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Earth Day Thoughts on Food 
A lot of people are asking themselves (and us) whether - when faced with the choice - they should buy organic or local. To this question, my answer is always "both," to the extent possible.
Farming practices do matter, not only for the earth and the workers at the farms, but also for us, as eaters. Make no mistake: not all pears are created equal, nor are different kinds of milk all just the same. Just as wines or coffee differ according to the soil in which the grapes and coffee beans were grown, so do fruits and vegetables. Any goat cheese farmer will tell you the quality of the chevre is dependent on the plants the goats eat.
Current research is now bearing this out, as more scientists are beginning to examine nutrient density in our foods, and how that density relates to the soil. These studies, in different parts of the world, show that organically raised foods have significantly higher levels of various nutrients and beneficial compounds.
This Earth Day (April 22), I invite you to consider a few examples of recent work in this area:
· Pastured eggs are packed with nutrients and have less cholesterol and fat than conventional eggs, according to research conducted by independent labs in 2007, commissioned by Mother Earth News magazine. Similar results were found in numerous other studies dating back decades. www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-10-01/Tests-Reveal-Healthier-Eggs.aspx
· Organic fruits and vegetables have 40% more antioxidants than non-organic ones, and organic milk contains up to about 60% more antioxidants, according to preliminary findings of an extensive four-year study funded by the European Union and headed up by Professor Carlo Leifert of Newcastle University in England. www.qlif.org
· "We have more food, but it's worth less in terms of nutritional value," while organic food has higher levels of antioxidants than conventional food, says a report entitled "Still No Free Lunch: Nutrient levels in U.S. food supply eroded by pursuit of high yields," by Brian Halweil. www.organic-center.org
· Organic feed leads to a more alert immune system in chickens, according to a new study entitled "Organic, More Healthy? A search for biomarkers of potential health effects induced by organic products, investigated in a chicken model." www.organicfqhresearch.org/news/1220-immune-system.html
So, while I am wholeheartedly committed to buying local food, I would also like to urge people to give special consideration to local organic. (If you're unsure about a farmer's practices, ask politely about their choices.) And if prices are higher, remember, aside from all the environmental benefits and aside from any discussion of pesticide residues, we really are getting more nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants for our money. We may have to pay a little more now, but in the long run, especially considering the high costs of healthcare, we'll be ahead.
-- Kristi |
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New Books About How We Relate to Our Food 
A couple of books I've read recently really caught my attention, standing out from the usual writings about local and healthy eating with their likable authors and very practical approaches to changing our relationship with food. Click on the pictures to link to their websites for more information.
In A Life Unburdened, Richard Morris (who incidentally lives in Northern Virginia) writes about "getting over weight and getting on with my life." The twist is that he shed more than 150 pounds by reevaluating his (and society's) relationship with food, returning to the unprocessed foods of his childhood, and embracing foods grown locally using the methods that have sustained healthy human populations throughout history. Morris stays away from preachiness in sharing his real-life success story, which is inspiring in part because it truly can be repeated by just about anyone in manageable, incremental steps.
 The Compassionate Carnivore by Catherine Friend is a funny-because-it's-true look at what it takes to get factory-farmed meats off the table and replace them with humanely raised meats that have lived healthy lives and make healthy food. Friend finds this a challenge even though she has moved to a farm to raise lamb for meat. She speaks to those of us who live in urban areas as well as those who live in proximity to farms.
-- Renee
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Urban Garden Plots Available at Ft. Totten Park
The Mamie D. Lee Community Garden in Ft. Totten, Washington, DC, now has individual garden plots available. The urban garden, which has been in existence for 35 years, consists of about 88 25-by-25-foot plots, with about half in need of new gardeners, says garden manager Harold Stone. The garden offers running water, community-shared hand tools, and a shed where members can store their tools. A roto-tiller is also available under supervision.
The plots have become available as many of the garden's previous members have reached their sixties and seventies and stopped participating, says Stone, who became involved after his wife Barbara began gardening there three years ago. Recently, around eight twenty-somethings joined, adds Stone, and they benefit from the wisdom of the old-timers at the garden. Stone, who has a background in agriculture and worked with the agricultural extension service in Texas, and his wife, who is the national director of training for 4-H at the US Department of Agriculture, are also great resources for the gardeners.
Sitting atop a hill right near the Ft. Totten metro stop, just to the southeast of the corner of Riggs Road and North Capital Street, in Northeast, Washington, the garden is conveniently located for both metro riders and drivers. The entrance is somewhat hidden behind a residential area and a school, but once you get there, you will find a nice view down a meadow to the east. The land is part of Rock Creek Park, and the garden is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
For pictures -- beyond the beautiful overwintered herbs and carrots in the photo and header above -- and wonderful background on the garden and the people who love it, check out this recent NPR audio slideshow presentation by clicking here.
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Updates on Meat and Fish Deliveries We liked reading the chapter in The Compassionate Carnivore (see review above) called "Don't Bowl Alone" about how "hunting down meat together can be a satisfying and connecting social experience." So it is with the meat and seafood ordering clubs that operate or are gearing up in our neighborhood in Prince George's County, Maryland. Although this update is most useful for folks who live or work in the University Park/College Park/Hyattsville area, folks in other neighborhoods can use these groups as models to set up similar programs elsewhere.
- Springfield Farm meat buying club - Our April delivery takes place this week and we'll be placing another order on June 2 for delivery on June 13. Contact Renee directly to participate in the University Park delivery. You can also visit the farm and purchase products from the farm store. Find out more at www.ourspringfieldfarm.com or email David Smith at mail@ourspringfieldfarm.com.
- Garden Mountain Farm - This Virginia farm will be doing its approximately quarterly meat delivery to the Washington, DC, region on May 31. Various drop-points around the region are available. To find out more, email Mike and Rebecca Hubbard at rhubbard1@peoplepc.com or check out www.gardenmountain.com.
- Grassfed on the Hill - This is the buying club of Rainbow Acres Farm in Pennsylvania. A new drop point in Hyattsville has recently been added to the schedule of stops throughout Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland. The club offers grassfed meats, dairy products, popcorn and other items. For information about this group, and sister groups in other parts of our area, contact Karine Bouis-Towe, 202-547-7053, ktowema@yahoo.com.
- Jack of Hearts Seafood buying club - Gaylord Clark of Jack of Hearts/Two Oceans Seafood came to University Park last week with samples of his wild-caught smoked salmon products and frozen-at-sea salmon and dover sole. He shared his extensive knowledge of fish handling and fisheries management in the Pacific, the Atlantic and the Chesapeake Bay, gained through his decades as a working fisherman, including a stint on the very first frozen-at-sea vessel to work the Atlantic waters in the 1980s.
 Gaylord specializes in sustainably fished and farmed species, and he is generally no more than one or two steps from the person who actually caught the seafood he sells. Renee will send out an email to those who have expressed interest with details of our first order cycle for May. Email Renee or contact Gaylord Clark directly at gclark@tosfish.com.
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Sincerely,
Renee and Kristi
Local Mix
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Edible Chesapeake magazine celebrates the bounty of each season. Subscribe online for home delivery, or ask one of our advertisers for a free copy.
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See where Renee Catacalos will be speaking and handing out magazines. Click on Events to check out dozens of other festivals, seminars, dinners, conferences and other happenings with local food and farms as their theme. We've got events from Pennsylvania to Hampton Roads, Virginia, and we're adding more as we hear of them.
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