Organic and Local Foods

Do you buy organic?

Yes	19.2%	[ 5 ]
No	11.5%	[ 3 ]
Sometimes	69.2%	[ 18 ]
Total Votes:			[ 26 ]

[Chi-Cura]

So I've been watching a lot of documentaries about food lately because I'm taking a documentary class, and I've decided to try and do as much of my shopping locally and organic as possible!

I wanna know how many people are also trying this lifestyle? biggrin

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store?

2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries)

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
(Food that tastes SO good because it's organic that it doesn't even need cooking or dip)

4. Do you compost?

5. Do you feed your pets organic too?

6. What are your favorite recipes?

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home?

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
(chickens for eggs for example)

Yay! I'll also be posting reviews of the best documentaries and any relevant articles, but I want to hear from real people.

[Chi-Cura]

Great Documentaries

If you've been forced to watch documentaries in school, you probably think they're super boring and all narrated by the same monotone British guy. But think of these new age documentaries as the reality TV we've all become so addicted to. (admit it, you watch at least one. And yeah, most of the stuff on the food network counts)

[Chi-Cura]

Best Raw Foods


When bought from the right place, these veggies be eaten by themselves and still taste scrumptious

[Chi-Cura]

Best Recipies

From snacks to dessert, these are the best recipes for healthy (or unhealthy eating! )

[Chi-Cura]

Everything Backyard Garden

Composting

Useful pets

Easiest stuff to grow

[l son zack l]

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store?
We have one that comes down town every Wednesday...not sure what the name of it is though lol.


2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries)
I don't mind too much. I go for eating other things that are within that season. I'm all about eating different foods and trying new things so I go with the seasons I suppose lol.

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
(Food that tastes SO good because it's organic that it doesn't even need cooking or dip)

I suppose any veggie. I like salads a lot...go for making different kinds here and there. Our family loves eating out, so when we're in NYC / Chicago we eat at amazing places and always try new things.

4. Do you compost?
We've talked about it before but our House keeper takes the leftovers and stuff to her home.


5. Do you feed your pets organic too?
Yes

6. What are your favorite recipes?
I have wayyyy to many. I'm actually going to Culinary school this Fall up in NYC.

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home?
Nope

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
(chickens for eggs for example)

Nope, but we do buy organic lol.

[Chi-Cura]

l son zack l

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store?
We have one that comes down town every Wednesday...not sure what the name of it is though lol.


2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries)
I don't mind too much. I go for eating other things that are within that season. I'm all about eating different foods and trying new things so I go with the seasons I suppose lol.

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
(Food that tastes SO good because it's organic that it doesn't even need cooking or dip)

I suppose any veggie. I like salads a lot...go for making different kinds here and there. Our family loves eating out, so when we're in NYC / Chicago we eat at amazing places and always try new things.

4. Do you compost?
We've talked about it before but our House keeper takes the leftovers and stuff to her home.


5. Do you feed your pets organic too?
Yes

6. What are your favorite recipes?
I have wayyyy to many. I'm actually going to Culinary school this Fall up in NYC.

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home?
Nope

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
(chickens for eggs for example)

Nope, but we do buy organic lol.

: D aw cool! thanks.

[Ayniu]

That's interesting - I didn't know there was such a thing as a documentary class. (But I suppose they have classes for nearly everything.)

My favorite farmer's market has to be the one they have every Wednesday at Albertsons.
I also like the one at downtown San Luis Obispo (SLO), except for the fact that it's always too crowded. X) Supposedly, that farmer's market is supposed to be the biggest one in the U.S., but I don't know if that's true or not.

I'm afraid the only way I deal with off-season blues is to be patient and focus on the benefits (good food) of that season. X) Because every season has its' abundance and its' lack, there's always something good to focus on, and that's what I try to do.

I'd say a lot of fruits and vegetables are good raw...but as for my favorite...it definitely ranks among tomatoes, carrots, and radishes.
As far as fruits go (wait...isn't a tomato a fruit?)...well, that's a tough one. o__o There are so many tasty fruits out there, and they're all different from each other that there's hardly any point in choosing one over the other. XD

I don't compost.

