My grandparents were part of generations of humans who acted as stewards of the land. This changed sometime during WWII when chemicals developed for WarTime efforts were at a surplus after the war ended. So what did our great leaders do?
Why put them on agricultural fields of course. Hard to believe, but it’s true. This was the birth of the “Conventional” farming movement. What does this have to do with you? Lots!
I had the great fortune of working at an Organic Produce distribution company where I was educated on a number of agriculture norms, including ‘Conventional’ farming. I will never forget the photo of farm workers suited up from head to toe in biohazard gear to go spray the plants with chemicals. Our food. Workers need to wear chemical suits to spray the food which is later put on a truck and brought to a grocery store for people to purchase and consume.
So wash your vegetables right? This idea, likely from the steward driven generations of yesteryears would make sense if dirt was the only thing on your vegetables. I personally love dirt but I can understand that not everyone wants to eat it. For this, washing and rinsing your vegetables post harvest makes a lot of sense.
However, with the advent of chemical fertilizers and other chemical additives sprayed onto food in the ‘Conventional Farming’ movement, washing the vegetable only provides you with a psychological comfort. It is not possible to ‘wash’ off the chemicals the plant ingested during its entire growth cycle simply by a rinse.
There is research out there that discusses which foods are MOST important to buy organic and are most susceptible to absorbing the toxins. I argue that any poison is too much poison. And if you are not bothered by eating poison yourself, that’s fine. How about someone you love like your pet, your children, another relative or friend? Do you feel good about someone you love eating that and having it add up in their system everytime they sit down for a meal? Unlikely.
You may feel called to know where your food comes from and what is in it. I strongly recommend you increase your awareness and understanding of the food you put into your body. One of my favorite teachers Louise Hay used to say that we no longer live in a time when there is only fresh fruits and vegetables available to choose from and we must consciously choose between what is food and not food.