Organic & Local Food Sourcing... do you care?

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How Much does Organic and Local food mean to you

  • I Only Shop Organic/Local

    Votes: 8 22.9%
  • Sometimes When I Can

    Votes: 24 68.6%
  • I Don't Even Consider It

    Votes: 3 8.6%

  • Total voters
    35

PanchoHambre

Washing Up
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
702
Location
Philly PA
So on New Years Eve I think I really annoyed one of my neighbors.

She is one of a group trying to start a Food CoOp in the neighborhood. I was trying to find out what they were thinking of having at this place because our area is pretty poorly served foodwise... I start getting the impression that it is going to be a storefront filled with bins of scoop your own organic Quinoa... and valu size ricemilk ugh... I had had a few drinks I ran my mouth a bit think my sarcasm got to her... but seriously... organic and local is fine to a point but I want my Prosciutto people!

I really like the idea of buying local produce and local meats (they are not having meat) etc but everytime I look into one of these coops or byuing clubs they are super restrictive and the people involved are so holier than though... its just too much... it ends up turining me off to the idea. The stuff labeled organic at the supermarket is generally pricy and I am just not convinced any better.

I reald lables for additives, I try to avoid processed foods. I try to use whole grains... but some stuf needs to be imported and sometimes money is an issue... I dont shop at WholeFoods because the prices are crazy insane and the lines are long and the parking is terrible (and I am not about to bike thank you)

All the neo-urban-hippies in my neighborhood are hellbent on this local-organic-urban farming thing (they are also conspicuosly anti-deoderant)

I just dont find it sustanable lifestyle wise.

So I am curious how y'all think about these issues... do you take this into consideration when you shop?
 
Okay, I voted that I only shop for local and organic but really it is MOST of the time, but there is no way I could only shop that way. In my catering I am known for my fresh, local and organic ingredients so in that context I am careful to stay in those parameters. However, for home cooking it isn't always that easy.

I could go on and on about the virtues of fresh market ingredients over supermarket specials, but then I would have to qualify it at the end by saying I have often shopped at the organic store and then popped across the street to Mickey D's for a quarter pounder with cheese!

As for the coops, Pancho, I agree with you. I have been approached several times to go into one but find them too restrictive for my needs. I would either end up with too much for DH and I or not enough for a catering event. So, I pass on the opportunity.
 
I buy from local farms around me (meat butter eggs all the time, veg in the late spring through Thanksgiving) Fish I have two "local "markets but both are "supplied" as no one catches Alaskan Salmon in the local streams here! And right now I use the local supermarket which is a good one luckily for fresh veg...obviously not local PA or Jersey in January.
The quality I get locally is extraordinary. I will also get specialty products "on line" such as a particular ham or cheese, etc. How many pantry staples are "imported" but I can use local companies such as Cento of NJ so I am helping my local economy.
 
I'm with Laurie on this, I shop most of the time for organic / local farmer's markets. I only recently heard of these CoOps... but don't know much about them at the moment.
 
I shop organic/local as much as I can and I would jump at the chance for a food co-op in my neighborhood.
 
I shop organic/local as much as possible, and frankly if its one or the other, I go for local. What good is organic if it's from China????

What I also do is seasonal, as much as possible. For instance, I don't eat or serve food that is clearly seasonal but is conspicuously available from far-off places year round such as tomatoes, strawberries, asparagus.
 
Seasonal, local and organic to the extent that time, and my restaurant owners permit. At home it is a simple fix, grow your own local organic fruits and veggies.
 
I agree with Laurie - I would like to shop that way all the time, but cannot always - some things like fruit in winter can only come from abroad. I also have to bear in mind that my wallet is not limitless.

We grow some of our own veg and I sometimes buy local or organis sourced veg. The majority of the meat I buy is locally sourced.
 
I also agree with LP..
regional products whenever possible, I even try to get the milk at the supermarket from the northern dairies, but sometimes it's not possible... they do not make swiss cheese in northern Germany ;o)
But then I try to buy at least organic... when it's possible and the shop offers the possibility
 
I agree with June. For me it is not a moral or lifestyle issue as much as a quest for quality. That leaves out, for the most part, fruits and vegetaqbles in winter, unless thay are frozen. I find that most co-ops are about a lifestyle rather than a quality or price issue. They have a right to their lifestyle, I have a right not to embrace it. (The meat issue almost always comes up. There is Hereford, Angus, Wygu, and several others. Never heard of that soy breed) I shop for quality, am willing to search for it and pay for it.
 
Cara: Love that quote. By the time I get there, my body will be so bruised and battered, dental records will be the only way to identify me - If I have any teeth left.
 
