AnnieP Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 (edited) After chatting to Buffie (thank for the suggestion buff), I have split this little aside from the River cottage thread and stuck it here. I went all organic a while ago, but now am having a crisis of confidence. Just because something is organic doesn't necessarily guarantee that its had a great life and dignified death does it? I used Tesco online for convenience, making sure I was buying all organic produce, thinking I was being green and ethical. However, on closer inspection and reflection, my mince was coming all the way from Argentina! That's hardly not leaving any carbon footprints is it? I have now sourced all local produce: the furthest my meat is raised is 15 miles away and slaughtered 10 miles away. I have no idea if its green or organic, but have decided its better than being raised as organic, then carted off for huge journeys under much stress to be slaughtered. I might be wrong? I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this. What is best (apart from Local AND organic ) Edited November 11, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 We have organic when we can and get our shopping delivered from Waitrose as they are meant to be good at sourcing local products whenever they can. I suppose that these other countries that produce the organic meant for stores such as tesco's don't have the same guidelines about what constitutes organcic/ free-range etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Cooks Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 For me, it's really important to know that what I am eating (being an ex-veggie!) has had a good quality of life, so I don't get particularly hung up on organic, but I do like to source locally. One thing that does worry me though, is what about all the poor people in places like Argentina, Kenya, Zimbabwe etc, who grow all this food for export? If we don't eat it, are they going to get poorer and starve? Baby sweetcorn and out of season asparagus are not going to form the best part of their diets, they need money too. Really there are so many pitfalls in what to eat and not to eat, I think we would all be better off self-sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted November 11, 2006 Author Share Posted November 11, 2006 Just bumping this up to get it noticed..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Not sure how I missed this before - this is one of my favourite topics But I am not decided - despite many discussions on the subject..... I am trying to source as much as possible locally - and at least support local shops for other produce (eg baked beans!). I am certainly more reassured knowing the farms my meat comes from - than I would be buying organic meat from a super market. I also think it's more improtant to try and encourage local producers - the better they do the more likely they are to turn organic also The one thing I won't budge on though is milk - I will only buy organic, but can't find local producers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Ooops yes, this is a topic that I find very interesting too, but not always an easy one, especially when travelling to shop and budgets are taken into account. I think that on the whole I prefer local to organic, certainly I'd always prefer to supprt local businesses (but not when it comes to bananas....... and wine .... here I hasten to add that I've found a brilliant local vineyard... Meopham vineyard for those in my neck of the woods, but I do have a fondness for Pinot Grigio and New World wines ).... but I dislike the idea of pesticides ets that might have been used to treat non-organic produce. Equally I can't afford organic all the time, no matter what my principles are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Local rather than organic is definitely best for the planet. Some of the soil association rules for organic are not very logical anyway, just cranky Just taken on an allotment and my veg will be very low mileage! But as well as compost and manure I'll be using some 'growmore' and 'derris' if I need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I don't get much say in my house but we do buy more organic products than we used too. We do still shop at Tescos and M&S but the Marks and Spencers in Stratford and Redditch does sell quite local fruit when in season. There is a new organic fruit and veg shop in Alcester and it is great and alot is local. If I could choose everything I ate, I'd choose local organic because they are both important to me. We do buy british free range chicken so that is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I try to go for local organic in the first instance - this is quite easy for me because I get a Riverford vegbox (based in Devon) and I get my dairy from a local organic dairy (about 10-15 miles from my house) who are great - they do milk (full, semi and skimmed ), cream (single, double and clotted! ) - as well as yogurts and all that kind of thing too. Better still our local BP garage now stocks most of their stuff so it's very convenient too There are also several organic meat farms within a 15 mile radius so I am well catered for in that respect to. Those who have read the organic cod thread will know that well caught fish is also in a ready supply. That said I am not perfect and I don't always stick to getting from these sources and will sometimes pop into Sainsbury's for my organic milk I NEVER shop in Tescos out of principle. Having read this thread and considered this post I have realised how lucky I am because (finances aside) there is absolutely nothing stopping me getting both local AND organic and that I really don't take advantage of everything enough so from now on I'm going to make a much better effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Loo Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I always try to buy locally and in the absence of local produce I would always opt for buying British. Also I generally try to buy things in