Organic VS Local (100 mile diet)

[WeatherWoman]

Watched Food inc last night.

It encourages you to eat local and organic but the difficult part I find is doing both.

I usually buy BC first then washington state and then US and then maybe mexico.

I made more of effort to buy Organic today: Organic BC apples were cheaper than regular. I opted for Delta organic potatoes instead for Van Isle grown, always buy Organic mushrooms. Bought Organic oranges.

Tomato prices were the smae was torn....Organic Tomatoes came from Isarel. I opted for US non-organic becasue it was closer to home.

How do you buy your veggies and why?

[Captain Awesome]

How do you buy your veggies and why?

Based on quality and price. Without paying attention to "organic" or "local" labels.

Why? Don't want to spend more money due to the "organic" hype.

[jennylives]

Local first, organic second but especially for root veggies. If it is too expensive I'll pass on it if I can't get local with a few exceptions like pineapples. I grow as much as I can of my own when the weather allows for it.

[Queen K]

I'm looking forward to Spring too. Hate shopping for veggies when I don't know what's been sprayed on it, who's handled it and when and for how long it's been stored.

[Thinktank]

I wrote several emails to apple packers and associations in eastern Canada and USA
asking one simple question: What percent of the apples are treated with post harvest fungicides?
The few that did answer my question all said - 'YES. We use post harvest fungicides.'
So then I found out 100% of Florida strawberries are treated with fungicides to allow
them to be shipped great distances without rotting, and then I suddenly realized - BUY LOCAL,
and you probably don't get those fungicides, which all cause birth defect by the way. But scientists
say that we can consume a certain amount of these pesticides, and still be safe. They say there
exists a certain 'safe level.' Usually workers on banana plantations in places like Costa Rica or Nicaragua
find out first hand the level that isn't so safe.
http://www.bananasthemovie.com/


Agent orange victim.
This Vietnamese girl is what happens when pesticides are sprayed heavily on people.

When pesticides are sprayed on crops, the rain washes some of it off, the sun breaks some of it down,
and after a while the pesticides breaks down to something not so harmful. But there hasn't been
any long term research to guarantee it is SAFE. It's just that, we all enjoy having lots of plentiful reasonably priced
food, and we're willing to eat some pesticides to get that good deal.


One thing I don't totally appreciate, is when my food is fungicided AFTER it is harvested,
to allow the corporation to earn more profit. Because then the sun and rain doesn't get a chance
to break the fungicide down. It goes straight into my mouth. So there is a list of fruits and vegetables that
I always buy organic. For example - peaches:
Peaches
The highest multiple pesticide residues of any fruit or vegetable. Numerous pesticides found in high concentration.
pesticides seep through skin. Sprayed with
fungicides thiabendazole and iprodione post harvest.
96% tested found to have pesticide residue.
67 different chemical combinations used.
http://www.inspirationgreen.com/food-organic-choices

Farmers Markets are great things.
Food that travels long distances are not so great.
Organic is the best - except in some instances, supposedly, according to Mischa Popoff. But that's another topic.



.

[Glacier]

How do you buy your veggies and why?

I generally buy what is in season - asparagus only in the spring, strawberries only in early summer, peaches only in the late summer, etc. We eat a lot of root vegetables this time of year, but we also buy imported things like oranges, bananas, and pineapples. Produce from places like China and Chile is avoided in our house.

Freezing and canning are also utilized in our home.

[WeatherWoman]

I don't buy Chinese veggies either....but why Chile?

[Soundsprofound]

My wife and I grow most of our own organic veggies . We also sell at the farmers market from April to December. For fruit we try to get local organic if we can and only buy what is in season, canning and freezing and drying for the winter season.
Our local farmer's market has a good selection of fresh local produce even at this time of the year. Don't go looking for tomatoes or peppers this time of the year. You will find root crops and winter storage items, dried and fresh fruit even fresh grains and flour.
We also buy a side of beef from a local rancher and chickens from a friend in Armstrong. Fish we get in season from local lakes.
The food sometimes costs more but it usually lasts twice as long because it is fresh.
When I sell at the Farmer's Market I tell people I can't compete with the big supermakets because I don't have week old produce that was picked unripe to sell .

[Glacier]

I don't buy Chinese veggies either....but why Chile?

Chile has about as many environmental restrictions as China. Grapes from Chile, for example, have been tested to be much higher in pesticide residue than those from the U.S.

[WeatherWoman]

good to know! anyone know about Mexican produce?

[grammafreddy]

Grapes from Chile, for example, have been tested to be much higher in pesticide residue than those from the U.S.

I buy local grapes in season and freeze them for winter snacking. They don't completely freeze (sugar content) and are kinda like little frozen juicy popscicles. Yummy and addicting like peanuts.

[jennylives]

I buy local grapes in season and freeze them for winter snacking. They don't completely freeze (sugar content) and are kinda like little frozen juicy popscicles. Yummy and addicting like peanuts.

I'm going to give that a try. The kids will love it too.

[grammafreddy]

They are good in muffins, too, with crushed pineapple and almond bits.

The sweeter the grape (get them from The Grape Patch), the juicier they are inside.

Oh! And in cakes, too! And in Banana Bread.

[Queen K]

If anyone wants to know where to source Kelowna organic chicken, PM me.

[oneh2obabe]

Check web site for phone number and frequently asked questions
http://okpoultryprocessing.com/