tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post4967912384461436643..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: How do you choose the food you buy?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-57288001093139925392013-12-12T11:49:43.736+10:002013-12-12T11:49:43.736+10:00Hi Rhonda,
Thanks for steering me in this posts di...Hi Rhonda,<br />Thanks for steering me in this posts direction. Lots of great 'food for thought'! Wonderful comments too. I'm working out that I'm doing the best I can, becoming educated to make better choices. I was at my local health food shop this week, buying some of my favourite chia seeds. I've brought these many times before, they are black organic chia seeds and you measure out how many you want into a brown paper bag. This time I actually asked the lady where are they from, she went and checked and it was America. I won't be buying them again and I told her why. I've since found a Western Australian company growing Chia sustainably and 100% chemical free that I'll be buying from now on. <br /><br />Thank you again for making me question and educate myself on this year of self discovery I've been on. When you know better, you do better.<br /><br />Warm regards,<br />JanJan (a gluttonous wife)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04980538485559579650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-41069950986712635862013-08-23T00:04:49.313+10:002013-08-23T00:04:49.313+10:00I know this website provides quality depending art...I know this website provides quality depending articles and <br />other material, is there any other web page which provides these things in <br />quality?<br /><a href="http://www.cnduk.org/cnd-media/item/1724-press-release-hiroshima-day-ceremony" rel="nofollow">how do you make a business page on facebook</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-62365241785801455712013-07-30T15:23:23.938+10:002013-07-30T15:23:23.938+10:00My husband and I have recently been talkigna bout ...My husband and I have recently been talkigna bout the same thing. His theory (albeit extreme), is that organic shoppers are contributing to global warming. Due to the food miles of the food. We always buy local fruit and veg and we're looking more closely into our staples as well, making what we can and trying to research local flours and grains.The Life of Clarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15664575290861091769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-88831037279423403822013-07-24T21:25:58.851+10:002013-07-24T21:25:58.851+10:00Been there. I'm in State College.Been there. I'm in State College.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15033811178810474862013-07-23T23:24:50.208+10:002013-07-23T23:24:50.208+10:00Another wonderfully interesting and thought provok...Another wonderfully interesting and thought provoking post Rhonda. I think we've all fallen into a trap of thinking organic means more than it does. It may guarantee your food hasn't been sprayed with chemicals but you're right, it doesn't guarantee that food wasn't shipped halfway across the world or that the farmers, pickers and packagers had a decent wage for their hard work. <br /> It’s easy to say ‘oh I’ll only buy organic produce from now on’ and still trot down to the supermarket to buy it with little more thought in your brain than there was beforehand. It starts to get a little more complicated when you look at your organic or inorganic food and think ‘how did this get here?’, ‘why can I buy strawberries in winter when the whole county has 2 foot of snow and I haven’t even seen my strawberry bed for 2 weeks?’, ‘how much fuel did it take to get these fruits here?’, ‘were the workers well paid?’. <br />And that’s just fruit and vegetables! Then you start thinking about where your meat and eggs came from and whammy – a whole new bunch of questions about animal welfare pop up before you even start thinking about the ethics of eating meat.<br />So what’s the answer – I don’t know but I do know that as a fairly intelligent, well-educated woman I am woefully cut off from food production in my culture. <br />Perhaps it's time we started to think about food in a whole new way; not as just a commodity but the very foundation of our local economy and society. Maybe we should all become more involved in growing, preserving and preparing food – at least that way we’ll know how much time and effort goes into the processes and be able to appreciate the labour and skill it involves<br />The fantastic thing about your blog Rhonda is not only do you ask thought provoking questions but you have also provided some gateway skills that enable your readers to step off the treadmill and re-engage with food production.<br />Anyway, I have to go now - my first attempt at homemade elderflower cordial is awaiting a tasting. :-)Curvywitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14352226602384896843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-7618145146005373652013-07-23T22:44:31.901+10:002013-07-23T22:44:31.901+10:00Actually in Western NJ, but friends have a farm in...Actually in Western NJ, but friends have a farm in Tunkhannock PA. :)MissFifihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09948141818594611257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-61754729773901829802013-07-23T14:43:56.334+10:002013-07-23T14:43:56.334+10:00Wow, lots of great comments here. I also live in C...Wow, lots of great comments here. I also live in Canada, and with a very short growing season, try to grow and preserve as much of our fruit and veg as possible. We have cherry, plum, apple and pear trees, and 6 raised-bed gardens with tomatoes, kale, beets, squash, leeks, beans and herbs. I dehydrate, freeze, can, pickle and ferment all of it to last us the winter. This accounts for nearly half of our meals over the year. We buy local, organic wheat, spelt and oats to bake with (and grind our own flour). My parents raise beef, and we source local, free-range chickens, pork and eggs at a nearby store. We trade excess produce with like-minded families (one family friend exchanges raspberries for our kale, another offers onions and potatoes for squash).