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What
is Organic Food?
Organic
Food and Fiber products are produced using:
• agricultural management practices which promote and enhance agro-ecosystem
health, including diversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.
These include crop rotation, cover and green manure crops, use of beneficial
insects, composted animal manure and plant wastes, and natural soil amendments.
No genetically engineered seeds or crops, sewage sludge, raw manures,
synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers are allowed.
• livestock management practices that decrease environmental
stress and promote healthy animals without the use of antibiotics and
other prohibited products. These include organic feed, outdoor access
and pasture areas, clean water, well ventilated housing, clean bedding,
and humane treatment.
No antibiotics, growth hormones or genetically engineered products
are allowed.
• food processing management practices that protect the integrity
of the organic product. These include prevention of commingling organic
products with non-organic products, sanitation chemicals, and prohibited
pest control products during storage, processing and transportation.
No food irradiation, genetically engineered ingredients or synthetic preservatives
are allowed.
Top
10 Reasons To Buy Organic
1.
Organic Products Meet Stringent Standards - Organic certification
is the public's assurance that products have been grown and handled
according to strict procedures without the use of persistent and toxic
chemicals.
2. Organic Food Tastes Great! - It's
common sense—well-balanced soils grow strong healthy plants that
taste great!
3. Organic Production Reduces Health Risks - Many EPA-approved
pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these
chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way
to prevent these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water
that sustain us.
4. Organic Farms Respect Our Water Resources - The elimination
of polluting chemicals and nitrogen-leaching fertilizers, done in combination
with organic soil building practices, protects our water resources.
5. Organic Farmers Build Soil - Soil is the foundation
of the food chain. The organic farmer helps counteract topsoil erosion
that has been linked to the agriculture practice of chemical-intensive,
mono-crop farming.
6. Organic Farmers Work in Harmony with Nature
- Organic agriculture respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem:
wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by
retaining fence rows, wetlands, and other natural areas.
7. Organic Growers are Leaders in Innovative Research
- Organic Farmers have led the way with innovative on-farm research
aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing the impact agriculture
has on the environment.
8. Organic Producers Strive to Preserve Diversity
- The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is an important
environmental concern. The good news is that organic growers have been
collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.
9. Organic Farming Helps Keep Rural Communities
Healthy - The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that
in 1997, half of U.S. farm production came from only 2% of farms. Organic
agriculture can be a lifeline for small farms because it offers an alternative
market where sellers can command fair prices for crops.
10. Organic Abundance - Foods and Non-Foods
Alike! - Now every food category has an organic alternative.
And non-food crops such as flowers are being grown organically—even
cotton, which most experts felt could never be.
Make
a Difference...
Alliance
for Bio-Integrity
The
Campaign to Label GE Foods
The
Center for Food Safety
Rural
Advancement Foundation International (RAFI)
Youth
for Environmental Sanity
Top
Ten Fruits and Vegetables that contain highest concentration of toxic
pesticides according to the Environmental Working Group:
1.
Strawberries
2. Bell Peppers
3. Spinach
4. Cherries
5. Peaches
6. Mexican Cantaloupe
7. Celery
8. Apples
9. Apricots
10. Green Beans
Genetic
Engineering
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Delivery charges are included in the price of all our Samplers and Gift Baskets. Tip: Add on individual items - delivery is only $1.25 per pound for the extra weight. [read more]
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Our Sampler of the Month program provides a convenient way to receive a fresh sampling of organic foods on a regular basis. Delivered to your door the first Friday of each month. ...[read more]
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We recommend our Original Organic Sampler as the best introduction to our service...[read more]
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