By Lisa Borden
It’s amazing to me that people argue organic vs. local when it comes to their food. Or use the clean 15 and dirty dozen lists to single-handedly make their produce purchase decisions. Is organic only for those who don’t want toxins in their bodies, and is local reserved only for environmentalists who weigh their food miles? It’s actually best that we all strive to be eating local AND organic food, by choosing what’s in season.
WHY LOCAL?
It’s fresher – shorter time from farm to table, or in the case of Cookin’ Greens, that would be #FarmToFreezer
It’s tastier – do your own taste test…as an aside, if your food needs to travel far, it’s bred to withstand a longer shelf life and is usually picked before it’s fully ripe – nothing tastes better than what we grow in our own garden!)
It’s healthier – retains more nutrients and has less preservatives and additives because long distance travel is not required
It’s environmentally sound – long distance travel requires more packaging, refrigeration, fuel to get to table, and generates more waste and pollution (did you ever wonder how produce arrives from Mexico without bruises and without being rotten?)
It’s cheaper – less middlemen, less marketing and less transportation costs
It’s neighbourly – money stays in your community, creates jobs and supports local farmers
WHY ORGANIC?
It’s tastier – again, I suggest doing your own taste test…but without all of the synthetics, it’s just pure unaltered delicious food
It’s healthier – higher levels of vitamins and minerals and less exposure to chemicals and synthetics
It’s environmentally sound – my farmer friends (meet one of them here!) have given me lots of reasons, but simply, crops grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and GMOs mean fewer of these items are being produced and fewer are being released into our soil and water
Obviously, in Canada, it’s more challenging to eat locally in the winter so we have to make some more difficult decisions – organic kale that has travelled from far away is expensive and not always super fresh. I have learned that veggies and fruits that are frozen at their peak of ripeness not only retain their nutrients, but are the best source of fast food for my family. Freeze your own, or rely on the good people in the Cookin’ Greens supply chain to get you organic greens year round.
Keep in mind, your money is your voice. With every dollar you spend, you are telling that farmer, or that restaurant, or that supermarket, or that company to make more of the same. Think of the health and safety of the farmers and pickers, and of the company you are supporting with your purchase. YOUR wise choices are not just a benefit to your health, but to us all!
If you want to know what else I keep in my kitchen, flip through my Guide of Kitchen Essentials.
About Lisa
I’m Lisa Borden, owner of Borden Communications, a BCorp certified company that I started in 1994. I live and work by the African Proverb; ‘If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.’ I believe, with conviction, that everyone has the knowledge and power to make a difference and I take great pride in spending my days with passionate people wanting to live and work efficiently, effectively and consciously.
We all need to eat lots of organic greens, and Cookin’ Greens not only makes it easy, but because they go from farm to freezer in less than 6 hours, the nutrients are maintained, and the taste and colour are great – a great deal and consistently accessible and widely available! Toby Davidson is defining the “Farm to Freezer” movement, and is committed to being honest, true and supporting her community – working with her team is an opportunity that I am very grateful for.
