder time keeping the natural balance, since the amount of organic material becomes too small. The soil becomes slow and lazy. Spreading fertilizers on organic farms is prohibited. Unfortunately, it is very common on traditional farms. There will almost always be pesticide residues in the crops that are sprayed, and nobody knows the consequences of this until it is too late. New pesticide sprays will always be demonstrated as safe until the day they turn out to be harmful. On organic farms we do not spay. The organic way of growing has no blame for the pesticide residues in our food. Energy At Gartneriet Marienlyst, we each year have 25-30 percent of our land covered with leguminous plants, nowadays mostly red clover. These plants have the ability to obtain nutrients from the air. It can become big amounts in one season. The idea with this, is to plow it down the following spring so it becomes nutrient supply for the vegetables that will be planted there. It means that in this area, we do not have any harvest that we can sell from, and that is also one of the reasons why organic products are a little bit more expensive. But for the community and the environment, it is a big win. The consumption of energy to get nutrients this way is almost zero. However, the production of fertilizers with nitrogen requires a lot of energy.