<br />We buy milk and cheese, and citrus fruits from our local grocery store. Living in a rural area, these things do have some travel distance to reach us, but we are comfortable in knowing that we do all that we are able at this time. I agree with all the many comments about the "organic" wording on products. We like to know our farmers, see the animals being raised, etc. I think that there are good local organic products, but also, I see the grocery shelves being stocked with highly processed and packaged products made with organic ingredients....processed is bad in our home, organic or not! What's next? will Coke and Pepsi start using organic sugar, and then label their drinks as organic too? We as consumers are always being deceived, confused, and taken advantage of by the industrial food system. It's crazy how much time and effort it takes to keep being informed. I wish it were easier! -Deb in Manitoba CanadaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-68730464064803587222013-07-23T09:44:16.346+10:002013-07-23T09:44:16.346+10:00Miss Fifi, are you from Pennsylvania? I am. If s...Miss Fifi, are you from Pennsylvania? I am. If so, we should get in touch! Mary EllenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78660478317901834582013-07-23T07:58:01.667+10:002013-07-23T07:58:01.667+10:00Thankyou for the link organisedcastle--great to kn...Thankyou for the link organisedcastle--great to know!robynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-59161005906672296362013-07-23T07:53:27.486+10:002013-07-23T07:53:27.486+10:00Robtrev....Organic Gardener did a research piece o...Robtrev....Organic Gardener did a research piece on the most heavily contaminated produce in Australia and wheat was number 1! Makes you think doesn't it. In addition, did you see the ABC 4 Corners program last night on dioxide levels in our supposably safe pesticides (2.4 D based ones)-very scary. robynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-38694847298762235212013-07-23T06:28:43.552+10:002013-07-23T06:28:43.552+10:00Hi Rhonda! Yes, a very good post. Since our own ...Hi Rhonda! Yes, a very good post. Since our own personal economic crisis the last 6 years, we have adopted a very simple lifestyle. That includes a big vegetable garden and 45 chickens. They supply our own eggs and lots left to sell. I make our own soaps and we shop at the thrift stores. Living in Canada, I am faced with a large issue. That is Genetically modified grains, etc. The more I learn, the further I want to stay away from them. I have been able to get organic chicken feed from a local dealer. Eventhough it is twice the price of regular layer, I can't feed my animals and ourselves this junk. I am very blessed that my friends all live in a similar manner as I do. We network and share. This way I have received lots of strawberries, redcurrants and blackberries. Our meat I am buying also from a local organic grower. I know it costs more, but I would rather we eat less meat this way than more poor quality from who knows where. Eggs are also a great 'meat' and enhance many meals. This way of living takes time and effort, but is soooo fulfilling! Thank you, Rhonda for all your inspiration. We can all be very proud of our efforts!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-41441479650791183432013-07-22T23:46:58.910+10:002013-07-22T23:46:58.910+10:00I'm fortunate to live in a farming community a...I'm fortunate to live in a farming community and have a huge variety of locally grown food. Our diet is planned around what is available locally. By buying from our local farmers, I believe I'm not only purchasing the best products, but I'm also supporting our the small businesses in our community which is a huge bonus for me. Denahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00365392212281698499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-74554358908218011202013-07-22T23:23:03.727+10:002013-07-22T23:23:03.727+10:00i've recently found myself appalled to find th...i've recently found myself appalled to find that the certified grass fed beef at our supermarket in Vermont comes from Australia! No offense to Australian farms but with all our lush and productive farmland raising beef on grass here why do we need meat from literally the other side of the world! Crazy!<br />I've also noticed that organic can mean extensive gas use and topsoil loss from constant tilling to reduce weeds. <br />I try to stick to buying the clean 15 organic and selectively buying other produce when we can't grow it ourselves. It's a delicate balance trying to feed our family the best and healthiest foods possible on a tight budget but we manage by growing much of our own veg and relying on local farms we trust whenever we can.just menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-37587638939694618042013-07-22T23:15:35.168+10:002013-07-22T23:15:35.168+10:00Our book club just finished reading the book '...Our book club just finished reading the book 'Animal, vegetable, miracle' by Barbara Kingsolver. She and her family spent a year eating locally, seasonally and mainly from their own garden. It is Very interesting as it also deals a bit with the politics and subsidizing of food production. The author lives in America but it is very applicable for us Aussies too. It fits into this whole blog, is very easy to read and makes you just itch to get out and grow as much of your own produce as you can.<br />JanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-89129223535696125702013-07-22T23:07:54.592+10:002013-07-22T23:07:54.592+10:00I need to read that!
