Yes, yes, Virginia - there are chemical compounds made from coal-tar derivatives to enhance color - and they call them artificial coloring - even your food for Fifi can have them. Did you also know that these artificial colors can be linked to allergic reactions, fatigue, asthma, skin rashes, hyperactivity and headaches. Learn more of the other bad and naughty things found in our processed foods over at sheerbalance.com http://www.sheerbalance.com/nutrition/worst-ingredients-of-processed-foods/. So getting back to vegan gardening techniques - basically no poop - ok manure if you wish to call it what it really is, is used. I compost my plant debris and leaves which does a lovely organic cocktail perfect for my gardening needs. Now I don't live on acres of land at all, in fact my gardens are located on a half acre, but that is surely more than enough to keep me busy. What's wrong with manure? Nothing normally - but the idea is this. If you don't know where your manure comes from, and I am not talking about the horse, the cow or the chickens... but more specifically what they ate to create the said manure - therein lies the issue of good manure vs. bad manure. Now don't you all farmers get into a stitch about what I just said. But my thinking is similar to Ron Kholsa's who points out in his interview, "...high-nitrate chicken manure, which turns into nitrous oxide...is 300 times more potent of a global warming gas then carbon dioxide." Read the rest of this entry »