As far as I know, the pets I partly have (long story) don't eat organic food.

I have a few favorite recipes so far. One of them is 'Santa Fe Chicken Tortilla Soup.' =O
As far as vegetables go, I found a delicious beet soup on Alltherecipes.com. Ended up being really tasty. =)
Bay Leaf Beet Soup

My mom, her boyfriend, and I are planning on growing some vegetables, and some are already planted and on their way. One of them is a patch of tomatoes.

I don't keep any farm animals.

[Gardenia Rose]

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store?
There is usually a farmer's market in a horseracing grounds during the summer where I live, for stores I tend to shop around to get the best bargains, and even go to the supermarket just in case I need something.

2. How do you deal with off-season blues?
I buy frozen strawberries for smoothies, although I've bought the ones that have travelled miles on end. 90% of produce is only available to me during the late summer/early fall, so most of the time I have no choice but to buy from a supermarket, although local organic food can be bought at select stores during the off-season.

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
Strawberries, granny smith apples, almonds, walnuts, pecans, kale, etc.

4. Do you compost?
Yes, but my bucket is full outside and I need a second one because I don't have enough space for compost yet.

5. Do you feed your pets organic too?
Sadly no, but I do have organic cat treats for my cats, and they both usually end up finishing off my plates by licking them clean. They really love farm-fresh egg yolks.

6. What are your favorite recipes?
I have no favourite, but I am currently loving kale-walnut salad.

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home?
If it's warm outside and if rabbits don't eat all of the lettuce. Last year I had tomatoes in planters that were knocked over by lawn care-takers.

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
Having farm animals inside city boundaries is illegal where I live, but they may change the laws since a lot of people are getting into the whole organic/free range/healthy craze. If it does change, I plan on keeping a few chickens, the only trouble would be the 6 months of winter.

[Ratttking]

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store? Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market. x I've been going there over 20 years. They used to have an awesome little old lady who'd been selling goods there since they first opened in 1932, and she made the best jams, jellies, relishes, and pickles I've ever had. Sadly she has not been there for some time, I believe she passed away.

2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries) I fiend for a fresh tomato sandwich.

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
(Food that tastes SO good because it's organic that it doesn't even need cooking or dip)Food need not be organic to taste good raw, it must only be a fresh and high-quality product. Tomatoes.

4. Do you compost? I used to. My current landlord would freak out if I tried to (you can read about my issues with him and my garden in the Gluttonous Gardeners thread.)

5. Do you feed your pets organic too? Ha. My cat Toy will eat one kind of dry food, a few kinds of canned, and very small pieces of raw beef. He also loves plastic of all types, especially headphone cords. He is a meat blimp. Sweetie Pie will eat other kinds of dry, but is even fussier about canned, only eating the pate kinds and the gravy off the ones with bits. She will not even try human food. My cat Mir eats everything including some kinds of fruits, she loves mangoes and cantaloupes.

6. What are your favorite recipes? Too many to list.

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home? Yes! I should harvest my first radishes within a week from now. I'm growing several types of lettuce mixes, scallions, cilantro, mint, dill, cucumbers, garlic, and sunflowers. I still have many kinds of seeds to plant including tomatoes, marjoram, tomatillos, peppers, gourds and some sprouted potatoes, and I'm still not done shopping...

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
(chickens for eggs for example) I live in an apt and my BF would not let me keep the pot-bellied piglet I was offered as a pet, neither would the landlord, I'm pretty positive. I don't think we're allowed to keep any type of livestock in town.

[kitti kat]

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store? our local county farmers market is great, they hold it in the winter too but its not the same. However, I live near a family-owned farm that has a store frount in my town and I buy most of my meat from there. does that count?

2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries) I have learned to deal with it by freezing and canning a lot of my garden-grown goodies so I can get the super-fresh and nutritious tasting food all year round. I also start planning my garden a good 3 months before the snow is gone.

