As a kid growing up, my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all had large gardens. My parents even went as far as to raise our own hogs and chickens. Mom would go out in the back yard and pick grapes from our grape vines and make some of the best jams and jellies you could ever get your hands on. My dad would feed our hogs the best produce he could find. It was just how we lived back then. My two brothers and I had no idea the reasons or ideals behind all of this. We didn't think twice about cleaning out the chicken coups or feeding the hogs. We'd go in with the chickens on a daily basis and collect enough eggs for all of us to eat. We'd pick enough tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, you name it, for all of us feast off of with plenty of leftovers. Now as an adult with two kids of my own, I've realized what an effort my parents went through to provide us with preservative, pesticide and herbicide free foods. I took it for granted back then but I must admit, I'm so thankful now. It's difficult sometimes with hectic schedules, soccer practice, ballet recitals and band concerts to have your own little personal farm in the backyard or to cook at all for that matter. Then I think back again to my parents, each working full-time, canning all of our fruits and veggies for the winter on the weekends. How in the world did they manage that? They were pretty amazing people. I guess the point is that they knew then that home-grown, home-made is the best. As my dad would say, "If I don't know what's in it, I'm not eating it." So, thanks mom and dad now I buy organic, until I have my own farm.
If you want to read more about how organic compares to conventionally grown or raised foods, check out the link below from the Mayo Clinic.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255
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