I find that most co-ops are about a lifestyle rather than a quality or price issue. They have a right to their lifestyle, I have a right not to embrace it. .


That is sort of what I was getting at. My problem is they are trying to sell this as something great for the whole neighborhood (funding wise)...which is still largely working class to poor. Really it is for themselves, and they are the people who have the resources to shop anywhere. What we need is good food that wont scare off everybody else.

I try to shop for quality but have trouble associating quality with a little sticker that says organic... or the fact that I brought my own sack and scooped the rice out of a bin.

Growing up our staples were from the typical the grocery store but most "food" was from ethnic specialty shops meat was from the Butcher, cold cuts from the Salumaria, Fish from the Fish Store and fruits and veggies from the local producer markets, Cheese Store, Bakery etc. These places had "good food" I do not know the origins but you knew you were getting quality and getting fresh. This is really how I like to shop when I can.

I really hate shopping at the supermarket but it is a matter of convenience. In the summer I try to take advantage of the farmers markets, We have Reading Terminal which has some nice vendors and The Italian Market in S. Philly as well but these places are sort of pricey. I definitely don't have the time to traverse Lancaster county in search of dairy products.

This place Greensgrow Farms City Supported Agriculture is in the neighborhood and is very cool. I would rather shop the farmstand then join thier buying club though.
 
Local/seasonal/organic as much as possible, which is a lot, as I live in Southern California. That being said, I do not hesitate to buy some things that simply are not locally produced. I shop this way to support the local economy and the environment, because it is cheaper, mostly, and the food is of a much higher quality. And I am very familiar with co-ops and community supported gardening and farming.
 
again, I don't care for the choices. I would love to consume only organic and purchase only from sustainable farms. I could if I was motivated to go the extra mile for the products. Even my own supermarket carries a huge line of organic products and produce now. But, many times, the organic is overpriced and less than presentable.
Give me good affordable organic, local products that are easy to come by and I'll go that way all the time. But, in the real world, in my real world, it's just easire said than done, unfortunately.
 
We have a Farmer's market every year from May through October.

The produce is from within 40 miles from my little town. I buy as much as I can there.

Eggs, honey, vegetables, and fruit. Yes, and they sell home made pickles and relishes, jams and jellies, and baked goods.
 
I've had relatively the same experience as Vera, the organic isn't always the best looking choice. I would love to be all natural, organic, locally grown, but it's not feasible. It's like they throw "organic" on a product and the price doubles and the product isn't worth it. I don't mind local, I actually stop at a produce stand during the summer for veggies, but the stores don't have what I need.
 
I voted "sometimes when I can" but it is more like "as often as I can with my budget". Organic in stores doesn't impress me on most items, but then again 'buying local' and 'buying organic' often mean the same thing for us as we get a lot of our stuff from the local farmers markets around here and all the farmers are organic anyway.
During the winter we tend to poke around Whole Foods for stuff as much as we can afford, but most of the time we are buying stuff like whole grains, eggs, dairy, etc from them.
I think we would go mad trying to be all organic or all local, etc. Sometimes it is just too overwhelming and/or too expensive (Chemicals aren't free, so how come I have to pay MORE for them to NOT to add another expense in??).
Instead, we concentrate on a mixture of things, and just work them in so it is easy to do and doesn't require much thought. We conserve gas as much as we can, utilize public transportation when it works out well to do so, use green bags most times, shop local farmers markets as much as possible, buy recycled and green when it presents itself as a not anymore expensive solution, and keep our own veggie and herb gardens as well as compost.
I think it has more impact if a lot of people did just a few little things each then a few people doing a lot of things.
 
Most of the farmers I purchase from at the Greenmarket are no longer certified organic as they cannot afford the cost for certification! That doesn't mean they don't follow the practices. Other farmers who might otherwise be certified don't qualify because a farm beside them doesn't follow the organic practices!

I'm not worried about organic products not "looking as good," if they cook as good and taste as good (generally better). However, when purchasing organic food in grocery stores, be sure to check for the source of the products. For me "organic" and "Product of China" just don't go together... :ohmy:
 
I am with chef june. If I had to choose between local or organic I'll go local. Here we have a food for less and a trader joes. TJ's has a lot of organic items we like but they are from other countries mostly and crazy expensive. The food for less however is stocked with local meats veggies and cheeses so we shop there a lot. The prices are great and if we need organic milk or oils etc we will get those seperately.
 
Most of the farmers I purchase from at the Greenmarket are no longer certified organic as they cannot afford the cost for certification!


That is an issue I wasn't aware of at all. How expensive is it to get organic certification? I find this a bit ominous, a great way to squeeze out the small farmers. Can you point me to a site where I can read more about this?

Thanks
 
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