what kinds of organics, (& variety of) are available where you live?

[extra-vert]

I live in Northern CA, (San Francisco). I am clearly spoiled by a plethora of organic groceries and a good variety at that. Though I have not traveled the country, save a few states, I hear that here, in CA, we are rather spoiled by our grocery choices. I see, more and more, in this country, an amazing rise in obesity and in crap processed food. I have started or contributed to threads here in the past, (in the subject of nutrition), never realizing before that: A) we are spoiled her in SF, CA by wonderful organics, and B) many states aren't nearly as spoiled, if at all. For those of you from everywhere else, tell me your observations on this topic. Am I wrong? The closest place to buy organic veggies for me is 2 blocks away, that's the closest, but I have at least 4 others in easy walking distance, (within a mile).
The point is, if I continue to sit here, (like an ***) suggesting everyone lay off the processed foods and hit the organics as much as possible, I might be quite naive and shortsighted. I apologize, in advance, if this has been the case.

[OakLeaf]

I am SO jealous every time I visit a California farmer's market.

Don't forget that one of the things you're spoiled by - living in THE major produce growing region of the country - is economics.

Very few places can grow produce year round, so farmer's markets are usually seasonal. That has a direct consequence (you can't get fresh local produce in winter unless you grow it yourself indoors) and an indirect one (people don't get in the habit of farmer's market shopping because they can't do it year round).

In Florida, farmer's markets are unregulated and consequently a total misnomer - they're just big flea markets where vendors sell the same out-of-state produce you'd get at the grocery store. In Ohio, they're pretty good, but the height of our growing season is only about five months. Grocery stores are about the same both places.

Nowadays I think almost every major chain grocery store anywhere has an organic produce section. BUT, when these sections were first installed, the food was a LOT more expensive than the chemically grown produce displayed right next to it. That's not usually the case any more (sometimes it is), but people just shy away from the organics because they expect them to be super-expensive.

Ironically, also, the organic produce commonly available in the grocery stores is the LEAST likely to be seasonal or local. It's the same things all year round - carrots, celery, broccoli, bananas, apples from Chile when the domestic stock runs out, chard and/or kale, sometimes onions and winter squash, sometimes sweet peppers from the freakin' Netherlands or Israel. If we want any variety at all, it's chemically grown produce or nothing. Seasonal organic fruit will occasionally come in, but that is still never local, and it IS always super-expensive. Organic cherries for $7.99 a pound? Blueberries for $4.99 a pint? Sorry, no thanks.

Then there's the time factor. By the time you prep fresh vegetables, cook grains and beans, grind all your spices etc., etc., eating healthy is time-consuming. It's also a skill that most kids don't learn at home any more - it's self-perpetuating generation to generation. Maybe it's more of a factor of where I live, but I think mostly the people who are suffering the most nutritionally are the ones with the least time and money to do something about it. Many of them are working two or three jobs just to pay the rent and put gas in the car (out here there's minimal public transport and many roads are just plain not bikeable, not to mention the distances and terrain being very intimidating even to an experienced cyclist like me). They're exhausted when they get home and have to feed the kids, and spending two or three hours cooking dinner is just not in the cards (never mind it would mean everyone would have to eat dinner at 9 pm).

The ones who are out of work are still exhausted (if you've ever been unemployed you know what I mean); most of them grew up in a family like I just described and never learned to cook; and they still can't afford a lot of produce or cooking equipment. The cooking equipment isn't a necessity I know, but it sure makes things easier and more enjoyable, and especially the cheaper things. Beans, for example - very inexpensive, sure, but if you don't have a pressure cooker, you have to be home to watch them cook for two or three hours. Prepping produce without good knives - every time I visit my in-laws I realize why they don't cook more, it's such a PITA. Etc., etc., etc.

Long answer to say YES it's availability, in a major way, but it's also money and time.

[bmccasland]

My local farmers market, which has been sponsored by Tulane University, has just "graduated" to being it's own 501c organization. Farmers bring in seasonal fresh fruits & vegies - this week there was kale, TOMATOES - the local creole and heirloom varities, eggplant, several varieties of squash, cucumbers, peppers.... I was disappointed that the blueberry season is over. A farmer brings in peaches from Alabama. A couple of local commercial fishermen have booths - so there is fresh catfish, some other fish, shrimp, crabs. A ranch brings in red meet - beef & mutton. AND there's a local dairy, where I can get the best ever organic milk less than grocery store prices. They actually appologized when they had to raise their price by 25c (I pay 3.25 per 1/2 gallon). Their chocolate milk is wonderful! Every other week a German gentleman, who's officialy retired from his day job, brings in german peasant breads (and makes Stollen at Christmas). A local bakery also sets up shop. Oh and there's a lady selling jams and jellies, another selling tamales and homemade cheese, a couple that sells pralines, a lady that sells flowers, a couple that sets up a small nursery every week (plants, not small children), and a Palestinian lady that sells salads (not lettuce).

