Grocery Shopping-Where to find Organic?

Last week I started researching the local grocery stores to help provide some info on what is available and considered local in our area.  The three major stores that have started in NC and have kept their corporate offices here (creating jobs for us) are Food Lion-Salisbury, NC, Harris Teeter-Matthews, NC, and Lowes Foods- Winston Salem, NC.  Each carry their own line of organic food and do promote local farmers by purchasing seasonally from them.

Food Lion Organic Brand  

Per their website they promote local farmers...here is some info!  However, I am sadly disappointed in the one in Mooresville.  I am not bashing the store as I have shopped there for years but in my quest for a better lifestyle have decided Food Lion does not offer the items in which promotes an organic, natural, or sustainable way of living.  I was able to locate a few items "All Natural" Organic but seriously less than 10 items in the whole store.  The organic products they carry from other companies such as Newman's Own (only 2 choices) was placed at the bottom of the display so that unless you are looking specifically for it...forget it you won't see it!  Their produce section has somewhat tried to emulate Harris Teeter with the information posted about the local farmers but failed to mention anything about what they bought from them.  At least with HT they post the farmers pics and info with the products so they genuinely wish to let the consumer know where there food comes from. The only benefit in going to FL is how close it is to our home but I believe the cons out way the pros in this matter!  Needless to say after many years of shopping there, I am internally urged to take the extra few miles into Mooresville for Harris Teeter/Lowes Foods.  I am hopeful that I will have an opportunity to speak with someone at Food Lion and request more organic food but we shall see! 

NORTH CAROLINA FARMERS FOOD LION BUYS FROM

BAILEY FARMS
Chile peppers, tomatillo, daikon radish, yellow and green squash

BOTTOMLEY FARMS
Christmas wreaths, roping, and centerpieces, Fraser fir Christmas trees, pumpkins, cantaloupes, cabbage

BURCH FARMS
Mixed vegetables, focusing on sweet potatoes, greens and cabbage

COTTLE FARMS
Strawberries, blueberries, grape tomatoes, cantaloupes, squash, cucumber, eggplant, a variety of peppers

CRITCHER BROTHERS
Cabbage, potatoes, watermelon, ornamental gourd, pumpkins, Christmas trees

LEWIS FARMS
Strawberries, blueberries, bell peppers

NASH PRODUCE
Sweet potatoes, cucumber, peppers, cantalopes

PATTERSON FARMS
Tomatoes, strawberries, sweet corn, bell peppers, cantaloupe, squash, zucchini, pumpkins, banana pepper       

My plan is to provide you with a little more information on the stores in this area I have personally shopped at.  If we can share more info we have a better chance of knowing our options.  I am a bargain/coupon shopper and want to include that into buying organic...can it be done????

What's in our Food?

What are we EATING?

As I have stumbled across many documentaries about food this past year, I have determined that... I HAD NO IDEA! This started with Food Inc. last summer (July 2010) in realizing the industrialization of our food and how farmers have slowly been put out of business or made to do unethical practices to stay in business (so terribly sad to say the least).

A little background first off...

I started gardening about 9 years ago when preganant with my first child. Where we live we are surrounded by large farms and my husband grew up in a family farm (it had dissolved by the time we got married). With 10 acres, my heart geared towards making baby food for this precious gift we were about to receive, and truly broke financially this seemed to be a great way to be productive for my family. First few years were great. We invested in a chest freezer and I was able to make all of my daughters baby food and provide veggies for us throughout the years. Then in the summer of 2007 my company (Logical Tactics) had grown to a point that harvest time was just a waste. I had no time left in the day and let that springs hard work of planting and sowing deteriorate. To my demise it lead to my second child eating some food I had stored in the freezer but mostly jarred baby food. This was almost 4 years ago and I am seeing the effects of my son & daughters eating habits tremendously. My son will eat a handful of foods like chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, ranch dip on everything, pizza, and occasionally a fruit or veggie. Mostly he enjoys carrots for sword fighting not eating. My daughter on the other hand could be a vegetarian. She has enjoyed salads since age 2 and continues to clean her plate no matter what I put on it!

