Eating Organic Is Simple

It used to be that you had to search for organic fruits and vegetables in the supermarket. I remember years ago when the chain markets would have a tiny little section for organics. Now, up to half of chain store produce is organic, and at specialty stores like Jimbo's, Whole Foods and Sprouts, almost everything is organic.

I love shopping the farmers' markets, and even more so now that you can speak directly with the farmers and know exactly what farm your food is coming from. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is IN. You will see these initials next to most local farms today. This tells you that the food grown at that farm is certified organic. Most of the locally grown produce is sold in grocery stores, but it can also be delivered to your home or picked up a local pick up points. Many local farms have a service, where for between $25-$45 you can pick up weekly a small, medium or large box of fresh fruits and veggies. What I like about this, beside the fact that the food is as fresh as can be, is that you get a little surprise every week. The contents of the box change depending upon what's in season. It's a great way to open your eyes to new vegetables and make you create some new dishes. Not for everyone, but for people like me that enjoy discovering new fruits and vegetables, it's perfect. I can honestly say I had never had swiss chard until about 2 years ago when it was in a box of produce that I bought.

Go to www.organicconsumers.org for a list of all the farms in our area that have this service. My favorites are Be Wise (www.bewiseranch.com), Garden of Eden and J.R. Organics. My friend Marlene recently introduced me to another farm that does home delivery. I don't know what the cost is, but if you're house bound for any reason, this is a great way to still get fresh produce. Go to www.farmfreshtoyou.com to find out more.

Whether you get a box of fresh produce weekly from a local farm, shop at local farmers markets, or just buy your food in a local chain market, keep eating your fruits and veggies. They're good for you.