Organic Food

[Shaun @ Tru6]

After watching Food, Inc., I've been working on eating healthier, so far so good. never liked the organic label, wondered if it meant anything, blah, blah blah. Have come to the following conclusions:

Is organic food:
healthier? don't know, could be

more expensive? yes. Stoneyfield Farms milk is twice as expensive as Hood/Target/Shaw's milk.

free from man-made chemicals and derivatives? yes, and the texture feels more "real" versus all the corn syrup and soy junk that leaves a film in your mouth.

made by people who care a little more about food and animals and the environment? probably


But none of that is why I'll continue to buy organic food. It tastes better. A lot better, so much so that it easily makes up for the cost. Will see if I feel any better a month or two from now. if I'm healthier too, then it's really a no-brainer to eat better food.

[cgarr]

If you are not worried about certain Pathogens then go for it.

[pksystems]

tastes better? check out the Bulls hit episode on organic foods..... it's hilarious. Organic food= Toyota Prius

[dhoward]

Originally Posted by pksystems

tastes better? check out the Bulls hit episode on organic foods..... it's hilarious. Organic food= Toyota Prius

+100
Penn and Teller. Look on Netflix.
You do realize that there is 'standard' that defines organic?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by dhoward

+100
Penn and Teller. Look on Netflix.
You do realize that there is 'standard' that defines organic?

No, I'm just buying food. if something tastes better, I continue to buy it. If it doesn't taste that great, I stop buying it. So far my experience is stuff that says organic on the label tastes better.

It's not rocket surgery, I'm just buying what tastes better, so far it's working for me. Choice is good.

[dhoward]

Watch the show. You brain scientist.

[Turbo_pro]

I recently got my fruit certified organic. CCOF
The inspection process was less than impressive.
A simple questionnaire, on sight inspection (walk around) and a review of pesticides and fertilizers.
No soil samples, no chemical testing of fruit and no testing for insecticides.

We are natural and organic but the certificate is worthless. Oh wait, I did pay the inspection fee plus $275 annual fee .

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Watch the show. You brain scientist.

Which season/show? I've got 25th Hour coming next but can squeeze it in before Cloverfield.

I'm not keen on getting facts from entertainers though. Daily Show, Colbert, (humor) Hannity, O'Reilly, (fear) etc. are all entertaining, but they are just pushing opinion with no regard for facts. Entertainment = ratings = ad revenue = new house in the Cayman's.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Turbo_pro

I recently got my fruit certified organic. CCOF
The inspection process was less than impressive.
A simple questionnaire, on sight inspection (walk around) and a review of pesticides and fertilizers.
No soil samples, no chemical testing of fruit and no testing for insecticides.

We are natural and organic but the certificate is worthless. Oh wait, I did pay the inspection fee plus $275 annual fee .

Does your fruit taste better than someone else's fruit? I don't care that Government (really just food lobbyists dictating regulation and certification) is so lax on letting anything be labeled organic. My point is that what I've been eating tastes much better. if your fruit is labeled organic but it doesn't taste that great, I will not buy it.

there was a great radio article 2-3 years ago on peaches. remember when peaches tasted great? these days most peaches on the market have been genetically modified to look great, but taste like sawdust. In response, some farmers down South increased their presence of original seed grown peaches, which spread, and having a locally grown, small farm peach, though not as "pretty" is like biting into a ball of honey.

[Turbo_pro]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Does your fruit taste better than someone else's fruit? I don't care that Government (really just food lobbyists dictating regulation and certification) is so lax on letting anything be labeled organic. My point is that what I've been eating tastes much better. if your fruit is labeled organic but it doesn't taste that great, I will not buy it.

there was a great radio article 2-3 years ago on peaches. remember when peaches tasted great? these days most peaches on the market have been genetically modified to look great, but taste like sawdust. In response, some farmers down South increased their presence of original seed grown peaches, which spread, and having a locally grown, small farm peach, though not as "pretty" is like biting into a ball of honey.

I only sell to boutique stores and rarely buy store bought so I have no refenece point. I will say that all California avocados taste better than Chilean avos. No question, yet Chileans sell for 30% of ours. This low cost will put all Ca. growers at risk but of government welcomes the products and is in fact opening the market to Peruvian products soon.
Just like China, with their products we are giving up quality for price.

