Eat locally. Eat organic. Which is best if you have the option?

Many people don’t even have an option, so this may not apply to some people, but what if you do?

I’ve always heard that it’s best to choose local produce to support local farms. Then we need to choose organic because it’s healthier. I agree with both.

But, what if choosing local doesn’t mean you’re eating organic?

This is where I veer off the path most people take and go in my own direction. You will find that my opinion on this subject differs greatly from many health experts. Please do with this info as you please and remember, this is just my perspective and I’m giving you something to think about.

So, what do I do when it comes to buying produce? Do I go to our local farmer’s market and pick up food from our local famers? Not if they are growing their crops using pesticides, nutrient deficient soil and gmo-seeds. If they are organic, don’t use toxic chemicals and are non-gmo – then I’ll support them 100%. If their crops are just as toxic as the conventional produce you find in the grocery store, then I’ll pass them by every time. Yes, even if they are local.

Many people tout on the carbon footprint of shipping foods across the states and how we need to help lessen that impact – and I agree with them to a degree. But when it comes to supporting local farmers who are growing toxic crops or feeding my family foods that are safe and will not harm them – I’ll choose my family and their well-being FIRST before I choose to support a local farmer.

Harsh, isn’t it? I don’t think so. If local farmers want the support of the community – then they need to provide a high quality, healthy and safe food product. We go to our farmer’s market almost every weekend in the summer and out of the 15+ farms represented – only ONE is certified organic. The others are very open that they use pesticides on their crops, none of them rest their soil (which leads to nutrient deficient soil and food) and basically they operate just like any other conventional crop producer. There is no way I’m going to support that or feed that food to my family all in the name of supporting local farmers or decreasing the carbon footprint. I won’t financially support and encourage farmers to continue to grow unhealthy and unsafe food. If the demand is out there for the right way of farming and healthy food – farmers will have to start listening if they want to continue in business. Don’t support what you don’t believe in.

I realize this isn’t a simple thing for some since they don’t have organic or local options. In these situations you get what you can get and always go for the best you can – since that’s all you can do. Another option is to plant a garden with many of the produce items you get at the store. Lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, herbs – these are all easy to grow yourself and will taste 100 times better than anything you can buy at the store. You’ll also save money going this route.

My mission is to feed my family the best I can. If this means I have to choose the one organic farmer at the market – or during the winter months, go to Vitamin Cottage and buy organic produce in which some were shipped in from California or Mexico – then I will. I live in Colorado which means there can be 6-8 months out of the year where you are not growing anything. Nothing. There’s no way to eat local during these times, so if we want to eat produce, we usually are buying organic produce that has been shipped in. I’m okay with that and don’t feel guilty about it.

Now, this is just my opinion and I realize this may differ from yours, but I think when it boils down to it – my main reason is that my family is more important than a farming business. Do I want people to be successful? Yes? Do I want my family to live sickly lives due to my poor choices? No! When I start putting other people before my own family – what kind of person does that make me? Not a very good one – in my opinion.

So – decide for yourself which is better – but always look at the product you are putting into your body. This is the only body you will ever get and you should treat it the best you can.

FOR ME

Best choice: local and organic

Second best choice: organic, shipped in

Third choice: local/conventional only if it’s the only thing I can get

* If local is done organically and sustainably – then choose local and support farmers markets when in season.

* If local farms practice conventional methods of growing and harvesting, then I’d go for organic and stop supporting this way of growing crops.

* When we don’t support the bad with our money, they are forced to change. This can be used for good!

* I’m not always more concerned with the carbon footprint of something than I am with the health of my family and the affect that something will have on our bodies.

What do you think is best for you and your family?