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 October 2006
Time for a quarterly update on this. Unfortunately, I haven't made any further progress in switching us over to more organic foods. As a matter of fact, we have back pedalled a bit into some bad eating habits. Too much sugar and not enough veggies are two battles I'm currently facing. My daughter and I both need to lose about 20 lbs. and hope to do this by summer 2007. I do buy organic veggies when I can find them at a good price, but the price of organic meet is cost-prohibitive at this time. Since the cooler months are upon us, I am hoping to make a greater effort in turning meat into more of a side dish and not the main course as I prepare whole grain, veggie soups and stews. If I do this, then the cost of organic meat won't be such a big deal as I'll be using less of it. I am buying organic flour now that my store carries it. I am experiencing some stomach issues that I believe -could- be linked to a wheat allergy/intolerance, so I'm not as gung-ho to grind my own grain as I was a year ago or so. I need to have some medical testing done to determine the cause of my new symptoms. I will report back here again in January and hope to have a better progress report on my desire to bring more organic foods into our home.
June 2006
I started off 2006 with a resolution to eat more organic food. One of my grocery stores has made a tremendous effort to have more organic food available for purchase. However, there is a bit of sticker shock when it comes to "going organic!" Now that half of this year is gone, I have to admit that I haven't made much progress with this resolution. I do buy organic produce when I can, but not all of the time. We buy a LOT of produce in our home and so that would impact our budget tremendously. However, as we switch to eating healthier foods and keep the junk food out of the house, I can see where we will have a little more money to spend on organic items. I do know that I will probably never totally "go organic" due to the lack of availability of a lot of items. I do not live in a big city, so I am limited by what is available locally. My goal for this page is to journal the changes we make over the next year or so. I intend to do a LOT of reading on organic items and I will post information as I find it. This page may evolve into several pages as information is added. For now, we'll keep it nice and simple!
There is a Growing Green column on HomesteadBlogger.com every Friday - check it out!
Check out these bargain books on Organic Gardening at Book CloseOuts
Other books using the keyword "organic"
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- A Book Review -
I must say that this book has really, really surprised me! A Field Guide to Buying Organic was just recently published last month. I honestly expected the book to be VERY pro-organic, but you know what? That isn't the case with this book. I have to say that the $11.20 that I spent on this book is going to save my family a TON of money by not going as organic as I had planned.
It took the writers TWO YEARS to gather all of the information and this book is chock-full of lots of great information on ALL organic foods. It lists the organic food companies and discusses, food type by food type, how each item is grown, where it is grown, fertilizers used, how animals are fed and taken care of, etc. You name it, it's in here! It breaks down organic shoppers into 4 categories:
~ those concerned about their health
~ those concerned about the environment
~ those concerned about society (animal welfare, health of farmers, etc.)
It discusses these issues and the evolution of organic agriculture. Then the book is broken down into food types and each chapter is meant to help you "navigate the aisles" so that you can make a sound decision on whether or not organic is your best choice. Overall, organic food is more expensive, but all of us already knew that, right? So, the question becomes "Is it worth it for my family?"
The final section of A Field Guide to Buying Organic is called "Conclusion: Beyond the Checkout Counter" and I know that some of you are going to have problems with their final conclusion, but if you are buying organic food because you are concerned about your health (pesticides, hormones, etc. in food) here it is:
"There is little or no substantial difference in nutrient content, bacterial contamination and appearance between organic and conventional food."
Now, isn't that surprising? Now, don't get me wrong. The authors are not against buying organic, but state throughout the book that budget-conscious shoppers can relax and remain comfortable in the fact that non-organic food is just as good for them as organic food. What I liked best about the book was that it tells us which foods are bound to have been treated with the most pesticides, but you'll be surprised to know that ALL foods tested have pesticide residues because they are in the air!! Even pesticides and herbicides that have been banned for YEARS are still found in our foods .... kinda yucky, huh?
Because the book lists many price comparisons between organic and non-organic food, I am now able to take my monthly food budget and pick and choose which items I wish to purchase organic. I have personally decided to spend my $$ on organic produce, when I can find it. I also have decided that I will buy organic foods when they are close in price to the foods that I normally buy. Organic cereals in one of my stores are very close in price to non-organic cereals and, by purchasing them, I will be helping out the environment and the organic farmer, too.
If you are concerned about the environment, then the book concludes that purchasing organic is the way to go! However, they also leave us with this final statement, "Is organic food worth it? The answer cannot be a simple yes or no, despite all the articles, books and websites telling you what to think and which foods to buy. The answer can only be found in the interaction between you and the knowledge you seek.
** NOTE ** I do not endorse any of the companies listed on this page. These are just companies that I have found in my own research online and I am listing them here for your convenience. You must make the decision about which products are best for your family and I am not liable for any outcome, postive or negative, that your family may have from purchasing and/or using any of the products from the above companies.
It is my hope that you will find something useful here on my site!
I currently enjoy the privilege of being able to stay at home
to homeschool my children and I am always striving to be
the best caretaker for my precious family.
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."
~ Philippians 4:13 ~
Website owned and all Content Copyrighted by Kris Price.
All Rights Reserved. © 2006.
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