Does buying local, organic food really make a difference? Absolutely! Here are just a few reasons why you should try to buy local and organically grown food whenever possible. If you need help trying to locate local growers, farmer’s markets, and organic markets, try using websites like www.localharvest.org to search for nearby sources of organic food.
Location
In your grocery market you may notice one set of produce marked “organic”. Do these foods support sustainability and eco-friendly practices? Not necessarily. If the “organic” produce was grown in a distant farm and shipped through supply chains to your store, then it has probably consumed more energy and helped spread more emissions than any locally grown food, even if it comes without pesticides. Try for the winning match of both organic and locally grown!
Health
Of course organic foods are healthier! They come naturally grown and without any dangerous hormone treatments or unhealthy pesticides. There is no genetic modifications that can cause unwanted side effects or threaten local ecologies. It is also much easier to ensure that local produce meets true organic standards, too, so the label “organic” is generally more dependable on foods grown in your area. Plus, they hardly take any time at all to ship, so your food tends to be fresher and better-tasting.
This sign is the best of both worlds!
Economy
There’s nothing like supporting small local businesses, especially in these more trying economic times. Local producers work hard to grow their food organically, and they should be supported in their endeavors. Whatever money you spend buying local food will stay in your town or city, supporting local growth and development. Local farms also tend to spend your money in wiser and more eco-friendly ways than large suppliers.
When you think “hip,” glamorous clubs and trendy restaurants with delicious foods and wonderful design can come to mind. For myself, I think of a perfectly thin mom in her perfect kitchen, beautifully dressed, handing out food that obviously took hours to prepare, yet not a hair out of place. I aspire to this woman, even though I know it will never happen. Every day, I’m racing against the setting sun, trying to get dinner on the table before the baby starves to death and my husband starts grazing through the fridge (coming out with, by the way, the strangest combinations of foods.) I am determined that the four of us will eat together. The older boy wanders into the kitchen with a hopeful “What’s for dinner?” and leaves disappointed more times than not. He is not interested in healthy. He is interested in fatty, fried deliciousness. We don’t serve that here. Well, sometimes we do, but our motto is truly “Everything in moderation.”
Sustainable Farming Labels-Farming that utilizes sustainable practices and rotate crops and animals to enrich the soil and help prevent disease and pest outbreaks; chemical pesticides are often not used at all.
Grass-Fed-Grass fed beef is more nutritious, more humane, less wasteful and even better tasting. Grass fed beef is lower in fat an calories, rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid-which reduces the risk of cancer and obesity), high in Omega 3’s and high in Vitamin E. The Standard states that grass or forage shall be the feed source for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk.
Soil Certification Limited-Founded by a group of scientists, farmers and nutritionists, the Soil Association is the UK’s leading organic organization and aim to promote and certify strict organic standards related to food, farming and product-manufacturing processes. They certify over 80% of organic food sold in the UK.
Cage-free-Birds are supposed to be raised without cages but not necessarily outdoors, this is not always the case and there is not a limit to the numbers. Certified Humane labels is the only way to be sure these birds are without cages and allowed to perform natural behaviors.
