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Here's to Your Health:  Organic??  |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 08 2005 : 7:42:31 PM
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| I don't know if this is the right place to post this or not but I was wondering how many of ya'll really eat organically? I've been thinking about this for a while. Some things I read says definately go organic, some say it's not really necessary. I buy organic when I can but when milk is almost $6.00/gallon, butter is almost $5.00 that's not something that I can afford on a weekly basis. I buy organic canned tomatoes most of the time but as far as butter, eggs, cheese, milk, meat, and veggies at the store goes this is just not in my budget right now. I am a stay at home mom but hate that I would basically have to go back to work to afford these foods but I hate all the chemicals too. Even the MJ foods are not in my budget most of the time. Thanks for all the input and advice. |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2005 : 8:42:10 PM
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Kristi, one of the important advantages to using organic dairy and meat products is that they are not grown with growth-hormones and antibiotics, both of which mess up the human immune system incredibly. One alternative to look for in lieu of the organic seal are brands that say "no growth hormones or antibiotics used". They say this right up front on the label. These are often free-range animals, whose lives are so much better than those raised in horrible manufacturing conditions. It's a start to weeding out the chemicals from our bodies anyway.
**** Love is the great work - though every heart is first an apprentice. - Hafiz
Set a high value on spontaneous kindness. - Samuel Johnson****
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2005 : 11:52:10 PM
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I certainly understand where you're coming from Kristi, and the more you read, the more you become increasingly paranoid with what is in our food. This is particularly so when you're feeding growing children.
I do my best to buy as much organic food as I possibly can afford, but like you say, the price is often prohibitive. Organic butter sells for $7/lb here. The two most important things (to me) that I insist on being organic are grains/flour (and products made with them) and eggs. My mom had a friend on the prairies who, with her husband, had a wheat farm. Their chemical bill for one season was $80,000!! I say HAD a friend...she died last year from liver cancer.
Here, cheap hen feed contains feather meal. That makes me gag! I raise my own chickens on certified organic grain and my garden is fertilized with chicken manure and compost. Pesticides are my chickens during the non-growing season and herbicides are my own two hands.
Like Clare says, we can slowly weed out the chemicals as best we can afford.
Do you do any canning or freezing in the fall? In-season organic produce is always cheaper and some folks will give away fruit from trees they can't pick or use all it produces. Can you buy chicken, milk or eggs from a local farmer? What about considering buying a side of beef raised locally by someone reputable? It's initially expensive, but can really go far.
Live a good and honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. |
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ThymeForEweFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
705 Posts
Robin
An organic farm in the forest in
Maine
USA
705 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 03:28:53 AM
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In addition to finding naturally grown foods you should look for whole foods. Organic and naturally grown foods can be more expensive so you need to get the most nutrition available for your dollar. For example, look for "whole grain" bread instead of "seven grain." Seven tells you how many grains are in the bread. Whole tells you the state of the grain. If it comes from a box it's probably not in my cupboards. Processed food will feed you but won't give you the feeling of fullness whole foods give. You'll probably eat less because you feel satisfied longer.
Mass food production got a lot more expensive this year than it has ever been. Synthetic fertilizers are made of petroleum (now who wants that in their food). Crude oil is expensive. Synthetic fertilizers, tractors, combines and other vehicles run on petro chemicals. The trucks that haul food over 1000 miles from the field to your dinner table run on diesel. Food in grocery stores is going to continue to get more expensive. You can avoid a lot of this by buying locally. Locally grown organic food is even in price with grocery stores in my area now.
What can you grow yourself? If you have even a little bit of room a lot of us can help you start growing some of your food.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 04:35:12 AM
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I would start by first being all natural. I think it is very important to not be eating processed foods as most of our carcinogens come from them. Then work your way into organics where you can. Many grocery stores now carry no antibiotic or hormone chicken and beef etc. Then talk to local farmers and start reading.
Some vegetables and fruit may not need to be organic because they grow organically with no problems on their own. When you can not afford it choose the lesser of two evils. For instance taking fruit out of the diet because you can't afford organic would not be healthy so: do not buy south american or mexican produce and for grapes, only buy california. Same with strawberries. Try to eat what is in season and local and ask you farmer what he sprays. Sometimes the only reason a farmer is not organic is because he sprays roundup, or many times he just has not gone trough the certification process which costs money. Good farms that are not organic practice IPM. Integrated Pest Management and maybe they did not have to spray this year at all.
