Choices You Can Make

Salt cured side meat from pastured pork, home made biscuit and gravy, my girls eggs and our tomatoes.

I actually rarely buy organic food. Yes, I know, sacrilege. It isn’t that I don’t believe organic is better for you, I do. I just think the organic label is not the only indicator of healthy food.

My number one priorities are buying local and growing as much as we can. Not everyone can do that, and if you cannot, then buying organic is your best choice.

I think it is so important to support local farmers and food producers, and if you tell them you want pastured meat, and pesticide free fruits and veggies, you can find suppliers who agree with you. Sometimes you just have to ask.

That said, I will argue with you that if you are growing your own, there is no reason not to use totally organic methods. The idea that you don’t have to kill every bug and you don’t have to use chemical fertilizers is an obstacle lots of folks have trouble getting past, but truly, those things don’t get you more food in the long run. In fact, in the long run, if we don’t start changing the way food is grown, there may be less food for everyone.

I posted the photo, above, of my breakfast as a yummy illustration. That plate was 75 per cent locally grown. Only the milk had an organic label, but mostly, everything else was organically produced. There was a time when everything on that plate would have been grocery store food. You don’t have to change everything at once, just change what you can.

Fred and I consider ourselves incredibly privileged. We have enough space to grow. We live close to farmers and meat producers. We have our girls. We have enough income to buy better quality food when we have to.

It may be harder for you. Do what you can. If all you can add to the plate is a tomato, do that. And don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the pretty damn good.