There’s all kinds of information out there about eating organic foods, avoiding pesticides, and generally, having a good idea about what you’re eating, and what happened to your food before it gets to you.
Sometimes, the information makes a run to the grocery sound like a trip to a chamber of horrors!
How can you be absolutely sure you’re doing the best for your family?
Grow it yourself. Even now, when June’s only 24 hours away, it’s not too late to get some (organic) plant starts or seeds, and get growing!
There’s help available: The Organic Gardener’s Handbook breaks everything down into logical, easy-to-follow processes. Even if you’ve never gardened before, you’ll find this an invaluable guide. You’ll find lots of other helpful how-to gardening books at Lehmans.com or Lehman’s in Kidron too, and archived articles here on Country Life.
And don’t forget your local Agricultural Extension Office. They’ll have the latest data and information about your area, what grows welll, what doesn’t, and how to maximize your yield using organic methods.
If you’re not sure what to put in, take a look at this ranking from the Environmental Working Group: a list of the foods at grocery stores most likely to be contaminated with pesticides or other chemicals:
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Sweet Bell Peppers (At Lehman’s: Bull Nose Bell seeds, heirloom, GMO-free!)
- Nectarines (imported)
- Cucumbers (At Lehman’s: Holland White Cucumber seeds, heirloom; GMO-free!)
- Cherry Tomatoes (Lehman’s has Black Cherry and White Cherry GMO-free heirloom seeds!)
You could grow nearly all of these yourself–and if you’ve gardened on any scale before, you have probably grown some of these veggies already! if you’re in a warmer climate, you could grow your own nectarines too.
When you preserve your harvest–either by canning or freezing, you’ll know you’re feeding your family good, healthy food.
And having that food put up would certainly be a blessing to your budget!
Grow what works for you–plant an organic garden full of your family’s favorites!