I read Organic Gardening Magazine and Mother EArth News. This where I find out things like: OUr strawberries from Florida are often turned away by Canada because they do not meet there low fungicide requirements, then they are sold to us. Florida is humid, they spray fungicide more than once a week and fungicide is one of the more toxic chemicals. Tomatoes from Florida are grown in sand with no nutrients and chemical fertilizers are in the water they get all the time or they would not grow in Florida to begin with.
When in question I buy California, Oregon or Washington because their chemical laws are the strictest in the country. Most other states do not ship here anyway. I also grow alot of my own and have two organic farms near my house but that wasn't the case when my kids were small. That's when I learned the most.
Marianne |
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ByHzGrace
True Blue Farmgirl
348 Posts
348 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 05:27:03 AM
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| I think it is good to put out information. We need to not generalize.Now there is not all from Florida to be hating! We are a organic farm. |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 06:34:15 AM
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| Thank you all for your replies. I just recently found out we have a farmers market here so I may check them out as far as my produce. We have a market up the road from me that is awesome I love it. They have a lot of natural and organic foods but like I said the organic stuff is expensive but I don't want to continue to basically poison my family in the long run. As far as the local meat farmers, I don't know. I'm sure they are around (this is Texas after all, beef, beef, beef) I'll just have to do a little research. At the market I go to I buy chicken that says no added hormones or steroids so I guess I'm doing ok there. I do a small amount of canning but I would like to do a lot more. I was planning on canning my tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, beans, etc this year but my garden went down the drain this year. I went on vacation for 2 weeks and had someone water for me and that was during the really hot part of summer and it all fried. So that was all short lived. I'm trying so hard to get away from all the processed foods. It's hard though because that's how my DH and I were both raised. My kids love mac and cheese, it's quick and easy and with gymnastics and soccer and exercise classes most nights it's hard. Thank you all again I will try even harder and keep buying organic when I can. That's got to be better than not at all right??? |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 07:14:31 AM
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Sorry Ellen,
I did not mean to single out Florida, it was just the example that came to mind. I used to live in GAinesville for 5 years, when my kids were small. This is when I discoverd the most about our food sources. There was an organic blueberry farmer who was on my sons soccer team and I would get alot of my information from her. She would tell me where I could find things etc. I also met the state organic farm inspector and he would give me great information too. That was 15 years and 3 states ago. I am very lucky to be now living in an area where organics are common and although pricey, not quite as much as the prices that have been quoted here.
Marianne |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 07:28:13 AM
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Have to agree with a lot of comments here and add some of mine. I started this year buying organic produce from a local farmer; have to drive about 25 miles once a week to pick it up; he could only accomodate 25 customers he's just starting out, and small. I only bought a half share which costs about $12 a week, much less than I spend at the grocery on vegetables. I have to still buy some there (grocery) so I usually buy frozen, to fill in. Frozen, I feel, is "fresher" than what is in the grocery, because the plants are usually closer to the fields.
But you MUST read the labels. I will not buy veggies, fruit, OJ, etc. which comes from S.America because I don't believe that DDT has been outlawed there; also - some countries use "night soil" for fertilizer. I just found some fruit at a large chain here, frozen, at a very good price - but it comes from China!!! How can they afford to ship it here, I wonder? So, as far as buying fruit anyway, if you can't afford organic, I would think twice. Read the labels, always, and know what you are getting and where it comes from. I am trying hard to change my eating habits, or rather revert to the ones I had before I married (married late, and my DH is not "into" the organic ideas, etc. and basically will put anything in his mouth that's edible!). With the produce I pick up, I have more than I can use, and have had to freeze some or give some away - and that with a half share (pretty much 1-2 grocery bags full). I never know what I will get, so I get to be creative with my menus too! My basic belief is you are what you eat.
Cecelia
ce's farm
"Curiosity is one of the forms of feminine bravery" Victor Hugo |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 07:48:31 AM
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I must say I understand exactly what you are going through Kristi! I am in pretty much the same boat. I have bought a few half-gallons of oraganic milk (I have not found it in gallons yet) and I LOVE the taste so much better! But once I ran out my room mates just bought the normal milk-- I put it on my cereal and about had to through everything away. You can actually _taste_ the chemicals in it!
