Author’s note: If you are just now joining our discussion, you may want to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 first. Thanks! **************************************************************************

In Part 1, we learned what organic food is. In Part 2, we learned how to identify organic food from the sometimes bewildering labels on packaging. In Part 3, we learned where to buy organic food and some of the difficulties inherent in organic food. Now, in Part 4, we’ll take a look at some alternatives to buying organic food at a large chain or local grocery store that imports its organic products.

Eliot Coleman is a familiar name to many in the organic/sustainable farming movement. The author of many popular books (including The New Organic Grower, which I just purchased), Eliot has been involved in organic gardening and farming for nearly 40 years. He also was an advisor to the USDA during one of their landmark studies on organic farming. He has begun advocating a system he calls “Authentic Food“. In the interest of saving space, I will not reproduce all of his suggestions for standards here, but encourage you to read the article for yourself (click the link on “Authentic Food”). Here are a few of his main suggestions:

• All foods are produced by the growers who sell them.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and meat products are produced within a 50-mile radius of their place of their final sale.
• The growers’ fields, barns and greenhouses are open for inspection at any time, so customers, themselves, can be the certifiers of their food.
• A “plant positive” rather than “pest negative” philosophy is followed focusing on correcting the caused of problems rather than treating symptoms.
• Livestock are raised outdoors on grass-based pasture systems to the fullest extent possible.
• The goal is vigorous, healthy crops and livestock endowed with their inherent powers of vitality and resistance.

I especially like the idea of “open farms” where farmers and producers encourage their customers to visit and inspect their operations. “Authentic Food” could be a good option for those who are unwilling or unable to pay the high costs of organic certification while still maintaining sustainable, organic processes.

Local farmer’s markets are also a fantastic way to get fresh, sustainably-grown food. However, make certain that you talk to the producer about how the food was grown. Ask what kind of fertilizers, chemicals, etc. were used. If the farmer is evasive or gets defensive, move on to the next. Also, see if you can arrange a tour of the facilities. Any farmer who truly cares about growing food safely and humanely will be glad to have visitors. To find farmer’s markets, direct-sale farms, stores, and other places to buy local, check out Local Harvest. Local Harvest is a great resource to find foods grown near you, often using organic practices, and you can usually save a lot of money because you’re not paying for transport and storage.

In Part 5, our final post in this series, we will explore a few more ways to “go organic”. Thanks for stopping by!