There are a lot of buzz words out there about food and agricultural practices lately. We've got "organic", "sustainable", "certified naturally grown", "all natural", "certified organic", "local", "free range", and "cage free". We assume that these words are clear in what they are describing but with major corporations and small farms alike working hard at marketing to the environmental health craze, there is quite a lot to decipher. And how can any of us be expected to make good choices if we are never actually told what is going on?
Food labeled all natural is not necessarily all natural. For a food to be labeled as such it simply cannot have the following ingredients: added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances. All natural foods can be grown using harmful fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides. No matter how much the food is washed before becoming an "all natural" cracker, traces of those chemicals remain in the food.
Some foods are labeled organic. Some are labeled certified organic. And, some are labeled certified naturally grown. Organic produce is produce grown without the aid of man-made chemicals of any kind. For a food product (like crackers) to be labeled organic, they must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. For a product to be certified organic it must be grown on a farm that acquired certification from the USDA. This label is very expensive for a farm to get. Therefore, anything certified organic likely came from a very large scale farm. Certified naturally grown is a term coined by small farms to indicate that their foods meet or go beyond the standards of the certified organic label. This term was coined because small farms cannot afford the certified organic label from the USDA. Sidethought: Why is the USDA making it harder or more expensive to grow foods that are better for us and for the environment??? Anyway, try to support the underdog and buy food from a local farmer that loves the land.
It used to be that people just bought eggs. Now you not only have to choose between the brown eggs and the white eggs, but also between vegetarian, organic, free range, and cage free eggs. Vegetarian eggs are simply eggs laid by chickens who are fed a vegetarian diet. This became a trend because of the cannibalism that sometimes goes on in large scale farms that produce eggs really fast and keep their chickens locked up very small cages. Cage free eggs are laid by chickens who are not locked up in tiny pens but the chickens are still inside for their entire lives. Free range chickens must have access to the out of doors. This, however, does not mean that the chickens actually get to go outdoors. Organic eggs come from chickens that are fed an organic vegetarian diet. To get free range, organic, vegetarian eggs from a grocery store you are going to have to shell out 5 bucks. So, again, if you have access, your best bet for buying eggs is from a local farmer who has chickens running around his/her backyard.
One of the best things you can do for the environment is to start eating local. Most people do not have access to enough land to grow all of their food at home. Those who cannot garden may want to consider finding out about local CSA's. CSA stands for community supported agriculture. Local organic farmers will often let customers pick up produce straight from the farm for either a bi-weekly or monthly fee. By participating in a CSA you reduce the amount of energy it takes to get food from the farm to your table. Most major grocery stores buy their organic produce from other countries and have it shipped. This adds up to a major "carbon footprint" over time.
The best thing any of us can do in terms of acquiring food is to get as basic as possible. Choose to purchase from a small scale organic farm when possible. Even better, try to buy from someone you know. We need to support the people who are trying to make an honest living while producing honest food that nurtures all God gave us.
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