I would definatly try checking out the Farmer's Market. They often have great things there and sometimes you can get great deals.
Last week I got 25# of Peaches for $11. We have been unloading peaches on all our next door neighbors because they were starting to spoil. I would have loved to can them, but I don't know how.
Anyway, Good luck on your search for better foods! I definatly can empathize!
Ciao
Alee |
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Nicol
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Nicol
200 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 08:46:00 AM
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Here's a really good list that shows which produce items are sprayed the most and which are sprayed the least. http://www.foodnews.org/reportcard.php I try to buy organic food on the list of the most sprayed. I garden and go to the local farmer's market at least once a month. Costco sells organic milk so I buy it there. I have been successful in finding meat raised locally without hormones and other additives. I do buy "regular" items and try not to beat myself up about it. If you can find a food co-op then you can buy stuff less expensively. A good one is Azure Standard. http://www.azurestandard.com/ They ship UPS which can be expensive but check into their delivery routes. I've noticed that the Fred Meyer stores near me have a decent selection of organic items and they regularly have sales. During the sales I can often find organic items cheaper than the nonorganic items. Also check the websites of companies that produce organic food. They frequently have coupons. Check Stoneyfield, Horizon and Organic Valley. I think Organic Valley sends coupons if you become a farm friend or something like that. Hope this helps. |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 09:47:14 AM
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I definitely agree with buying locally. That helps keep small family farms in business. If you have a Trader Joe's near you they offer lots of organic stuff at very reasonable prices. The only other alternative we have here besides Trader Joe's is Wild Oats and they are very expensive.
"If you are lucky enough to have a garden, you are lucky enough!" |
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mdotterer
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Marlene
Pleasant Hill
CA
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 12:10:49 PM
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| Check out www.localharvest.org. You can put in your zipcode and search for farmers markets, natural food stores, CSA's, organic meat, anything you want! This will help you find whatever is near you. Hopefully, some of these will be a little less expensive, since they are near by. Some of the CSA's or coops will let you trade volunteer time for some of the cost. Of course, you have to have the time and that's not easy! Good luck! |
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junebug
True Blue Farmgirl
2421 Posts
Sue
West Plains,
Mo.
USA
2421 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 12:52:41 PM
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I don't know if you have any near you, but a salvage grocery store is a GOOD place to find organic products. They are very popular here and I visit ours at least once a week. They have a huge supply of organic groceries at dirt cheap prices, no out of date items either, it's a great way to save money plus eat alot healthier, check into it.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Art....
I'm not 40 something, I'm 39.95 plus shipping and handling! |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2005 : 6:20:50 PM
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Oh Nicol thanks for the coupon tip I will try those websites for sure. Marlene thanks for that website..I've bookmarked and I am going to keep checking. When I checked tonight it said that there is a farmers market but in parenthesis it said January. I will have to check it out I don't know if they will run through January or they will start again in January. My guess they will run through Jan.
Alyssa-- I know what you mean about the organic milk. I have been spending the extra money on that lately and I don't know what I was thinking drinking that other stuff for so many years. It tastes like rich whole milk to me and I love that taste just not the extra sat. fats and calories. I love it!!! I bought the butter today so I'm going to try it but I paid $5.99 for it!!!! Don't know if I will be making that purchase very often but we'll see. Why oh why does the good things have to be so pricey. |
Edited by - lonestargal on Sep 09 2005 6:23:39 PM |
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ByHzGrace
True Blue Farmgirl
348 Posts
348 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2005 : 03:39:12 AM
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I look at it as preventative health. I pay to have my physicals, teeth cleaned to save later on. I also believe in the saying "life is too short to wear tight shoes".I translates that to eat inferior quality and less flavorful foods.
I belong to a coop group of organic fruit farmers and it is not just the the corp farms who ship out of state. Yes we aren't "there" yet but the business supplying retail has grown over 11% since last year alone. Over 3/4 of our coops yields are going to the mass market and a little over 1/8 to natural food stores. You as "the" consumer have to demand the products you want to consume. You demanded fruits to be available no matter whether it was in season locally. Thats how the internationals got into our groceries! Increase the demand, pricing will fall on organics. |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2005 : 11:44:47 AM
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I love reading Mother Earth News, too. I have been slowing integrating more and more organic items into my grocery lists. I always look, too, to see where the fruit and veggies are coming from. I feel at least I'm making a start. I think so many health issues today are due to the preservatives in foods.