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
(Food that tastes SO good because it's organic that it doesn't even need cooking or dip) green beans, sweet peppers, beat greens, broccoli, chives, most anything I can eat strait out of the garden

4. Do you compost? yes

5. Do you feed your pets organic too?hellno. but I make up for it by giving her the livers when I clean up my rabbits

6. What are your favorite recipes?recipes are for baking! zucchini bread

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home? I have a 900sq foot veggie garden, a seperate garden for herbs, and asparagus and rhubarb, and I just got some cherry trees that we are going to plant tomorrow

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
(chickens for eggs for example) currently chickens rabbits and a goat. In the past I've had ducks, turkeys, pigs and horses. Rabbits are the best to raise by far, ducks are probably a close second.

[Madame de Sousa]

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store?

One that I can walk to in my town
Shoprite has a lot of Organic food ( and I work there ) ¸

2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries)
Shoprite has really good organic all year long.



3. What are your favorite raw foods?
carrots, cucumber, apples, snap peas

4. Do you compost?
not really but I should

5. Do you feed your pets organic too?
Hermit crabs yes
Cats no
Rocky dog no
Ruby dog does eat carrots.
6. What are your favorite recipes?
fried zuccuni

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home?
YES!
cucumber, zuccunni, tomato, green beans, strawberries, sunflowers, parsley carrots, spinich, lettuce and pumpkins
This is my first year. My grandfather normally does it but he can't this year.

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
no illegal in my town
My sister used to have a pet rabbit but my dog ate it. crying

[Madame de Sousa]

l son zack l

6. What are your favorite recipes?
I have wayyyy to many. I'm actually going to Culinary school this Fall up in NYC.

I live an hour outside NYC.
New York has some really great farmer's markets.

[Debonairre]

BAAAAAAAAAANANA CHIPS = heart 4laugh

[Spirit Reborn]

1. What's your favorite farmers market or store?
Funny you should ask that because earlier today, I ordered a bin of vegetables and fruits [about 10-13 different types of my choosing] from this organic farmers market. I saw them online and they're legit or at least..I'm praying they are, lol since the payment they're asking for is either cheque or cash once the shipment [shipping costs is free] is received. Plus they've got a really nice, clean, and professional site, the owner lives like..3 minutes away from me and she's got facebook contacts, twitter, her house address and phone, the whole shabang. So yeah..my first time EVER- ordering online. All of there produce is certified non-GMO, pesticide and herbacide-free, and it's local. So this Wednesday..hopefully I'll find out how it goes and see if $37 for Organic produce of 10-13 veg&fruits is worth it.


2. How do you deal with off-season blues? (Like not having strawberries)
I can't tell ya. Why? Because I've just recently decided to turn my eating lifestyle habits around and that means: no processed food, soda/pop, meat [unless 100% grass fed], no eggs [unless they're free range- though I am planning on quitting eggs for good very soon, no soy, corn or any of that stuff since it's most likely to be GMO'd unless it specifically says "non-GMO certified or organic or fermented soy"]. So yeah..call me picky but I'd rather buy the costly organic produce than a heavy medical bill.

3. What are your favorite raw foods?
Organic tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, celery, mangos and most fruit out there.


4. Do you compost?
Yes

5. Do you feed your pets organic too?
Lettuce and bananas as well as hay but she does need her pellets. My little munchkin of a bunny.

6. What are your favorite recipes?
hm..I'd have to say 2 tomatoes cut into 4 pieces, seeds and juice taken out, sliced carrots, and olive oil. After frying them for 5 minutes on medium heat, transfer on plate with white rice, squeeze some lemon juice on top, sprinkle a bit of pepper, and you're ready to go.

7. Do you grow any vegetables at home?
No but this coming May, I plan to get my green thumb on. YEAH! xD

8. Do you keep any farm animals?
Nope..but it'd be nice to have chickens so I know that they're fed quality grass with no pesticides or any of that chemical junk and that they're given a whole backyard to run their little feathers off. I don't think I could keep the ones for meat..I'd get too attached. Even the chickens..I would most likely let them live until they die a natural death of whatever and then eat them, provided that theres no disease involved and all that.