Other seasonal highlights are satsuma tangerines in the winter, strawberries in the spring, and heirloom apples (from Arkansas) in the fall.

All the booths are set up and torn down weekly.

The old Farmers Market, with permanent boots, down in the French quarter is renovating, and the parent organization is trying to restore the "farmer" to the market. It became a flea market, and they're trying to get more produce, seafood, and such back. The Quarter is actually a neighborhood, and just down river is the Marigny ("marry nee"), another neighborhood - so there's a resident population, and not just tourists.

I love my farmer's market....

[tulip]

There's quite a bit of local food available here, but you have to go look for it. Farmers Markets do have local, but not exclusively so you have to pick and choose. The closest store that has organic and local food is about 5 miles away. I have not made it a habit to ride my bike across town regularly to go there, though. They are very expensive (more expensive than Whole Foods). No competition, really.

The local grocery store chain has a pretty good selection of organic, but not local foods. Given the choice, I'll buy local over organic from California.

I get my beef directly from the local farmer. The farm is owned and run by a family and they live at the farm. They also sell eggs, but since I get the beef only every few months, I don't go often enough for eggs all the time.

When I move to my new house, I'll get back into having my own garden. I grew alot of my own food when I lived in DC and had a garden.

[Trek420]

Oakleaf and all, it takes seconds to prep fresh fruit and vegies. It's fun and relaxing. I used to be a prep chef. I love the little tricks and tips for prep, smooshing garlic with the flat of a French knife ... it's easy to do.

Lots of produce can just be eaten out of hand. I've been (still am ) living in a remodel and had no kitchen at all.

One of my favorite things to do during the worst of the mess was surf the farm market for snacks ... cherry tomatoes, sweet snap peas, almonds and nuts of all kinds .... now that I have a kitchen it's still easy to cook with those things. Toss some mixed greens into a bowl, top with the same things listed above, I can make a vinaigrette in seconds with a bowl and a fork or just pour out of the bottle (still organic). Voila.
Broil some chicken, steam fish .... whatever you want, crusty bread and you gotta meal.

I prepped for some of the best in CA but if I know anything about easy home-cooked meals it's from my Mom (who's also Duck on Wheels Mom).

At 85 she still amazes me and others at what she just tosses together. She walks to the farm market which helps keep her fit and uses produce from her small home garden.

But we can all learn these things.

Of course there are cooking shows on PBS and on the Cooking channels, and some local schools here have programs like the Edible Classroom that teach nutrition, science and other subjects by growing crops on the school grounds. One of the many things great about farm markets is you can ask "what is this thing? How do I cook it?" and talk with the growers.

[michelem]

Well, I'm in Northern California as well, but we do not have near the choices in SF. Our local (downtown) farmer's market is a joke. A smattering of booths, and nothing organic. Local, yes. Organic, no. Raley's/Bel Air and Trader Joe's have okay organic sections, but rarely local (lots from Mexico though!). Raley's/Bel Air is very expensive as well. Last night I broke down and bought a small CA organic watermelon and it was almost $8! And that was "on sale!" The BEST place around here for local, organic produce is the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, however, it is at least a 30 minute drive for me, each way (more in traffic). So, I only get down there a 3 or 4 times a year. Wah wah wah. We're supposed to get a Whole Foods here sometime next year.

HOWEVER, although we have a tiny yard, my hubby has already planted a peach tree and a lemon tree and next he is going to do a tomato plant and more. These will be organic and as locally grown as you can get! I can't wait until the trees/plants mature!

[extra-vert]

One of my favorite things to do during the worst of the mess was surf the farm market for snacks ... cherry tomatoes, sweet snap peas, almonds and nuts of all kinds .... now that I have a kitchen  it's still easy to cook with those things. Toss some mixed greens into a bowl, top with the same things listed above, I can make a vinaigrette in seconds with a bowl and a fork or just pour out of the bottle (still organic). Voila.
Broil some chicken, steam fish .... whatever you want, crusty bread and you gotta meal.

Trek420 - very good point! It seems such a 'misnomer' what's the word I seek here, that people think it's such an effort to throw fresh stuff together - I do it all the time. And, btw, yes, it's actually very therapeutic and relaxing after a long day. It's an area of our lives that has become contagiously described as "too much time and effort". It's almost like an urban legend with a lot of momentum. So to just stop and reconsider that it's not that much more effort is a good thing. Time consuming is when one gets into calorie counting and carb watching and measuring - forget about it!
I will share with you though, my favorite fast processed, (somewhat) dinner:

Take those cheapie ramen noodles in the plastic pack for $.25, throw away the seasoning packet that comes w/, (way too much sodium & crap). Boil the noodles with a little salt and sesame oil. Sliver, (really skinny slivers) of green bell pepper to throw in maybe half way. Steam some broccoli. Throw and egg or two into the noodles towards the very end. Mix the broccoli in, throw in some soy sauce. Put it all in a big bowl and throw some sesame seeds on top. You can totally be on the forum blogging away in between all of this prep. Of course the healthier approach is a less processed noodle, like a buckwheat soba noodle, but the processed ones are my little spoiling indulgence!

