tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post3495982380076796738..comments2008-12-03T14:56:45.174-06:00Striving Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05418204830305087352noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post-68805291103828546452008-12-03T14:43:00.000-06:002008-12-03T14:43:00.000-06:00What a great post!<BR/><BR/>A lot of our produce comes from my parents' garden. I don't know if it is strictly organic or not, but it's always fresh and delicious.<BR/><BR/>We don't eat much meat, but we buy all of our meat from a butcher near where my parents live. My parents used to raise two cows a year and he used to do our meat processing. He buys his cows from farmers in our area. Again, they aren't organic, but they aren't feedlot cows, either. A lot of our milk comes from the Dairy Co-op on Hastings. The dairy farmers in the area sell their milk there and is hormone free, even if they aren't, again, organic. When I buy milk at the grocery store I do buy organic and our half and half is organic, too. Anything with high animal fat I like to buy organic. Pesticides get stored and concentrated in an animal's fat.<BR/><BR/>The nice thing is that all this local goodness comes at very reasonable prices. <BR/><BR/>Also, we will always buy organic peanut butter. We eat so much of it that it really matters!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04550938120677830497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post-10364269420649055742008-12-03T13:43:00.000-06:002008-12-03T13:43:00.000-06:00Hi everyone - great tips all! <BR/><BR/>Splitting a share of a CSA or going in on 1/2 a free-range cow with other families are excellent ideas. <BR/><BR/>And Cristyn, I started buying organic sour cream because of you! Your story of how you had your husband do the "taste-test" years ago has stuck with me ever since.<BR/><BR/>Angela - thanks for the generous offer. When CSA time comes around, let's see what our options are!Striving Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05418204830305087352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post-83690734651797072902008-12-03T11:08:00.000-06:002008-12-03T11:08:00.000-06:00I'm a member of a CSA and will be blogging about it in the near future. I always buy organic milk. I have the Blue Sky Guide and use those coupons. I'd like to buy free-range meat, but the price always knocks me over. That'll be a goal for the coming year. One step at a time...Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331794793125564866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post-81198957554752985222008-12-03T05:03:00.000-06:002008-12-03T05:03:00.000-06:00Oh goody!<BR/><BR/>I love talking organics! <BR/>We are exactly the same as you. I buy what I can. Our milk is always organic. Unless Dave buys it. He just doesn't notice those things. <BR/>Usually carrots and broccoli are organic. <BR/>Sometimes meat. I vowed at one time to only buy free-range meat, but with prices the way they are these days, I've pulled way back on that and I feel soooooo guilty. So guilty. <BR/><BR/>We did a CSA a couple of years ago, when i was working more. I loved it! We live so close to the farmer's market that I just go there now. In fact...I'm now feeling so guilty about the meat that I should go to the market and buy my meat there this weekend. My cousin Claire (who lives 3 blocks away from me) just bought half a cow from a farmer. <BR/><BR/>I love your blog!<BR/><BR/>xoxox,<BR/>marthaMarthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17782925951300369029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post-77875482966583280572008-12-02T22:49:00.000-06:002008-12-02T22:49:00.000-06:00Great blog, Micaela! I just wanted to add that one other thing I take into consideration is how much of something we eat. For instance, my kids love berries so I only buy organic strawberries or raspberries. They will eat a whole pint as a snack, which I can imagine is too much pesticide for their little bodies. So, we keep these as a special treat for when they are in season and are a reasonable price. It can be fun to rotate the foods you eat based on the season.<BR/><BR/>At least one thing that we will always buy organic, no matter what price, is sour cream. It is soooo much better tasting!Cristynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09458354008025600687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5180693598187739903.post-33955831791697799512008-12-02T22:28:00.000-06:002008-12-02T22:28:00.000-06:00I love your blog and this one in particular. In the past we have shared a "share" of a CSA. Let us know if that would be an option for you. Our family has grown in number, we could maybe eat a whole share but I would hate to waste any fresh fruit and veggies! Let me know if you are interested.<BR/>AngAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573492590867075152noreply@blogger.com