<h2>Four Important Things in Organics</h2> <p>Thinking about making the switch to organic foods? Wondering if its really worth it, or if you should maybe buy more? At The Organic Box we are absolutely convinced about the superior value of certified organic food and here are four reasons why I know personally that you should feel good about your commitment to organics and look for ways to try something new this week in the world of organics.</p> <p><strong>Ask for the proof.</strong></p> <p>Its not organic if its not certified. Organic food is the most highly-regulated food in Canada - we have an extensive, complex regulatory framework that ensures every farm, producer, processor and distributor is inspected at least once per year and we support each other and our industry without using extensive government funds. Every producer pays for its certification and inspection costs and we work in partnership with the Canada Food Inspection Agency to ensure food that is called organic is truly organic. If you see an organic claim that doesn't include a certificate, ask the seller for proof - who is their certifier, where is the food produced and what methods do they use. The Organic Box is certified organic by the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA). Here is our proof: <a title="OCIA Website" href="http://www.ocia.org/organic-product-search/business/organic-box" target="_blank">OCIA Website</a></p> <p><strong>Decide if its Heathier.</strong></p> <p>If you take a look at various opinions about the nutritional value of organic food, you can find research that shows that organic food is either more nutritious or has the same levels of nutrition as conventional food. Even if it is the same, there is more to the health story than just nutrition. Conventional food practices use extensive chemical applications, which are hazardous for both farm workers and the soil. There is excellent anecdotal and scientific evidence that draws direct links between pesticide use and multiple types of long term farm worker health problems. Here is a 2006 study from the National Institute of Health: <a title="Studying Health Outcomes in Farmworker Populations Exposed to Pesticides" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1480483/" target="_blank">Studying Health Outcomes in Farmworker Populations Exposed to Pesticides</a></p> <p><strong>Understand Price Versus Value.</strong></p> <p>Part of my role at The Organic Box is reviewing customer feedback from people who find the prices of organic food challenging. Often people compare conventional grocery store produce to what we offer our members. Our produce prices are set by the growers themselves based on cost of production and living wages for farm workers. We also commit to paying our warehouse and delivery workers living wages and providing health benefits for the fifty people on our team. The price of food is directly correlated to the number of labour hours spent on production. Organic food is much more labour intensive because we don't rely on mechanical and chemical inputs to the same level as conventional production. To understand the true price of organic food its important to understand the lifecycle of the food system. I am hosting an event during Organic Week at the University of Alberta to screen a film called <em>Dirt! The Movie</em> that examines the impact of our farming system on the soil. Details here: <a title="Free Screening of DIRT! for Organic Week" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/511703935571849/" target="_blank">Free Screening of DIRT! for Organic Week</a></p> <p><strong>Look at Where Your Money Goes.</strong></p> <p>When a consumer is doing some price shopping at the grocery store or the market, it is rare that he or she thinks about where the money goes beyond the cash register. The organic food industry is much more efficient and direct than conventional. Farm to fork supply chains are more common and the truth is that a much higher percentage of your money goes to the primary producers - growers and processors, than in the conventional food system. When you buy organic food, you are paying more of your money to the actual producers of that food, and much less to the shareholders and banks backing the large grocery stores. Even in the organic food industry, the major food companies are hiding behind pictures of cows and fields on packaging - you may think you are buying local or independent but actually just buying more products from Pepsi or Kellogg. See a few different charts outlining the true owners of food labels here: <a title="Organic Processing Industry Structure" href="http://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html" target="_blank">Organic Processing Industry Structure</a></p> <p>Your support for Organics is why we exist and why we continue to be successful in our community. We are a food family that starts with our members and ends with our farmers and producers. Thank you for your support and we wish you an excellent start to the new school year.</p> <p>Havea Great Week!</p> <p>Danny.<br />Founder, The Organic Box.</p> <h2>FeaturedProducts and Producers:</h2> <table cellspacing="15" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#edf0e9"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"><img title="George" alt="George" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/George.jpg" /></td> <td><h2>The Local Bounty</h2> <p>Our local season is really coming on! Which is fantastic news for everyone. Our amazing farmers and their workers have been super busy with harvest and these next couple of weeks are going to be even busier. It is important for all of us to realize how amazing our food system is, and how many people it positively affects. When we buy local salad greens, spinach, green onion, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, bok choy, corn (the list goes on), we are supporting our local economies, and keeping these small family farms in operation (and for generations to come). </p> <p>A huge thank you to Sundog Organics, Meadow Creek Farms, Sunrise Gardens, Peas on Earth Organic Farm, Sand Springs Ranch, Halwa Farms, Mans Organics, Shady Lane Berry Farm, Roys Raspberries, Sparrows Nest Organics, Just-A-Mere Farm, and all the other fantastic growers for feeding our tummies! </p> <p>And ahuge thank you to YOU, our members, for caring about where your food comes from. Together we are all making great changes in our food structure... and that is awesome. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"><img title="Alberta Corn" alt="Alberta Corn" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/albertacorn.jpg" /></td> <td><h2>Corn Corn Corn</h2> <p>It's that time of year when the husks are full of juicy and sweet corn. It's so yummy you can almost eat this stuff raw. As we get ready to go back to school, it is a great time to stock up on corn on the cob for a long weekend hurrah! </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"><img style="WIDTH: 250px; HEIGHT: 250px" title="Pickling" alt="Pickling" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/pickling.jpg" width="250" height="250" /></td> <td><h2>Pickling and Canning</h2> <p>We are definitely flush with local goodies at this time of year. While many of us are probably getting sick of the amount of beans, peas, andcucumbers that we are receiving each week... it's important to remember that in a few weeks these beautiful items won't be available any longer! But... you can keep the good times rolling by getting into canning and checking out our new *Canning* section in The Organic Market. There you will find great deals on bulk veggies that are perfect for canning and pickling. Get bulk <strong>beets, carrots, potatoes, beans, and peas</strong>! Things like dill and peas also freeze incredibly well! <br /><br />Instead of subbing those local goodies out of your box, keep them in there and store them well so that you can enjoy local veggies well into the winter. </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
