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Natural Grown Vs. Certified Organic

Local Farms vs. The Dirty Dozen
by Patricia Hamilton

Newsletter Sent: Aug 04, 2010 02:03 pm
Organic living is unfairly hard. It cost more to purchase and takes longer, more time, care and know how to produce. That is why I appreciate the EWG’s (The Environmental Working Group’s) list of the worst non-organic produce to consume, due to pesticide and chemicals left on these foods even after a through washing; and the clean 15 non-organic foods that do not absorb and retain chemical pesticides after washing.

Local vs. Organic

I respect the list. I wholeheartedly agree that we should be careful and limit the amount of chemical pesticides and unnatural things we put into our bodies. However, I think it is also important to mention the benefits of becoming familiar with your local farmers and backyard producers. Because having one’s produce certified as organic can become so mottled in the muck and mire of legal minutia, many producers who do take the time and effort to produce their crops free of chemical pesticides and hormones, either fail the process or don’t bother in the first place because they realize from the get go that they don’t have the legal ease or fees to go the distance with it.

Summer/ fall months are perfect for getting to know your local producers. Just about every, city right not has a local farmer’s market happening right about now that you can visit to purchase fresh local grown fruits and vegetables. Go! Talk to as many farmers. Ask them how they grow their crops: how do they deal with garden pest? What types of pesticides do they use? What about hormones to increase growth time or rate? Other chemicals and etc they may use? How were they or why aren’t they certified organic?
A good farmer will take the time to answer your questions. Be patient and wait for a moment when they are not busy trying to service other customers and can take the time to give you their attention.

If you are comfortable with a specific farmer, ask about making arrangements to purchase their products in other ways, maybe by joining a food buying club that they participate in such as the FoodShedBuyingClub. Also many farmers’ offer CSA’s to consumers for mutual benefit. For more info in CSA’s, to find a local farmer’ market and more info on eating local visit: http://www.localharvest.org/

www.FoodNews.org


DIRTY DOZEN™

WORST
Buy These Organic
1. Peaches
2. Strawberries
3. Apples
4. Blueberries
5. Nectarines
6. Bell Peppers
7. Spinach
8. Cherries
9. Kale/Collard
10. Greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)

CLEAN 15

BEST
Lowest in Pesticides
  1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

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