Shaun, if you taste the difference more power to you. My point was that the "organic" label my have no meaning. Buying fruit by location of the farm may have more value (taste better) than the label.

[dhoward]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Which season/show? I've got 25th Hour coming next but can squeeze it in before Cloverfield.

I'm not keen on getting facts from entertainers though. Daily Show, Colbert, (humor) Hannity, O'Reilly, (fear) etc. are all entertaining, but they are just pushing opinion with no regard for facts. Entertainment = ratings = ad revenue = new house in the Cayman's.

I think it was last year, but I'll find it for you. It may be downloadable. I agree 100% on the entertainers, but the Bull***** series has been pretty good.

[Burnin' oil]

FYI - Organic only means that certain types of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are not (supposed to be) used. Flavor of fruits and nuts is not a product of organic practices.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Turbo_pro

I only sell to boutique stores and rarely buy store bought so I have no refenece point. I will say that all California avocados taste better than Chilean avos. No question, yet Chileans sell for 30% of ours. This low cost will put all Ca. growers at risk but of government welcomes the products and is in fact opening the market to Peruvian products soon.
Just like China, with their products we are giving up quality for price.

Shaun, if you taste the difference more power to you. My point was that the "organic" label my have no meaning. Buying fruit by location of the farm may have more value (taste better) than the label.

Agreed on all counts. As a small business owner, I often wonder why small businesses that could never think of advertising in the same way as the mass production, huge corps do, don't band together or have a "local growers" association collect a few $ from everyone and put out their own add campaign. I would focus on taste and health and local economy...not the "buy U.S." crap, but buy from your community that really sells around here at least.

Everyone wants to go back to the simplicity and values of the 50s, but no one wants to pay for it. one reason why is you haven't sold it. You've got to sell those hometown community values. offer a demonstrably better product for a little more, sell the repercussions of buying locally, and a lot of people will "get it." enough to make the ad campaign worthwhile anyway.

and the thing is, you've been given huge opportunities what with all the toxins that have been shipping from China in the last few years. Where's the ad campaign that should have capitalized on that?

you can only blame China and Government so much. at some point, it's just whining. bootstraps must be pulled up to let people know your message, your product is better.

[dhoward]

Showtime: Penn & Teller: Bull****! Season 7 Episode 6: Watch Penn & Teller: Bull****! Episode Recap on Showtime
It's DL on Netflix.

[Turbo_pro]

One more thought: The mind is a powerful advocate.
If I pay more, if it says organic, if the label says Porsche it must be: ________{fill in the blank} better, tastier, faster . in some cases but not all, a label can identify quality.JMHO

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Burnin' oil

FYI - Organic only means that certain types of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are not (supposed to be) used. Flavor of fruits and nuts is not a product of organic practices.

yeah, my guess is the people that care about growing organically use better stock, are smaller and tend their crops and animals better than mass produced food where profit and "visual quality" override flavor.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Showtime: Penn & Teller: Bull****! Season 7 Episode 6: Watch Penn & Teller: Bull****! Episode Recap on Showtime
It's DL on Netflix.

perfect, thanks for the link.

[dhoward]

Or since they're smaller, and can't generate as much revenue, use the organic label to increase profit.

Just sayin'...
And not picking on just you.
Even WITH the big, evil production farm industry, and Monsanto, life expectancy in the US isn't plummeting....

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Or since they're smaller, and can't generate as much revenue, use the organic label to increase profit.

oh man, there is no doubt about that at all, I completely agree.

Originally Posted by dhoward

Just sayin'...
And not picking on just you.
Even WITH the big, evil production farm industry, and Monsanto, life expectancy in the US isn't plummeting....

but healthcare costs are rising fast. why does any kid have type II diabetes? we feed these kids cheap, open and heat, processed food filled with lowest common denominator substrates (can't really call them food), corn syrup and processed soy at school and then we wonder why they are sick and the cost of healthcare is rising so fast.

[dhoward]

Well, I think heathcare costs aren't rising because of the way we produce food, but rather the way we prepare or DON'T prepare food for our families.
Kids w/ type II? Fast food, soft drinks, x-box, it's all about lifestyle. It's not the active kid who's parents feed them 3 squares a day, with only an occasional trip to Jack-in-the-box. (Jack, if you're listening, bring back the deep-fried bean burritos, please.)
It's a lot easier to blame big corporations than the way we choose to live our lives, you know?