Preserving our Environment
by Andrea Rose (printed in Satya magazine April 2006)I regularly read articles that encourage people to buy locally grown produce, but I didn't understand how important this practice really was until last summer when I worked at a local organic farm as part of a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture program. This was a special opportunity since I was one out of only three working members; an option where I could get a discount on my membership dues in exchange for volunteer work. I worked one day a week during the growing season from April to October and got an in-depth overview of how small, organic farms operate.
After starting in the greenhouse, the weeks that followed was filled with planting, weeding and hoeing the eleven acres of fields. I watched as the regular farm workers shrank away to nothing thanks to hours of physical work in the hot sun. We spent a lot of time squatting and kneeling so we could have access to the weeds. I had to take a nap every afternoon that I worked since this was extremely draining for me. I don't think I could have worked like this six days a week like everyone else that was there.
Finally, the long awaited harvest came. Harvesting was also physical work. No gym time was necessary after carrying bushels of squash, beans and other crops through the fields. Wednesday evenings were the designated day for members to pick up their share of produce. It was always a surprise since you never knew what goodies you were going to get until you got there. My meals from the farm were some of the most satisfying meals that I have ever eaten. The flavors were so fresh and alive - being picked only a
few hours before. I tried young garlic shoots, or scapes, for the first time and several types of greens that I had never tried before. I couldn't believe all that I was missing from the limited selections at the supermarket.
We had a huge compost hill on the farm and composted all the vegetation and scraps from the harvest so it could be returned back to the land. I picked up a permanent habit and would bring my compost from home every time that I was close-by.
The twenty weeks flew by and before I knew it, fall had arrived. Towards the end of the season, we started to clean the fields to prepare them for the winter. Part of this entailed collecting drip tape, a plastic hose that lines the rows of crops to water them. I was told that most farms throw out the drip tape after one season, but at this farm we saved it for two or three years. Farms use an incredible amount of drip tape and it was hard to think of all that tape getting dumped into the landfill to spare a little extra effort. I was happy that this farm was acting responsibly and wondered about all the other farms that were not.
My experience at the farm showed me that organic farming is exceptionally rewarding and challenging work. It is also unpredictable since some crops might suffer from insect damage or low germination, therefore creating a poor yield. For instance, our potatoes were tiny and were not much bigger than a dime. It was a thrill to find one the size of a quarter. This can be devastating to a farmer who doesn't depend on herbicides pesticides and chemicals to insure a good production.
Supporting local farms means that we will see fields of crops instead of subdivisions and strip malls. These open fields and the surrounding areas also provide wildlife habitat. It also means that we are keeping our food close to home and are spending less gasoline and energy to get it. Stores use and incredible amount of electricity and resources to operate and are extremely wasteful. Think of all the trucks on the roads that transport produce from thousands of miles away. The produce has to be shipped in plastic bags, cartons or boxes and wastes a lot of packaging. Meanwhile it loses vitamins, visual appeal and freshness during transport. A lot of perfectly good produce gets thrown away as a result. How many stores do you know that compost their produce waste?
Many cities and towns have farmers markets during the summer and fall. Check with the farmers to see if they have a CSA program that you can join. The CSA programs are usually a bit less expensive then if you purchase your produce separately. Be sure to sign up early in the year since memberships sell out quickly. If the markets are further away, consider carpooling with friends. This is a great time to catch up on things and to spend quality time together.
Learn to eat with the seasons. Sometimes cucumbers might not be available, but broccoli and red chard are. This natural way of eating works well for the environment since we are eating produce when it is harvested and during its growing season. This is also when produce tastes its best. When we eat tomatoes and peppers in the middle of the winter, they are most likely shipped from Mexico or even further away. They have been specially bred and/or waxed so they can withstand transport and maintain their marketability. When the farm is out of production, seek out seasonally and locally grown produce that hasn't traveled so far. Save the exotic produce, such as bananas, for the winter months when there is not an abundance of peaches, watermelons and other local food available.
Sometimes locally grown produce may cost a little more, but think about who and what you are supporting. You are paying someone to grow the highest quality food for you in the most responsible way. You are supporting a practice that promotes sustainable living. Most likely, these are people who are committed to what they are doing and who enjoy doing it. This care and passion for what they do will spill into the food that they grow for you.