[extra-vert]

Michelam, what about Rainbow grocery in SF or that store, (drawing a blank) in Berkeley that's just like Rainbow, but not just vegetarian? Maybe you're in South bay somewhere, but I love Rainbow. Then, I also have the corner produce markets in my hood in walking distance.

[michelem]

Thanks extra-vert. I'm in Folsom, about 25 miles northeast of Sacramento. Yes, the Bay Area has a much better selection. Sac has GREAT farmers markets as well as the Sac Co-op, but I REALLY REALLY hate to drive! When we moved here, I told my hubby I didn't care if we had to live in a trailer, I wanted to be within 5 miles of my office.

[extra-vert]

Got it.

[redrhodie]

Here in Newport, I have a natural market within one mile. The grocery store, also within a mile, has some organics, but not a great selection. I get nearly all my vegetables from the local farm co-op I belong to, about 10 miles away. Lots of beets and greens so far, it's still early in the season for us. We also have a farmer's market a couple of blocks away on Wednesdays, which is tiny, but I'm glad it's there. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

[OakLeaf]

I just don't have the knife skills, and it's not for lack of use. I cook all the time (used to be daily) and it always takes me 2+ hours to make a meal from scratch with more than 3-4 vegetable ingredients - especially if there are a lot of different seasonings that need to be measured and ground. Even something really simple like pressure cooker risotto with just onion and garlic and two vegies takes me an hour and a half from apron to table. That large bunch of broccoli? Washing, trimming, peeling the stems will probably take me 10-15 minutes. One of these days I'll take a knife skills class at Sur La Table.

I was lucky in that my parents taught me a LOT of things around the kitchen (baking bread, making tofu, making butter, cleaning fish, canning, making candy, etc.), but knife skills just weren't one of them.

But... how many of the people that were the topic of the original message are going to take the time to learn knife skills? How many probably don't even realize that there is a quicker way to do things? How many of them would just be totally intimidated even going into a cook's store?

/okay, this is a little drifty. But as I understood the OP's thrust, it had to do with people's ability to cook healthy, and all I'm trying to say is you have to look holistically at their ability, not just whether the ingredients are available for purchase. (which as I mentioned, they aren't always.)

[mimitabby]

I am on my 4th year of getting a farm share from a local organic farm!
FUN! You never know what you're going to get, so you learn to eat new foods.
When we went on vacation last year, i got someone else to pick up (and eat ) my veggies. THey loved it too.

Living in Seattle, you have access to all kinds of organic produce! you can be fussy and only eat local stuff; if there's not a label, the grocer can tell you where it's from.


I don't have "knife skills" but with a decent french knife i can cut vegetables and make good meals. (what are knife skills?)

We have been cooking almost exclusively from "scratch" since I was on my own.
I can't imagine living any other way. Sure, it takes time, but so does everything else. And my stomach is happy and i don't have a weight problem.

[GLC1968]

I'm currently in the Portland, OR area and organics are everywhere. In fact, local produce appears to be a point of pride here. It's unbelieveably refreshing. I've got weekly farmers markets all over the place (one on Sat, one on Sun and one on Tuesday evenings) within 10 miles of me. I have a store that prides itself on local and organic just 2 blocks from my apartment. And, on any weekend day, I can see farmstands all over the place (seasonal produce, berries, eggs, buffalo meat, etc). Plus, even the super cheap food stores have bulk foods that are organic (like Bob's Red Mill stuff - which is also local to us). Add to that our own initial attempts at organic gardening & raising chickens, and we are pretty set. Oh, and there are tons and tons of restaurants (even fast food!) that source locally for as much of their food as they can.

When I lived in small town NC, I had access to organic stuff, but it was quite a bit more expensive and most of it was not locally grown. Tobacco yes, veggies...not so much! It was there, but you had to be prepared to pay more for it. Though, I will say that two of the major grocery store chains (Lowes Foods and Harris Teeter) both had large sections of organic foods (including organic processed foods) right along side conventional stuff...so it was convenient.

I was actually just thinking about this last night as I made dinner. 90% of what I made was local and all of it was organic. I didn't plan it that way...it just happend to be made of the stuff I have available to me to buy. It's just so easy to eat organically here (particularly in the summer). Gotta love that!

[redrhodie]

I have excellent knife skills, but I still hate chopping. I'm just not meant to toil away in the kitchen . That's been the hard part of the farm share. I'm forced to cook. Ugh. But, I love the produce, and dbf (who is a chef and ALWAYS at work these days) has been impressed and amazed that I've been making good meals. I guess I'll do it if I'm forced to.

I saw this knife skills book in the library, and I thought it was beautiful. Mimi, I think you would love the drawings.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Kni.../9780393061789

Sad that the one review is bad. I read enough to disagree.