Organic?

So, I've been posting about healthier lifestyles and eating organic foods, but what does that mean? Organic.org is a great website for educating about organic and healthy eating.

First, what exactly is organic? The Organic.org FAQ pages says this:

"The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows: Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too."

So, how do you know if something is organic? Well, there's a labeling system, because there are actually a few levels of organic. There are products made with 70% and less organic, 70%-94%, 95%-99% and 100% organic. Check out this guide. Also, remember that right now, there is a lot of paperwork and expense that comes with being certified organic. So, just because something isn't labeled, doesn't mean it's not organic. This is especially true with small local farmers, so when you go to the farmers markets, make sure you ask!

And finally, why should you go organic? This article is a list of some of the reasons to consider, but ultimately, it is a personal decision. For me, it's about health - about my health and the health of my husband and the health of the environment. Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." I believe this creation was entrusted to us, by God, and we are to be stewards of it - taking care of the land so that it will not only support us and future generations, but that we can continue to enjoy our lakes and rivers and see wildlife return to places where pollution had once wiped it out.

Others Making Changes

I'm finally getting caught up on some of my blog reading. Today, as I was reading a blog I follow regularly, I came to a post from a week ago about eating healthier and the weight problems facing the U.S.. It fits right along with the lifestyle change we're making in our family and I'd like to share it with you.

Dear Anonymous

Just click the link above to be taken to Low Tide High Style, and while you're there, check out the lovely photos that Kat takes.

What's Different?

So, yesterday I told you about what got the gears turning and why my husband and I are making some lifestyle changes. Today, I'm going to share some of the things we're doing differently.

Now, this lifestyle is not a foreign concept to me. Some of you probably know that I grew up on a farm. We had cows and horses and chickens and dogs and cats. And, we had a garden (or more!) every year. I remember every year snapping beans to can and eating fresh corn on the cob for supper and tomatoes right out of the garden. I remember tall shelves in the basement filled with jellies and peaches and other canned fruits and veggies. And, I remember a huge chest freezer filled with beef from our farm and venison and turkey that Dad hunted.

We got three channels and Mom limited our time in front of the tv. We had acres of land to explore and lots to do outside. I'd say we lived pretty healthy. We were hardly ever sick - I don't think I missed a day of school for illness between 5th grade and almost to the end of my second year of college - I think it's pretty safe to bet that the way we lived had a lot to do with it.

So, you see, I already have a pretty good idea of what we needed to do.

We started with this year's garden. Last year, we made a compost bin that one of these days, I promise, I'll get around to posting about. We've been filling it up all winter with scraps from the kitchen and the worms are going to town. On top of this, we've bought organic dirt to do all of our edible planting as well as manure for compost, and we'll be looking into getting some more manure from local farmers when the frost danger is gone and we start planting the rest. Like last year, we've also started most of our plants from seed, but this year, we're planning to stay on top of the garden a little better and hopefully get a better harvest so we can can and freeze as much as possible to last through the winter.

We're also trying to locate sources of organically growth meats. I've found a farm about 45 minutes away that, starting Memorial Weekend, has a farm stand every Saturday with organic produce and meats as well as some cheeses from a local Amish farmer. This farm even goes as far as to use horses to do the work in order to cut down on environmental impact. They already have some eggs for sale and a couple weeks ago, we made the trip to pick up 3 dozen. At $2.50/doz. for organic eggs, it's a pretty good deal and I figure 3 dozen should last us about a month. For now, we'll plan on driving up about once a month to stock up, but hopefully in the future we can find someone a little closer.

For my regular grocery shopping, I've been slowing finding the products that have the organic seal. Grocery shopping is taking me a little longer while I'm searching the isles for the healthier alternative to what we usually buy, but I'm making the switch a little at a time.

In the past, I've done most of my shopping at Walmart. It's the closest and most convenient. The only other grocery store in the area being Aldi's which has terrible hours for working people, and our town's IGA that is generally more expensive. A little further away we have a Giant Eagle, and recently I made to trip to see what they had in the way of organic.

I have to say I was kind of impressed. Giant Eagle now has their own brand of organic foods, and I was able to find most of the things I was looking for, including pastas and juice. Giant Eagle is a little more expensive, but I signed up for the Giant Eagle card to get all the discounts, plus I'm getting some fuel perks, which I think will be worth it now that gas is at $3.99/gal. Giant Eagle also has an insert that we get in our PO Box so I can keep an eye on the sales and make the trip when I know it will be worth it to me.

I'm sure I'll be finding more changes we can make to live healthier lives, and I'll be posting what I'm finding along the way!

Making Changes

We don't have tv. Well, we have tv's but we don't pay for cable or anything, so we might get a couple channels on a clear day. I figure since we already pay for internet, and you can watch almost anything online, we don't need to spend the extra money for cable only to find that there's nothing to watch anyways. We do have Netflix on our Wii. I like being able to sit down and pick from thousands of movies and tv shows and watch them anytime. Plus, at only about $10/month I can justify it a little better.

Anywho.

I've mentioned before that we've been watching documentaries. Most recently we saw Food, Inc., which I thought was very eye-opening on what we are actually consuming along with our food, what goes into the production and what effects it has on the environment. I definitely recommend checking it out, along with The Gerson Miracle, which explains juicing and eating healthy, wholesome foods and the benefits that lifestyle may have for people battling cancer or other diseases. While I will not be totally conforming to this way of life (for one thing, I happen to LOVE meat, of any kind), it is interesting to learn what's behind it, and it's worth it to hear the compelling stories of people who have practiced it.

We also watched the first season of Eco Trip. I'm not sure if there are other seasons out there, but this series basically took a product for each show and showed you how what steps that product takes to get to the consumer. For example, one show explained the process for a cotton t-shirt, from growing the cotton to wearing it and also investigated the health factors on both the environment and those who came in contact with the process, whether it be a factory worker or someone who lived next to a cotton field where pesticides are sprayed.

Needless to say, we've begun to educate ourselves further on exactly what we are eating, buying, cleaning with, and supporting, and I think that may be the direction this blog will be headed. I want to share with you what we've learned and let you know what we're actively doing to make a change.