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Oh jennifer - you take me back to the 'good old days'. I can't remember when I last had to wash veg because of the things 'living in them' rather than the rubbish sprayed on them. *Sigh* those were the days! Lettuce with caterpillars - where are you? I used to love letting them go in the garden!

I had a look at that website Fantasia and the cost of postage is as much as a chicken!! But thanks for directing me anyway..

I do go to a local farmers market but you have to go really early cos. by the time I get there....the chickens are sold out.

I'm going to investigate farms in my area that have their own shops....I am determined to get a fresh, free range chicken!!

If you have small gardens or live in flats have you ever considered an allotment? They cost £11.50 a year here and you can grow loads and monitor the chemicals used yourself. They are not too big so are not hard work. I like the friendship of the other keepers and they always hand over their excess vegetables so I am never without. These cetainly taste better, especially the potatoes. If I haven't visited for a few days someone always seems to water
for me so when I do get there I look around to see if any "neighbour's plots" need a drink.

Warning though... I have just come back from a small local farmers market and
Bought some lovely olives..too many and very expensive..I'll be eating them all week!
Bought a large cauliflower..when we got home found an "ANIMAL"in it so can't bring myself to eat that...well we are vegetarian..
Bought too much cheese..terrible for my ever expanding waistline...
Bought some chutney..quite dear and I can actually make my own tomato pickle very successfully..at a fraction of the price..
Bought some very nice carrots but the dirt on them has filled my sink, and the tops etc., have filled the bin..
Otherwise...a great idea.

A great alternative to the organinc / supermarket debate is your local famers market. While most arn't organic their price and quality is far superior to the supermarket....and there's very few food miles too!
Excellent quality
Cheaper than organic
supports the local economy what could be better?

Here is a list of the farmers markets in the uk

[link]

What area of the country are you in Goldie? You can buy online but it seems very expensive.
For example
[link]

I watched supermarket secrets and to be honest....I won't buy chickens now....it was horrendous....I am on the lookout in my area that sells free range or organic chickens....Asda don't sell them so I suppose I'll have to go to Sainsburys but it's just the supermarket thing that's putting me off!

Vic - UKTV Food, I meant to ask you what the boook "Shopped " is about as it might be something I'd be interested in reading.

I think we should be concerned about what we eat and where our food comes from because consumers have the power to bring about changes in what happens and we are talking about serious issues such as health and well being not only of humans but for animals and the environment too.

The ridiculous stance that the large supermarkets have about perfect looking fruit/veg not only affects the farmers in the UK but also people in developing countries and only by being aware are we able bring about change.

One of the farmers on the programme I watched stated that organic produce would be much cheaper if there wasn't this ridiculous stance about perfect size/shape/appearance and the cost is footed by the farmer because the supermarkets simply will not buy it unless the produce fits this criteria.

Thanks for all your replies.But I have to say that I have never bought organic veg or fruit.I have tasted it,Dad grow some veg in the garden and I don't think he ever sprayed it with any chemicals, which is why they tasted so good.They say the reason for the high prices of organic is because the farmers lose a lot of the crops because they don't spray, just how that is I don't know.Not long ago we took on an allotment, it was very hard work, there were weeds everywhere, we finally got it round to producing masses of veg,but sadly we just couldn't eat it all, so lots of it went to waste.And not a chemical in sight.In the end we had to give it up, the final straw was when someone pinched our 2 spades.The only things I grow now are tomatoes on the patio, I have 12 this year,6 different varieties, and a few herbs.So would I buy organic foods, no, probably not.Someone is making a lot of money out of organic, is it the farmer or the supermarket? Maybe we shouldn't worry so much about what we eat when so many have none at all.

Hi Spadge - I watched the first one (about chicken production): fascinating, although nothing I didn't really expect, to be honest. Have you read 'Shopped' by Joanna Blythman? It's likely to change the way you shop.

My boyfriend is on the verge of refusing to shop with me since I read it, as I've become even more conscious about where our food comes from, how it's treated, food miles, treatment of workers...

Re organic, I think it's worth the extra expense and would rather compromise elsewhere with my budget.

I watched a programme the other night called "Supermarket Secrets" and when ordinary fruit and veg was tested using the same tests used in government labs, the levels of pesticides found were lower than what is thought to be a safe level but higher than is allowed in ready prepared baby foods, which I think is a ridiculous situation.

Did anybody else watch the programme I mentioned as it was a real eye opener and pretty shocking. The reason for the high prices for organic produce apparently is the supermarkets ridiculous stance on perfect size and appearance of fruit and veg which is mainly achieved by use of pesticides so the organic farmer has a much higher level of waste.

I agree with Flaky. Being organic is no proof of quality. Good food is good food however it is reared or grown.Also, the organic tag on processed food is mad! It's still processed food with all its concomitant problems. Find good suppliers, buy the best you can afford and don't be suckered into the 'Organic is Best School' of foodie-ism.

I am happy, in the main with Riverford, I just top up with what I can get at farmers markets.

As to using up strange ingredients - almost anything can be put into a soup. Just add lots of fresh herbs/spices.

that is part of the fun using up strange ingredients

I buy organic whenever I can, and think there is a difference in the taste, but aside from that I am always a little concerned with what chemicals are in our foods, as well as the 'ethics' of mass-production farming. As a subscriber to a box scheme, sometimes a never eaten before (or something the family don't particularly like) vegatable will arrive, and I have to be adventurous with how I cook and prepare it!?

This week we have a huge marrow - ugh - tasteless and watery - but I'm going to have a go at marrow jam

This

i think organic food tastes much better not because it is organic but because it has not been grown for supermarkets with obvious exceptions being that bought in one
i buy a box every now and then and the taste of it all is amazing but i dont think this is due to it being organic
does anyone recommend a good box scheme in east sussex by the way as i do not rate riverfords thta highly as they import an awful lot of foods

I don't notice any difference whatsoever in organic veg or meat. Fruit does taste nicer though. I never buy organic veg and personally, I think supporting farmers who offer free range meat is far more important than supporting organic farmers. Free range meat is noticeably more delicious than the cling wrapped rubbish and the animal has had a half decent life with better conditions.

There was an item on Full On Food and a scientist stated that 75 per cent of the non organic food we buy has no trace whatsoever of chemicals or pesticides on them when they get to the supermarket or greengrocer. That's good enough for me!

I think carrots are worth the extra but don't notice much difference with any others I have tried.

Well... I like the idea, but not the costing, I do find the majority quite expensive. Now I'm not talking meat here because we are veggies so don't buy the animal foods. Are the veggies worth the extra? not sure here, I have bought organic ones but can't honestly say the the flavours are better. Make my own bread but don't like the extra cost of Organic flours so I buy good name brands.
I tend to think that the Organic thing is a bit well sort of "trendy" and well I'm just ordinary..lol.