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[road's end farm <organic101@linkny.com>]

On May 2, 2007, at 10:03 AM, Lucky Pittman wrote:
>

> It's not organic, since it's not a carbon-based molecule, but it is 'natural'.  

"Organic" is one of those tricky English words with multiple meanings.

Many chemicals that are "organic" in the sense of being carbon-based molecules are not acceptable for use in "organic agriculture". Many materials that are "organic" in the sense of being permissible for use in "organic agriculture" are not "organic" in the sense of being carbon-based molecules.

There is a connection between the two meanings: "organic" in the sense of organic farming and gardening got that name because it's based on properly building/sustaining organic matter in the soil. This organic matter is "organic" in both senses. However, the two senses of the word have diverged, and no longer mean the same thing; any more than a "bit part" in a movie means the same thing as the "bit" that's put in a horse's mouth.

--Rivka
Finger Lakes NY; zone 5 mostly