Local is the New Organic

Another thing keeping me sane right now: the mere fact that it's summer. This morning we got out on our bikes and rode to the farmers market to see what is available. Add a bunch of celery to that picture, and that's what we came home with.

Right now there is a new movement afoot and it's starting to gain ground (so to speak) in the mainstream media, and that is the local foods movement.

For years, organics have been the rage, but there are some problems with "going organic":

1. Price. Most average households can't afford it, plain and simple. It remains a luxury for the average family. When an organics conference held recently in Boulder charges $1400 for 3 days worth of seminars, something is still out-of-whack.

2. Footprint. Unless you're lucky enough to live in Oregon, Vermont, or California, most organic produce is shipped to your state. It's great to have California organic strawberries available (see above) but the monetary and environmental costs are great.

3. Changes in organic standards. Early this month, the USDA (boo hiss) decided to approve 38 non-organic ingredients to be allowed in products that bear the "USDA Organic" seal. Hunh? For example (this is taken straight from the Organic Consumers Association website):

-Anheuser Busch will be allowed to sell its "Organic Wild Hops Beer" without using any organic hops at all.

-Sausages, brats, and breakfast links labeled as "USDA Organic" are now allowed to contain intestines from factory farmed animals raised on chemically grown feed, synthetic hormones, and antibiotics.

-Products labeled as "USDA Organic" and containing fish oil may contain toxins such as PCBs and mercury (note: nonorganic fishoil products have this same risk, but despite the USDA ruling, it is against the National Organic Standards to allow such toxins in organic foods).

Crazy.

So, trying to do the right thing for your family, your body, the environment, by buying organic isn't always what it seems. And the "buy local" movement is gaining lots of ground. Not that I want pesticides in my food, and not that local and organic are mutually exclusive, but more and more--and mostly because I really don't trust the USDA label--locally-produced, in season food is where it's at for us. Sure, it's great to have pineapple in December or oranges in July, but striving to be more mindful of what's in season and where it's coming from is of huge interest for me right now, and it's making me look at our nightly menus with fresh eyes.

On tonight's menu? Heirloom tomatoes (above), Haystack Mountain goat cheese (from Northern Colorado), and basil from my garden. Does it really get any better than this?