feedback for "The Babble List: Organic Buying Guide"

1. Nice list, thanks, BUT i also buy organic when I can b/c it is better for the workers who harvest the food and the animals are often raised more humanely on organic farms.  That said, I appreciate your pointing out the locavore issue. Eating local is a cheaper and less resource-wasting alternative to buying only organic and if I can talk to the farmer at the market about his/her farming methods and be assured they use little to no bad stuff on their produce or poultry, then i don't have to see organic certification. again, though, i am not just doign this for my kids' health, but also for the health of the farmworkers and their kids (who are often farmworkers themselves).

   posted by : momma2 on 3/3/2009 at 1:32 PM Flag For Abuse

2. @ momma2:
    you would be surprised to know exactly how expensive it is to become certified organic. my husband works at a restaurant that focuses on sustainable agriculture and farming practices, so I have first hand knowledge of these issues. most organic farms are just as large as the mass market produce purveyors, who largely higher seasonal migrant worker. by supporting your local farmers, you are impacting their families immensely.
   
   we live in the northeast, where most organic produce (this time of year) is flown in from south america and beyond. it is not necessarily true that animals are raised more humanely on organic farms.an example of this is driscoll's. their farming employment practices are very similar to the sharecropping model yet they are commonly sold in better grocery stores and co-ops.
   
   i am a strong supporter of my local farmer's market and feel that it is especially necessary to support small farmers given the state of our economy.
   
   

   posted by : locavore momma on 3/3/2009 at 3:08 PM Flag For Abuse

3. thanks for this!  It's great to have  a handy guide to relieve some of the food anxiety!  I also loved the non-judgemental, matter-of-fact tone of this piece. 
   
   

   posted by : lola in san francisco on 3/3/2009 at 7:07 PM Flag For Abuse

4. I like to make fresh baby food for my 7 month old son, but it's tough to find organic produce in my area. Am I better off buying jars of premade organic baby food, or making my own with local, non-organic ingredients?

   posted by : healthyeats on 3/3/2009 at 10:36 PM Flag For Abuse

5. Healthyeats,
   It can be hard to find organic produce at the normal grocery store. Try looking in health food stores, at the farmers market, on websites like localharvest.org. I'm not sure it is better to use local, non-organic fresh ingredients or to buy already packaged organic baby food, there are benefits to both. Hopefully you won't need to make that choice and will be able to find local, organic produce.
   
   I agree with the concept of this article, but not the content. Buying local instead of organic is a joke. There is nothing proving that the food sold at a farmer's market is organic, fresh or even local. Yes, the process for getting certified organic is long and expensive. However there are plenty of farmers around the country that are certified organic (especially in the north east) and the number is growing. I live in an area where I can get food that is both local and organic. That is more difficult in a state where there is not a organic certification process, but some farms get their certifications from out of state and some CSAs also deliver outside their state, for example Sproutwood Farm is located in PA, but now delivers to Baltimore Maryland.
   
   When it comes to cost, the issue is not that organic food is too expensive. The real issue is that genetically modified, pesticide strayed, factory farmed food is too cheap. Too cheap for the burden it causes on our environment, cheap because of the methods used, cheap in the quality and nutritional content. Also cheap because so much of the food we eat is anything but that, so much of the food we eat is preservatives, food colorings, artificial flavors and sweeteners.
   
   
   

   posted by : Brooke Johnson on 3/3/2009 at 11:01 PM Flag For Abuse

6. I buy organic and local whenever I can but can't always afford it.  I also get coupons from WIC which in CA helps with low income families with pregnant woman &/or young children.  We get coupons for milk (only cow), cheese, beans or peanut butter, juice, eggs & cereal.  None of the coupons can be used for organic, free range, cage free or even local products (I asume because of the cost to the state).  I've many times gone without stuff for myself to buy goat's milk for my son (he couldn't tolerate cow milk well at first after being weaned from brest milk at 14months) or "better" produce. I wish the state would allow for more organic choices but I suppose beggers can't be chosers.
   
   My favorite "organic" product was for organic water!!!!! As far as the scientific defination of water, if it is organic it would have things growing in it ;)
   
   

   posted by : heather detering on 3/16/2009 at 11:50 PM Flag For Abuse

7. How did you determine what was on the must-be-organic list and no-need-to-be-organic list?
   

   posted by : curious on 4/8/2009 at 9:04 AM Flag For Abuse

8. I'm a big believer of natural feeding and organic cleaning. Ever since I got pregnant, I've been pushing for the most natural household possible for my baby's sake. I love BabyGanics (http://www.babyganics.com/)  for cleaning and I try to find the freshest food on the groceries for my kids.
   

   posted by : DallasMom on 9/22/2009 at 2:19 PM Flag For Abuse

9. This is very informative indeed. I see your points.
   
   As a mom, I love organic food for my kids. I always try to find the freshest stuff for their safety and nutrition.
   
   I went on a natural scheme even when it came to housecleaning. I love BabyGanics because of the safety it offers my newborn. I read about it on http://blog.babyganics.com/
   

   posted by : DallasMom on 9/22/2009 at 2:31 PM Flag For Abuse

10. I agree with your views on organic feeding - it really helps!
    I would also recommend babyganics products because even though we think our kids aren't affected by the chemical-based household products we use for cleaning, they are. Even the fumes from the containers are harmful in polluting our homes. You can check out babyganics products here: http://blog.babyganics.com

    posted by : h3sean on 9/24/2009 at 6:59 AM Flag For Abuse