best assurance that what you see is truly what you’re getting in terms of freshness and overall quality; this is “natural” at its most fundamental. You can ask questions about growing methods and handling to your heart’s content, and once you find farmers whose food you enjoy, you can build a relationship with them, something that isn’t possi- ble at a larger supermarket. Local farm- ers, and the cooperatives and markets that support them, are less likely to use a chemically- based produc- tion system in favor of one that recognizes food as more than simple physical nourishment. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, dairy products and other goods that are lovingly raised and proudly sold by the local farmer across the county line, or even down the road, are superior in quality (and other, less tangible properties) than food that comes from some giant, faceless agribusiness farm two thousand miles away. They truly embody the wholesome goodness that “natural” has come to stand for. Going beyond “natural”, if organic food is important to you, then this kind of personal involvement is a vital step in keeping yourself and your family’s exposure to pesticides and other toxins to a minimum.
2. Read labels and pay attention to the relative proportions of ingredients, which are required by law to be arranged from most to least in quantity in the list- ing on every packaged product. If you’re buying fresh produce, ask where the food comes from. Find someone who knows the distribution chain of the business, and inquire how long the fruits and vegetables you’re purchasing typically sit in a ware- house before being shipped out. Are they kept constantly refrigerated? If they’re certified organic, are they handled sepa- rately from conventional produce sold alongside them? Don’t be intimidated by managers who seem disinclined to help you; it’s your right as a customer to know. If you don’t like the answers you get, find another place to shop. If they don’t know
Triad.NaturalAwakenings.com
or care about the quality of what they sell, why should you support them?
3. Grow your own food. Yes, this might seem a radical idea to some, but organic gardening is on the rise all across the United States, and backyard organic gardening is one of the best ways to ex- ert some con- trol over your food supply, and ensure that “fresh” and “natural” a r en’ t jus t empty mar- keting terms. Open areas on your property that receive at least six hours
of sun a day are perfect for small, raised- bed gardens that are capable of produc- ing enough vegetables for four people, and often more. Gardening is a relaxing pastime enjoyed by many people for fun, so instead of spending hours tending only flowers, why not plant some lettuce or tomatoes among the blossoms (an age-old technique known as “companion plant- ing”) and turn your efforts into something that can actually put nourishment on the table? There’s nothing as satisfying as eating things you’ve grown yourself, and when you pick it right out of the earth, wash off the soil and serve it to your family, you will know without a doubt that it’s fresh and natural, just as it was intended to be.
For more information, visit these web links:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/ Consumers/
brochure.html
(Organic food standards and labels: the facts)
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept. htm (Sustainable agriculture)
http://www.coopdirectory.org/ (Food cooperatives)
Article submitted by Sara Jane Mann of Deep Roots Market. For more informa- tion, email
deeproots2@mindspring.com (attn: Sara Jane). Deep Roots is located on Spring Garden Street in Greensboro. See ad on page 21.
McKeithan
Pain Treatment Center 336-761-0501
November 2004
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