Okay so what does all that mean? I did a garden this year and was able to can, freeze and cook an abundance of fresh produce that grew in my own back yard AGAIN!! On late nights I would look up several documentaries concerning food, going green, simple living, etc. This has become a huge priority for me and my family's choice for a healthier lifestyle. Educating myself on what truly is in our food has explained many reasons we have a lack of energy, sickness, and days where we are just plain lazy (more than I care to count). There are many new factors I was unaware of in the processing of food and the actual Food Chain being disturbed because of it. I will hopefully be able to post some comments and ideas on the information I have obtained by not only documentaries but internet research.

Here are a few movies I found interesting and hope you will too!

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  Vanishing of the Bees
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  What's on your plate (11 yr old girls make a difference)
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  The Future of Food (this link is actually the whole movie on hulu-you just have to wait on the advertisements to go away)
• 
  
  Life Running out of control (full movie)
• 
  
  Deconstructing Supper
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  King Corn
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  Radically Simple
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  Food Matters
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  Change your food, Change your life (a lady that chose to go vegan this link is the 1 of 9 clips - she has some real common sense info on what you eat is important)
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  Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead
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  The Cove (high levels of mercury in dolphins hid as other food - horrific holocaust of dolphins) The movie trailer for The Cove

All of these movies tie together a huge picture for me...What are we doing to God's creation and are we on a self destructive path? Many things have been brought to light for me and I want to do something about it. Why sit by ideally when my children's future is at stake? Now the questions is just what to do?

More to come later (Save the Honey Bees, Buying Local, Label GMOs on our food)

This post was from my personal blog on 9/27 but I had to share it and now I know WHAT I AM GOING TO DO ABOUT IT...make a difference!!

Making a Difference

This blog and websites pertaining to the organic lifestyle came about with much thought and consideration. God has shed light on so many aspects of our daily life that I had no idea of and to be quite honest and feel a little ignorant after learnng. Many stepping stones have been laid out in my life for this new journey so perfectly!
The big question for me is now that I know, "What do I do about it?" The easy answer is well there is not a whole lot that I can do it seems too large of a task to truly make a difference. The more I spoke with my family the more I realized God can use anyone to make a difference so don't count yourself insignificant! Since I can remember, I have always desired to make a difference I just was told over and over again it's not possible-you can't save the world ya know! What rings so loudly within me is not that I can do anything but Christ who lives in me can do all things! Relying on him for my every move with this cause I hope and pray that I will not stand in the way of being His instrument whether large or small. We sit idle when God calls us to something. Circumstances may cause you to believe it can't be done or who am I to speak out, but brother and sisters let me tell you that You are God's child and He has designed you to make a difference for His Kingdom and His Glory! Learning your identiy as His Child seems to be a life long process but letting go and letting God is just a choice you make-let me add one of the most important choices you will EVER make! If have passion or are being lead in Spirit to do anything, do not give up or ignore it. Since 10 years old I can recall having a passion for Nature, Conservation, Animals, etc. basically as my husband now puts it a "Tree Hugger". Reflecting back on my childhood I wanted so badly to become a Rainforest Biologist-which you guessed it I was told I couldn't make any money nor could I make a difference! I do know that parents in general do the best they can but I now can see the true importance with my own childhood that we should always encourage and support our children in their hopes and dreams. Bringing up Godly children encouraging them to be led by their Spirit is an exciting journey for parents. We get lost in the secular ways of success and diminish the natural inclination to be led by God in all things. So here is my shot later on in life being led by my "internal heaviness" aka Holy Spirit trying to make a differnce.  Hoping to share God's message through all means He lays along my path!  Lots of prayer and patience (which He is still working on with me as with most people) are going to be needed on this new venture but I am so excited and ready to do God's Work!!

Love and Blessings to you all!!

Social Media

We have now added a twitter account and facebook page to the world wide web to find us!!

Not an easy task to keep up with so many accounts but as I research I feel confident I will be able to integrate everything into the main website!!

LIKE AND FOLLOW!!!

For now let me share www.facebook.com/organicchristians

and https://twitter.com/#!/organicchrist

Widgets are on the way!!!

The Perennial Plate Episode 74: God's Country from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

Thanks Daniel Klein for asking the question

Does Christian Mean Organic?