VEGANICS
“Veganism: a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude – as far as is possible and practical – all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, entertainment or any other purpose: and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
‘Veganic’ is simply an amalgamation of the words ‘vegan’ and ‘organic’.
Veganic gardening is similar to organic gardening but uses plant-based inputs instead of animal-based fertilisers such as fish, blood and bone, stable manure or compost containing animal renderings.
Animal agriculture is not only extremely inefficient, it also has a detrimental effect on the environment not least from greenhouse gas emissions (methane and carbon monoxide) on climate change.
Veganic fertilisers involve the use of plant-based compost, wood chip, green manures, cover crops, mineral amendments and even weeds to enrich the soil in terms of fertility and structure. This, in turn, boosts nutrient availability and water retention/drainage to create a nourishing place for mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and other life-forms to thrive.
Veganic growing also uses less by way of resources (such as land, water and energy) and creates healthier soil with a higher organic content that absorbs and retains water, making it more resilient to drought and erosion.
Like organics, avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides allows biodiversity (insects, birds and invertebrates) to flourish in an eco-system where predator-prey cycles help maintain ecological balance.
While, historically, it’s been difficult to obtain food where there hasn’t been a degree of animal exploitation it’s encouraging to see pioneers in the veganic movement (such as Iain Tolhurst, of Tolhurst Organics) helping farmers in the UK and abroad transition away from animal agriculture towards more sustainable and cruelty-free farming methods.
Links to veganic resources
Soon after taking on our plot in Bushy Park, West London and some years before being vegan we were introduced to Iain Tolhurst, a stock-free organic farmer who sells 400 boxes a week from a two-acre walled garden and a further 16 acres of open fields on the Hardwick Estate in Oxfordshire. Known locally as ‘Tolly’, he has co-authored ‘Growing Green with Jenny Hall and become one of the most inspirational experts on stock-free organic farming, advising regularly on his techniques both at home and abroad.