If you liked that book, you ...I need to read that! <br />If you liked that book, you may be interested in this book too "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/<br /><br />I do love the part where before they embarked on eating only local food which included growing their own, they have to decide as a family, what one nolocal product would each person be allowed. Two that I recall were bananas and coffee. Myself, I would have picked bananas, avocados and tea. LOLMissFifihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09948141818594611257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-22402596516428026812013-07-22T22:37:59.265+10:002013-07-22T22:37:59.265+10:00PA Apples!!! We go to a wonderful orchard and get ...PA Apples!!! We go to a wonderful orchard and get bushels at the lowest prices I have ever seen. The apples are delicious and they last so long. I cannot wait for fall!!!MissFifihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09948141818594611257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-6762701273841334292013-07-22T22:28:58.451+10:002013-07-22T22:28:58.451+10:00Great post Rhonda!
We have been on the organic/loc...Great post Rhonda!<br />We have been on the organic/local food bandwagon for awhile for many reasons. One of them being factory farming which has done some serious damage to the workers, the animals and the environment around them. Let alone the consumer, but it doesn't always seem to bother people here in the States. You would think tainted meat would get people angry, but it seems that more and more, people expect recalls and they have become the norm. Also, in the USA, it is very expensive to become "certified organic" so there are most likely more local farms that are organic, they just can't afford the government label. <br />This year we joined a CSA because our 18month old son is quite the little eater and I knew I would not be able to grow enough of what we wanted, plus I prefer to support a local farm than my local Shop Rite. I use them when I am pressed, but I am not a buyer of brands so they are useless to me in a sense. The only brands I buy are milk for the toddler (dairy farm milk here in NJ is almost 1/3 more than organic milk in supermarket) and specific low sugar cereals like Vans for him as well. Organic sugar has gone up here and I chose not to buy it nor would I buy a regular cheaper brand. The bad business practices that Domino sugar and the rest of the sugar trade participate in would make everyone's eyes spin. <br />My biggest disappointment is having to purchase fish from the supermarkets. I would prefer to buy everything fresh and local, even from the Jersey Shore, but the prices make it prohibitive at every level. That is where you get slammed. You want to support local but their pricing is more on par with a Whole Foods, and sometimes higher, than an Aldi's and that is where ones ethics get tangled and twisted. I want to do what is right, but until I can afford it,local eggs are 3.50 to 4.00 and that is too high in my husband's eyes, so I have to do what I can and what I think is best. Even if it means doing without. The one thing I have always wondered about supermarkets is what do they with all that stuff they do not sell??In my area, some of it gets donated to food pantries, but they can't take it all. MissFifihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09948141818594611257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-92110971518701558762013-07-22T21:33:16.206+10:002013-07-22T21:33:16.206+10:00I love this topic and hope you do more posts with ...I love this topic and hope you do more posts with this theme. I make a commitment to buy as much organic (and at least USA) as I can. My husband hunts and provides our meat...otherwise we do without. Maybe I would buy local non-organic but in Arizona that is not as plentiful...usually at farmers markets it is imported in from other states. I buy all organic dairy. I have probably cut our food budget by 1/4 by doing with less...so much we just don't need to buy. My husband has been gluten free for the past two years so that pretty much cancels out anything in a box or eating out....I don't understand why people want to bury their head in the sand about the food they eat...to me it is so interesting ....reminds me of people smoking years ago...what "they" didn't tell you ended up killing you.ain't for city galshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14938751007704247232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-45507284246975252132013-07-22T20:53:21.597+10:002013-07-22T20:53:21.597+10:00I think when choosing foods there are many things ...I think when choosing foods there are many things we could consider but there are a couple I always come back to: "Is this real, unprocessed food?" and "Does it's price reflect its true cost?". Our family has a modest income, but unlike many other families, we spend more of our income on food than on non-essentials. I can make many of the organic foods I buy, from the farmer's market, my local organic butcher and the backyard eggs I get from a friend, go a long way. We shop at the big duopoly players occasionally (for toilet paper mainly:) Our trolley is never full and it never has fruit and veges or meat in it. I would rather support a farmer, a local business, a friend...than contribute to the supermarkets who care only about profits. These are ethical choices, not just monetary ones, and I believe that there are many people in the developed world who could look much more closely at where their food comes from and question whether or not this "food" is really good for them, good for others and good for the Earth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-63381637680408159682013-07-22T20:49:18.454+10:002013-07-22T20:49:18.454+10:00Robyn - rice has always been something which I con...Robyn - rice has always been something which I consciously bought imported because I believe that it is unsustainable to be growing a water-intensive crop on land irrigated with water from the Murray-Darling system. As an aside, I have the same opinion of cotton growing in this country.