<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Last year I was fortunate to be able to travel to Switzerland, and took
along the French "waiter information" (the card you hand the waiter that
explains the foods you can and cannot eat) from the book "Against the
Grain."  While there I asked someone fluent in many languages to verify
the content of the translation and there were many giggles . . . it
appears that one of the phrases was translated to "I cannot eat
agricultural fertilizers!"  She grinned and said, "It is an American
delicacy?  Agricultural fertilizers?"

So, the point of this post, are there in fact any precautions to take
when gardening my own little agricultural plot?  Experts in this area
recommend growing a cover crop of oats during the winter . . . that one
is a little obvious.  However, the ingredients of most fertilizers,
horticultural sprays, pesticides etc. are not listed on the packaging.
Now, as I reminded my French speaking friend, I do not intend to sit down
and make a meal of these items!  There is only the danger of  accidental
contact with minute quantities.

I do not intend this post to cause panic--my hunch is that most garden
supplements are mineral based, or are far too synthetic to present a
problem.  Also, I wholeheartedly agree with the concepts of organic
gardening and implement those methods where ever possible.   There are
times though that I will do anything to protect my green chile crop!  ;-)

Danelle Sorensen
Kansas City, KS, USA
[log in to unmask]