season. Obviously things like bananas, wine, fresh pineapples etc need to be sourced from afar and in these instances I buy ethically - fairtrade bananas, wines without sulphates and the such like. I don't buy supermarket meat. We are lucky to have a good butcher nearby who sources most meat locally. It is more expensive but it seems to go further as it is not pumped full of water and other rubbish. I'm also really lucky that I am able to grow most of my own vege's and most of my fruit. Yesterday was the first time since about June that I bought apples and although thay are from Kent they don't taste nearly as good as the ones plucked and eaten straight from the tree! I do like to try to buy organic but can't help being a bit sceptical. I know there are supposedly strict regulations producers need to adhere to but I always wonder about organic crops being next/close to crops sprayed with chemicals - what happens when the wind blows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I don't get much say in my house but we do buy more organic products than we used too. We do still shop at Tescos and M&S but the Marks and Spencers in Stratford and Redditch does sell quite local fruit when in season.There is a new organic fruit and veg shop in Alcester and it is great and alot is local. If I could choose everything I ate, I'd choose local organic because they are both important to me. We do buy british free range chicken so that is good. Good to see you've been working on your parents Martin Where in Alcester is the new fruit and veg shop? Will you PM me? (I can't believe I just said that!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Like Red im very lucky to live in a region with tonnes of options. In Devon we have some of the best organic and locally produced stuff. I tend to buy more local than organic. We have a huge farm shop a mile down the road who grows in the fields surrounding my house - cant get more local than that! There are loads of veg box delivery companys in my area and meat box too. We have an allotment and are starting to produce a lot of our own veg. I do shop at supermarkets, but I do tend to buy more organic stuff now than what I used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Like Red im very lucky to live in a region with tonnes of options. In Devon we have some of the best organic and locally produced stuff. I tend to buy more local than organic. We have a huge farm shop a mile down the road who grows in the fields surrounding my house - cant get more local than that!There are loads of veg box delivery companys in my area and meat box too. We have an allotment and are starting to produce a lot of our own veg. I do shop at supermarkets, but I do tend to buy more organic stuff now than what I used to. Oh.. what meat box are you getting. there are loads popping up now arnt there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 These are just a handful in my direct area (there are hundreds!) Some of these farms are literally 5 minutes from my house. Spoilt for choice - http://www.eastwoodfarmbeef.co.uk/ http://www.tasteyourviews.com/ http://www.theorganicfarmersmarket.co.uk/ http://www.wellhungmeat.com/family.php http://www.westonsfarms.co.uk/ and we have ordered our veg from - http://www.culmvalleyveg.co.uk/ there is no excuse for me to be eating rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 You are very lucky we have very little at all. I would love to be able to pop to the shops and buy local produce. I do have a fruit and veg box delivered, that is from Shropshire, not too far away. They also do things like honey (from the Wrekin Hills) pasta, flour. They have just teamed up with a big estate in Wales that produces meat, chicken, eggs etc. I have a very good butcher in the town that I work in. Not a lot of organic meat but local and very good quality. I have ordered my turkey from there and that is organic. I do find I am buying less from the supermarkets and when I do buy it is mostly organic, never meat or veg though. I have found that I would rather go without a particular vegetable/fruit than buy it from the supermarket even the organic veg is tasteless compared to the stuff I have in my veg box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickpea Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 Well I tend to buy organic whenever I can, but I had to put my foot down over fresh herbs. I would much rather buy a pot of basil grown in the UK than a small packet of organic basil all the way from Israel. It's ridiculas some times!!! (and I do try to grow my own basil, but Scale flies always seem to have the upperhand!!) Apart from that, I try to go for Organic european wines when I can, and I've also recently discovered a lovely wine grown in Gloucestershire which is only the next county over from me, though not organic, but in the end I guess you've just got to go with what feels right for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 What wine is that Chickpea? Carl buys wine from Staffordshire at the Farmers' Market in Stratford - so not too far from us but the Gloucester one may be nearer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickpea Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 http://www.three-choirs-vineyards.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 I'll have to tell Phil about that one My buying is a bit of a mixture; I get some basics from tesco - because of the time and economics issue (I wish I didn't have to) Most of the stuff i get from there is organic including the milk. Things liek eta and coffee are fairtrade. I get virtually all our meat and veg from local farmers' markets, some of this is certified organic, but all is freerange and pesticide/drug free. I am happy with the mix that I have at the moment, it fits in with our pocket, available time and lifestyle. I'd like to be more self-sufficient, but don't have the time or space. I tried growing a few broccoli plants this summer, but the bugs got them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
