tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post9162177009998088617..comments2023-07-05T09:38:23.624+01:00Comments on The Half-Dipper: 2007 Dianhong "Yongji Hongya", "Hongyawang"Hobbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-68228224689220859232007-08-01T16:47:00.000+01:002007-08-01T16:47:00.000+01:00Vlad,Ah, the modern organic grocer - half food mer...Vlad,<BR/><BR/>Ah, the modern organic grocer - half food merchant, half fashionista! At least they're coming back, in defiance of the supermarkets. At the risk of saying "When I were a lad":<BR/><BR/>When I were a lad, there used to be greengrocers in every High Street. Now, there's only Tesco and Friends. Though they may look silly, and I'd never shop in them, I do welcome the emergence of Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-38945544006743304552007-08-01T15:55:00.000+01:002007-08-01T15:55:00.000+01:00A good discussion of "organic" can be found in Mic...A good discussion of "organic" can be found in Michael Poulan's "The Omnivoire's Dilemma". While the USDA definition does keep tons of mined nitrogen and tons of pesticides from being dumped onto the soil and running off into streams and rivers, and also excludes GMO crops, it does not really address the whole cycle, regionally specific, sustaniability issues which do not have a "one size fits speakfreelyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13757071341180546490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-41740830630470385422007-08-01T15:53:00.000+01:002007-08-01T15:53:00.000+01:00For apples and pears the grades that are usually f...For apples and pears the grades that are usually found are I and II, where the "better" grade is larger and rounder, more formed. The lower grades are smaller, sweeter, juicier, and less pleasant in appearance. So sometimes the best pears in Tesco are the Value ones, imho. I think they are done purely on appearance and size.<BR/><BR/>In Manchester they have an "organic" (and vegan) shop called Vladimir Lukiyanovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09327122660708261128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-37535236670678941412007-08-01T06:33:00.000+01:002007-08-01T06:33:00.000+01:00It's good to note the flip-side. Certainly in Eur...It's good to note the flip-side. Certainly in Europe, the "organic" brand has really been burned into the minds of the consumer, to the point where "inorganic" is associated with the use of fertilisers and pesticides during production, then artificial colours, preservatives and antioxidants during processing. It's not accurate, as you rightly point out, but it's there.<BR/><BR/>It's long been Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-32447720674174056622007-07-31T23:31:00.000+01:002007-07-31T23:31:00.000+01:00Organic is a problematic subject indeed, even in t...Organic is a problematic subject indeed, even in the UK. The only difference that I can see in "supermarket" organic (for example) is that the grades of (for example) apples are lower, so they are tastier. Often I find that Tesco Value and Tesco Organic apples and pears are, to an extent, exactly the same...<BR/><BR/>Oh, and I too find dianhong a bit too... malty? I'm not sure of the word to Vladimir Lukiyanovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09327122660708261128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-9190522490892102502007-07-31T22:52:00.000+01:002007-07-31T22:52:00.000+01:00I used to work for a local farmer selling his prod...I used to work for a local farmer selling his produce at the SF Farmers Market. Andy, the farmer, has been in the "organic" farming trade for close to 25 years, and has the highest reputation in the California farming world -- selling to restaurants such as Chez Pannisse, Fifth Floor, etc. <BR/>A few years ago, when the organic standard moved to a federal regulation, Andy chose not to renew hisDavid Lessepshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03234300419505907712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-81571399641810734452007-07-31T22:17:00.000+01:002007-07-31T22:17:00.000+01:00I think another thing worth thinking about is that...I think another thing worth thinking about is that <I>not</I> having organic certification does not necessarily mean the farm is non-organic either. It just means nobody has bothered to certify them (i.e. paid the fee and associated cost of the whole process -- which translates into higher tea prices).<BR/><BR/>I've had something like the HYW before. Not bad, although personally I'm not a big MarshalNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16776398824139018801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-19572178914384430382007-07-31T16:25:00.000+01:002007-07-31T16:25:00.000+01:00Dear Perplexd, Thanks for the detailed comments -...Dear Perplexd,<BR/><BR/> Thanks for the detailed comments - California has a reputation as being one of the most progressive states, and its interesting to hear how organic standards are met there.<BR/><BR/> Standard Mainland Chinese business practices are fairly... Byzantine, I think it's fair to say. In the absence of strictly-enforced controls, a business (certainly not just tea) <I>can</I>Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-79458168085040659622007-07-31T16:02:00.000+01:002007-07-31T16:02:00.000+01:00"Organic" is a mutable concept in any country. Th..."Organic" is a mutable concept in any country. Thankfully, part of the organic nature of life is that it <I>is</I> constantly changing. It is difficult anywhere 1) to define the qualifications for organic certification, 2) to determine qualification on individual farms, and 3) to continually police farms that are certified. Here in California, being of the most progressively "organic" perpleXdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10179404875953017410noreply@blogger.com