OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog » farmers market

Is Demand for Local Food Growing Too Fast?

Jill Ettinger — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:00:44 +0000

The demand for local food is exceeding the infrastructure says a new report from the USDA's Economic Research Service, titled Direct and Intermediated Marketing of Local Foods in the United States.

Los Angeles School District’s Newest Curriculum: Better Food

Jill Ettinger — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:00:26 +0000

As the nation's second largest school district prepares for the start of the fall semester, student food critics have been hard at work sampling some healthier menu items soon to be found in cafeterias across Los Angeles.

Louisiana Bill to Reward Restaurants that Go Local

Jill Ettinger — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:00:30 +0000

Louisiana's legislature is considering a bill that would offer financial rewards to area restaurants that use locally grown fruits and vegetables in their menu items.

Upcoming Senate Bill Threatens Local and Organic Farms

Scott Shaffer — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:08:04 +0000

rhett maxwell/flickr

Local and organic food-growers need your help!

Bill S. 510 is an overhaul of the food safety system that will hurt small-scale organic producers. The bill would require a $500 registration fee for all farms, regardless of size, and would require complicated monitoring of crops. If this bill passed, it would seriously burden small local and organic farms, which is probably why big food businesses like The American Frozen Food Institute, General Mills, and Kraft Foods support S. 510.

Food safety is an important issue, and Congress should definitely do something about it. But why put extra burdens on small growers when the major recent health scandals — E. Coli, melamine, and salmonella, just to name a few — were linked to industrial farming practices? This is surely an issue on which all citizens can agree — whether they be small-government conservatives or liberal, eco-friendly foodies.

Defenders of Wildlife, Farm Aid, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, among others, have announced their opposition to S. 510. Please join them and help stop it. This bill is scheduled to come before the US Senate for a vote in the next few weeks, so please, visit Credo Action to learn more and contact your Senator and tell them that you support organic and local farms.

Organic Produce: February Report

Barbara Feiner — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:32:25 +0000

You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices. Some of the listed fruits and veggies are available year-round, but you’ll find higher quality at a lower cost this month.

Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Carrots
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Oranges
Pears

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

Recipes to Inspire You

Organic Produce: January Report

Barbara Feiner — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:58:43 +0000

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices. Grapes and sweet potatoes come off last month’s list.

Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Carrots
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Oranges
Pears

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

Recipes to Inspire You

Organic Produce: December Report

Barbara Feiner — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:42:24 +0000

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Carrots
Grapes
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Oranges
Pears
Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

A Dozen Recipes to Inspire You

Organic Produce: November Report

Barbara Feiner — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:01:33 +0000

Mushrooms and oranges join this month’s peak-season list, while eggplant moves off.

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Carrots
Grapes
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Oranges
Pears
Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

10 Recipes to Inspire You

Photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcanard/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Buy Local Fruits and Vegetables to Go Organic, and Save Money

Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:34:44 +0000

In April, the Environmental Working Group released a report ranking the 12 dirtiest fruits and vegetables, and the 15 cleanest.

The icky stuff, i.e. most contaminated with pesticides, included produce like nectarines, cherries, and carrots.

But avocados, mangos, and eggplant, were among the safer foods.

The problem is, more often than not, organic stuff is more expensive than conventional fruits and vegetables.

So a quick tip to eat cleaner and save a little money is to buy foods from local farmers markets, a lot of the stuff can be organic, plus little markets are almost always cheaper than big retailers.

Another way, and its not technically organic, is to buy regular fruits and vegetables, specifically the clean stuff, and give them a good scrub to avoid any pesticide residue.

I guess I'm a casual organic buyer. I'm not super anal about it, if I see some organic fruits and vegetables I buy them, but I usually purchase organic food products, like cereals, soymilk, tofu, and bread.

Via Island Life.

Image credit: yarnzombie

Organic Produce: October Report

Barbara Feiner — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:21:09 +0000

Broccoli joins this month’s peak-season list, while cantaloupe, corn and peaches move off. As noted in Salads: 5 Must-Have Veggies:

Broccoli “contains phytochemicals, substances found in produce that can help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. Added nutrients include vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium, folic acid and fiber.”

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Carrots
Eggplant
Grapes
Lettuce
Onions
Pears
Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.