[ShawtyCat]

Is that really how they produce the milk I buy at the supermarket??? Geez, Im beginning to miss the good old days where I had to milk the cow at 4am. The only thing she complained about was if I was late. Nothing beats the taste of FRESH milk.

[marmalady]

Re the 'unglamorous' look of organic produce - because it hasn't been sprayed, genetically altered, and mass produced, it does look a little raggy! As for the price, at least here in the NYC-tristate area, it seems to be coming down at least a little. And there are more and more organic frozen veggies available; when you consider the veggies are mostly frozen very shortly after picking, their nutritional value is probably higher than the fresh that's been packed, shipped, and is sitting on the shelf.

As for dairy products, I agree with Chiffonade - dairy is important; so, as she states, til there's an acceptable substitute, we're stuck with it. Buy organic milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat; they're all pretty readily available in supermarkets and/or health food stores.

My basic philosophy is 1) don't preach to me - been there, done that, heard it all; 2) all things in moderation, even moderation.

[ShawtyCat]

Ive got a compromise for organic food for those of us with backyards. Ive reserved a portion of my backyard for a garden. Ill know what Im eating and my kids will get some experience taking care of real food.

[chiffonade]

Originally posted by ShawtyCat
Ive reserved a portion of my backyard for a garden....

I've never been all that interested in gardening, however, when I lived in NYC I had a roof garden of herbs with fencing over it so the cats wouldn't use my pots as a toilet. Since moving to Colorado, where the growing season is about 45 minutes long, I lost interest altogether. Now that we're moving to Florida by the fall, I'd like to have a small greenhouse in our yard where I can grow herbs and lettuces, etc.

Now, all your organic people out there...What the heck do you put on organic veggies to keep the nasties away without crossing over that "organic" line?? Someone I know puts chile peppers all over her soil to keep bugs away. Any suggestions?

[marmalady]

There are lots of 'natural' ways to fight the little nasties, Chiffonade - although in Florida they won't be that small!

- Hot pepper wax spray
- Diatomaceous earch for slugs (unless you want to trap the little escargot for dinner!)
- Soap water
- Using beneficial insects i.e. ladybugs, wasps, praying mantis
-Giving guinea hens the run of your garden (they also love ticks!)
-Lots of good fencing to keep the wabbits out
-Learning how to prepare your soil to make it healthy, therefore disease resistant; i.e. additives, composting, crop rotation, cover crops, etc.

Natural gardening is a little more labor intensive than just getting the old spray gun out and zapping everything in sight - but well worth the effort! It'll also give you a great opportunity to teach the kids a little about the world they'll be inhabiting and how they can make it better.

When you get to Florida, try to get in touch with your local college agricultural extension; they'll be able to help you the most with basic info. Remember, the climate in Florida is totally unlike either NYC or Colorado!!!! You won't be able to grow much lettuce in teh heat of summer.

Oh, and have you ever seen a Southern cockroach? They politely call them 'Palmetto bugs'. They fly. They're about 3 inches long. I tried to kill one with the heel of a boot once, and it just flew in my face.

I just realized I should have posted this in the gardening forum. If you have any more questions, I'll see you there!!!!!

There's a lot of good catalogs for supplies - Gardener's Supply is one I enjoy.

[chiffonade]

I'm glad you posted the response here, or I wouldn't have seen it. This board shouldn't be so afraid of "segues." They are a part of lively conversation and how topics evolve out of one another. Life sometimes can't be neatly "filed."

I like gardening primarily for herbs but would like to go into some larger scale gardening for veggies, garlic, chiles, etc. I envy those people who yield these great veggies out of their own gardens. I'll take your advice and check with extension offices and ag programs at the local college.

[CompassRose]

Originally posted by marmalady
People were using dairy products almost as far back as human history goes - there are biblical mentions of dairy, and archeological findings support the use of dairy by primitive peoples.

Mostly only in the West, though. Most African and Asian cultures do not use dairy, and in fact there are many people out there with a genetic inability to digest it.

And the calcium in dairy is apparently NOT as usable as was first thought; there's too much protein in it. Which is why North American women, who consume more dairy than anyone else in the world, still have astronomically high rates of osteoporosis -- far higher than, for instance, Japanese and Chinese women eating a traditional diet, which is dairy-free but rich in calcium-containing vegetable products. I do believe that the "drink milk for strong bones" line is an advertising ploy used to the fullest by the milk producers' association, with very little validity.

I do consume dairy, though. In moderation.

Unless it has chocolate with it, of course.

[markdchef]

The truth about canola is that it is safe. I use organic expeller pressed canola oil all the time. The story and junk science that has been passed around via web boards and internet sites has been debunked by real scientists. Canola is derived from the seeds of the rapeseed plant most of which comes from Canada.
There is no documented evidence that canola oil is bad or harmful to humans in any way.

Always buy organic whether it is dairy, meat, poultry or vegetables.

On rare occasions when a client wants meat I will buy Coleman's beef, DuBreton pork, or natural bacon. The taste and quality are far and away superior to the conventional chemical ridden foods Americans have been accustomed to over the past few decades.

The one downside to organics is the shorter shelf life since they are not full of preservatives. Just think what the buildup of these chemicals do to your system. You do not need a science degree to figure it out. If it can preserve food that was meant to decay or break down and the human body intends to break it down then you are asking for trouble.


One of my missions is to educate people so they can make their own choices. I have in-laws who scoff at some of the things I say yet they have more ailments than I can count. Gastro intestinal, high blood pressure, kidney, and diabetes. I have no health problems whatsoever and fully believe it is in direct correlation to the foods I eat.

When I watch the Food TV network all I see is a constant push for butter, meat and dairy. That is not all there is despite what Emeril might espouse. And, soy itself is not the answer to all of our prayers. A lot of the soy produced comes from ADM which is a huge international conglomerate and has repeatedly been fined for its business practices. They are big proponents of GMO which should concern every consumer. Do you want pig dna in your corn on the cob? I don't.

I encourage all chefs to educate themselves about organics and natural foods. There is an increasing demand for this way of eating and cooking. Plus you can feel good about what you are serving your customers.