Local, organic foods

This morning, for the first time in months, Dan and I ventured out to the Carrboro Farmers' Market. This is an extensive, year-round market that has everything from farm fresh eggs (for which there is no substitute... unless you have chickens...) to coffee and donuts. It is smaller than the farmers' market I grew accustomed to as a child living in Rochester, NY, but the quality is more intense. This market puts an emphasis on local, organic farming.

This morning we found such treasures as grass-fed, free roaming, organic beef, organic breakfast sausage (without casing), and a long-needled pine sappling one man was handing out for free, as part of a "support native plants of NC" inititive. I'm always happy to plant a tree.

We brought our delicious treats (and the pine tree) home, and planned what to do next. We traveled to Weaver Street Market to find the most perfect rolls (also local) for our soon-to-be burgers. In just forming the burgers I could tell it was going to be good. Meat that fresh smells differently than the stuff you buy in stores. Just the other day I bought a local poulet, and I have never smelled chicken like that. It was earthy and organic smelling, and not like what I have come to know chicken to smell like at all. If you've ever noticed how the freshest fish (sushi is the easiest example) doesn't smell fishy, you know what I mean.

The burgers were divine. I lightly seasoned the beef with some salt and fresh pepper. Any more would have been too much; the meat didn't need any help.

Why do I share this? Certainly not to brag about my fantastic burger experience, but to tell you how you can have your own fantastic foods.

One of my personal, major campaigns is to eat local and organic whenever possible. When it comes to meat, I prefer them to be free range and grass or grain fed, not corn fed, as are most animals raised for food in this country.

First of all, eating local supports your local farms. In this economy, keeping the small business in business belongs to everyone.

Secondly, many local farms (especially if you go to a farmers' market and ask the growers) are USDA approved organic. This means they do not use pesticides or growth hormones. This is especially important when dealing with tubers, thin-skinned fruits and vegetables, and meats. Each of those absorb chemicals, and no amount of washing, scrubbing, or cooking will eliminate these harmful chemicals. Some of the most popular chemicals used to promote vegetable growth, mancozeb, and chlorothalonil, have been labeled as known carcinogen.

Third, the quality is superior. A farmer who cares more about raising food like we used to, and not all for mass profit, picks their vegetables when they are ripe, and doesn't overload them with growth chemicals that dilute the flavor. If you've ever had a garden, you know this to be true. Nothing tastes better than a homegrown strawberry or a perfectly ripe tomato.

Like myself, you may not be able to afford organic all the time, especially when these foods are not in-season locally. If you must pick and choose, go for grass-fed beef over organic, free-range chicken (you can generally find chicken without growth hormones or nitrate for the same price as other chicken), and organic tubers (beets, carrots, potatoes) and thin-skinned fruits and veggies (tomatoes, grapes, berries, peppers, celery, apples, pears, summer tree fruit) over those with thicker skin (melons, onions, and tropical fruits such as avacado, mango, papaya, and bananas).

Join a co-op (csa, farmshare). This will not only ensure healthy, local food at an affordable price, but give you a wide variety of food week to week. To find a csa close to you, check out this website.

Check out your local farmers' market. The above website will also help you find a local market.

Research. See what eating organic can do for you.
There are many decent books explaining the benefits of eating local. A good place to start is The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It is dense and technical, so if you are looking for a summer read, there is a Young Reader's addition that does not detract from the main idea of the original.

If you are interested in seeing the ramifications of the way we eat, particularly our children, check out Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Sign the campaign. Get our country on the right track to eating healthy!

Happy eating!