Grow Your Own, Pt. I: Plants vs Plants

All week, we have been talking about organics: organic meat, organic produce, etc. Often, it can be pretty expensive to buy the organic stuff though. Growing your own produce can be a much cheaper solution, and then, you can be 100% sure of what you're eating. Plus, there really is nothing on the planet quite as good as a fresh tomato, right off the plant, still warm from the sun!

For those of you with a green thumb, I'm sorry to say I'm not one of you! But, my mother comes from a long line of good gardeners (it just managed to skip me, I guess). As she was my inspiration for getting into organics and natural foods, I wanted to share some of the things she's done in her garden to keep herself, and her plants, healthy, without the use of any chemicals.

Truth in Labelling

So what are the rules about labeling anyway? If I see "Organic" on the front, what is that telling me? Why do I see "organic" in the ingredients list, but not anywhere else on the label? Believe it or not, all of these things are covered. You want to put the word "organic" on any product, you better believe there's a checklist of requirements to even consider it.

But what about "all-natural," or "hormone-free," or "free-range?"

What to buy organic...

So, we all know eating organic is a good idea. As a whole I think we can also agree that it can get expensive. So when do you pay the extra for organic, and when can you buy the conventional without feeling like you're poisoning your family? Luckily for us, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) offers a handy guide for the 12 worst pesticide offenders (called the “Dirty Dozen”) and the top 15 safest foods (the “Clean Fifteen”). They offer a handy printable list here.

CrockPot Roast and Veg

So you've found a local beef farmer you like. They feed their cows 100% forage, they roam around free all day in the sun, and get daily massages (the cows do, not the farmer). After much deliberation, you decide on a gorgeous 7-bone chuck roast with superb marbling. Your mouth waters, and then you realize... well what in the world am I going to do with this 2-pound roast?

I have the perfect solution for you: Pot Roast. The best part, you can stick it in a slow cooker, and you don't have to do a thing.

Organic versus Grass-fed Beef

This week's theme is "Organics." Each week (or month, haven't really decided yet...) will be dedicated to a broad theme.

Today I'm going to focus on organic and grass-fed meat. There are several reasons to consider organic and/or grass-fed as opposed to conventional sources of animal protein: ethics, flavor, health, and the general aesthetics (i.e. the gross-out factor) of the mass-production of meat.