The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Saw this article in the Mail this morning and thought youd find it interesting: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/dietfitness.html?in_article_id=84661&in_page_id=1798 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Thnaks Clare, you are great at finding stuff out BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 A great article Clare. I regulary have this debate with my Mum. I'm going to send her the link. I don't understand how organic can be more expensive when farmers aren't spending the extra money on pesticides etc. Within my weekly budget, I can only afford to buy some organic and some not now. I used to have a box delivered, but it became too expensive. Generally, Stefan gets the organic food and we do without. I'm still plouging through Lesley's recommended book The Square Foot Gardener, which is brill. Once I get my garden sorted in the summer (are you still up for slab laying?!?!) I'm going to try my hand at a small vege plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 There was also an interesting article about whether organic meat/produce (including chooks) costs more to produce in terms of environmental impact. I can't find it online, but will send it to you Buff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Great article Claret - thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I don't understand how organic can be more expensive when farmers aren't spending the extra money on pesticides etc. Organic is generally more expensive because it is so labour intensive. Although there is a saving on pesticides and herbicides, the farmer has to get rid of weeds somehow and labour can be expensive. Also, yields are generally lower and so the cost needs to be a bit higher. What bothers me is Supermarket Organic - because they tend to squeeze the farmer and keep all the profit to themselves. I'd buy local and from box schemes and farm shops if I didn't grow most of our own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I buy from a local producer - 25 miles away, a veg box every week. We've had some weird and wonderful stuff - anyone know how I convert a very large winter radish into food for three small children? I get as much organic produce as I can, flours, milk, make my own yogs, meat if I can justfiy it (large organic reduced due to end-date chicken the same price as a non-discounted free range but chemically produced hen) and breakfast cereal. I do a lot of my own baking. I guess we're around 90% organic. I do it on around £80 a week for me and three kids, but that includes all the other household shopping and two cats and two dogs. The hen food costs £15 a bag for organic feed, £5 for not. That is a BIG difference. I believe we're better off by our diet as it is than someone who doesn't eat organic food. Less - much less - salt in a home made pizza, for instance, and it's all organic, down to the oil and the flour. And all butter, no marge. Of course no chemicals, preservatives, weedkillers and growth promotors. How could that NOT be better for a person? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 The hen food costs £15 a bag for organic feed, £5 for not. That is a BIG difference. The price you pay has quite shocked me! I only pay £10 for a sack of organic chicken feed either mash or pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I pay £8 or £9 for pellets and they last for 3months. I too get a box from a local organic scheme, and it has random things in. I usually end up resorting to soup by week 2. Todays random veg was turnip and squash - good for roasted veg. I am working on being self sufficient for veg by this time next year if all goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Well, I've made quite a change from this time last year; it has been gradual and I've had to make changes only where my time and financial constraints allow. I don't have a veg box because we only eat specific fruit and veg, the rest would be wasted. I get most of my veg and some of the fruit from farmers' markets I get all the meat from farmers' markets, with the occasional bits bought from friends who are producers. Roughly 90% of the food we consume is either organic or freerange/best practice produce. A lot more of our household and cosmetic products are green we actively compost and use our wormery, so virtualy no biodegradable stuff goes to waste. I still get some stuff from the supermarket, just because I don't have the time to do otherwise. I always have cooked from scratch, but probably do more of it and source better ingredients. I'm happy wit the way things are at the moment. Isn't it interesting how we use 'best practice' to fit the 'organic ideals' around our individual lifestyles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I found this about organic chicken. Lots of info about organic lifestyle etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Isn't it interesting how we use 'best practice' to fit the 'organic ideals' around our individual lifestyles? And I think that's the best way - slow and gradual and make sure that it fits in with your lifestyle / routine - no point beating yourself up if you cant always afford organic. Sometimes I'd rather buy british fruit and veg than organic. When you are working you cant always go to a farmers market (ours is on a Friday). Supermarkets are not all bad - and they are convenient - so again, dont beat yourself up if you use one! Be happy with your choices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Very interesting article. Fully intend to grow some veg this year. I wonder if a 4lb organic chicken really would feed 6 people?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 The chickens we get from the local market are about that and will comfortably feed 6 (but, its so lovely, and we are so greedy, that sometimes it only just feeds 4 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 The chickens we get from the local market are about that and will comfortably feed 6 (but, its so lovely, and we are so greedy, that sometimes it only just feeds 4 ) With 2 strapping lads on the payroll I'm sure it wouldn't feed 6 at Egluntine Towers...Plus Him Indoors isn't backwards at coming forwards when it comes to good homecooked non threatening food such as roast chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 We had one of Lesley's chooks at Christmas, I think I remember that it weighed 7lb. That monster kept us fed for weeks! he was delicious too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
