Last week, I made a decision.
I was in the supermarket, doing my weekly shop and looking at the offers on chicken. As I was looking through the packs, I was shocked at the poor quality meat. It looked weak, watery and plain unhealthy! Not how chicken should look. I felt quite repulsed as I put it in my trolley.
I decided there and then, that would be the last time I would buy non organic meat. Had that day not been a Sunday, I would have gone for a drive and found a local farm shop or butcher.
Don’t even get me started on the crap quality of supermarket “free range” eggs a few aisles down. And has anyone else noticed that even the large eggs are not the same size as they used to be?? Perhaps a combination of supermarkets being greedy with their profit margins and chickens laying too many poorer quality eggs to keep up with demand.
Later on that day, my husband Alan handed me a leaflet he’d picked up in his gym for a local farm. A sure sign? They offer a range of meat and eggs, all organic and farmed with love. So I’ve been on a trip today, and here are my findings. Click link.
About organic food:
Organic farming is more considerate to the environment and local wildlife than non-organic and strives to address climate-friendly food production.
In recent years, the costs of farming with oil based fertilisers and chemicals has increased, thus closing the price gap between organic and non organic foods.
There are strict regulations surrounding organic farming methods.
Artificial fertilisers are banned. Farmers develop fertile, nutrient rich soil by rotating a good variety of healthy crops and using compost, manure and clover, a holistic approach which helps reduce pests and disease.
Animal welfare is also very important and animals enjoy a free range life.
Drugs and antibiotics are banned. Instead the farmer uses preventative methods to keep their animals in good health. e.g. regularly moving animals to fresh pasture.
Look for the soil association mark which appears on many organic products. And remember, “fair trade” does not necessarily mean it’s organic