Since the beginnings of married life, I’ve had an herb garden that included basic herbs and simple vegetables growing. Even in Washington D.C. (when neighbors were giving me a good natured ribbing about farming in the city) I managed a few carrots and leaf lettuce in otherwise uninhabitable soil. In North Dakota I had a HUGE garden, and in both Michigan and Indiana we had back door kitchen gardens with an abundance of herbs and the occasional tomato and pepper plants.
An MSNBC article on organic produce/foods reveals a pleasing trend in the food world -- an increase in retail sales. While the conventional food industry grew by 2-3%, organic food sales rose 17-20%. It's exciting to read that organic food is becoming more "mainstream", and pleasing to think that more people are shopping for foods manufactured without loads of chemical and GMOs. Is it possible in time to think that the majority of our food's quality and methods for growing/producing will be held to a higher standard?
Anyone whose ever tasted an organic bananna verses an unregulated bannana can tell you that there's an amazing difference. What about spinach? Organic fresh spinach tastes fresh and like... spinach! Unregulated spinach tastes like... nothing, or dirt, or like a vaguely bland green leaf. True taste coupled with quality of product stirs the tastebuds and opens our palates creating a desire to eat healthy foods and make healthy choices. Why don't most kids like broccoli? Because unregulated broccoli tastes 'yucky.' Brussel sprouts...same way.
One afternoon working up at the farm with the GSMS kids, we harvested brussel sprouts that the kids had grown in the south garden. Steamed and flavored only with a small amount of butter and cracked black pepper, every single child (22 of them) ate at least one brussel sprout. Noone said, 'yuck.' Shock...several asked for seconds. The serving dish was empty when it went back into the kitchen -- two of the boys who were helping with cleanup noticed that there were still half a dozen or so left in the dish; they ate them with their fingers and had to discuss who would eat the very last one. The difference...organicly grown...they tasted good, not bland or bitter.
One can only hope that availabilty of organic food increases, and price stays stable (lower??) in order for more people to come and enjoy food that tastes good, is good for you, and won't compromise your long term health.
Here's to organic food (especially brussel sprouts)!
