This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
consciouseating


Certified Humane When we buy local cheese, poultry or meat at the farmers’ market, we some- times see a certified humane notice. One such producer is Baetje Farms, outside St. Louis, Missouri. Their highly regarded goat cheeses offer traceability via a lot number, so buyers can know exactly which milking the cheese came from. In factory farming, which often


involves penning or caging animals that never go outdoors, “certified humane” means that this producer meets Hu- mane Farm Animal Care standards:


n Fed a nutritious diet without antibiot- ics or hormones.


n Provided proper shelter with resting areas and sufficient space.


Locavore Lingo


What All the Food Labels Really Mean by Judith Fertig


L


ocally grown foods are more likely to have been bred for flavor and nutrition than durability and a long shelf life, says Emily Akins, outreach director for the Kansas City Food Circle, a cooperative that links residents with farmers that grow and raise organic and free-range food. An added benefit is getting to know the farmer and being able to ask the ques- tions—and receive the answers—that are important to us. The U.S. Department of Agriculture


(USDA) reports that local food sales totaled $12 billion in 2014, up from $5 billion in 2008. They continue to grow.


Organic or


Certified Organic Consumers want to know the difference between organics and certified organics. Today’s number of U.S. certified organic operations has jumped nearly 300 per- cent since 2002 to more than 21,700. Although a certified organic desig- nation might be the preferred index of


34 Long Island Edition


how foods are grown and raised, it is not always possible for certain foods in some climates. Sometimes there’s a tradeoff in buying organic foods in the carbon footprint of its transport to market. According to the Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, in Tampa, Florida, “Organic refers to a specific method of growing and processing foods, and is defined as produce grown, packaged and stored without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbi- cides or irradiation.” To be considered certified organic under the Code of Federal Regulations 7 CFR Part 205, products must meet these standards:


n No harmful chemicals have been ap- plied to the land for at least three years.


n Farmers and processors are inspected annually by a certifying agency.


n Farmers and processors must keep detailed records of practices.


n Farmers are required to maintain a written organic management plan.


www.NaturalAwakeningsLI.com


n Animals have the ability to behave naturally.


Veronica Baetje says her farm’s goats


receive organic mineral supplements and locally grown alfalfa hay in addition to pasture grass every day. She adds, “They are free to choose what they prefer to do, whether skip and run up a hill, lie under the shade of a tree, soak up some sunshine or play with their herd mates.”


Wild Food


At times, farmers’ markets will offer foraged foods from the wild or wild game. Sources are listed online at EatWild.com. “Few of us will go back to foraging in the wild, but we can learn to forage in our supermarkets, farmers’ markets and from local farmers to select the most nutritious and delicious foods available,” says founder Jo Robinson, in Vashon, Washington. For example, Dave and Sue Whit-


tlesey, at High Wire Ranch, in Hotch- kiss, Colorado, raise bison (buffalo) and elk that they sell both through local stores and at the Aspen Saturday Market. The wild game is 100 percent pasture-fed, non-GMO (no genetically modified feed), gluten-free and not given hormones or any antibiotics unless the animal is sick.


Trusted Sources The land, climate and growing season dictate the best natural farming prac- tices for each area, often described


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60