Thanks for that article, Mari.
I like Dr Weil's articles a lot.

My daughter and I were just lamenting the cost of organic food here last night. I wish I could buy all organic and certified produce all the time. If I could I'd buy locally grown from our farmer's markets because it's nice to be able to talk to the farmers and get to know them and how they grow their goods. I grow a little of my own but no where near all I'd like to do. Some time back when I had more energy to do larger scale gardening, I used to read a permaculture website that was wonderful and helped me learn a bit about companion planting to keep the bugs away etc..

I never use chemicals, but I'm sure there's so much in the ground in the suburbs here already that it will never go away. I spend a lot of time out in the garden and in lawn generally weeding and lifting out things like the bindii (prickles) and everyone thinks I'm a bit silly. I get quite horrified when I see everyone around my area out with the roundup spray just to keep the edges tidy up their driveways. I find it absolutely horrible. It's more than horrible really. It's unacceptable.