Most of us have heard of the “slow food” movement, the “eat local” mantra, and the “eating sustainably” lifestyle, but the list of ways to dissociate yourself from the commercial food industry is growing. For example, check out Protein University, a website for independent/organic/sustainable butchers to network and learn from each other – one of these butchers might do business near you. Then there’s a growing industry of Organic Gardening Experts who can help you design your fruit and/or vegetable garden with your interests – be they aesthetic appeal or yield size – in mind. You’ve probably heard of local Community Supported Agriculture chapters, to which you can subscribe and from which you receive a box of locally grown produce each week. Too much produce for one week? Many people have taken to cooking large batches of food and swapping amongst a group of friends – voila, a variety of homemade dinners for a whole week. One perhaps lesser-known way to find locally and sustainably raised meats is to search databases like EatWild, which, upon entering your location information, provide names and locations of local ranchers and farmers who sell grass-fed beef, lamb, goat – you name it. There are also online databases like the EatWellGuide, which are dedicated to helping you find restaurants and farmers’ markets, and other websites like Organic Holidays that locate bed and breakfasts and other lodging that use local, organic, and sustainable ingredients. Photo of Tecumela Farmers’ Market in California captured by Chris Fritz. What are your favorite ways to obtain food outside of the commercial food industry?
All natural! Fresh! No added hormones! With all of the labeling on poultry these days, it’s hard to know what’s what. Here is a no-nonsense guide to understanding what those labels do — and don’t — tell you about the chicken you are buying (