Pesticide Residues

A report this week has really brought the toxicity of our environment due to ‘conventional’ agricultural practices to the forefront.  Pesticides residues were found to be present on a small proportion of organic foods and this has seemed to put the organic movement on the defensive.  I don’t feel that this is the proper response.  My question is why, even when we try to keep these residues from being in our food, are they still there?  Why is the organic industry being questioned when there is a system of regular audits, testing, and inspections in organic agriculture and yet no rules, regulations, or reporting of how much spraying goes on in ‘conventional’ agriculture?  What I take away from this report is that we have an incredibly serious problem with toxins in our environment and ‘conventional’ agricultural practices have put them there.  We need to start asking all the questions and not just oversimplified ones for the purpose of gaining a few moments of sensational journalism.  The farms we support at Forage are not just organic or non-organic.  We have developed relationships with our farmers and have set foot on almost all of their properties.  They have become our friends and the reason for using their products is more about character and practices than certifications.  Our understanding, awareness, and convictions are always evolving when it comes to what’s in our food, where is comes from, and the impact of our choices.  It is by no means simple but we also like that challenge.  We will eat all of our lives so why don’t we expect to learn about food all our lives?

Here’s how a couple of our organic farmers have responded to the report.

Ron Hamilton – Sunworks Farm

Tim Hoven – Hoven Farm

Here are the daily specials for the week of January 13^th, 2014:

Monday – Beef Macaroni Casserole

Hoven Farms organic beef, macaroni, tomatoes, and green peppers all baked with cheddar cheese on top  $10

Tuesday – Hoisin Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken with a hoisin glaze served with white rice and stir fry vegetable salad  $16

Wednesday – Roast Vegetable Tart

Roasted root vegetables on Pascal’s butter puff dough with mascarpone potato mousse served with tomato braised greens and white beans  $14

Thursday – Bison Short Ribs

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison short ribs braised with herbs, tomato, and wine served with buttermilk mashed potatoes, root vegetables, and reduced braising liquid  $19

Friday – Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with mashed potatoes and our famous gravy  $45 whole  $28 half  $16 quarter

This Week’s Salad – Pasta Caprese Salad $5

This Week’s Side – Curried Chick Peas $6

This Week’s Stew – Beef Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Italian Chicken Soup $7

Something Sweet – Carrot Cake $5

Bread (Available Wednesday Until It’s Gone) – Honey Oatmeal $6