Adding a voice for organic Island

I wish to support the statement of Ranald MacFarlane of Fernwood, who asserts that modern farm practices are not sustainable, and are not good farming.

Unlike him, I am not a farmer. I am a citizen of this beautiful Island. I know I date myself, but I can remember when the air was clear and clean, and you could drink in great lungfuls of it. Today, when I go for a walk in the country or on the beach, I sniff the air, like a cat scenting danger, and if it’s too bad I stay home. It is a rare day when it actually smells good.

I can remember when people were shocked by massive erosion of the soil, because there was awareness that a small Island only had a certain quantity of soil and could not waste it. Today I see acres of red snow every winter, because the farmers have done fall plowing and left the soil bare, exposed and open to erosion.

I am really very weary of having to watch the commercial farming industry despoil this land. And for what? For inedible potatoes so loaded with chemicals that they cannot be safely eaten.

I wish to add my voice to the movement for an organic Island. Can you imagine what a selling point that would be for tourists? A whole Island with clean air and clean food, fit for the most sensitive body to eat. I say it›s time we did it.

Sharon Leighton, Bedeque