BECKI WALKER / Tuesday, April 28, 2009 07:29 PMBecki Walker writes about food and crafts recipes. In this Fridays
series, she examines the culture of farmers markets. Here she explains
Certified Naturally Grown, an alternative to USDA Organic, and shopping
on a budget using the food chain model and pesticide guides.
Over the course of the next few articles, I’ll be examining the
farmers market. I’ll cover how to get to know your farmer, shop on a budget, and experiment with more “unique” fruits and vegetables. Before heading to the market, though, it’s important to know some of the terminology you’re likely to find there. Just what does organic certification mean? Are there alternatives? Which foods are most important to buy organically?
To be organically certified, a farm must be inspected by an agency approved by the US Department of Agriculture. Products that are 95 – 100% organic can display the organic seal on them. Products with at least 70% ingredients may state that they are “made with organic ingredients.” However, anything less than 70% organic cannot include the seal on its label.
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