Buying Organic Food

RE: Buying Organic Food Post By ML (Guest Post) (08/06/2007) Yes, unfortunately contamination from non-organic fields can occur by wind, or by seed spread and isn't all that uncommon and is a huge concern for organic farmers. There are several court cases (some involving Monsato (sp?) about this. The best thing one can do is write to their representatives and show their support for local organic foods by purchasing through CSAs or food coops. Potential contamination is not a good excuse to not try to purchase ecologically and environmentally sound produce. RE: Buying Organic Food Post by may-fairy (35) | (11/06/2005) Profile | Contact the best way to spend less on organic foods is to simply do it yourself if you can. Start a garden and plant the produce that you use the most. If you have room too get some chickens for eggs. you dont have to do much at first you can just start with veggies and fruit and you are allready eating better and healthier foods. RE: Buying Organic Food Post by evan's"mama" (35) | (10/22/2005) Contact I try to buy organic foods whenever I can, for both myself and my 2 year old son. I don't know that it's proven that organic foods have less pesticides, etc. compared to "regular" foods, but I figure, why take the chance? I would rather expose my son to LESS pesticides. For Miranda, I believe that the soil, etc. that organic foods are grown in have to be tested to meet the standards to label it organic, so I don't think there's much chance of contamination. I agree that organic is usually more expensive (the reason I can't buy ALL organic foods), but this is a matter of supply/demand--if more consumers bought organic, the price would go down. Some of the prices I see are high, but some are actually not too bad and comparable to "regular" food prices. Organic foods also usually have a lot less additives, preservatives, and trans fats, none of which are good for us, so many times organic is better in this regard. I have friends who roll their eyes or tease me for buying organic. But I want the best for my son, and if buying organic foods will help him to be healthier (like I really believe they do), then I'm going to keep going with organic! I wish more people would do the same, at least for their children. Good nutrition is SO important for children's development! Well, I'll get off my soapbox now! Hope my comments helped somewhat! RE: Buying Organic Food Post by pinellas (12) | (10/22/2005) Contact Well in answer to the 2nd post 1st, organically grown foods have been found to contain pesticides - but far less than 'conventionally' grown . The sad fact is our environment has been poisoned - there's no escape from it, but buying & consuming organic products does help reduce your own personal exposure & also supports agricultural practices that are less harmful to our environment/ecology. As for the 1st question, most organic costs approx. the same as 'conventional' here where I live.But there are more than a few co.s that charge 'what the market will bear' - that is, many people don't question higher $$ for organics coz they perceive it as higher quality (which it usually is). & what many do not realise is that the super cheap prices for 'conventional' foods are the result of subsidies - so tax $$ pays the costs - a.k.a. 'hidden' costs.Environmental damage, loss of habitat/ecosystems, farmworker healthcare - not to mention cheap imports which put US producers @ a disadvantage - all get paid for out of taxpayer pockets - sooner or later.So you either pay a bit more up front or subsidise (for a lot more) the 'hidden' costs of 'cheap' food . FWIW, I belong to a small co-op - about a dozen members buy from a local organic distributor & have membership w/ a local CSA(community supported agriculture) organic farm.(You might check to see if there is a CSA in your area - they're almost everywhere.)We order every other week & split the costs - 2 weeks worth of organic produce & organic eggs costs me less than $30 & feeds my household of 3 adults. I have a garden too & fruit trees - all organic. http://www.ewg.org/ RE: Buying Organic Food Post By Miranda (Guest Post) (10/22/2005) I`m all for "eating healthy" but something puzzles me: In a field where produce is grown in the wide open spaces...isn`t it possible that insecticides and pesticides can be wind blown onto the "Organic" produce??This has always puzzled me. Does anyone out there have a reasonable answer? I`d like to know. M.