<br /><br />You may be interested in rainfed biodynamic rice which is grown in northern NSW. http://www.rainfedrice.com.au/ I buy it from our local Co-op and love the fact that it ticks all the boxes as far as purchasing criteria goes for me. If only all products were so easy...........Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-71099652003640157082013-07-22T20:21:31.252+10:002013-07-22T20:21:31.252+10:00I live in a wheat growing district, and am told th...I live in a wheat growing district, and am told that farmers spray their crop four times a year. Given that flours are the basis of our bread, cakes and biscuits etc, it makes you think twice doesn't it?robtrevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-29674000413209474862013-07-22T19:09:30.664+10:002013-07-22T19:09:30.664+10:00Hi Mel, I'm in the Newcastle area too and was ...Hi Mel, I'm in the Newcastle area too and was only discussing on Facebook last night about the local Farmers Market here in Newcastle which has not been accredited by the Australian Farmers Markets Organisation. My parents and my in-laws both have vegie gardens and my in-laws also keep chickens but because of the weather and the fact that they are no longer "spring chickens" LOL they are off the lay. We have heard rumours that some of the stalls at the Farmers Markets in Newcastle just buy their stock from the Sandgate Produce Markets hence its unlikely to be local. We do the majority of our shopping at Aldi do to budget constraints. Be careful of the market stalls, they are not all what they claim to be. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15277842890114712062013-07-22T16:02:15.074+10:002013-07-22T16:02:15.074+10:00There's no rambling in your comment, Robyn. Th...There's no rambling in your comment, Robyn. Thanks for an interesting contribution.rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-25030056301042424972013-07-22T15:45:47.275+10:002013-07-22T15:45:47.275+10:00$2 shops!! AARGH - they are my worst nightmare. ...$2 shops!! AARGH - they are my worst nightmare. I have capitulated and bought something about once every couple of years. Usually from the one in our small town when it is simply not feasible to go further afield for something small. My last venture was for some small bells to make earrings to wear to a 'Christmas in July' function. This is a perfect example of not being organised leading to buying like this. :( Most of the 'bits and pieces" are unnecessary junk which is imported, probably made by poorly-paid workers, over-packaged and generally unsustainable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-85875265891307059172013-07-22T15:21:57.656+10:002013-07-22T15:21:57.656+10:00Timely post Rhonda.
The ethics of food has become ...Timely post Rhonda.<br />The ethics of food has become the hottest topic recently, and it is really only a western world one; however our decisions make a huge impact on those nations that produce food we trade with.<br />I try to grow what produce that I can in my rental backyard of several vege beds and potted fruit trees; as well as do some urban foraging/food swapping in the neighbourhood, and then in rural areas for feral fruit and nuts and mushrooms. Next is the organics for things I have researched as being 'dripping' in chemicals, such as cauliflowers (which take 27 chemical just to grow-excluding sprayings), strawberries and broccoli. I try and source these at the farmers markets, but have found them becoming very expensive, and there are whispers that Coles and Woolies are strategizing the move into this territory. We also have 2 excellent wholesalers near us that we can source produce and dry goods.<br />Meat and eggs, we try to get pasture/free range that is certified, as well as cut back on our consumption and very importantly use a 'nose to tail' approach. We support local providers as much as possible with the pasture fed approach.<br />In addition we are trying to eat more environmentally friendly choices such as kangaroo, rabbit and venison (even better if we can source some of friends who cull on their properties.)<br />In addition, striving to reduce as much waste from food prep/eating as possible-now including trying to re-grow celery, spring onions, lettuce from their stems, and composting the other stuff. We have a long way to go and can always do better, so still feel guilty.<br />I just received 'The conscious cook' book as a gift and was horrified about some of the information I read it -and I considered myself fairly well informed! Especially in relation to water consumption and food production. Beef uses horrendous amounts of water as does rice. Unsurprisingly the book advocates for using organic produce due to lower water consumption and a local buyer's philosophy, except some things-for example- rice which recommends buying from nations that produce it naturally due to high seasonal rainfall (Sth east and central Asia),trying to source organic and fair-trade if possible.<br />The ethics of clothing and furniture is also on my mind too, especially given recent events in Bangladesh and the backlash towards companies using cheap labour. We try and use hand me downs, op shops and then try (!!) sewing using more sustainable materials (op shops sheets are for kids shorts etc), buy bamboo or organic cotton, but these are still areas fuelled with ethical dilemma.<br />Sadly- it is always a battle between the mighty dollar and health--which is not to say I vote on the cheapest, my families health and that of the nation/planet are very important as well. What is comforting, is that a frugal, simple (!) life is in harmony with many of these issues and seems to be gathering momentum as a paradigm shift in thinking. Thanks again for the thought provoking post and sorry for ramble!robynnoreply@blogger.com