Despite the fact that we absolutely prefer and always try to buy organic…I really want to get one thing straight here. Just because something is organic does not automatically mean it is healthy and that you should eat it! There are still highly processed foods out there that just happen to be mad
e with organic ingredients. Here are some examples:
- Organic ice cream sandwiches (the one pictured contains organic corn syrup and organic sugar in addition to white flour)
- Organic flavored yogurt (also full of organic sugar)
- Organic cookies
- Organic crackers made with white flour
- Organic chips and pretzels
- Organic white bread
Thinking about something being organic vs. highly processed is like comparing apples to oranges. It is important to first ensure an item is not highly processed and then also try to find the organic version if possible. So now that we have covered the pre-made stuff you might buy, here is some more food for thought…
Although buying organic produce from the grocery store does mean it was not treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, it doesn’t mean that it has traveled any less far (and lost any less nutrients during the traveling process) than its conventional counterpart. Don’t forget that whether it is conventional or organic, the produce from the supermarket travels on average 1500 miles from the farm to your plate. According to Michael Pollan, the best alternative is to buy produce from the farmer’s market whenever possible. A lot of smaller farms aren’t able to go through the paperwork, trouble, or cost of becoming certified organic even though they most often follow an all-natural process. The nice thing about the farmer’s market is that you can just ask the farmer yourself how they treat their plants or animals before buying anything!
Just in case you aren’t convinced that you should spend the extra dough on organic (or natural) produce and meats then take a peak at this Fox News article about a recent Columbia University study. They claim that “pesticides can cause a number of health problems including, cancer, birth defects, and nerve damage…[and in children an] elevated risk of having ADHD.” If this isn’t enough reason to make a change then I don’t know what is… http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/16/another-reason-to-buy-organic/
Thank you for posting this. I totally agree. I love your blog.
Thank you!
no prob. do you have a twitter acct
Nope…just facebook
[...] this may be the superior option over something like gold fish (solely based on the fact that it is organic), but just like Pirate’s Booty this is another product that contains no whole grains. So not [...]
[...] was organic (although just because something is organic does not mean it is okay…there are a lot of highly processed organic foods out [...]
Thank you for adding the sentence about local farmers.
“A lot of smaller farms aren’t able to go through the paperwork, trouble, or cost of becoming certified organic even though they most often follow an all-natural process. The nice thing about the farmer’s market is that you can just ask the farmer yourself how they treat their plants or animals before buying anything!”
We sell at local markets and are not certified organic. For a meat producer to be certified organic you must buy organic bread stock or wait 3 generations before your stock is considered organic. (That’s at least 3 years!!) Then you also have to have your soils organically approved as well as any fertilizers, feeds, and even your grazing pastures. Trust me it’s a long process, and the reason organically certified meat producers HAVE to charge so much more. (This also doesn’t include the permits, and certification process fees.)
At our farm we practice many organic principals. This does not make us organic, but it does make us local, healthier, fresher, more flavorful, and willing to open our farm to visits and questions.
Also please consider local eggs…if you’ve never eaten a farm fresh egg I challenge you to buy a dozen and try them. They are a dark yellow. They are fluffy. They are super yummy, and you’ll NEVER want to go back to the nasty store bought. Even the most expensive organically grow store bought egg is at least 4 months old (from a paper our local vet did in college), so see those are OLD. That’s why when you boil them they peel so nice. Older eggs have absorbed more air and thus allowed the air pocket to expand. Fresh eggs–are a PAIN in the neck to boil and peel. I mean a PAIN!!
Give your local farmer’s market a try. We participate in a 100% growers market. All our farmers are passionate about their veggies and meats, as well as their crafts. Once you try LOCAL you Won’t go Back!!!
Thanks
Dayna
Poverty Creek Farm
Thanks for the information – I am new to your blog and look forward to new posts! I have been trying to eat “clean” for the past year or so and it sometimes gets so confusing. I do think that you are right in that by shopping local you are making so many positive and responsible choices. I hope more people start to choose to shop local so our local producers become successful and we as a community thrive both from supporting them and by eating such high quality food! Thanks again!