A few reasons Why I eat Organic

I am obviously a runner but I am also incredibly passionate about organic food, and have been way before the craze and explosion of the organic food movement.  In fact, I used to get teased as a teenager, and even in college, I often felt insecure because of my “picky” eating habits.  Most of my high school years, college years, and into my early 30’s I was a “semi” vegetarian and to be honest, it wasn’t easy.  My family didn’t really get me.  My friends accepted my quirks but it often felt like I was being ridiculed because of how I lived my life.  I was living a so called “green” lifestyle way before it was COOL to do so.

Fast forward a decade or more, and now I have friends who are just as passionate as I am about choosing organic food whenever possible.  Heck, I even have friends who run!  Many of my friends and I believe in supporting sustainable agriculture as much as we can.  I am so lucky to be surrounded by family farms that are thriving.   I love belonging to a CSA, but even with an abundance of veggies in my weekly share, I rarely miss a trip to our local famers market.  The farmers have taught me so much about the  farming lifestyle.  My local CSA often offer tours and other events such as potato planting, pumpkin harvests, strawberry picking, & garlic harvest, making it fun to see farming up close.  We can actually see how organic food is produced right at the source. Not everyone is so lucky. There is a rapid decline away from the agrarian lifestyle. The number of family farms in this country is dropping at a shocking rate and the number of farms who follow sustainable, organic and humane practices has also decreased.  This makes me sad.  One of the causes of this might be because of the price of land has skyrocketed, making it very difficult for young entrepreneur farmers.

LEARN MORE ABOUT A CSA AND WHY I LOVE EATING ORGANIC

Some Top Reasons Why I Choose Organic Food

1. I love to entertain and I feel good about serving organic foods.  They look and taste better and if I eat them daily as a runner, I just feel better.  And pesticide exposure is reduced!!!
2. Did you know that choosing organic means that your food is GMO-Free, USDA Certified Organic Foods do not use genetically modified ingredients.
3. Organic farming is done with sustainable practices which means a lot to me.  This protects the precious farmland.  I have friends who re-use materials by composting.
4. Organic animals are raised in humane conditions!  Hens and Chickens are free to range.  Cows are grass fed instead of being kept in feed lots.  This practice makes such a difference in taste too.
5. Eating organic food will also prevent you from eating foods that were treated with antibiotics.  I don’t want to serve bad food to my guests and as runner, I prefer clean food.

When choosing organic you need to do your research as with all foods to know more about the farmer, the company and its business practices. Do your best to be in the KNOW.  It is important to be an educated consumer so that you know what you are purchasing for you and your family.