Organic, local, what's best?

The debate has been going on since the marketing of organic and local foods got ramped up. Remember the big push for Certified South Carolina?

Which is more environmentally-friendly? That's debatable. Of course, if you only drive 1 mile to a local shop compared to 15 or 20 to get to Florence. You have saved something there. Food that's grown locally also doesn't have to travel as far to get to you, so it's fresher (and tastier).

Which is more community-friendly?
Shopping local. Money spent locally stays in our community. It doesn't travel to some corporate office in Arkansas or New York. It stays here. Your dollars have 3 times the impact on your community when spent at locally owned and operated stores than those dollars spent at national chains. That goes for fresh food to the latest fashions. Plus, local businesses contribute to local causes like little league teams and church groups.

Below is a portion of the Ovis Hill Farms eNewsletter that got me thinking about the issue. Alice Caldwell, Charlie's wife, makes some good points that you should consider on your next shopping trip.

ALICE’S COMMENTS:
SALMONELLA, E-COLI, LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOODS and COMMON SENSE. Once again this summer, there has been illness from food contamination and it took months to pin down the location of the source of the problem. This brings a couple of things to mind. One is that by eating foods locally grown, you know exactly where your food comes from. Ovis Hill Farm vegetables and herbs and the fruits and vegetables grown by Gus, Jannie, and Amanda are all organically grown which means they are grown without pesticides or herbicides or chemical fertilizers, so you don’t have to worry about that kind of residue contamination. However, as with all fruits and vegetables, they are grown on or near the ground and are handled by people and therefore should be washed or peeled before eating. In other words, just because our food (or anyone else’s) is organic, does not mean it is germ-free.

There is a good article in this month’s “Cooking Light” about the nutrient values of organic vs conventionally grown foods and fresh, local foods vs long-distance transported foods. The results are from a ten year study and include a list of which foods are most likely to have pesticide residue and which are most important to eat from a local, organic source. So, buy those local, organic tomatoes and know that not only do they taste better and support your local farmers, but also have more vitamin C and antioxidants. One last comment in the article was that, in general, Americans are still not eating enough fruits and vegetables, so enjoy the bounty of the summer while you can.

Post your ideas and comments about local and organic foods.