Going organic on a budget

[jnwilliams]

I am new to this, but if it were possible I'd throw out all of my food. I'm so overwhelmed about the nasty food I am feeding myself and family. Unfortuantely I am not finding the local resources I had hoped. I am not apposed to mail order, it just seems so expensive.

I am in central alabama and would appreciate any pointers in the right direction (anyone using local markets and satisfied)

Where would you all recommend starting - thought dairy, but it seems our farms are not "organic"

Oh yeh once I get organic, any recommended cook books?

Thanks
Jennifer

[simple living mama]

Same situation. Anyone willing to share? Waiting patiently.

[mamajessica]

around here a lot of dairy's are certified organic, but they do not innoculate their cows, etc. Pretty healthy, just not "organic". The dairy near my home qualifies for organic certification under everything except when their cows get ill, they treat them, wait for the meds to pass, then put them back in the herd. Organic certification will not allow that cow to be re-introduced. That's why a lot of small farms don't get certified.
Also, check on your tribal area for tips, maybe you would get some local mom info.
As for cookbooks, I love the Moosewood cookbooks. They are delicious and very whole food oriented.

[Woodchuck]

These are some ideas to get started.
*I have always had at least some garden to grow a few of my own vegetables. Starting a small garden is a good place to begin. You may even want to start with a container garden. If you like gardening you can expand. I expanded my garden to my neighbor’s yard, as she is not able to garden for herself anymore. Ask your town if there is a community garden you can be a part of. Once you get the gardening bug, you are hooked. Turn your lawn into a garden.

*I go to a local farmers’ market in the summer. It is a great place to buy locally grown and sometimes organically grown foods. I ask growers how they grow their foods. You can ask if it is organic or conventionally grown to start. Then you can ask them about what types of fertilizers they use. Always think about where your food comes from. How far did your food travel to be on your plate? How was the meat raised? Think about how much fuel is used to transport a tomato from another country to your plate. Check out this web site: http://www.smallfarm.org/nesawg/index.php
*Join a CSA. You'll have the opportunity to create a real relationship between how your food is grown and how it gets to your table. Check out: http://www.localharvest.org/ and http://www.csacenter.org/statesfr.htm. The best part of my summer CSA is that we get to work at the farm. I used to do farm work when I was in H.S. and college and I am so happy to have the opportunity to be back outside on a farm.
*Buy organic milk and other dairy products and organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

*If you eat meat, find a place to get meat that is raised properly. It will take time and effort on your part to find a source of properly raised meat, but it is worth the effort. Watch the Meatrix if you want to learn more about factory farming http://www.themeatrix.com/
*I read as much as I can and try to educate myself on the issues. This is one of the hardest parts. There is just so much conflicting information out there. The Organic Consumers Association < http://www.organicconsumers.org/index.htm > is a great web site to start. Donate to OCA and get involved. It is hard to keep up with all the issues and OCA helps. You can sign up for e-mail newsletters that are full of news and ways to take action. Also, check out: http://www.saveorganicfood.org/ Another really good read is: http://www.moomom.com/learn/organic_steingraber.pdf