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2005 : 11:45:38 AM
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Kim, Just emailed you!
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
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ivmeer
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Amanda
Pawtucket
RI
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2005 : 2:01:41 PM
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| I have to say, I try to eat whole foods, like another poster said, but I don't usually buy organic anything. |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2005 : 12:26:26 PM
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I haven't gotten it yet, Meadowlark? Did you get mine?
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2005 : 06:33:12 AM
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This whole organic topic got me researching the internet over Genetically Engineered food. I found out that 70% of our food that has either soy or wheat is genetically engineered and it does not have to be marked. GE FOOD HAS NO LABELING REQUIREMENT! Frightening isn't it?
I then found out that Kraft foods uses GE products and after calling the company and asking them what products they were in, I found out that they have no idea. They don't even track what they put it in and said it is most likely in everything because the wheat and soy they buy is GE.
What's worse is that they have to make food for Europe that does'nt have GE products in it. So Europe is getting better food than we are made by our own American company.
Marianne |
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amystew
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Amy
Eureka
CA
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2005 : 2:36:46 PM
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I understand about having to prioritize and the costs. My top priorities for buying organic are dairy products (I don't eat meat, but if I did, I'd include that too), and if not organic, definitely hormone and antiobiotic-free.
For me, second priority is produce that is grown aboveground and not peeled, especially if it has a real soft surface. Somehow the idea of a chemical just being sprayed directly onto the soft suface of a strawberry gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Organic Style did a story on this once...see list at bottom:
http://www.organicstyle.com/feature/0,8028,s1-41-30-32-339,00.html
Is anyone else paying attention to what country food comes from? A friend recently returned from China, and she had a hard time enjoying the trip because of the pollution and what she thought was a lack of concern for food safety. She said (and this is just one person's opinion) that since returning, she has found herself really checking labels and avoiding food from China. I say this knowing that there can be problems with food anywhere, including the US, of course...
Gardener, chicken lover, worm wrangler
http://humboldthens.blogspot.com |
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junebug
True Blue Farmgirl
2421 Posts
Sue
West Plains,
Mo.
USA
2421 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2005 : 04:53:33 AM
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I have to agree about checking out the labels, since I learned that Mexico doesn't have any laws agaisnt using chemicals on their produce even the ones that are banned here, and all the name brand frozen veggies are from Mexico. We really have to keep a eye on the labels, and they don't know where cancer comes from, yeah right!
I'm not 40 something, I'm 39.95 plus shipping and handling! |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2005 : 10:00:32 AM
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I just did a google search on "mexican produce pesticides" (without the quotes). It makes me sick to my stomach and livid, it is criminal!
My s-i-l told me that she read she couldn't feed my nephew carrots until he was at least six months old because of the nitrate/nitrite(?) content. Nitrate? I thought nitrate was in cured meats. So I researched it...turns out it is the fertilizer that concentrates in the carrots. So after six months of age it is safe to feed our babies nitrates??? OMG
Live a good and honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. |
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junebug
True Blue Farmgirl
2421 Posts
Sue
West Plains,
Mo.
USA
2421 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2005 : 11:42:25 AM
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All the more reason to garden, garden and garden, organicly of course! Diane, care to share your links you found? Thanx!
I'm not 40 something, I'm 39.95 plus shipping and handling! |
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mdotterer
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Marlene
Pleasant Hill
CA
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2005 : 1:00:52 PM
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I always try to buy local, especially my produce. I belong to a CSA, which helps a lot. And, I simply will not buy something that is out of season here, but shows up in the grocery stores because it's from South America or someplace. I love berries, so I buy extra throughout the summer and freeze them. This lets me enjoy berries occasionaly during winter, which is a real treat!
I had an eye-opening experience in August. I joined a local challenge to buy and eat ONLY local products during the month. I thought I would do pretty good, but I didn't even come close! Coffee? I never even thought about coffee - I drank it every day. But, of course that doesn't grow around here! And the flour I use to make bread, waffles, pancakes, etc? Sure, I use organic whole grain flour, but I it doesn't come from around here. I don't even know where to find that. Who grows wheat in California?
So, I know I have a long way to go and a lot to learn before I'm really living sustainably. Baby steps, I guess.
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Here's to Your Health: Organic?? |
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Organic??
