The short: YES buy natural foods comprised of organic matter..
But NO to shopping with blinders on for the "Certified Organic" label- some farmer's cannot afford or will not pay the premium to become CERTIFIED ORGANIC.
In my farm-hand carreer, I have worked on farms that were completely organic, never sprayed, only used natural amendments but had no intention of becoming certified organic, just due to the added expense.
Organic at the farmer's market
It's no problem to speak to a farmer, ask them about their farming techniques. Ask them how big their operation is and if they spray- how often?
What about organic at the grocery store?
Here's one for you:
I bought organic potatoes from the grocery stores that never sprouted or grew mold.
I have bought standard non-organic potatoes and they grew beautiful long green sprouts- yes I totally planted these in my garden!
Which potatoes do you think I went back to buy more of?
Regardless of their growing history or organic labels- I went back for the sprouters!
I think it is important to use our intuition and experience.
What do I mean by that?
Sometimes we love the the 'certified organic' brand, but sometimes the local or generic brand is a great buy.
We do our best, and shop at places that carry brands that are in line with our philosophies. I believe creating stress around what to buy can do more harm then a coating of glyphosate!
What does the organic logo mean?
I believe the organic movement is very important for Canadian agriculture. One thing we noticed when traveling in Europe was that 'organic', 'grass-fed', 'free-range' was often the default. Around here we pay a premium!
More organic agriculture will reduce OUR and our ENVIRONMENT's exposure to synthetically created chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This should be a goal. To decrease the toxic load in humans, polluted water sources, disrupted ecosystems, reduce death to pollinators, create more eco-diversity..
When something sports the Canadian Organic label shown above it means:
website linked -"use of land that has been free of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers for at least 3 years.
detailed record-keeping and regular audits, which means full food traceability - everything that goes into an organic product has to be documented and traceable.
routine on-site inspections"
In terms of products: "The logo can be used on products that are 95-100% organic. Products that are 70-95% organic may state that a product is "Made with Organic Ingredients".
There is also a list of permitted substances linked here from the Canadian website. Farmers may use the list as fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides.
Instead farmers must nourish the land via:
To wrap this post up..
I believe the overall most important thing for us to thrive is for us to find access to whole naturally grown and produced foods.
Whether or not we shop for specific certifications depends on our income, where we shop and what we have access to.
NIH tips:
Shop at local shops- e.g. the local butcher shoppe, bakery.
Find local brands- e.g local dairy brand, local cheeses, eggs, meat, etc. We like quality over quantity.
Set an alarm for the local farmer's market- affordabe fresh and in season produce!
We buy only what we need for the foreseeable meals to prevent waste and keep the price of our bills down.
Eat and structure our meals according to what foods need to be consumed to prevent waste.
Buy foods in bulk when they are either on sale or in season- then preserve them at home- e.g. chop up and freeze, ferment, make into sauce, jam etc.
Thanks for reading,
Samantha
@natureishealth
@natureishealthproducts