Eating organic is essential to a healthy future for ourselves and our environment. Last month our Love Life! team gave a cooking demo to Hawaii Famers Union, Patricia Bragg, and a group of young people on a cultural exchange with Native American Indians and Hawaiians. It was a pretty epic evening in the back roads of Waimanalo on Green Rows Farm. This demo was so special because we had young people -- our future -- visiting and connecting with organic farmers from across the Islands. They were able to see a sustainable organic farm and see how to make food that they can grow themselves. It was an opportune time to share that food should be our medicine and show this from a farm-to-table experience.
When we choose organic foods we are not only helping our own health but the health of our environment and all living things. Chemical-laden foods and produce also affect all living things. Chemicals get into our soil, water, air and bodies and it is not a sustainable practice for long-term health. We were able to teach that organic farming methods and practices can be very productive today without using harmful pesticides.
Patricia Bragg engaged the group as well, and everyone just loved her stories, and she began chanting "Go Organic, Don't Panic", and everyone joined her. Paul Izak, a local musician and farmer, sang a song called “Water is Life” and the youth all sang along with him. It truly was a beautiful organic evening full of love, laughter, and hope for a future where organic reigns.
Unfortunately, sometimes families have limited budgets that make it difficult to buy all their food organic all the time. For those days when you have to make a choice, there are options. To determine which vegetables and fruits have the most pesticide residue and should be bought organic, and which have lesser amounts that make it less concerning to buy conventional, check out the Environmental Working Group’s list of the “Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen”.
I encourage you to choose organics as often as you can. Supporting local organic farming here in Hawaii and everywhere is how we can ensure the safety of our environment, and the health of our loved ones and the farmers who grow our food… "Go Organic, Don't panic!"