SubscribeSummer gladness in organic foods
When a brand-spanking-new co-op moved into my neighborhood, I was thrilled. Shopping there is a little more expensive than at a regular supermarket because we aren’t yet members, but it’s worth every extra penny. Plus the meat and veggies taste so much better because they’re all organically grown.
This peppermint will take over my yard if I let it
but it’s great for making iced tea.
I don’t normally buy too much meat for my family, especially in the summer. We eat a mostly vegetarian diet with a little bit of flesh thrown in. I always buy my chicken from the farmer’s market because the animals are raised on local farms where they receive more humane treatment. Chickens fed on the ground are much healthier than those from commercial farmers because they are nourished outside and in the sunlight rather than being fed from a feeder in a factory with thousands of others. Plus, factory-grown animals are always shot up with hormones to make them grow abnormally faster.
Also at the farmer’s market, the butcher is willing to custom-pound the meat, which helps to tenderize it before you cook it.
In the summer, I prefer mostly fish, and am starting to eat less and less of it - especially in light of the Gulf oil spill (and who knows how far that will travel). I’m moving away from seafood as well. Farm-raised seafood, although it might not have the same pollutants found in the ocean, have other problems such as bacteria. Plus farm-raised fish just isn’t authentic enough for my tastebuds and it doesn’t really taste enough like the ocean.
Which brings me to this: I love vegetables, especially in the springtime. There’s nothing better than a stir-fried or steamed medley of fresh veggies. I love buying my vegetables from the co-op or from local farmer’s markets for pretty much the same reason as for meat. They are much fresher and organic, and those farmers don’t use chemically laced pesticides. In fact, some vegetables are so fresh they still have dirt on their roots.
Every summer I try to grow a few more herbs. Last year I started with peppermint and rosemary, which are both great for seasoning many foods. Peppermint is a weed and it has taken over my garden. This year I added lemongrass and I’m also trying to grow tomatoes. With a small yard I can’t grow too much. But many people are turning their roofs into roof-top vegetable gardens. I’m not there yet , but still I find that concept fascinating.
I’m at the beginning of growing tomatoes and the experts say I should grow something for them to climb up. Any suggestions?
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As the mother of five and a journalist, I've always encouraged people to empower themselves with information on healthy foods and lifestyles. Nurturing our children with healthy food is one of the most important jobs we have, yet as families have become busier or drifted apart, meal times have been sacrificed.
