"[Organic food] is for rich people who hate themselves."

-Amy Poehler's character in Baby Mama

I'll admit, there was a time when my impression of organic food wasn't all that different from the quote above. I would pass the small section of organic food in the grocery store and wonder why on Earth anybody would pay more when the "regular" food looked perfectly fine...it was being sold in the grocery store, so it had to be safe, right? I pictured the typical organic food buyer to be a persnickety bore with unreasonable expectations. Ok, maybe that's a little harsher than what I thought, but I absolutely thought that organic food was unnecessary.

But do you know what is truly unnecessary? Harmful chemicals in our food. According to an investigation by the Environmental Working Group, Peaches and apples had the most pesticides detected on a single sample, with nine pesticides on a single sample, followed by strawberries and imported grapes where eight pesticides were found on a single sample of each fruit. If persnickety means not wanting a nine chemical combo on your fruit, then sign me up. These chemicals, which are designed to be toxic so that they will kill "undesirable" living organisms that threaten the crops, don't differentiate between bugs and humans. Some of their toxic effects include nervous system effects, carcinogenic effects, hormone system effects, and skin, eye, and lung irritation. Yes, these chemicals meet certain safety guidelines, but do you know - and are you comfortable with - the tolerance that somebody else has established for them? Are you also aware that no tests have been done on the possible synergistic effects of multiple chemicals that are on the same foods, or different foods eaten together? There is no way to know for sure what is happening to our bodies by these toxic cocktails. And that a chemical is considered safe today is no guarantee that it won't be banned tomorrow...remember when DDT was an acceptable agricultural pesticide? Don't allow yourself or your family to be a guinnea pig for these chemicals, which will likely be proven unsafe in the future.

In addition to personal health and safety, don't forget about the environment. Let's take a look at the differences between conventional and organic farmers. Conventional farmers apply fertilizers to promote plant growth, spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease, use chemical herbicides to control weeds, and give animals antibiotics, growth hormones, and medications to prevent disease and spur growth. It's expensive, unhealthy, and it's not sustainable. Organic farmers, on the other hand, apply natural fertilizers (such as manure or compost) to feed soil and plants; use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruptions or traps to reduce pests and disease; rotate crops, till, hand-weed or mulch to manage weeds; give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors; they also use preventive measures - such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet, and clean housing - to help minimize disease. This method of farming is solar powered, works with nature, and is healthier for every plant, animal, and person involved.

I started writing this post a few days ago - which is not unusual for me, considering Claire's short attention span and other things that keep me busy around here - and today I was pleasantly surprised to open the latest issue of Time magazine to find this article: "How Cows (Grass-Fed Only) Could Save The Planet". I won't dive into this right now; grass-fed beef is a whole different entry for another day/week. But this article is a good start until then. An even better resource is The Omnivore's Dilemma, written by Michael Pollan. And if you'd rather sit back and watch a movie, watch the excellent documentary The Future of Food - it's free!

One more thing about organic food. I have heard people referring to food as organic simply because it's "fresh", not frozen, or doesn't come in a box. The organic label is an official certification, and anything that is truly organic must meet certain criteria. Some other words that are thrown around in this arena include "all-natural", "free-range", and "hormone-free." These phrases are subjective, meaning there are no set guidelines or governing body to reinforce what a company is claiming, therefore they are worthless. "Free-range" sounds good, but could simply mean that the chickens are given 5 minutes a day to be outside, and then spend the rest of their time in crowded filth with no sunlight. This is where buying local comes in handy...you will become familiar with the good farms producing healthy food in your area, and will know exactly what you're buying.

Bottom line: unhealthy animals and chemically-laced food do not nourish us or the environment.