Organic.

[Bizzy Lizzy]

Yesterday I popped into Waitress to buy a large carrot for a recipe which I planned to make today. There were no loose carrots at all!! I complained - quite forcefully - saying this is a basic item and they should not run out half way through Sunday. I was told that there is a failsafe system set up so that basic items never run out. I pointed out that the failsafe system had clearly "failed" Anyway, long story involving supervisor and assistant manager short, they gave me a bag of Waitrose Duchy Organic carrots free of charge. So this morning I find myself unexpectedly making carrot and coriander soup (not my original plan for today) and I got to wondering what others think of organic goods. DS1 and partner never eat ANYTHING which is not organic be it fish, meat or veg. I never bother with organic as it is more expensive and I cannot really see the benefit of eating some organic food and some not. Do you try to buy organic if possible or never bother like me?

[Plantaholic]

I usually only buy two organic products and they are carrots and bananas. Sometimes the organic items are cheaper so I go for them. I usually buy free range chickens as I hate to think my dinner has been raised free not in sheds. Oh I nearly forgot I buy free range eggs for the same reason.

[Nana]

Organic is something I don't normally consider as when organic food was introduced it was dearer. I've just got into the habit of not looking now.....she says red faced.☺️

[Daisy]

I try to buy free-range and or organic chicken and eggs, and pork and bacon. That's because I can't bear the thought of eating something which has been born and lived in totally alien conditions for them, and although I eat meat I do it with an uneasy conscience. My allotment is totally organic but I don't usually buy organic fruit and veggies. I wish everything was grown or reared naturally and organically, but I know that's not realistic in this day and age!

[Guest]

I only ever buy free range eggs and chicken for the reasons above.

When it comes to vegetables, I generally don't. And that's partly because I don't understand enough about the science behind it all. I'm sure that there are too many pesticides used in modern farming and that big agri- business use methods that are not helpful to wildlife and the look of the countryside. I don't have the scientific knowledge and skills to understand the arguments for and against.

However, I do know that organic yields are significantly lower because of the amount that is lost to pests.

Daisy, how do you run your allotment organically? What do you do to control pests and diseases? The only vegetables we grow are runner beans up the fence and a few others in four foot square raised bed. If I don't use slug pellets there would never be anything apart from chewed stumps. And as for greenfly and black fly....

[Nanto2girls]

I don't buy organic products, reason being, we can't tell the difference.I once bought some new potatoes, didn't realise while I came to use, that they were organic.Didn't say anything to hubby,until we had eaten them.Asked him if he could tell the difference,no he said,neither could I. I do buy free range eggs though.

[Bizzy Lizzy]

Before DS1 moved to NZ he lived in London and always had an organic veggie box delivered every week. The selection was random so you got what you were given. Sometimes it would be lots of cabbage and beetroot and a kohlrabi the size of the Hindenburg. The carrot soup tastes much the same as my usual carrot soup so am inclined to agree with Nanto that it is not the taste that is different but he insists that it is better for you. I always buy free range eggs, in fact I have not seen any other type in the main supermarkets for ages. Waitrose claim that they only stock items containing eggs when they are free range. So mayo, cakes etc. all free range eggs. Oh Daisy I can so relate to you on the subject of meat. I do like the odd piece of meat (not often I have to say) but always have a feeling of guilt once I have finished it. A lot of my friends are vegetarian or vegan and they are passionate about not eating meat. I just seem to weaken from time to time

[Oma]

I never buy organic unless on the odd occasion its been cheaper than normal I think most family`s with children would struggle to afford it . we cant tell the difference anyway , I do buy free range chicken and Eggs , im not a great Red meat eater I prefer chicken and even better Turkey but I could never be a Vegetarian as I couldn't give up Bacon , We were out a few weeks ago for a meal with some friends and there niece is a vegan it was a nightmare she spent 25 minutes ordering as she wanted to know every ingredient in the vegetarian dishes after all that she ended up with a plate of steamed veg and a green salad what a carry on it was I would never go out for a meal again with her ,

[Elisi]

Free range eggs is all really. I soak veggies and salad stuff in a bowl of vinegar for 20 minutes which gets the pesticides off and then they are organic!

[WeeGranny]

Buy free range chicken and eggs and if possible other meat too, but rarely buy organic produce. It always seems to be more expensive than the other stuff anyway!

[aggie]

I can't imagine what soaking vegs in vinegar would do ! Pickle them ? I just give them a good rinse , in fact the more you wash and soak stuff the less vitamins and minerals are left . My DS1 the vet , says organic veg are grown in Sh.t !!! that put me off !

[Mimi]

I have tried organic fruit and veg but I have to admit I couldn't tell the difference apart from the total at the bottom of the till receipt.
In the end I carried on buying my friut and veg based on quality and price whether it be organic or not. I came to the conclusion that a field of organic grown potatoes has less insecticides etc than non organic potatoes but they all get the same rain falling on them and how much pollution is in the rain I wonder?

[Bizzy Lizzy]

I have to admit that the carrots were not like the usual ones I buy which I pick out myself. One or two were a strange moss green colour and wrinkled which I assume is some kind of carrot disease which is not seen in the ones which have been chemically treated. I threw those away of course. The soup was fine but DH said it tasted just the same as I always make. I agree. The "Taste the Difference" Ciabatta bread from Sainsburys was particularly delicious - not organic though

[Elisi]

Here you are Aggie, a lesson learned at my mother's knee and one I continue. Loads more information on the internet and if it made sense to my mum then it makes sense to me


Wash Your Fruits & Veggies With Vinegar



Clean Fruits and Vegetables: Organic or Not

Many fruits and vegetables are grown with pesticides to get rid of bugs. Although nobody wants to find a creepy crawly thing in a peach or tomato, according to the Environmental Working Group, even small doses of pesticides can adversely affect your health and are worrisome, not well understood, and in some cases are completely unstudied.
Fortunately, you can drastically reduce your exposure to pesticides and bacteria found on produce with a thorough vinegar and water wash. Experts found that a white vinegar and water wash kills 98% of bacteria and removes pesticides.

http://goodgreenhabits.com/wash-your-fruits-veggies-with-vinegar/

Last but not least, vinegar can be used to remove certain pesticides and bacteria from your fresh produce. Of course, you don't need apple cider vinegar for this—any basic white vinegar will do. Gayle Povis Alleman, MS, RD recommends a solution of 10 percent vinegar to 90 percent water as a bath to briefly soak produce.3 Just place your veggeis or fruit in the solution, swish it around, and rinse thoroughly. Just don't use this process on fragile fruits (like berries), since they could be damaged in the process or soak up too much vinegar through their porous skins.
Apple cider vinegar has also long been used as a natural hair care product. Its acidity is close to that of human hair; it's a good conditioner and cleaning agent, as well as an effective germ killer. You can visit www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com for information on how to make a vinegar hair rinse.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/20/vinegar-as-non-toxic-cleaner.aspx

[Nanto2girls]

Never heard of washing veg with vinegar.I buy mostly frozen veg, but I buy fresh cabbage,cauliflower and mushrooms.Also keep some frozen mushrooms in, handy for putting in a casserole.